20 Things You Need To Be Educated About Semi Truck Lawsuit

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A Semi trucking-truck collision can result in serious injuries that could cost the victim a significant amount in medical bills. It can also result in permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term therapy.

After a collision, it is crucial to have an experienced New York truck accident attorney on your side. A professional lawyer can assist you in proving your case with evidence such as police reports, surveillance footage, etc.

Vehicles that are poorly maintained

In many cases trucking firms and owner-operators fail to take the appropriate steps to ensure that their vehicles are in good condition. This can lead to a large percentage of avoidable accidents each year.

Compared to passenger cars, semis and tractor-trailers require more frequent maintenance due to their size and heavier load. Unfortunately working to meet deadlines and maximizing profits often take precedence over maintaining the fleet. Trucks can be prone to mechanical problems which could cause disastrous accidents.

The brakes on a truck must be able to stop and slow down the vehicle at a moments notice. When the brake pads on a truck, lines, or return springs fail they could cause serious collisions and fatal injuries. It is essential that these parts are regularly inspected and replaced when required to ensure that they remain in good condition.

Tires that aren't well maintained may contribute to truck accidents. Tires that are worn out can cause traction issues, which causes the truck to slide or even rollover. If a tire is defective in some way, for example, having the incorrect air pressure or tread design, it may fail catastrophically.

In addition to regular maintenance, trucks need regular inspections to spot mechanical issues before they can cause an accident. If an inspection is performed incorrectly or the repair shop does not follow the manufacturer's instructions the result could be an accident. In these cases the company that employed or supervised the maintenance or repair shop could be held accountable.

The malfunctioning of signals, lights and reflectors are a common reason for truck accidents. These components must be in good functioning to allow drivers to see the truck and anticipate its movements, especially in rural areas and after dark. However, trucking companies may fail to check and maintain these equipments or the driver might not perform regular safety checks.

A Houston truck accident lawyer will review your situation and determine who could be accountable for your damages in the event you were injured from a poorly maintained commercial truck. This investigation could uncover evidence proving the defendant's negligence and help you receive the compensation you are entitled to.

Distracted Drivers

There aren't many things that can be more damaging than an accident that involves a commercial truck. These huge vehicles weigh up to 25 times more than your vehicle and can cause more injuries when they are involved in an accident. While many factors contribute to accidents that result from distracted driving, it is one of the most frequent and risky. A truck driver who is distracted might lose control of their vehicle or fail to notice the dangers on the roadway, which could lead to severe and life-changing injuries.

Truck drivers are required to adhere to strict rules and regulations set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This includes a ban on texting and the use of cell phones while operating their vehicles. Even when truckers adhere to the rules, they can be distracted and result in an accident. This can be a result of manual distractions like taking a hand off the wheel or mental distractions such as thinking about something other than driving.

While most people are aware the dangers of using text and drive, very few realize that other activities such as eating or changing the station on the radio or conversing with passengers can be considered to be distracting. If a trucker gets distracted, he may drift into another lane and fail to notice a traffic jam ahead. It only takes a split second for a huge truck to collide with a vehicle when the driver's attention wanders.

If a truck crash occurs due to an unintentionally distracted driver it is vital to snap photos of the crash scene and gather the name and contact details of witnesses. It is important to know the name of the driver, the company for which they work, and who owns the vehicle, if it's an independent contractor. This could impact who is liable for your accident as the trucking company is responsible for hiring skilled and experienced truck drivers. If the trucking company is found to be partly responsible for your accident, they could be liable to you for financial and non-economic damage.

Rear-End Collisions

Rear-end truck collisions are common and can result in serious injuries. They can occur in a variety settings like a red light or stop signal when the trucker fails to look behind them for traffic in the direction of oncoming traffic. It can also happen when vehicles cross the truck's path, forcing the driver of the truck to stop at a rapid pace without warning. The trucker might then slam into the car from behind.

It can be difficult to prove fault when there is rear-end collisions as it's not always certain the vehicle that was at fault. However, a skilled attorney can help gather evidence to show that the driver behind caused the crash through following too closely or distracted driving. This evidence could include photos as well as police reports and eyewitness testimony, as well as skid marks on the road.

Sometimes the driver in front could be responsible for the accident also. This could happen if they cut someone off, fail to use their turn signal as a reasonable person would, or decide to slam on the brakes at the last moment and causing the driver in the back to crash into the car directly in the front of them. In this type of scenario the modified comparative negligence laws could be used. The jury will determine a percentage of the blame to each party. The damages will be reduced accordingly.

Lacerations and Bruises

The rear-end of the vehicle is the one that is most affected in a rear-end collision which means that the occupants could suffer serious injuries after hitting their head against the dashboard or back window. They can also suffer broken bones as they are bounced around the interior of the vehicle by the force of the crash. Spinal injuries can be very serious. The damage to the spine could be serious and have long-lasting consequences for victims.

In addition to these kinds of injuries, the victim may also be suffering from emotional and psychological trauma from having been involved in a terrible crash. They may experience difficulties in concentrating or sleeping, which could cause depression and anxiety. They may also experience stress and financial burdens when they cannot work because of an injury. An attorney will investigate the possible causes of liability to assist the victim to receive the right amount of compensation for their loss.

Problematic trailer hitches

All vehicles, regardless of whether they are a car, van, truck flatbed, van, or should be securely connected to their trailers. Unexpectedly unhitching a trailer can result in catastrophic accidents that lead to severe injuries or even death. If you have been injured in a vehicle accident caused by a truck that has run away or trailer, consult an experienced attorney who specializes in hitch failure cases to discuss your legal options.

The reason behind a defective trailer hitch can be caused by a variety which can range from inadequate security or design. It could be caused by a defect on the part of the manufacturer in which case product liability law could be applicable. The company or person responsible for a defective trailer is liable for the victim's medical costs along with auto repair expenses and other losses that result from the incident.

In the fatal crash that took place on a road in Ohio known as "Devil's Backbone" in January 2014, the trailer slid off of the truck. It then crashed into two cars directly behind it. Initial investigations suggested that the crash was due to the driver's negligence for not inspecting and secure the hitch. In June 2015, however the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration started investigating the possibility that a defect in the hitch, an Ultra LT manufactured Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama, was responsible for the crash.

Due to the hitch that was defective, the trailer struck the sides of the vehicles before plunging into them head-on. This resulted in multiple fatalities and serious injuries to the drivers of the vehicles.

The truck driver in the accident was found guilty of vehicular homicide, but experts suggest that he could've avoided the crash had he conducted an in-depth inspection of his trailer to make sure that all connections were secure. Incorrect trailer hitches can cause major accidents. These incidents are often high-speed, and they can easily cause a collision with motorcycles or other smaller vehicles. In such cases the trailer may distort the frame of a vehicle and force sharp metal pieces to strike the passengers inside.