How Technology Can Make Commercial Trucks Safer

The trucking industry plays a significant role in the U.S. economy. From delivering the food we consume to the clothing we wear, trucks transport roughly 10 billion tons of freight every year. However, trucking can also be considered a dangerous business that results in collisions and life-threatening injuries. Despite all the precautionary measures and safety regulations in place, trucking accidents can still occur. Fortunately, with the continuous improvement in technology, commercial trucks have become safer than before. Our Greensboro trucking accident attorneys are skilled at handling complicated truck accident cases with ease.

Let’s take a quick look at how technology has evolved to make trucking safe:

Adaptive cruise control: With these advanced cruise control systems, a truck automatically reacts to the vehicle moving in front of it. This technologically advanced feature also applies brakes naturally when it senses a change in the speed of the traffic. So, when a truck driver fails to focus on the road ahead, these systems kick in and offer excellent support to prevent fatalities from occurring.

Cameras: Cameras are helping trucks to become safer in more ways than one. These cameras are sensitive, which makes them highly proficient at identifying hazards on the road. Thus, the information gleaned by these cameras is critical for the overall safety of the truck as well as the other vehicles on the road. Also, the presence of dashboard cameras can alert the trucking company if their drivers are driving in an unsafe manner.

Lane-marking technology: In the coming times, lane straying could become a thing of the past if trucking companies integrate lane-marking technology into their businesses. Such systems have cameras mounted on the vehicles to ensure that the drivers stick to their lane while on the road. Whenever the trucks move outside the path, drivers automatically get an alert prompting them to stick to their side of the lane.

Autonomous driving: According to research, more than 90 percent of motor vehicle accidents occur due to driver error. Fortunately, technological advances are taking over driving responsibilities from humans. Trucking companies too are benefitting from such technology. Features such as automatic braking, lane guidance, and other features ensure that a truck does not get drifted to another lane.

Collision mitigation technology: According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), heavy commercial trucks accounted for about 4 percent of registered vehicles but caused 13 percent accidents. This could be partly due to their immense size and weight. So, it’s in the interests of both public safety and profitability of fleets to minimize trucking collisions. Advanced collision systems are integrating sensors to monitor crashes and prompt emergency actions to prevent them.

Electronic logging devices: As of December 2018, nearly all U.S. interstate commercial trucking operations are required to integrate electronic logging devices in their vehicles. ELDs record commercial hours of service of truck drivers to make sure that they are operating the vehicles in accordance with the guidelines provided by the FMCSA.

Irrespective of all the technological advances, trucking accidents can still occur. Collisions involving commercial vehicles are usually complicated and require legal representation. In the aftermath of a trucking collision, only a skilled attorney can determine the best course of action. Our Greensboro trucking accident attorneys have years of experience and knowledge in handling complicated cases. The lawyers are, in fact, recognized and recommended by both their peers and happy clients. Ranging from big-rig spills to jackknifing, we’ve successfully represented a range of victims. Our compassionate attorneys are here to help you get your life back on track.

For queries, call us at 334-777-6226

5 Tips to Drive Your Car Safely Around Motorcycles

As per the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 4,956 motorcyclists lost their lives in road accidents in 2015. Unfortunately, increasing gas prices has forced many car owners to trade off their vehicles for hi-tech motorcycles. This has resulted in several inexperienced riders navigating roads and getting involved in deadly collisions with other vehicles. According to experts, most accidents involving motorcycles and cars are due to the negligence of motorists than riders. In this post, our Greensboro car accident attorneys provide 5 tips to steer clear of motorcycles while you’re behind the wheel:

•  Check the blind spots: This is one of the most common reasons for causing accidents involving cars and motorcycles. As bikes are smaller than other vehicles, they become even more challenging to spot. Most importantly, the shape of motorcycles and riders often tend to blend in the rear-view and side-view mirrors of a car. Thus, it’s advisable to take time before merging and devote some time to check the blind spots before maneuvering your vehicle.

• Consider adverse weather conditions: Poor weather conditions have a more drastic impact on motorcycle riders than other vehicle drivers. Rainfall, snow, and windy conditions can make it challenging for motorcyclists to control their vehicles on the road. Also, poor weather conditions can make it particularly difficult to spot motorcycles.

• Maintain your lane: Motorcyclists are legally entitled to stay in their lanes. No motor vehicle is allowed to switch paths or move near motorcycles. Irrespective of how small a bike may appear, sharing the lane with motorcycles is illegal and may also lead to deadly collisions.

