About 5,000 people die each year in accidents involving large trucks, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. Fatal truck crashes typically occur in rural areas, during the day and on weekdays. Therefore, the majority of truck crashes occur on weekdays, during the day, in good weather and on dry road surfaces. Poor equipment maintenance or truck equipment failure contributes to a large number of truck accidents. If you were injured in truck accident in Denver, retaining a Denver personal injury attorney will be beneficial to you in the long run.
Types of Equipment Failure
The most common types of truck equipment failure include:
- Brake failure. This can result from poor maintenance. Brake failure is often a factor in rear-end collisions where the driver was suddenly unable to stop or stops suddenly.
- Tire failure. Tire failure results from using retreads and/or failure to properly inspect tires. Types of tire failure include tire tread separations and blowouts.
- Defective or missing mirrors. Because of their size, trucks require special mirrors for drivers to be able to see other motorists who may be driving alongside the truck. Not having these mirrors leaves truck drivers with blind spots, which can result in an accident.
- Defective or missing lights. This leads to faulty or dim headlights, side safety lights or taillights. Other motorists rely on truck lighting to avoid accidents. When a truck’s warning lights are missing or difficult to see, accidents are waiting to happen.
Causes of Equipment Failure
Money is the common reason for truck equipment failure. Trucking companies may skimp on equipment maintenance or knowingly dispatch trucks that have mechanical issues. Truck driver negligence is also a contributing factor. Drivers may fail to report equipment or mechanical problems if it means they could lose days of work–and income. Your Denver personal injury attorney will investigate the trucking company to see if they adhered to the federal and state trucking regulations pertaining to trucking equipment maintenance.
Federal Trucking Regulations
Trucking companies must abide by federal and state regulations. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (49 C.F.R. ยงยง 350-399) are the federal rules by which trucking companies must abide. The regulations pertain to proper equipment maintenance and inspection, parts and accessories for safe operation, proper tire and brake maintenance and inspection and many other safety protocols. Your Denver personal injury attorney can explain these regulations to you and how they apply to your particular case.
Who Should Be Liable?
When trucking equipment failure results in an accident, culpability lies with the trucking company and driver. Your attorney’s job is to determine whether negligence or failure to comply to comply with federal and state safety regulations contributed to the accident. The trucking company will most likely have a legal team and its own investigators to protect them. You owe it to yourself to be protected as well. A qualified Denver personal injury attorney will see to it that your rights are well protected.
Where to Find a Good Attorney
The O’Connell Law Firm, P.C. represents truck accident victims. This Denver-based firm has 40 years of legal and negotiating experience, and their focus is on maximizing the compensation you get for your pain and suffering. You want an attorney with an understanding of the unique legal strategies involved in handling truck accident cases, as well as a knowledge of truck company regulations, truck safety requirements and truck driver training, requirements and regulations. Contact their office for a free initial consultation.
