Accidents Caused by Poor Maintenance or Bad Highway Design
Trucking companies are in business to make money. Some of them accomplish this goal by delaying truck maintenance, often in violation of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations. When inadequate maintenance contributes to a trucking accident, injured people should receive full compensation for their expenses and injuries.
At the Augusta law firm of Burnside Wall LLP, our attorneys investigate truck accidents to determine the cause. When inadequate maintenance caused the accident, we undertake to obtain all damages our injured clients are entitled to recover from the trucking company and their insurance company. Our lawyers have many years of experience with cases such as these and will fight to protect your rights.
if you have been injured as a result of a trucking accident, you should speak with an attorney who can advise you about your rights and your options. Contact Burnside Wall in Augusta, Georgia, to schedule a free initial consultation. Call us toll-free at 866-284-8226.
From Blowouts to Brake Failure
When 18-wheeler maintenance is delayed or never performed, the results can be catastrophic. We handle accidents resulting from maintenance issues such as these:
- Failure to change tires at prescribed intervals or use of retreaded tires
- Failure to inspect brakes
- Failure to clean reflective tape and replace burned bulbs
- Failure to test load restraints
- Failure to conduct pre-trip inspections and walk-arounds to identify critical safety issues
When additional strain from overloading is placed upon already weakened or defective truck mechanisms such as brakes and steering, truck drivers may be unable to stop or may find that they are unable to control the vehicle. Additionally, maintenance issues can be compounded if the truck is traveling on a defective roadway or highway under construction. For example, Interstate 95 has seemingly been under construction since it opened. Poor truck maintenance and defective roads can be a deadly combination.
When maintenance is an issue, we investigate the records of the truck to learn whether inadequate maintenance contributed to the accident. We may also look at the age of the tires, whether the driver performed required pre-trip checks and determine the condition of the highway where the accident occurred. An examination of the truck itself may also be used to identify defective parts.
If you have been injured in an accident involving a semi-truck, contact our law firm to learn more about truck maintenance and its role in accidents. Call Burnside Wall in Augusta, Georgia, toll-free at 866-284-8226 for a free initial consultation.
