Failure to Perform Required Truck Maintenance

Accidents Caused by Inadequate Truck Maintenance

Trucking companies and truck drivers have a responsibility to uphold when it comes to routine inspections and mandatory maintenance on their trucks. Failing to properly adhere to these requirements may put innocent lives at risk. Due to their large size and heavy cargo, trucks can potentially become deadly weapons on the road if truck drivers and truck companies demonstrate negligence and ignore safety regulations.

At Berthold Law Firm, PLLC, our truck accident legal team has taken trucking companies to court and successfully defended our clients. Our excellent record of success has earned our clients millions of dollars, as well as getting their life back on track.

Common Causes of Truck Accidents

Commercial trucks, including big rig semi-trucks, spend thousands of hours on the road, carrying heavy loads of cargo. According to statistics gathered by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), more than one-third of the 407 trucks inspected by the Fatal Accident Complaint Team (FACT) had maintenance defects which would have placed them out-of-service if they were inspected prior to the crash. 32.7% of those trucks crashed due to brake problems, while 23.1% of accidents were due to light/maker/signal violations.

Truck parts which need to be regularly maintained and inspected are the following:

• Air brakes
• Hydraulic brakes
• Parking brake
• Lighting devices/reflectors
• Trailer
• Trailer brake connections
• Tires
• Steering mechanism
• Mirrors
• Windshield wipers
• Coupling devices
• Cab

There may also be a chance where trucking companies create fraudulent documents after a serious truck accident. Our firm works closely with experienced accident reconstruction experts who have a comprehensive knowledge about maintenance issues and the legitimacy of such documents.

Get the Justice You Deserve

In most instances, the truck driver will most likely be held accountable for their failure to inspect and maintain their truck. Sometimes it’s the trucking companies who are responsible for their driver’s actions, or even a mechanic who failed to fix the alleged malfunction on the truck. Due to the complexity of these type of cases, our Charleston personal injury attorneys have 75 years of combined experience to adequately handle your case.