league city semi truck accident settlement -truck collision can result in an injury that is serious enough to cost the victim a significant amount in medical bills. It can also cause permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term physical therapy.
It is essential to have a reputable New York truck accident lawyer at your side following an accident. A qualified attorney will assist you in proving your case with evidence such as police reports or surveillance footage, for instance.
Poorly-Maintained Vehicles
Owner-operators and companies that operate trucks often do not take the necessary steps to ensure that their vehicles are in good repair. This leads to many avoidable accidents each year.
Semis and tractor trailers require more frequent maintenance than cars used for passenger transport because of their larger dimensions and larger load. Unfortunately keeping deadlines and increasing profits often take precedence over maintaining a fleet. As a result, trucks are more prone to mechanical breakdowns that can lead to devastating accidents.
The brakes of a truck are particularly important as they must be able to stop the vehicle and slow it down at the smallest of moments. When brake pads, lines or return springs on a truck wear out and break, it could lead to serious accidents and fatal injuries. It is vital that these components are regularly inspected and replaced when necessary to ensure they are in good working condition.
Tires that aren't well maintained may play a significant role in truck accidents. Tires that are worn-out can lose traction and cause the truck to roll over or slide. Tires that aren't working because of an insufficient tread design or air pressure, can fail catastrophically.
In addition to regular maintenance, trucks must undergo routine inspections to detect mechanical problems before they lead to an accident. If an inspection was performed improperly or the repair shop doesn't follow the manufacturer's instructions it could cause an accident. In these cases the company that employed or directed the maintenance or repair shop could be held accountable.
Another common cause of truck accidents is the failure of signals, lights, and reflectors. These devices must be correctly functioning to allow drivers to see their truck and anticipate its movements, particularly in rural areas or after dark. Drivers or trucking companies may not be able to maintain and inspect these elements, or they may not carry out regular safety inspections.
A reliable Houston truck accident lawyer can analyze your case to determine who is accountable for your injuries should you be injured in an accident involving a badly maintained commercial truck. This investigation could uncover evidence of the defendant's negligence and help you get the compensation you are entitled to.
Distracted Drivers
The consequences of collisions with commercial trucks can be catastrophic. These huge vehicles weigh up to 25 times the weight of your car and can cause more serious injuries when they are involved in collisions. While many factors contribute to accidents and injuries, distracted driving is one of the most common and dangerous. A distracted driver of a truck can lose control of their vehicle or fail to notice an accident on the road which could lead to serious and life-changing injuries.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has strict rules and regulations for truck drivers. This includes a ban on texting or using cell phones while driving. Even when truckers adhere to the rules, they could be distracted and cause an accident. This can be a result of distractions caused by manual actions like dropping a hand off of the wheel or cognitive distractions like thinking about something else other than driving.
Many people are aware that texting while driving is risky, but many do not realize that other activities, like eating or changing radio stations or talking to passengers, can also be considered distracting. When a truck driver is distracted, they might wander off into another lane, or miss a traffic jam in front of them. If a truck driver's focus is diverted, it will only take one second for a massive vehicle to crash into a passenger car.
It is important to collect information on witnesses and also take pictures of the accident scene when the driver is distracted and causes a crash of a truck. It is important to determine the name of the driver, the company that they work for and who is the owner of the vehicle if it's an independent contractor. This could impact who is liable for your accident, as the trucking company is responsible for securing skilled and experienced truck drivers. If the trucking company is found be partially responsible for your accident, they could be responsible for your economic and non-economic losses.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions between trucks are common and often cause severe injuries. These accidents can happen in a variety of situations like at a stop sign or red light when the trucker doesn't check behind him for any traffic that is coming up. It could also happen when cars cross the truck's route, causing the driver of the truck to stop suddenly and without warning. The trucker could then smash the car from behind.
It is often difficult to prove the cause of rear-end collisions, since it's not always clear which vehicle caused the accident. However, an experienced lawyer can assist in gathering evidence to show that the driver at the rear was responsible for the crash due to following too closely or driving while distracted. This can be evidence in the form of photos, police reports and eyewitness testimony, aswell being skid marks on the road.
Sometimes the driver in front might be liable for the accident in addition. This could happen if they cut off someone else or fail to utilize a turn signal in the same manner as any reasonable person would do. In these situations, modified comparative negligence laws can be applied. The jury will determine a percentage of the blame to each of the parties. Damages are then lowered accordingly.
Bruises and Lacerations
The rear-end of the vehicle experiences the most impact in a rear-end crash, meaning that occupants can sustain serious injuries as they smash their head against the back window or dashboard. They may also break bones after being scattered around the interior of the car due to the force of the crash. Injuries to the spine can be extremely severe. The damage to the spine could cause serious and lasting consequences for victims.
A person who has been involved in a serious accident might also suffer psychological and emotional trauma. They may experience difficulty getting enough sleep or concentrating, which can result in anxiety and depression. If they're unable work due to the seriousness of their injury this can cause stress and financial hardship. An attorney will investigate the potential sources of liability to assist a victim in receiving the right amount of compensation for their loss.
Faulty Trailer Hitches
All vehicles, regardless of whether they are a vehicle, a car, a truck, van, flatbed, or van, need to be securely connected to their trailers. When a trailer becomes unexpectedly unhitched, it can cause catastrophic accidents that result in severe injuries or even death. If you've been injured by the trailer that has run away, contact an experienced vehicle accident lawyer who specializes in cases involving hitch failure immediately to discuss your legal options.
The reason behind a defective trailer hitch can be caused by a variety that can be traced to improper securement or design. It could also be due to an error by the manufacturer and in that case, laws governing product liability could apply. The person or company at fault for a faulty trailer is responsible for medical bills of victims and auto repair expenses, and other damages resulting from the incident.
In a fatal crash that occurred on a road in Ohio known as "Devil's Backbone" in January 2014, the trailer was detached from the truck. It crashed into two cars directly behind it. The initial investigation attributed the crash to the truck driver's negligence in failing to inspect and secure the hitch. In June 2015, however, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration started investigating the possibility that a defect in the hitch and an Ultra LT manufactured Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama, was the reason behind the crash.
The trailer hit the side of the vehicle and crashed into them. The result was multiple fatalities and serious injuries to the drivers.
The driver of the truck that was involved in the incident was found guilty of vehicular manslaughter, but experts say that he could have avoided the collision with other vehicles had he conducted a thorough inspection of his trailer and made sure that all connections were secure. A faulty hitch on a trailer can lead to catastrophic accidents, as these incidents often involve a lot of speed and may cause a collision with smaller vehicles or motorcycles. In these cases the trailer can distort the frame of a car and cause sharp metal fragments to entrap passengers.