Did Poor Maintenance Cause a Truck Accident?
Nashville Semi Truck Accident Lawyer Investigates Faulty Truck Maintenance Causes
After a truck accident, it is very likely that the trucking company and its driver will try to deny any responsibility for the truck accident. This puts many semi crash victims in a stressful position. You are more concerned with treating the personal injuries caused by the truck accident than standing up to the trucking company, which may be wrongfully denying your personal injury claim. Those seriously hurt in 18 wheeler accidents are often too overwhelmed after the wreck to hold these companies accountable, and rightfully so. Unfortunately, this scenario is how many trucking companies get away with not following important trucking laws as well as not remedying dangerous truck safety issues.
How is someone dealing with serious personal injuries from a truck accident, or a family dealing with the wrongful death of a loved one in a fatal truck accident, supposed to know if lack of truck maintenance caused the truck to crash? You need a Nashville semi truck accident lawyer by your side, working as quickly as possible to stop critical truck accident evidence from being destroyed by the trucking company while also gathering strong evidence that proves lack of regular truck maintenance.
As an experienced Nashville truck accident attorney, Stanley A. Davis knows what to look for and will investigate on your behalf whether lack of truck maintenance or proper upkeep caused the 18 wheeler to have brake failures, tire blowouts or if the truck had missing lights or mirrors that proper truck maintenance may have prevented.
Truck Accident Attorney in Nashville TN Handling Crashes Caused by Defective and Faulty Truck Maintenance
Nashville semi truck accident lawyer Stan Davis knows how crucial it is to sort through all the important, yet unseen details involved in a truck crash. For truck accidents in Tennessee caused by faulty maintenance or defective truck parts, this includes our accident attorney investigating the following:
- Brakes —Faulty brakes can be attributable to brake defects or improper maintenance and repair. If a truck driver claims that his or her brakes “just gave way” in an effort to shift blame, it only raises more questions about how those brakes were maintained and if they were safe.
- Freight — Federal, state and local laws have regulations for the maximum load size trucks can legally carry. Violators of these Tennessee and Nashville trucking regulations are subject to large fines, but some trucking companies still push the limit. An overweight commercial truck not only needs more stopping distance, but it also suffers additional wear and tear as well as lessened maneuverability. Additionally, an unbalanced tractor trailer load can cause a truck to jackknife or overturn. An unsecured load on a commercial truck can also result in cargo or items spilling from the semi, which can create traffic hazards and leave dangerous debris in roadways.
- Lights and Mirrors — Whether equipment failure refers to missing or defective headlights, taillights, side safety lights or warning lights, the lighting on an 18 wheeler truck needs to be in working order at all times. Similarly, truck drivers are required to have special mirrors to eliminate huge blind spots. Without these mirrors, a truck driver may merge without being aware of cars, motorcycles and other vehicles traveling nearby.
- Reflectors and Conspicuity Tape — Improper use of truck reflectors and conspicuity tape (reflective tape) can cause semi truck accidents, especially at night. Reflectors that are not maintained, and reflective tape that is not installed properly, can lead to truck accidents in fog, rain and other weather conditions with severely limited visibility. Federal truck regulations require a certain number of truck reflectors on all sides of a semi in addition to reflective tape in key areas on trucks. Truck drivers have a responsibility to keep truck reflectors and reflective tape clean to ensure these safety mechanisms can properly catch and reflect light. Missing, broken or improperly installed reflectors and conspicuity tape must be replaced to prevent accidents caused by diminished truck visibility.
- Tires and Bent Rims — Since most commercial trucks have 18 wheels, every single tire needs to have the right amount of tire pressure, be inspected for bent rims and burnt treads to ensure theses semi trucks operate safely. Overinflated truck tires decrease the amount of tire surface that grips the road and can lead to slipping. Underinflated truck tires increase the risk of a truck tire blowout. In addition, rotten spares and retreaded tires may allow trucking companies to save money, but they also add to their liability in the event of a commercial truck accident. Truck drivers, trucking companies, truck inspectors, truck mechanics and tire or truck manufacturers may all be potential parties liable for Nashville truck accidents involving blown out tires and bent truck rims.
Is the Trucking Company Offering Fair Accident Compensation? Ask a Nashville Truck Accident Attorney
The goal of trucking companies is not to provide fair compensation after a truck accident; their goal is to minimize the amount they will have to pay – even if this compensation does not truly cover the past and future extent of your medical bills, lost wages or pain and suffering the trucking accident has caused.
If you have been involved in a Nashville truck accident, contact our semi truck accident lawyer for a free consultation to discuss what has happened. Our personal injury law firm has a history of recovering fair compensation for truck accident victims and their families across Tennessee. We can help get you the restitution you deserve with no attorney fees if our attorney is not successful in gaining a recovery.
There is no risk in calling to learn how we may be able to help. The only risk is not learning if you have legal options after a Nashville truck accident. Call us today!
Your Success Is Our Success
Real Injuries. Real Recoveries.
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$1.0 Million Settlement Drunk Driving Accident
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$350,000.00 Settlement Tractor-Trailer Accident
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$250,000 Verdict Neck & Back Injuries
Our Nashville truck accident attorney obtained an accident injury verdict for a young man hit by a truck. The insurance company offered $8,000.00 to settle the claim before trial. The injured man had neck and back injuries.