When are Vehicle Parts Manufacturers Legally Liable for Trucking Accidents?

Automakers and parts manufacturers are legally obligated to guarantee the products they release to market function properly.  If automobiles or automobile parts are not safe for extensive use, it is possible for those injured in auto accidents to pursue financial compensation by way of a personal injury lawsuit.  Accidents with massive trucks are typically life-changing events.  If a manufacturer is even slightly responsible for the accident, that group can be held legally liable.  Even a single faulty part has the potential to lead to a considerable payout following a trucking accident.  Those involved in trucking accidents caused by vehicle or parts manufacturer negligence should immediately reach out to  personal injury attorney Richard Schibell in their quest for justice.

Defining “Defective” Trucks

Defective vehicles are those that are dangerous due to a design, manufacturing or even a marketing deficiency or flaw.  It merely takes one defect in a semi-truck to cause automobiles to cause a violent accident.  As an example, a brake pedal that “ghost” accelerates without the application of foot pressure or a defective tire really can cause an extremely painful or even deadly accident.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Motor Vehicle Code states commercial vehicles must function in a manner that protects the general public against unnecessary risk.  This requirement is applicable to semi-trucks with faulty parts that alter the truck’s performance or heighten the chances of an accident.  Furthermore, trucking businesses and drivers that own semi-trucks must perform regular maintenance inspections prior to lengthy drives.  If the truck does not pass inspection, it might still be approved for road use.  If this miscarriage of justice occurs, there is solid legal footing for a lucrative personal injury lawsuit.

Examples of Defective Truck Parts: Brake Systems

There are all sorts of different defective parts that have the potential to cause vehicle malfunctions or at least result in unsafe truck operation.  As an example, brake systems are one of the most common faulty truck parts.  Semi-trucks are dependent on their brake systems for safe operation.  If the brake system is defective, the truck driver won’t be able to reach a full stop in an acceptable amount of time.  In fact, all it takes is regular wear and tear combined with insufficient maintenance to cause brakes to become defective.  Even minor issues with brake lines and hoses have the potential to prevent brakes from functioning.  These issues can even cause brakes to overheat or crack.

Faulty Fuel Systems

Though it is hard to believe, defective fuel systems really can cause trucks to catch fire and inflict serious burns.  Such accidents have the potential to result from defective fuel lines, defective pumps or using unregulated additives.  Even a fuel tank design defect can lead to a violent, life-altering trucking accident.

The Truck’s Steering Mechanism

Semi-trucks are designed with steering mechanisms that control the vehicle’s direction.  Flaws in the truck’s steering mechanism can compromise the steering wheel as well as the power steering pump, gears, hydraulic lines and ball joints.  A truck driver who cannot steer his vehicle with accuracy due to a faulty steering mechanism will find it difficult to avoid accidents.

Defective Tires

Semi-trucks cross vast distances on a daily basis.  These trucks need high-quality tires to arrive at their destination safe and sound.  Unfortunately, plenty of truck drivers fail to have their tires inspected for wear and tear. If tires are worn out or not inflated to the proper level, blowouts are that much more likely.  Inadequate vehicle maintenance also has the potential to play a role in crashes caused by defective tires.

How to Prove Manufacturer Liability

If it is determined the trucking accident is the result of a defective part, the truck manufacturer might be legally liable for causally related damages.  The challenge lies in proving the manufacturer’s liability for the trucking accident.  This is not the type of project you can handle on your own in a pro se manner.  You need the experience of savvy trucking accident attorneys to perform a thorough investigation of the truck in question.

The truck’s maintenance records, performance reports and vehicle inspection reports must be analyzed in-depth.  Even documents from the truck manufacturer that document the parts used to make the vehicle must be evaluated.  Your trucking accident attorney will also have knowledge of common defective truck parts that will ameliorate the challenge of proving negligence.  If your trucking accident attorney determines the truck manufacturer knew the parts necessary to make the vehicle were defective, negligent parties must be held accountable for all causally related injuries and deaths.

Reach out to Our Trucking Accident Attorneys for a Free Consultation

There is no shame in asking for help after an auto accident, especially one involving a truck.  If you or a loved one are injured in a trucking accident, meet with our legal team, headed by Richard Schibell for a no-cost consultation.  We will analyze your unique case, determine if there is enough evidence for a successful lawsuit and zealously advocate on your behalf until justice is served.  You have everything to gain and nothing to lose by contacting our trucking accident attorneys today.

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