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Largest Trucking
Verdict In U.S. History

At Butler Prather LLP, our Georgia trucking accident attorneys hold trucking companies accountable when their carelessness results in catastrophic and fatal collisions.

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Atlanta Inadequate Truck Maintenance Attorney

Commercial vehicles go through a lot of stress. Drivers use them for hours each day, for days on end. Since they incur so much heavy use, proper maintenance is an essential aspect of keeping our nation’s roadways safe. When a driver or trucking company fails to maintain their vehicles, they may cause serious accidents.

Causes of Improper Maintenance

You might faithfully bring your vehicle in for oil changes, tire rotation, and other routine maintenance. It not only extends the life of your vehicle, it helps keep your family safe. A truck is no exception – in fact, these vehicles must adhere to even stricter standards. Maintenance of commercial vehicles is a matter of federal law enforcement. Drivers must complete routine inspections before each shift, and trucking companies must keep to maintenance schedules to maximize safety for both the driver and others on the road. Unfortunately, they may sometimes neglect or intentionally forgo routine maintenance.

There are several types of inadequate maintenance, but some are more common than others. Some of the most common include:

  • Issues with the braking system. Since commercial vehicles are so heavy, brakes wear out faster than on other vehicles. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration sets certain standards for truck brakes – for example, they must be able to stop within a certain time speed relative to their weight.
  • Inadequate maintenance of tires. Trucking companies must routinely check tires for signs of wear and keep them inflated to proper pressure. Failure to properly maintain tires can lead to a blowout, which may cause a driver to lose control of the vehicle and swerve into traffic. The results of this scenario can be catastrophic.
  • Issues with coupling components. Commercial trucks haul heavy loads, which require strong coupling devices and adequate locking mechanisms to secure a load. When these systems fail, a load may come loose, causing a driver to lose control of his or her vehicle.
  • Dirty lights or reflective strips. Sometimes, the simplest safety features are the most important in avoiding accidents and injury. Lights and reflective strips maximize a truck’s visibility so motorists know where the vehicle is at all times. Failure to maintain these safety features may contribute to underride accidents, which are often fatal.

Determining Fault

Most victims of serious accidents have one primary question: who is responsible for my injuries? In cases of inadequate maintenance, the answer is rarely cut-and-dried. Often, the truck’s driver is responsible for completing daily inspections and alerting their company to issues with a truck’s safety. They must also keep logs of their inspections for their company to review under federal law.
On the other hand, sometimes a truck driver’s employer is to blame for inadequate maintenance. For example, they may fail to properly train a driver, or they may negligently hire a driver with a poor driving record. A trucking company may even purposely ignore routine maintenance to save money on replacement costs.

Schedule Your Truck Accident Free Initial Consultation

The attorneys at Butler Prather LLP are committed to helping victims of truck accidents gain compensation for their injuries. A personal injury or wrongful death claim can help pay for medical bills, lost wages, and address any loss in earning capacity. Our suits also provide compensation for intangible losses such as pain and suffering.

Contact the Georgia truck accident attorneys at Butler Prather LLP after a trucking accident. Let our team provide a strategic review of your legal options and help you decide on your next course of action. To get started on your claim today, contact us online or call us at (800) 242-2962 today.