The Most Hilarious Complaints We've Been Hearing About 18-Wheeler Accident Lawyers
What Is 18 Wheeler Law?
18 wheeler law deals with accidents involving commercial truck drivers and their rigs. These massive vehicles are subject to strict federal guidelines regarding maintenance, safety, and training.
Trucking companies often require their drivers to work longer and alter logbooks. This can lead accidents involving trucks to be devastating.
Weight Regulations
Understanding the weight limits of semi-trucks is crucial. Many states have single axle and group axle weight limits that must be adhered to. Weigh stations are prevalent on interstates, where truckers are weighed to ensure that they do not over the weight limit for their vehicle or load. If a trucker is found violating these limits and is found guilty, they may be fined and even put in jail depending on their criminal history and the state.
Axle groups have an upper limit due to the fact that distributing the weight across multiple axles makes the vehicle more secure and allows for more cargo to be carried. For example a single tire mounted on an axle is able to be weighed at 650lbs per inch of wheel diameter, but when there are two tires on that same axle it can be weighed at 1300 pounds per tire.
There are restrictions on the types of trailers that can be used in conjunction with the tractor. Certain states only permit one trailer, while others allow twin or triple trailers. Additionally, a lot of states require fifth wheels on the trailer, which is a circular plate over the drive wheels that couples (hooks) the trailer to the tractor unit. Both day cab tractors as well as sleeper cabs are readily available. They both come with sleeping spaces inside the tractor unit.
Lane Restrictions
Truck drivers must abide by speed limits and traffic signals in addition to the lane limitations. Trucks aren't able to travel at the same speed as passenger vehicles, and even if they do, they might cause accidents. In many cases the driver of the truck is the culprit in these accidents. This is due to the fact that truck drivers can be driving for longer than is permitted or break the rules of hours-of-service, or become sleepy or distracted behind the wheel.
Truck drivers are also prohibited from driving in the left side of the road. This is due to the fact that trucks take a lot longer trucks to stop than passenger vehicles. This can be a dangerous issue, particularly for those who drive smaller vehicles and may be stuck behind a truck when it suddenly stops or slows down.
Some states specifically single out large trucks and prevent them from using the left lane, while others only restrict the use of the lane under specific situations. In certain instances the laws are dependent on weight and axel limits, whereas in other they could be based on the description of the vehicle or directions.
Even if there's no statewide law regarding lane restrictions you should still look over the local rules and observe them. You should also shift to the left when you see trucks blocking the lane.
Ownership
The 18 wheeler and trucking companies have huge resources available to force victims of accidents to accept a lesser amount than they should. They have teams of lawyers and insurance adjusters who work on their behalf before they know whether the accident victim will take legal action.
In accidents 18-wheelers are frequently responsible for catastrophic injuries and extensive property damage due to the fact that they carry such heavy loads and are so large compared to passenger vehicles. This is particularly relevant when they collide with other motor vehicles. It is crucial to have an a skilled attorney fight for your rights and get you justice against these powerful, massive corporations.
Large truck accidents require an understanding of complicated concepts in the fields of biology, chemistry, physics as well as federal trucking regulations medical regulations, and driving rules. Our lawyers are able to find any violations of these laws, and explain to the jury what caused your accident.
Multiple parties can be responsible for truck accidents involving 18-wheelers. Our NY attorney for 18 wheeler accidents will investigate all accountable parties and ensure they are liable for their fair portion of your current and anticipated costs. This includes trucking companies, owners, maintenance contractors and even drivers themselves. Our team will also analyze weather conditions that might be a factor in the accident.
Insurance
Trucking companies are able to deploy large teams of lawyers, adjusters engineers, experts, and adjusters quickly. They start this process even before they know whether you'll be seeking legal recourse. It is crucial to hire an attorney who is capable of matching their resources and helping them decrease in size.
A lawyer with experience in handling 18-wheeler crashes can relieve you of the burden and help you receive the compensation you're entitled to. The money could be used to pay for expenses like steep medical bills car damage, lost wages due to missing work, and non-economic damages such as pain and suffering.
18-wheelers are extremely complex vehicles that require a high-level, structured maintenance to keep them on the road. 18 wheeler accident settlement savannah to perform this maintenance and keep detailed records could result in devastating accidents.
Tractor-trailers are often carrying hazardous materials that requires specialized training and specialized licenses to transport. They can be flammable or explosive or radiological, as well as poisonous. They all pose a significant danger to other drivers on American highways. In the absence of proper labeling and secure the load could result in a fatal accident.
A competent 18-wheeler accident attorney will determine the exact causes and blame any other individuals responsible. This could include the driver of the truck, the trucking company and the owner of the trailer and the manufacturer of the truck and its components. This is known as vicarious liability.