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Semi Truck Accident Law A semi-truck accident could cause serious injuries that could cost the victim a significant amount in medical bills. It could also cause permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term therapy. After a collision is essential to retain an experienced New York truck accident attorney at your side. A qualified attorney will help you prove your case using evidence such as police reports or surveillance footage, for instance. Poorly-Maintained Vehicles In a majority of cases trucking companies and owners-operators do not take appropriate steps to ensure that their vehicles are in good condition. This causes many preventable crashes every year. Compared to passenger cars, semis and tractor-trailers require more frequent maintenance work due to their size and heavy loads. Unfortunately the pressure of completing deadlines and maximizing profits often takes precedence over maintaining the fleet. Trucks can be prone to mechanical problems that could cause devastating accidents. The brakes of a truck need to be able stop and slow down the vehicle at a minute's notice. When brake pads, lines or return springs on a truck get worn out and become damaged, it can result in serious accidents and fatal injuries. It is essential that these components are regularly inspected and replaced as needed to keep them in good working order. Tires that aren't well maintained may play a significant role in truck accidents. Tires that are worn down can cause the tires to lose traction and cause the truck to slide or even flip over. If a tire is damaged in any way, like having the wrong air pressure or improper tread design, it could fail catastrophically. In addition to regular maintenance, trucks require routine inspections to detect mechanical problems before they lead to an accident. If an inspection is done incorrectly or the repair shop does not follow the manufacturer's guidelines this could result in a crash. In such cases, a company that commissioned the repair or maintenance shop or who was responsible for its supervision could be held accountable. Another major cause of truck accidents is malfunctioning signals, lights, and reflectors. These devices must be correctly functioning to allow drivers to see their truck and anticipate its movements, especially in rural areas or after dark. However, trucking firms may neglect to inspect and maintain these equipments or the driver might fail to conduct regular safety inspections. A reliable Houston truck accident lawyer can examine your case to identify who might be responsible for your losses should you be injured in an accident involving a badly maintained commercial truck. This investigation could uncover evidence that proves the defendant's negligence and help you receive the compensation you're due. Distracted Drivers There aren't many things that can be more devastating than an incident involving a commercial truck. These huge vehicles weigh up to 25 times the weight of your car and could cause more injuries when they are involved in collisions. While a variety of factors can cause accidents and injuries, distracted driving is one of the most common and risky. A truck driver who is distracted could lose control of their vehicle or fail to recognize a hazard in the road, leading to severe and life-changing injuries. Truck drivers must follow strict rules and regulations set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This includes a prohibition on texting and using cell phones while driving. But even if truckers obey the rules they are still prone to be distracted and cause crash. This could be due to manual distractions like taking your hand off the steering wheel or cognitive distractions like thinking about something other than driving. While most people understand that it's dangerous to text and drive, few are aware that other activities like eating, changing the radio station or even talking to a passenger could also be deemed to be distracting. If a truck driver is distracted, they could wander off into another lane, or not be able to see the traffic jam ahead of them. It takes only a split second for a big truck to crash into a vehicle when the trucker's attention wanders. If a truck crash occurs due to a distracted driver, it is important to snap photos of the scene of the accident and collect the contact details and name of any witnesses. It is also important to determine the name of the truck driver and the company they are employed by, as and who owns the truck if it is an independent contractor. This could impact who is accountable for your incident since the trucking company is responsible for hiring skilled and competent truck drivers. If the trucking company is found to be partially responsible for the accident, it could be liable to you for any economic and non-economic injuries. Rear-End Collisions Rear-end collisions with trucks are common and often cause serious injuries. They can occur in a variety settings like a red light or stop sign when the trucker fails to look behind them for any traffic that is coming up. They can also occur when a car cuts in front of the truck, causing the driver to hit their brakes without warning. The trucker could then smash the car from behind. It can be hard to prove fault in the event of rear-end collisions, as it's not always clear which vehicle was at fault. A knowledgeable attorney can gather evidence to show that the driver behind caused the crash because they followed too closely or driving erratically. This can include evidence like photos, police reports, eyewitness testimony and skid marks on the roadway. The driver in the front of the car could also be liable for the incident. This could happen if they cut someone off, fail to use their turn signal as a reasonable person would, or slam on the brakes in the last second and causing the driver in the back to crash into the vehicle directly in the front. This is where modified comparative negligence laws be used, in which the jury determines a percentage of the fault to each party, and damages are reduced accordingly. Lacerations and Bruises In a rear-end accident, the rear end of the vehicle is the area that experiences the most force. This means that the people in the car are at risk of serious injuries if they crash their heads against the dashboard or the back window. They also may break bones due to being torn around inside the car as a result of the force of the collision. Spinal injuries can be serious. Injuries to the spine can have serious and long-lasting effects on victims. In addition to these types of injuries, the victim might also suffer from emotional and psychological trauma from being involved in a devastating crash. They might have trouble sleeping or concentrating, which can cause anxiety and depression. They may also experience stress and financial strain when they are unable to work due to an injury. An attorney can examine the possible sources of liability and assist a victim in receiving fair compensation for their loss. The trailer is not working properly All vehicles, whether they are a car, a truck, van flatbed, van, need to be securely connected to their trailers. If a trailer is suddenly unhitched, it could lead to catastrophic accidents that result in serious injuries or even death. If arkansas semi truck accident claim 've suffered injuries in a collision involving an unhitched trailer, call an experienced lawyer for car accidents who specializes in cases involving hitch failure as soon as possible to discuss your legal options. The cause of a faulty trailer hitch is many things such as inadequate security or design. It could also be the result of a manufacturer's defect and, in this case, products liability laws could apply. The person or company that is at the fault for a trailer that is defective can be held liable for the medical bills of the victims and auto repair expenses, and other damages resulting 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 was detached from the truck. It crashed into two cars that were directly behind it. The initial investigation attributed the crash to the truck driver's lapse in examine and secure the hitch. In June 2015, however the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began to investigate the possibility that a defect in the hitch that was an Ultra LT manufactured Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama, was the reason behind the crash. The trailer struck the side of the vehicle and crashed into them. The result was multiple deaths and serious injuries to the drivers. The driver of the truck involved in the accident was convicted of vehicular homicide. However, experts say he could have avoided the crash had he conducted an extensive inspection of his trailer to ensure all connections were tight. Faulty trailer hitsches can cause major catastrophes, since these types of incidents typically involve a lot of speed, and they can cause a collision with smaller vehicles or motorcycles. In these situations the trailer could distort the frame of a vehicle and force steel fragments that are razor-sharp to strike the passengers inside.