An accident of any type is a dangerous and scary experience for everyone involved, but an accident between a passenger vehicle and a commercial truck can be catastrophic even at low speeds. This is because of the size difference between these large, heavy vehicles and the small 4-door cars and passenger trucks they share the road with. Since the size difference is so significant, and because professional truck drivers spend so much time on the road, they are held to a much different standard for licensing, maintenance, record-keeping requirements, and much more. This will all become apparent if you are ever required to file a claim with a commercial trucking insurance policy for truck accidents due to negligent maintenance.
If you have been in an accident with a truck, the best step to take to increase your chances of a successful settlement is to partner with an experienced truck accident attorney as soon as possible. The team at Injury Trial Lawyers, APC has a history of successful cases where we have represented victims in truck accidents and will be happy to help guide you through this process. Contact us now to schedule an initial consultation with our team so that we can learn how to best work together. Read more below to learn some overview information about truck accidents resulting from negligent maintenance.
Determining the Cause of truck accidents due to negligent maintenance
Semi-trucks, 18-wheelers, passenger buses, and other commercial motor vehicles are typically much more complicated than a passenger vehicle. In addition to the complexity, they generally drive much more than the average passenger vehicle, meaning that they require ongoing maintenance that goes well beyond simply changing the oil every 3,000 miles and rotating the tires every 6 months. Improper maintenance is just one way that a truck can have a mechanical failure that leads to an accident, but there are a variety of ways to determine exactly what went wrong.
The first thing that we will look at is the Engine Control Module, which is a similar unit to an airplane “black box” that records vital data about the truck while it is operating. It will show information such as the speed that the truck was traveling before the accident when the brakes were applied if turn signals or lights were engaged, and a variety of other details that could indicate what went wrong.
CDL drivers are required to keep meticulous logs of their travels and maintenance history for their vehicle, meaning that you and your injury attorney will be able to review these documents to see if anything stands out as abnormal. In addition to these logs, many modern trucking companies install onboard cameras that can give more insight into the moments leading up to the crash.
Common Maintenance Issues That Contribute to Accidents
The following are some examples of maintenance issues that can lead to an accident, but this list is not intended to be comprehensive in any way. There are a variety of details that we will need to explore to determine what, if any, maintenance issues contributed to or caused, the accident that you were injured in.
- Brake failure
- Blown out tires
- Failed turn signals or indicator lights
- Improperly balanced or unsecured cargo
- Failure to routinely maintain the truck
As you can imagine, these issues cover a wide range of specific details that can each have a catastrophic impact on the truck’s ability to safely travel the roads. Given how complex these vehicles are, it will greatly benefit you to partner with someone who is experienced with commercial truck accidents to help you make sense of the abundance of data and information that will be available after the crash.
Contact Us Today
To give yourself the best chances of having a positive outcome to your case, and getting the money that you deserve after an accident, contact us now for a free initial consultation for truck accidents due to negligent maintenance. As you focus on recovering from your injuries, it will be a major stress relief to know that you have an aggressive and experienced team representing you on behalf of your legal needs. Commercial insurance policies, like the trucks that they cover, are extremely complicated and can be overwhelming to someone who is not familiar with these types of processes. We will be happy to assist you through this difficult time in your life and help you get what you deserve.