Truck drivers, trucking companies, and mechanical technicians repairing these vehicles must ensure every truck is safe for the road. When someone fails, the risk of serious injury to others on the roadway is very high and often fully preventable. There are numerous ways negligent maintenance can contribute to trucking accidents in Jackson. Our experienced legal team can guide you through the legal process.
Understanding The Law Related to Maintenance
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration requires trucks to be in a fully operational condition to be on the road. Specifically, drivers must conduct their own inspection and complete a driver vehicle inspection report. A systematic inspection, repair, and maintenance schedule must be followed and documented. When it is not, that means the trucking company could be responsible for damages caused to others.
Common Mechanical Failures Caused by Negligent Maintenance
When truck owners fail to maintain vehicles, or inspections do not happen as expected, risks like the following are more likely to happen:
- Brake failures: When an 80,000-pound semi truck is traveling at 60 miles per hour in Jackson, brake failures can pose an incredible risk of injury. Worn brake pads, improperly adjusted brakes, or faulty brake lines are common concerns.
- Tire blowouts: Overused tires, worn from thousands of miles on the road, can also create a high risk of injuries. Tires that are bald, damaged, punctured, overinflated, or underinflated are at the highest risk for blowouts to occur. These cause the driver to lose control.
- Steering failures: If the steering system fails, even a very experienced driver will struggle to maintain control over the vehicle. Worn components can be a common concern.
- Suspension failures: When the suspension system has a crack or is worn, the system can break down, causing a serious accident.
- Lighting failures: Trucks without proper lighting increase the risk of accidents both in rear-end accidents and in head-on collisions.
After an accident, a full inspection of the vehicle is often critical. This helps pinpoint who is responsible for your injuries and losses.
Who May Be at Fault in a Truck Accident Due to Maintenance Failures
Evidence will help investigators determine who is at risk. They will consider factors such as the cause of the damage to the vehicle. It may be clear that the vehicle lacked routine maintenance and upkeep. Worn components, missing safety logs and maintenance records, and statements by drivers can shed light on why this incident happened. Liability may be assigned to:
- The owner of the truck, if they failed to maintain the vehicle as required by the manufacturer or the federal government
- The truck driver, if they failed to inspect the vehicle as expected before driving it
- The manufacturer if the failure was due to poor design or manufacturing of components
- The repair technician responsible for completing repairs who failed to do their job properly
Once this information is clear, victims can then pursue legal action against any party responsible. That may include multiple parties.
Let Our Attorneys Help You After a Truck Accident
At Hearn Law Firm, we use our 30 years of experience to fight for victims to receive maximum compensation. If you were in a trucking accident caused by negligent maintenance in Jackson, contact us for a free consultation. Let our legal team review the details to determine who should be responsible for your losses.