• Be cautious when taking left turns: Before you cross a lane or traffic to turn left, make sure briefly check for approaching motorcycles. Left turning cars can be severe, mainly because motorcycles tend to T-bone the car while it’s mid-way, which, in turn, may lead to deadly accidents. Unlike car drivers, motorcyclists are not protected by a metal covering. Thus, motorcycle accidents lead to fatal injuries to the riders.

• Dim headlights of your cars: High beams are usually blinding for motorcyclists, so it’s important to ensure that high-beams are turned off when you notice an approaching motorcycle.

With temperatures warming up and us inching closer to summer, motorcycle enthusiasts across the globe are dusting their bikes and getting ready to hit the roads. By adopting a few safety tips, motor vehicle drivers can make roads safer for everyone.

Vehicle accidents often lead to catastrophic injuries, which means that money is always at stake for insurance companies. Thus, insurance companies leave no stone unturned to pay minimum possible compensation. If you’ve been injured or lost a loved one in a car accident, get in touch with our Greensboro car accident attorneys. Our lawyers craft smart legal strategies to build a strong case and pursue maximum compensation.

For further legal queries, call us at 334-777-6226.

Pedestrian Accidents: All You Need to Know

On December 26, 2019, two pedestrians were struck and injured by a vehicle in Millbrook, Alabama. They are currently recuperating in a Montgomery hospital. According to the police chief, an 18-year old was driving the car and dropped her beverage cup on the car floor. When she attempted to retrieve the cup, the driver’s side of the rear quarter panel hit both the pedestrians on Kensley Lane. The two pedestrians were a 61-year-old woman and a 58-year-old man.

Pedestrians are always at a high risk of getting injured, and like any other accident, such collisions often lead to life-threatening consequences. If you get injured in a pedestrian accident or your loved one has become a victim of wrongful death, contact our personal injury lawyers in Montgomery. In this post, Montgomery personal injury lawyers attempt to explain your concerns and ensure you get the compensation you deserve:

Can Pedestrians Avoid Collisions With Vehicles?

Thousands of pedestrians are injured and killed, each year. Some safety tips that pedestrians need to adopt, include:

• Avoid distractions while on the road
• Try to make eye contact with the drivers before crossing the road
•  Always look on both sides before crossing a street
• Ensure they are clearly visible to drivers while navigating traffic
• Cross streets only at intersections or crosswalks

Causes of Accidents

Motor vehicle drivers also share an equal responsibility to prevent deadly collisions with pedestrians. Some of the common causes of accidents include:

•  Distracted driving: Driving when distracted is one of the leading causes of accidents. Motorists should avoid talking on their phones, grooming, eating, chatting with passengers, or texting, while driving.

• Fatigue and drowsy driving: Falling asleep behind the wheel is one of the significant problems that most drivers face. When they are tired, overworked, or stressed, they pay less attention to their surroundings and may cause fatal collisions.

• Aggressive and impatient driving: When a driver is impatient or aggressive, he may fail to yield right of way to a pedestrian and instead hit him. At times aggressive driving may also result in a driver not immediately noticing pedestrians trying to navigate the street and may end up colliding with them.

Common Pedestrian Accident Injuries

Pedestrians do not wear any protective gear. During a motor vehicle accident, unfortunately, their bodies take the full impact of the collision. When motorists over-speed, the chances of traumatic injuries to pedestrians increase. Some collisions may lead to a life-threatening injury to a pedestrian, one that prevents them from carrying out daily activities.

Here are some of the common injuries that pedestrians suffer during accidents:

• Head injuries
• Back and spinal cord injuries
• Broken bones and fractures
• Internal bleeding
• Neck and shoulder injuries

File an Accident Claim

Accidents often lead to physical, emotional, and financial losses, which is why accident claims are filed by victims. The motor vehicle driver who caused the accident may be liable for all the medical bills, loss of wages, and other damages suffered by the victim, in this case the pedestrian. To obtain favorable compensation and to discuss your legal rights, get in touch with our Montgomery personal injury lawyers. We work with a core team of administrative assistants who can help you get compensated for all the losses caused to you by a negligent driver.

For further queries, call us at 334-777-6226.

Truck Platooning — Raising Serious Safety Concerns

Truck platooning brings with it a major benefit — that of fuel efficiency. And this attracts considerable attention from private fleet owners and truckload carriers. But, what is truck platooning? It is the linking of two or more trucks in convoy by using automated driving support systems and connectivity technology.

The truck heading the convoy acts as the leader, with the rest of the vehicles moving behind it adapting and reacting to the changes. Truck platooning has immense potential to ensure that the roads are cleaner, safer, and more efficient. The question, however, is whether truck platooning is a good idea, considering the trucking industry’s safety records.

