A commercial truck driver may be doing everything in their power to drive with care. But still, an external factor that is out of their immediate control, like a maintenance issue, may cause them to collide with your standard motor vehicle. In the aftermath of this collision, you may be suffering from serious injuries and damages. Follow along to find out who is liable for truck maintenance issues and how one of the proficient Howard County truck accident attorneys at Llyod J. Eisenberg & Associates can help in holding them accountable.
Who is responsible for truck maintenance issues?
Owners or managers of a trucking company should conduct regular inspections of their commercial vehicles. Such inspections should include brake checks and tire checks. In addition, owners or managers should unfailingly check that trailers are properly locked and loaded before sending their truck drivers out onto the Maryland road. This is because, if such maintenance issues go unnoticed, an accident is more likely to occur. Examples of this are as follows:
- Failed brakes:
- Faulty brakes may make a truck driver unable to reach a complete stop and rear-end a standard motor vehicle.
- Worn brake components may make a truck driver unable to time their stops and rear-end a standard motor vehicle.
- Tire problems:
- An overinflated tire may lead to a tire blowout, in which a truck driver becomes unable to regain control and ultimately swerves into a barricade.
- Inadequate tire tread may lead to excessive braking, in which a standard motor vehicle rear-ends a truck driver.
- Inadequately loaded trailers:
- An overloaded trailer may lead to contents being spilled across the Maryland roadway.
- An improperly loaded trailer may create a weight distribution issue that causes a truck driver to roll over on its side.
If any of the above circumstances apply to your accident, then you may hold a trucking company owner or manager liable in a personal injury claim.
Who else may be responsible for my truck accident?
A truck manufacturer may be at fault for your accident. This applies if you discover that they failed to send out a recall for their faulty brakes, tires, etc. in a prompt manner.
Of note, even if maintenance issues were not reported in your official accident report or by expert witnesses, a trucking company owner or manager still may be responsible for your accident. This is relevant if you discover that they overscheduled the driver (i.e., they were set to drive for more than 16 hours within the past 24 hours) or if they failed to conduct a background check on the driver (i.e., they have a history of traffic violations).
This is not to mention the possibility that a truck driver’s negligence may have been the catalyst of it all. As you may likely conclude yourself, you may have an important case on your hands that requires immediate action. So you should not hesitate in reaching out to one of the talented Howard County auto accident attorneys at Lloyd J. Eisenberg & Associates.
