Failure to Maintain

Poor or improper truck maintenance is a leading reason that large trucks are involved in roadway accidents. Unfortunately, large trucks involved in collisions are often catastrophic events due to the sheer size of the vehicle—tractor trailer trucks weigh some 10 times what an average passenger car weighs, even when empty and not carrying cargo.

An improperly or poorly maintained tractor trailer can create many serious problems that can result in devastating accidents. Large trucks can develop many problems without proper maintenance including: worn tires, underinflated tires, unbalanced or worn out brakes, suspension failure, broken turn signals, broken brake lights, and more. Any one of these problems, which are all easily fixed, can cause a catastrophic trucking accident involving death or serious injuries. According to a study by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), one single trucking maintenance issue—brake failure—contributed to nearly one out of every three truck crashes in several recent years.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a collision involving a large truck, call the Birmingham truck accident attorneys at Hollis, Wright & Clay, P.C. as soon as possible after receiving medical treatment. You can reach us at 844.LAW.TALK or 205.324.3600 or online here. Our team of attorneys can help you get the compensation you deserve, which could include monetary reimbursement for medical bills, emotional distress, pain and suffering, lost wages, permanent injury or scarring. Unfortunately, injuries in truck accident cases can be more severe and life altering, including permanent medical problems and disfigurement, paralysis, and even death.

The experienced Birmingham truck accident attorneys at Hollis, Wright & Clay, P.C. will work closely with accident reconstructionists, investigators, and other technical experts to determine the true cause of every big rig accident. This is the first step in identifying the party or parties at fault and securing the compensation you deserve. Using the documents and records that trucking companies and drivers must maintain to legally operate on the roadways, our attorneys routinely discover that many drivers and companies are violating the trucking maintenance regulations that exist to protect the general public.

It is important to note that Federal regulations exist and apply to many aspects of the trucking industry, one of which is maintenance on commercial vehicles such as tractor trailers. Annual inspections, pre-trip inspections, and other steps are required in many instances to prevent worn tires, underinflated tires, unbalanced or worn out brakes, broken turn signals, broken brake lights, suspension failure, and more. As part of our efforts to identify the responsible parties and determine the root cause of the inadequate maintenance, our attorneys can subpoena maintenance records, analyze pre-trip inspection records, review driver logs, and review repair records. These efforts and activities will help establish whether the driver and/or the trucking company were negligent or even reckless, which can result in additional compensation and perhaps punitive damages.

Trucking companies have an obligation by law to ensure all trucks in their fleet are maintained and in a safe, roadworthy condition before getting on the roadways. Not doing so puts all drivers and passengers on the roadway at risk of injury or death. Don't let big insurance companies or trucking companies take advantage of you. If you've been injured in an accident or lost a loved one in a trucking accident, be sure to call the skilled Birmingham truck accident attorneys at Hollis, Wright & Clay, P.C. We will fight to ensure you are fully compensated for your injuries due to the failure to properly maintain the truck. Contact us at 844.LAW.TALK or 205.324.3600 for a free and confidential consultation. You can also contact us online here. For more information regarding trucking accidents in general, you can go here.