In this post, Marion truck accident attorneys at Manley Traeger draw attention to some serious safety concerns related to truck platooning:

• The trucking industry and trucking companies promote truck platooning as safe and responsive. In some cases it attracts attention due to fuel consumption benefits. Unfortunately, truck platooning may lead to severe hazards for ordinary drivers. When there’s a large fleet of trucks on the road, other vehicles may slow down to an unreasonably slow speed or even over-speed to pass the fleet of trucks quickly. None of these options are desirable and can lead to deadly collisions.
• Truck drivers are often forced to violate hours-of-service regulations, thereby causing severe fatigue. Exhaustion and tiredness often lead to problems in focusing, impaired reflexes, and delayed reaction times. In such cases, drivers tend to fall asleep behind the wheel. Fatigued driving while platooning could turn deadly, very quickly.
• The trucking industry has a poor track record of complying with regulations. This has led to deadly accidents since 2007. There are cases of trucking companies hiring inexperienced drivers who lack adequate training. Some companies have also refused to implement reforms that would prevent drivers from driving these gigantic vehicles after drug-related arrests.

Unless trucking companies improve their safety records, tackle the shortage of drivers, and enhance hiring practices, they should not go all out and adopt truck platooning.

Contact Our Marion Personal Injury Attorneys

If you’ve suffered injuries in a collision involving a large truck, our Marion trucking accident attorneys are here to help. With more than two decades of experience and sole focus on handling complicated truck accident cases, Marion personal injury attorneys are powerful and aggressive advocates in representing the rights of victims. If your case doesn’t get settled, we won’t hesitate to advocate your rights in court. Our team offers free consultations to help you understand and analyze the various aspects of your case. We handle your case on a contingency fee basis, which means that we do not charge a fee unless we obtain financial recovery through verdict or settlement.

For further legal queries, call us at 334-777-6226.

Did You Know the Average Settlement for Whiplash Injuries? Read On

Whiplash occurs when there are soft tissue injuries in the neck, head, and back that result from a sudden vehicle collision. In such accidents, bones in the spine, muscles, and nerves on the back may get damaged.

Whiplash may hamper the victim’s ability to carry out day to day activities. If you’ve suffered whiplash in a car accident caused due to the negligence or carelessness of someone else, do not hesitate to seek the advice of seasoned attorneys. Our Greensboro personal injury lawyers at Manley Traeger are adept at fighting for the rights of victims:

Symptoms of Whiplash

Some of the common symptoms of whiplash include headache, stiffness, and soreness. Other symptoms include fatigue, dizziness, sleep disturbances, and pain in the shoulders. Victims of whiplash injuries often face difficulty in turning their heads and back. Whiplash symptoms usually last for several days, weeks, and months. Unfortunately, some victims require surgical correction for the affected tissues. A whiplash victim may also require extensive medical treatment, which, in turn, may demand long-term medical care. If the negligent party caused the victim’s whiplash, they are liable for medical treatment.

Average Compensation for Whiplash

A victim of a personal injury lawsuit is eligible to claim compensation for all the damage. However, whiplash is minor in some cases and a severe medical problem in others. Therefore, the average settlement depends on the economic and non-economic compensation associated with the claim:

Economic Damages

• Victims are eligible to claim compensation for medical expenses, prescription costs, and other medical care.
•  A plaintiff is entitled to obtain reimbursement for lost wages, if his injury prevents him from carrying out his work for a prolonged period.
•  Victims can also claim damages for vehicle repairs and replacements

Non-Economic Damages

• The plaintiffs can claim compensation for pain and suffering and other emotional and mental turmoil.

Settlement values for whiplash claims depend on the severity of injuries. Usually, a small claim for damage could be from $2,500 to $10,000. On the other hand, if the plaintiff suffers severe injuries, the total compensation could even be $30,000. If there’s permanent nerve damage in the whiplash injury, the expected settlement amount could be $100,000 or more.

Steps to Follow After Whiplash Injury

Once there’s an accident, the first step you need to follow is to seek the assistance of a medical professional. After medical diagnosis, if it’s confirmed that you have whiplash, it’s better to collect proof and documents validating your accident and injuries.

Benefits of Working with Personal Injury Attorneys

As whiplash injuries vary in severity and the average compensation, it’s recommended to discuss your case with personal injury attorneys. Our Greensboropersonal injury attorney at the Law Offices of Manley Traeger are experienced at handling these types of cases. We offer a free initial consultation to discuss the specific details of your case. The personal injury lawyers in Greensboro can fight for your rights and recover compensation for loss of income, medical treatment, and settlement for pain and suffering.

