It is no secret that the size of semi-trucks can cause severe injuries when truck driver negligence plays a role in a traffic collision. Distracted or exhausted truck drivers cause thousands of truck crashes each year, and change the lives of the injury victims these serious accidents leave behind.
But driver negligence is not the only reason commercial truck accidents occur.
At Binder & Associates, our truck accident attorneys in Encino, California have successfully represented personal injury victims who were hurt in semi-truck collisions caused by mechanical failures that require an experienced approach to delivering results.
What Types of Mechanical Failures Can Lead To Truck Accidents In Encino?
Understanding the common causes of mechanical failures in trucks can be challenging for those who were hurt in the crash, which is why it is so important to partner with an experienced truck accident attorney who will pursue each of the responsible parties for their role in the failure.
The most common mechanical failures that lead to large truck accidents include:
Brake Failure
A fully loaded tractor-trailer takes a 20-40% longer distance to stop than a passenger vehicle. When brakes fail, the collision can cause more than severe injuries, but lead to fatalities.
Commercial trucks are federally regulated, which means the truck’s owner could have failed to ensure the brakes were properly inspected, or the maintenance crew could have failed in their duties to properly service them. This could make both the trucking company and the maintenance company responsible for the accident and the resulting injuries.
Tire Failure
Tire failures happen frequently, which is the reason 18-wheelers have back-up tires on their rigs, so if one tire fails, there is a support system in place that allows the truck to continue operating to safely reach a service destination.
Unfortunately, when a semi-truck’s tire blows out, the surprise nature of its failure can cause the driver to swerve or even overturn, causing a serious truck accident. Tire blowouts can be the fault of the manufacturer, the service company, the truck owner, or even the truck’s driver, and determining which party is responsible requires an experienced truck accident lawyer.
Transmission Failure
The intricate shifting systems within the mechanics of a semi-truck’s transmission is subject to extensive wear and tear, as the driver makes long, sustained hauls across the country.
When the transmission is not properly inspected or maintained, or is overloaded, failures can occur, and the proper party — or combination of parties — must be held accountable for the collision these failures cause.
Steering System Failure
Properly maintained steering systems are an integral part of a semi-truck’s safe travel.
Like most car parts, a truck’s steering system can fail without regular maintenance or inspections, which could be the fault of the trucking company or the service company.
If the manufacturer has produced a faulty steering system and failed to recall the trucks, the failure that caused our client’s injuries can include multiple parties that must be held accountable.
How Can We Determine Who Is Responsible For My Encino Truck Accident?
If you have ever been in a passenger vehicle accident, you already know how tough it is to get the insurance company to do the right thing and pay for your complete damages.
If you are injured in a truck accident, the recovery process becomes even more complex.
At Binder & Associates, our Encino truck accident attorneys will conduct an independent investigation, preserve evidence, interview witnesses, and review police reports to ensure we are holding the proper party responsible for your injuries, including the truck driver, the trucking company, the truck manufacturer, the maintenance company, a third-party, or a combination of each.
If you have been hurt in a truck accident in Encino, California, contact our Los Angeles County personal injury attorneys at Binder & Associates today by calling (818) 659-8588 to schedule a free consultation. If we do not produce a financial recovery settlement or jury verdict for your case, you pay zero fees.
