The open road can be a dangerous place. Over half of all traffic deaths occur among young adults in the 15-44-age range. Vehicular crashes are the leading cause of death worldwide among individuals ages 15-29, and the second leading cause of death for children ages 5-14.
Many of these deaths result from fatal truck accidents. Data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reveals that 11 auto accidents occur every day that involve at least one semi truck.
When pursuing a truck accident lawsuit, it's crucial to figure out what caused the accident. Two of the leading causes of truck accidents are brake and tire failures. Unfortunately, this can cause some legal challenges even for the best semi truck accident attorney.
When a brake malfunction is involved, your truck accident lawyer will look at several possible culprits: the driver, the person or company that loaded the truck, the person or company responsible for keeping brakes in good condition, and the brake manufacturer.
Often when a truck accident law firm starts poking around, the companies responsible for trucking, hauling and leasing begin to butt heads over who is responsible for compensating a victim.
If it's discovered that a truck was unable to brake properly or in time due to the design of the brakes, your truck accident attorney may go after the brake manufacturer. If the brakes are found not up to federal regulations, or were recalled, your truck accident attorney will have a strong case against the manufacturer.
The drivers and trucking companies may be found at fault if the front brakes were depowered to save wear and tear, or if brakes weren't properly checked and maintained. Improper loading can be the fault of a different company depending on how the operation is run. Most of this applies to faulty tires as well.
Proving fault can be difficult in these instances, but a good lawyer will cut through the runaround and get you the settlement you deserve.
Learn about the common causes of crashes with our legal resource website for truck accident injury victims.