Your Trusted Negligent Truck maintenance & Manufacturing Defect Accident Lawyer
Improper Maintenance and Manufacturing Defects
Tractor-trailer accidents can sometimes be attributed to negligent truck drivers, but it’s essential to recognize that trucking companies also bear the responsibility of maintaining their fleets in safe working order. Astonishingly, many of them fail to do so regularly. As skilled attorneys specializing in catastrophic truck accident cases, our Atlanta negligent truck maintenance & manufacturing defect lawyers at Benton and Benton Law understand the significance of investigating the cause of an 18-wheeler crash and identifying if negligent maintenance or manufacturing defects played a role.
Learn more about these dangerous types of truck accidents below, and remember, if you or a loved one sustains injuries in a tractor-trailer accident in metro Atlanta, or if you’re an attorney seeking assistance with a complex truck accident injury case, be smart and call Bart Benton at Benton and Benton Law.
Negligent Truck Maintenance
Since 1988, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance has conducted the International Roadcheck, a three-day, 72-hour inspection period for tractor-trailers throughout North America. Trucking companies are well aware of the inspection date, yet 18-wheelers are often found to be seriously deficient in safety. Approximately 20% of all pulled-over semi-trucks are deemed so dangerous that they are immediately taken out of service. Moreover, over ten percent of trucks transporting hazardous materials are removed from service due to their high-risk conditions.
Among the most common defects, over a quarter involve bad or missing brake components, followed by improperly secured cargo and unsafe tires or wheels. Any of these issues can result in devastating crashes, including tractor-trailer jackknife or rollover accidents, often leading to catastrophic injuries or fatalities for multiple vehicle occupants. Other typical truck maintenance safety violations include malfunctioning or non-working signal lights, improperly maintained coupling devices, and a lack of proper safety equipment, all of which could lead to preventable catastrophic injury or death.
Trucking companies that fail to perform regular maintenance or conduct it negligently can and should be held accountable for crashes resulting from their negligence towards the safety of their drivers and others on the road.
Manufacturing Defects
Similar to other motor vehicles, big rigs can have design or manufacturing defects that make them dangerously unsafe. For instance, tires might be defectively manufactured, leading to blowouts or failures at critical moments. Another example is when the wrong tire is installed on the rig, or aged tires are used that are too old to be safe. Tractor-trailer underride accidents are another type of crash that often causes catastrophic injuries or death to vehicle occupants. An underride crash occurs when a passenger car collides with the rear or side of the semi-truck’s trailer component and travels underneath it, shearing off or crushing the roof of the passenger car.
At Benton and Benton Law, our personal injury and wrongful death lawyers possess extensive experience in taking on the largest trucking companies and automotive and product manufacturers. We hold them liable when they breach the duty of care owed to drivers on the road.
Be Smart & Call Bart!
If you’ve been injured in a tractor-trailer crash in metro Atlanta, or if you’ve lost a beloved family member in an Atlanta truck accident, don’t hesitate to call Benton and Benton Law at 866-974-0330 for a free consultation. We handle cases involving the most serious catastrophic injuries or wrongful death, and we fight tirelessly to secure significant compensation for our clients hurt due to another’s negligence or wrongful conduct. Be smart and call Bart Benton at Benton and Benton Law for the representation you need.