I spend a lot of time listening to the client. You begin, then, to hear things that you didn’t think were possible. The imagination starts working and then you find a way.
Long Beach Defective Truck Equipment Attorneys
Advocating for People Injured in Long Beach Truck Accidents
Auto manufacturers and parts suppliers have a responsibility to ensure their products perform as they should and to correct any errors before they cause harm. Because of the sheer size and weight of semi tractor-trailers, defective truck equipment poses a danger to everyone on the roadways. When faulty truck equipment causes injury or death, responsible parties can be held liable in a civil claim for compensation.
What Types of Equipment Failure Can Cause Truck Accidents?
When defective equipment fails on a big rig, it can have catastrophic consequences for other motorists. Serious or fatal accidents can result when faulty truck parts or systems fail, including:
- Steering system
- Brake system
- Tires
- Engine
- Transmission
- Trailer
What Types of Accidents Can Be Caused by Defective Truck Equipment?
Faulty equipment can fail and cause a trucker to lose control and crash the rig. Types of truck collisions that can result from defective equipment include:- Jackknifing: In this type of crash, the truck’s trailer swings out from the cab and folds in to form a “V” shape. A jackknifing truck often collides with other vehicles and/or blocks lanes of traffic, causing multi-vehicle collisions. Jackknifing can be caused by brake or other equipment failure.
- Rollovers: Cargo must be properly loaded and secured to maintain stability of a semi tractor-trailer. Defective tie-downs can fail and allow cargo to shift, altering the truck’s center of gravity. This can cause the driver to lose control or cause the truck to roll over, potentially crushing other vehicles and blocking the road.
- Rear-end collisions: Large commercial trucks require more time and distance to stop than other vehicles under the best of circumstances. When brake failure occurs because of equipment defects, an 18-wheeler weighing 80,000 pounds or more can collide with the rear of a 4,000-pound passenger vehicle, causing serious, catastrophic, or fatal injuries to its occupants.
What Types of Injuries Are Caused by Defective Equipment Truck Accidents?
In a collision involving a passenger vehicle and a large commercial truck, occupants of the passenger vehicle are likely to suffer serious injuries. Types of injuries commonly sustained in truck accidents caused by defective equipment failure include:
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord injury leading to paralysis
- Internal injuries
- Bone fractures
- Severe burns (when cargo tanks carrying flammable materials overturn)
Who Is Liable for Defective Equipment Truck Accident Injuries?
Liability for truck accidents is based on negligence. If a party breached its duty and the breach caused the crash, that party may be held legally responsible. When the cause of a truck accident is defective equipment failure, potentially liable parties may include the manufacturer or distributor of the defective part, component, or system. The firm can thoroughly investigate your truck collision to determine fault and liability and vigorously pursue the maximum compensation available for your injuries.
Do You Need a Lawyer?
If you have been seriously injured or lost a loved one in a truck accident caused by defective equipment failure, your best chance of recovering the compensation you and your family deserve is to have an experienced Long Beach truck accident attorney by your side. Truck accidents are complex, high-stakes cases. You can rest assured the insurance companies of the parties involved will hire attorneys to fight against your claim.
It is important to act quickly so your personal injury lawyer can take action to preserve critical evidence contained in the truck’s black box, or electronic logging device (ELD). Contact The Law Firm of Joseph H. Low IV at (562) 901-0840 or toll-free at (888) 454-5569 to schedule a free initial consultation. We can explain your options under the law.