Truck Accidents Caused by Maintenance Issues
According to a TRIP study of nationwide data, truck accident fatalities in the United States rose 18 percent over a recent five-year period. Unfortunately, many of these crashes are truck accidents due to negligent maintenance on the part of commercial vehicle owners, operators, and mechanics.
As more large trucks travel Oklahoma’s roadways, the likelihood of devastating collisions increases. When poor truck maintenance leads to a collision, you may face significant physical injuries, expenses, and questions about what you can do to hold the responsible parties accountable. An experienced truck accident attorney from Cain Law can guide you through your legal options when you contact us to get started with a free consultation.
Who Is Responsible for Maintaining Commercial Vehicles?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulates commercial trucking activity in the U.S. in 49 CFR Part 393, 396, and 571. Commercial vehicle maintenance is among the regulated activities.
Commercial truck maintenance involves several parties, each of whom plays a role in keeping trucks safe for the road. When one or more of these parties fail to meet their responsibilities, it can lead to mechanical problems that endanger other drivers, passengers, and pedestrians. By identifying which party or parties neglected their maintenance responsibilities, you can build a stronger case in a truck accident claim.
Potentially responsible parties include:
- Truck Drivers – Drivers must conduct daily inspections and report maintenance concerns to prevent mechanical failures. Skipping inspections or ignoring problems increases the risk of accidents.
- Truck Owners – Owners hold the primary responsibility for keeping trucks in safe operating condition. By neglecting scheduled maintenance or cutting corners on repairs, they put the truck driver and other motorists at risk.
- Trucking Companies – Companies managing fleets must establish and follow strict maintenance schedules. When companies pressure drivers to meet tight deadlines instead of prioritizing truck maintenance and the safe operation of their fleet, they can be held liable for resulting collisions.
- Mechanics and Maintenance Shops – Professional mechanics must perform accurate diagnostics and repairs on trucks. If a mechanic fails to repair known issues or installs faulty parts, their negligence could contribute to a crash.
Our truck accident lawyers can investigate your crash, review maintenance records, identify who bears legal liability for your injuries, and maximize your recovery.
How Defective Maintenance Can Affect Your Truck Accident Claim
Defective maintenance can have a direct impact on truck accident claims. When poor maintenance contributes to a crash, victims may hold various parties accountable for their resulting injuries and losses. In these cases, identifying the responsible party and linking the accident to specific maintenance issues strengthens your claim and can influence the amount of compensation you may recover.
For example, FMCSA regulations require trucking companies to systematically inspect their vehicles. If a trucking company fails to regularly inspect a truck or skips scheduled maintenance to save time or cut costs, these actions can directly lead to crashes. Truck accidents caused by poor maintenance can also occur if a mechanic performs subpar repairs. Poorly maintained brakes, worn tires, and faulty steering systems all increase the risk of a serious collision. Additionally, truck owners and drivers may neglect daily inspections that could reveal problems, leading to preventable failures on the road.
When maintenance failures contribute to a crash, proving this link can significantly affect the outcome of your claim, making it possible for you to hold the right parties responsible for your injuries, losses, and other expenses.
What Types of Maintenance Issues Can Lead to Trucking Accidents?
Various maintenance issues can make large commercial trucks hazardous on the road. These vehicles rely on regular inspections and proper upkeep to remain safe. When any party involved in a truck’s care neglects their responsibilities, serious maintenance problems can arise and increase the likelihood of a crash.
Some common maintenance issues that can lead to trucking accidents include:
- Brake Problems – Trucks require powerful braking systems to slow down and stop safely. Worn brake pads, damaged air brakes, or brake fluid leaks can lead to brake failure, making it difficult or impossible for the driver to stop in time to avoid collisions.
- Tire Issues – Properly maintained tires help keep large trucks stable. Over time, however, tires can develop wear, lose tread, or lose air pressure, increasing the risk of flat tires and blowouts. A driver can lose control of a truck during tire blowouts.
- Suspension Failures – The suspension system supports the truck’s weight and maintains balance on the road. A worn or damaged suspension can cause a truck to sway or tip, especially in sharp turns or high winds.
- Steering Malfunctions – Steering system problems, such as loose or damaged components, can make it difficult for the driver to control the truck, especially at high speeds.
- Signal and Light Failures – Broken or missing lights reduce a truck’s visibility and make it harder for other drivers to anticipate its movements, especially at night or in bad weather.
- Broken Windshield Wipers – Broken or damaged windshield wipers can be extremely dangerous during inclement weather by reducing the truck driver’s visibility.
Each of these maintenance issues poses a serious threat to road safety. When mechanical issues contribute to a crash, these problems can serve as evidence in a truck accident claim that helps victims hold the appropriate parties accountable.
How Cain Law Can Help Prove Negligent Maintenance Caused Your Truck Crash
Determining whether negligent maintenance caused a truck accident requires thoroughly investigating the vehicle’s condition before and after the crash. Fortunately, Cain Law has a rapid-response team of trucking experts prepared to get started right away on an investigation into the trucking accident that injured you.
Our first step is to deploy our rapid response team of trucking experts to preserve evidence of the truck’s condition and crash scene immediately after the crash. Our team will inspect the vehicle for signs of worn-out or faulty parts, such as brake failures, tire blowouts, or steering malfunctions. We can also determine whether the issue that caused the crash was related to a failure in routine maintenance or repairs.
The next step is sending a preservation of evidence letter to the truck company and driver to preserve maintenance records and trip inspection evidence. After the preservation letter, Cain Law starts gathering evidence of the truck’s maintenance, inspection, and safety records through records maintained by the FMCSA and the trucking company. These records will show whether the truck was adequately maintained and if any repairs or inspections were overdue or improperly performed. If maintenance schedules were ignored or delayed, it could indicate negligence.
In addition to vehicle inspection, evidence like witness statements, driver logs, and company records may offer insights into whether the trucking company or driver neglected their responsibilities. By gathering all relevant evidence, our experienced Oklahoma truck accident attorneys can help prove whether negligent maintenance caused the crash.
Cain Law brings over three decades of experience to our work on truck accident cases for clients in situations like yours – and we’ve recovered more than $100 million on their behalf. We’re available 24/7 to take your call and are prepared to start on your claim immediately to maximize your recovery. When you need a truck accident lawyer for maintenance issues that caused a crash and injured you, contact us right away for your free initial consultation.
In Pain – Call Cain.
