9 . What Your Parents Taught You About 18-Wheeler Accident Lawyers

What Is 18 Wheeler Law?

18 wheeler accident lawsuits wheeler law covers accidents which involve commercial truck drivers as well as their rigs. These massive vehicles are subject to strict federal guidelines regarding maintenance, safety, and training.

Trucking companies often make their drivers to work longer and alter logbooks. This can lead to catastrophic trucking accidents.

Weight Regulations

It is essential to be aware of the weight limits for semi-trucks. The majority of states have single axle and group axle limits on weight that must be observed. Weigh stations are common on interstates, where truckers are weighed to ensure they don't over the weight limit for their vehicle or load. If a trucker gets discovered to be violating these limits, they could be fined, or even jailed depending on the state they reside in and their criminal record.

Axle groups are able to have a higher limit as distributing the weight over more axles is safer for the vehicle and allows for more cargo to be transported. A single tire on an wheel can weigh up to 650 pounds per inch, however, if two tires are on the same axle, it could be weighed up to 1300 pounds.

There are also restrictions on the type of trailers that can be used in conjunction with a tractor. Certain states only permit one trailer while some states allow twin or triple trailers. Additionally, a lot of states require five wheels on the trailer. This is a round plate that is above the drive wheels that joins (hooks) the trailer to the tractor unit. There are both day cabtractors as well as sleeper cabs which include a sleeping area into the tractor unit and are specifically designed to haul over the road.

Lane Restrictions

Truck drivers must obey traffic rules and speed limits in addition to the lane limitations. Trucks cannot operate at the same speed as passenger cars. If they do, accidents are likely to occur. In a lot of instances, it's the truck driver who is at fault. This is due to truck drivers being able to drive for longer than allowed or violate the hours-of-service regulations, or become sleepy or distracted behind the wheel.

Another important limitation on lane is that truck drivers are not allowed to drive in the left lane. Trucks brake at a much lower speed than cars that are primarily passenger vehicles. This can be a serious 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 exempt big trucks and block them from using the left lane, whereas others only restrict the usage of the lane in certain circumstances. These laws could be based either on weight or axel limits. In other cases they may be solely based on vehicle's description.

Even if there isn't a statewide regulation on lane limits, you must still review the local rules and follow the rules. Also, you should move to the right when you see trucks in the passing lane so that it does not hinder cars taking over.

Ownership

Companies that operate 18 wheelers and trucks have a wealth of resources available to force accident victims into accepting less than they should. They have teams of lawyers, insurance adjusters engineers, engineers, and accident experts that work on their behalf before they know whether the victim of the accident will pursue legal recourse.

In the event of an accident 18-wheelers can be blamed for a number of serious injuries and property damage because they carry such heavy loads and are incredibly large when compared to passenger cars. This is especially so when they collide into other motor vehicles. It is imperative to hire a lawyer who has experience fighting for your rights against these large, powerful corporations.

Accidents involving large vehicles require an understanding of complex concepts in the fields of physics, chemistry, biology and federal regulations for trucking and medicine, driving standards and many other related areas. Our lawyers are able to identify any violations of these laws and present to the jury the circumstances that led to your accident.

18-wheeler truck accidents can be caused by the careless or reckless actions of a variety of parties. Our NY attorney for 18 wheeler accidents will investigate all of the responsible parties and ensure that they pay their fair share of your current and anticipated expenses. This includes trucking companies, owners and maintenance contractors, and even drivers themselves. Our team will also study the weather conditions that could have played a part in the accident.

Insurance

Trucking companies are able to put together large teams of adjusters, lawyers engineers, experts and adjusters quickly. They start the process before they know whether you will to pursue legal recourse. This is why it is crucial to hire an experienced attorney who will match their resources and bring them down to size.

An experienced 18 wheeler accident attorneys-wheeler crash lawyer can relieve the burden of dealing with these corporations off your hands and concentrate on getting you the compensation you deserve. The money could be used to pay medical expenses, vehicle damages, lost income from missed work and other non-economic losses like suffering and pain.

18-wheelers are complex vehicles that require a high-level, structured maintenance to ensure they remain on the road. Failure to perform this maintenance and maintain detailed records can result in catastrophic accidents.

Tractor-trailers frequently carry hazardous materials, which requires special training and specialized certification to transport. These materials can be flammable or explosive or radiological or poisonous. They all pose a risk to other drivers on American highways. In the absence of proper labeling and secure the load could result in a catastrophic accident.

A competent 18-wheeler accident attorney can determine the exact cause and blame the parties that may be responsible. This could include the driver of the truck, the trucking company, the owner or the trailer and the company that manufactures the truck and its components. This is referred to as vicarious responsibility.