The 10 Most Terrifying Things About 18-Wheeler Accident Lawyers

What Is 18 Wheeler Law?

18 wheeler accident attorneys wheeler law deals with accidents that involve commercial truck drivers and their rigs. These huge vehicles are subject to strict federal guidelines regarding maintenance, safety, and training.

Trucking companies often require their drivers to work for longer and alter logbooks. This can result in catastrophic trucking accidents.

Weight Regulations

Understanding the weight limits for semi trucks is essential. Weight limits for single axles and group axles are determined by most states. There are numerous weigh stations along interstates where truckers are weighed to ensure that they do not over the weight limit for their vehicle or load. If a trucker is caught violating these limits they could face fines and even sentenced to jail depending on their criminal record and the state.

Axle groups have an upper limit due to the fact that distributing the weight across multiple axles increases the safety of the vehicle and allows more cargo to be transported. For example a single tire mounted on an axle can only weigh 650 pounds per inch of wheel diameter. However, when there are 2 tires on that same axle it could be weighed at 1300 pounds per tire.

There are restrictions on the types of trailers which can be used in conjunction with the tractor. Some states only allow one trailer, while other states allow twin or triple trailers. A lot of states also require a fifth-wheel on the trailer, which is a plate that sits over the drive wheels, and connects (hooks up) the trailer with the tractor unit. There are day cabtractors as well as sleeper cabs, which incorporate an area for sleeping inside the tractor unit. They are made for over-the-road hauling.

Lane Restrictions

Truck drivers must abide by speed limits and traffic signals in addition to lane restrictions. Trucks are not allowed to operate at the same speed as passenger vehicles. If they do, accidents are likely to occur. In most cases the driver of the truck is the one at fault in these accidents. Truck drivers could be driving longer than they are allowed to, violating hours-of-service rules or be tired 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 it takes much longer for trucks to brake than cars. This could create a risky situation, particularly for cars with smaller wheels that could be stuck behind trucks when they suddenly slow down or stop.

There are states that specifically exempt big trucks and block them from using the left lane. However, others only restrict the use of the lane only in specific circumstances. These laws can be based on weight or axel limit. In other cases they may be solely based on the vehicle's description.

Even if there's no state-wide regulation on lane limits, you should still check the local rules and observe the rules. You should also shift to the left when you see trucks blocking the lane.

Ownership

The trucking and 18 wheeler accident law firm-wheeler businesses have a wealth of resources to use in order to force victims of accidents to accept less than they're entitled. They have teams of lawyers, insurance adjusters engineers, experts, and lawyers that work on their behalf before they know if the victim of the accident will seek legal remedy.

Due to their massive load and are so much larger than passenger vehicles, 18 wheelers often cause a lot of injuries and huge property damage in accidents. This is particularly the case when they collide with motor vehicles. It is important to have experienced lawyers fight for your rights and recovery against these powerful, large corporations.

Large-scale accidents require an in-depth understanding of the concepts in the fields of physics, biology, chemistry and federal regulations for trucking and medicine, driving standards, and other related areas. Our attorneys are able to identify any violations of these laws and explain to the jury what led to your accident.

Multiple parties can be responsible for truck accidents involving 18-wheelers. Our NY 18 wheeler accident lawyer will investigate all of the liable parties and make sure they are paid their fair portion of your current and expected expenses. This includes owners of trucking businesses, trucking companies, maintenance contractors, and even drivers themselves. Our team will also analyze weather conditions that might have contributed to your accident.

Insurance

The trucking industry has a wealth of resources available to them and can quickly deploy teams of lawyers, insurance adjusters engineers, engineers, and experts to build a defense against the victims of accidents. They begin the process before they know whether you are going to seek legal recourse. This is why it is crucial to hire a capable attorney who can match their resources and cut them to size.

An experienced 18-wheeler crash lawyer will take the burden of dealing with these big corporations off your hands and focus on obtaining the compensation you are entitled to. The money could be used to pay for expenses such as medical bills that are costly, vehicle damage, loss of wages due to absence from work, and also non-economic damages like suffering and 18 wheeler accident Lawyer pain.

18 wheelers are complex vehicles and require high-end, systematic maintenance to ensure they are safe on the road. Failure to do this maintenance and keep accurate records can result in tragic accidents.

Tractor-trailers often carry hazardous material, which requires special training and specialized licensing to transport. These materials could be explosive or flammable and radiological as well as poisonous. They all pose a serious danger to other drivers on American highways. Failure to properly label and secure the load could also cause a devastating accident.

A trained 18 wheeler accident lawyer can pinpoint the exact causes of your accident and hold accountable any other parties that are accountable. This could include the driver of the truck, the trucking company as well as the owner of the trailer as well as the manufacturer of the truck and its components. This is called vicarious liability.