Can Defective Truck Equipment Cause Accidents?

There can be many factors that contribute to a trucking accident. Human error in some form or another is one of the leading causes of truck accidents, but defective or malfunctioning equipment and negligent maintenance can also contribute to a serious truck crash. If you are injured in a collision with a truck, and that truck has defective parts, you may be able to hold multiple parties accountable for your injuries.

What are some examples of defective truck parts?

A “defective” part is not necessarily one that breaks. It could be a part with a design flaw that keeps it from doing its job, or one that is used in a way it shouldn’t be. What follows is a list of the most common types of defective truck parts that can lead to accidents:

• Defective tires
• Faulty brakes
• Defective hydraulic systems
• Failed suspension systems
• Steering system failure
• Defective transmission
• Malfunctioning windshield wipers
• Defective hitch or coupling system

When the cause of a truck accident is a defective piece of equipment, it can be challenging to determine the cause. Truck accident lawyers use the services of accident reconstruction experts, and investigate all aspects of every factor that could have contributed to the cause of the crash.

Determining liability in a commercial truck accident

It is not enough to claim that the commercial truck caused the crash which injured you. You, as the plaintiff, must prove how the defective brakes contributed to the severity of the crash, and how the severity of the crash is what caused your injuries.

An injury claim for a defective product is called a product liability claim. There are three general categories of products liability cases:

• Design defect. In design defect cases, the defect is in the design of the product.
• Manufacturing defects. These tend to show up in batches of a product that contain a defective part, or faulty workmanship.
• Marketing defect, also called a “failure to warn” defect. This occurs when the product’s operating instructions do not adequately warn the consumer of the danger involved in using the product.

A skilled Charlotte products liability attorney will determine the nature of the product defect, how it contributed to the crash or in making the crash worse, and then will help you recover compensation for your injuries.

Who may be held responsible for truck accident injuries caused by defective equipment?

Large, commercial trucks have many moving parts which are essential to the safe operation of the vehicle. When a crash does occur, there are several parties that can be held liable for the losses, including the trucking company, the manufacturer of the defective parts, and the truck driver.

If you have been injured in a trucking accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence, the Charlotte truck accident lawyers at Warren & Kallianos, PLLC want to talk about your case with you and offer you free advice about the legal options available to you. We are here to fight for fair compensation for our clients who have been injured in trucking accidents. You may schedule your free case consultation by calling 704-377-7777, or by contacting us today.

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