We work on a contingency fee basis, which means that we charge a fee only when we resolve cases successfully.

For further legal queries, call/visit us.

5 Personal Injury Claims in Montgomery

As per the personal injury law, an injured person is eligible to obtain compensation due to the wrongful conduct of someone else. Various situations can give rise to personal injury claims. Our personal injury attorneys in Montgomery, AL at the Law Offices of Manley Traeger have listed down 5 personal injury claims in Montgomery. Let’s take a closer look:

1. Motor Vehicle Accidents

               

Motor vehicle accidents often lead to most personal injury cases in the United States. In the year 2009 alone, more than 2.2 million people were injured and 33,000 killed in collisions involving trucks, motorcycles, pedestrians and motorcycle riders. If you’ve been injured in a wreck that was not your fault, get in touch with a personal injury attorney.

2. Work-Related Injuries

            

Work-related injuries often result in personal injury claims. Ideally, your employer is responsible for ensuring that you have a safe and healthy work environment. If you’ve become a victim of any workplace-related injury, make sure that you see a doctor immediately to have a documented report of all the physical injuries.

3. Medical Malpractice

                      

To file a medical malpractice claim, one needs to prove that the medical professional violated the standard of care. However, to prove medical malpractice cases, it’s important to hire medical experts who are willing to validate that negligence occurred.                        

4. Defamation Cases

It’s not always necessary to get physically hurt to file any personal injury case. Some personal injury cases involve emotional pain and suffering. However, defamation cases are challenging to prove in court. Therefore, it’s advisable to have a reputed and skilled personal injury lawyer on your side.

5. Dog Bite Injury Claims

Though dogs are considered as a man’s best friend, unfortunately, 800,000 people are treated for dog bites on an annual basis. If you or someone you love has become a victim of dog bite injury, you are eligible to obtain compensation for all the loss and damage.

Other Types of Personal Injury Cases

These may include nursing home abuse, aviation and boating accidents, brain, birth, burn and spinal cord injuries. Other catastrophic injuries and accidents include food poisoning, asbestos exposure, and legal malpractice.

Note of Caution: In any personal injury case, time is the essence. Every state has a statute of limitations for filing personal injury lawsuits. If you delay past the time limit, you may miss out on the legal right to seek justice.

As accidents and injuries are always sudden and unexpected, the victim is often unsure about what to do next. Proving liability and negligence is tricky and you’ll need an experienced lawyer to represent your rights. Our personal injury attorneys in Montgomery at the Law Offices of Manley Traeger are thoroughly versed in all the complexities of personal injury law. The veteran personal injury lawyers in Montgomery are equally compassionate and aggressive in representing your rights. We have a proven track record with cases both tried in the court and settled out of the court. Our lawyers  are committed to secure the highest level of compensation.

Contact Us For Further Legal Queries.

Damages for Dog Bite Injury Claims

With the number of pet dogs in most U.S. households, it’s not surprising that thousands of Americans seek treatment for dog bites, every year. When a pet hurts someone, it is the owner who is responsible for the injuries to the victim. Depending on the circumstances, dog owners or their insurance companies may have to pay compensation. Some of the damages for dog bite injury claims include:

Medical Bills

One of the most apparent expenses after a dog bite injury involves medical expenses. The medical costs may consist of medication, physical therapy, and hospital services.

Loss of Income

After an injury when victims take time off from work for medical treatment and recovery, they are often entitled to get reimbursement for their lost income. There are instances when the injury may impair their ability to work in the future. The victim could be compensated for loss of earning potential.

Pain and Suffering

It’s evident that there’s pain and suffering associated with dog bite injuries and mauling. Emotional trauma too can result from physical pain. Victims may experience symptoms of fear, such as anxiety, shock, depression, and sleeplessness.

Loss of Consortium

If a dog bite injury has an impact on the relationship between the victim and his/her spouse, the plaintiff may be eligible to procure compensation for loss of companionship.

Punitive Damages

A dog owner whose conduct is reckless may be punished for not controlling their pet. In such cases, the owners may be punished by being made to pay an extra amount which is above the amount of the total reimbursement.

If you’ve become a victim of a dog bite attack, you may decide to pursue a claim for reimbursement against the accused parties. However, most victims are offered compensation which is much lower than what they deserve. Our dog bite injury attorneys in Montgomery at the Law Offices of Manley Traeger are here to procure maximum compensation for canine bites from irresponsible dog owners. Determining what you are entitled to is not always as easy as you think. Call us for further queries.