St. Louis Improper Truck Maintenance Lawsuit Lawyer

Commercial vehicles, including semi-trucks and 18-wheelers, are held to high standards when it comes to safety—and for good reason. They can be extremely dangerous when they are not maintained. The vehicle’s owners and operators shoulder the legal responsibility for ensuring that their vehicles are inspected and safe. Semi-truck and commercial vehicle accidents can cause devastating consequences, including catastrophic injuries and death.

When commercial vehicles are not kept in a safe condition, the owners or operators may be guilty of vehicle maintenance negligence. If you’ve been injured in an accident involving an 18-wheeler, it can be difficult to identify and prove improper truck maintenance as a key factor in the accident. It is crucial to contact an attorney as soon as possible. The truck accident lawyers at Goldblatt + Singer have experience in these cases, and their expertise can be critical in determining who is at fault and maximizing compensation for victims.

How Poor Truck Maintenance Leads to Trouble

Failing to inspect a truck and fix any issues can have disastrous consequences – usually for other people on the road due to the size and weight of a commercial truck. The Missouri Trucking Guide lists inspection expectations for drivers of large trucks. Drivers are responsible for performing a pre-trip examination of the vehicle to look for issues. If any are found, they are required to fill out a post-trip inspection report describing the defect, as well as any problems from a previous report that have since been fixed. The driver then must sign the report and keep a copy.

Unfortunately, this sequence of events doesn’t always happen. Sometimes it isn’t solely the driver’s fault – the company they work for may not be eager to spend money on repairs and may encourage the driver to complete a trip even if there is a potential problem. Or they may recommend stopgap repairs that don’t fix the problem. Other times, the driver may not keep good records of repairs. When we look into a truck crash case, we always seek out all inspection reports, so we can get an idea of how thorough the driver was in general. This may also reveal a pattern of problems, such as the driver reporting an issue that isn’t fixed for any reason.

Common Areas of Truck Maintenance Failure

Although there are many truck maintenance issues that can lead to a crash, here are a few common problems we see in accident cases:

• Bald or worn tires. A blown tire can be dangerous enough if it happens on a passenger car. On a large truck, it’s even more problematic. Not only can it make the truck harder to steer, but the tire debris itself may be dangerous. Commercial truck tires are very large, and flying debris can damage other vehicles. Debris on the road may also cause other motorists to lose control of their vehicles or veer off the road. Tire problems are often easy to spot in a visual inspection, so not fixing them may be a sign of poor maintenance.
• Steering. When the driver can’t steer the truck properly due to a mechanical failure, the truck can wreak havoc on anyone or anything nearby.
• Brakes. When brakes are in the best condition, it can take more than 500 feet to bring a commercial truck to a complete stop. If there is any issue with the pads, fluids, lines, etc., it can take even longer. In some situations, even a few seconds can make the difference between having a collision and narrowly missing one.
• Turn signals. Everyone should make sure their turn signals are working correctly, but a lack of turning signals can be even more dangerous in a semi-truck. Because of their size, commercial trucks take up a lot of space when changing lanes or turning. The cab turns first, and at some angles, the trailer may block the view of drivers behind the truck. Without a turning signal on the back of the trailer, motorists behind the truck may not have enough warning to avoid an accident.

Was Poor Maintenance the Problem in Your Accident?

It can be hard to answer this question on your own, although you may have suspicions. If you think your accident may have been caused by a poorly maintained truck, please contact us for a free consultation about your case.

Contact an Experienced Attorney From Goldblatt + Singer Today

At Goldblatt + Singer, the St. Louis Injury Law Firm, we believe you are entitled to fair treatment throughout this incredibly unfair situation. Since 1949, we’ve helped more than 25,000 injury victims in Missouri, Illinois, and the entire Midwest fight for compensation. If a poorly maintained vehicle was a factor in your accident, you deserve to know—and our team will do everything in our power to investigate using cutting-edge technology and advocate on your behalf.

Contact us as soon as possible to let a Goldblatt + Singer attorney review your case. Let us evaluate your case at no charge and show you why Goldblatt + Singer is the trusted St. Louis personal injury law firm.