Poorly Maintained Trucks

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), more than 400,000 accidents involve commercial trucks in the United States annually. Further, driver error plays a significant role, but they are not the only factors. Some accidents are entirely beyond a driver’s control, like inadequate maintenance of the semi by negligent business owners. If you are suffering from injuries due to a truck accident from poor commercial truck maintenance—you have options. You need to speak with a law firm experienced in handling collisions between semis and passenger cars—the law may entitle you to compensation.

Our nationally recognized legal team at Trust Guss Injury Lawyers, fights for the rights of victims in commercial trucking accidents due to negligent truck maintenance. You have options, and we can help. Call us at 800-898-4877. Our legal professionals are here to assist you—24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Alternatively, submit your case for review by CLICKING HERE.

Stewart Guss discussing the dangers of trucking accidents on the national news program, “America’s Lawyer.”

Poor Maintenance

Commercial trucks are complex vehicles and have significantly more parts than a standard passenger car. The following are only some things that may go very wrong due to poor maintenance and lead to devastating crashes.

  • Tire blowouts - Semi-trucks have many tires and owners should regularly inspect the tires to ensure they are in proper condition. If a tire appears worn or loses pressure, the company should replace the tire. Truck drivers should regularly check tire pressure during a trip and adjust as needed. If a tire blows out at highway speeds, a truck driver can quickly lose control.
  • Brake failure - Brakes are a critical truck part that need regular maintenance. Brakes wear out over time, especially when they are in charge of stopping a fully-loaded 80,000-pound truck. Overly worked brakes, brake pads, rotors, and more can prevent a driver from stopping.
  • Falling cargo - A truck’s primary function is to deliver cargo long-distance. This cargo varies, as does proper cargo securement.
    • A traditional tractor trailer carries smaller items inside a trailer, with the trailer door securing the goods. A tanker truck transports liquids and gases in large pressurized or temperature-controlled tank trailers.
    • A flatbed truck must have latches, straps, or other devices to hold large and bulky items on the trailer bed.

If any cargo securement devices on the truck fail due to inadequate maintenance, cargo can spill onto the roadway and cause severe crashes, often involving multiple vehicles.

  • Defective vehicle lights - Even though truck trailers are large, they can be difficult to see at night or in adverse weather. For this reason, the FMCSA has specific regulations setting conspicuity requirements. These regulations require trucks to have certain working lights on the back and sides of the trailer, as well as the regular working tail lights, brake lights, and turn signals. When a truck driver or company fails to replace lights that burn out, cars may not see the truck and may crash into it.
  • Coupling device failure - Unlike regular passenger vehicles, large commercial rigs are articulated vehicles, a coupling device holds together the tractor and trailer, allowing the truck to make turns, but also keeps the container steady behind the truck as it drives straight. When the coupling device fails, the trailer can begin to wildly sway back and forth, exiting its lane and colliding with any vehicles in its path or result in a jackknife accident, which can cause a runaway truck. Accidents due to coupling device failure often leave devastation in their wake.

Above is a few examples illustrating how poor maintenance can lead to an accident. The critical thing to remember is that all truck accidents can cause severe collisions and lasting injuries to motorists. If you sustained injuries, you should seek help from a law firm that knows how to investigate what caused the crash and who may be liable for your injury-related losses.

Negligent Trucking Companies and Repair Facilities

Poor truck maintenance is often the fault of one of two parties: the trucking company that owns the truck or the repair crew that works on the truck. Trucking companies look to reduce costs and increase their bottom lines just like any other corporation. They may put off expensive repairs and then an accident occurs. Even if a trucking company addresses a truck problem, the repair shop may then make errors. Errors during truck maintenance or repairs can result in a malfunction on the road and could cause catastrophic injuries.

No matter what party acted negligently to cause your injuries, our legal team can take action to seek compensation for your losses. We aggressively pursue fair insurance settlements and challenge them in court when necessary. We regularly handle claims against individuals, small businesses, and large multimillion-dollar corporations and can help you receive the compensation you deserve.

Never accept any amount of money after a truck accident before speaking to a law firm that handles truck accident cases. Insurance companies try to take advantage of unrepresented accident victims and often do. Instead, call our legal team as soon as possible after your crash and put your legal case in our hands. You can trust our attorneys and legal professionals to fight for your rights and the full financial recovery you deserve.

How Our Truck Accident Law Firm Can Protect Your Rights

Trucking companies and truck drivers must maintain their vehicles, and they must stop driving if they realize that there is something wrong. Unfortunately, and all too often, the pressures of tight delivery schedules and profits come before the safety of others. If you sustained injuries in an accident that you suspect happened due to a poorly maintained truck, it’s imperative that you speak to our law firm as soon as you can.

The attorneys and legal professionals at Trust Guss Injury Lawyers, are nationally recognized for protecting the rights of injured trucking accident victims for more than 20 years. We offer free, no obligation consultations. Call our office right now at 800-898-4877—we are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 356 days a year. If you prefer email contact us by CLICKING HERE. We accept all personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, and you will not owe us anything unless we win your case. There is no risk, so don’t delay—call us right now.

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