Fairfax, VA Improper Truck Maintenance Attorney

Knowledgeable Truck Accident Attorneys Addressing Improper Maintenance in Fairfax, Virginia

As commercial trucks carry heavy loads over thousands of miles, they will experience significant wear and tear. These large, complex vehicles contain a wide variety of equipment that must be maintained correctly. Regular inspections, repairs, and service must be performed to ensure that all parts of a truck are functioning safely. When trucking companies or maintenance providers cut corners, mechanical failures can occur, and they can lead to devastating truck accidents.

When a poorly maintained commercial truck has been involved in a collision, an injury victim may not know who was responsible for what happened or what steps they can take to address the harm they have suffered. At Shevlin Smith, P.C., our lawyer understands how to investigate truck accidents, uncover their causes, and determine how maintenance failures occurred. He will provide the legal help clients need to hold the liable parties responsible for causing a truck accident.

The Importance of Truck Maintenance

A commercial truck has many systems that work together to ensure that it can be operated safely, including brakes, tires, steering components, and trailer coupling mechanisms. All of these systems can wear down over time, and regular inspections are required to identify issues that will need to be addressed. When inspections are not performed correctly, when a truck has not been properly maintained, when mistakes are made during repairs, or when parts are defective, dangerous mechanical failures can occur. These may include:

Brake Failure

Functioning brakes are critical to ensure that a commercial truck can be operated safely. A large truck will require a great deal of distance to stop, and any problems with brakes can increase that distance or even prevent a truck driver from stopping entirely.

Brake failures can occur because of a variety of maintenance issues. Brakes can become overheated in certain situations, and they can break down and fail if they have not been properly maintained. Worn brake pads or brake shoes may not have been replaced. Brake lines or air hoses may have developed leaks. Brakes may be adjusted incorrectly, failing to ensure that they engage evenly across all wheels. A truck with brake problems may be unable to stop in time at a traffic signal, in highway traffic, or in other situations, which could lead to a rear-end collision or a T-bone collision at an intersection.

Tire Blowouts

Commercial truck tires will endure stress while carrying heavy loads over long distances. When truck tires are not inflated correctly, or when tires are not replaced after becoming worn down, they may fail while a truck is in motion. The sudden deflation of a tire or a tire that explodes can lead to a dangerous truck accident.

A tire blowout can cause a truck to swerve suddenly, or it may become difficult or impossible to control. A blowout could result in a jackknife accident, rollover accident, or another type of collision with other vehicles. Debris from exploding or shredded tires may be sent flying across the road, creating hazards for other drivers and leading to secondary collisions.

Trailer Coupling Malfunctions

The coupling system that connects a truck's cab to the trailer is an important component that can affect the overall safety of a truck. A malfunctioning coupling can allow a trailer to separate from the cab. When this occurs while a truck is in motion, the trailer may move on its own across multiple lanes of traffic, striking other vehicles or creating an unavoidable obstacle in the road.

Steering and Suspension Failures

A truck driver will need to be able to steer correctly, and defective systems may cause them to lose control during turns, lane changes, or other maneuvers. Damaged suspension components, improper alignment, or other issues may make a truck difficult or impossible to control. A loss of control at a high speed can lead to a devastating truck crash.

Causes of Maintenance Failures

Maintenance-related truck accidents will often involve a pattern of negligence by a trucking company or other parties who are responsible for inspecting and maintaining trucks. Inspections may be skipped or rushed, and they may not catch serious issues that need to be addressed to ensure that a truck can function correctly.

Delayed repairs can be another reason for the failure of a truck's systems. A trucking company may try to keep a truck in service as long as possible, waiting to perform repairs. When delivering goods as quickly as possible takes priority over safety, dangerous accidents can occur.

In some cases, accidents may be caused by the use of substandard parts. To reduce costs, companies may use parts that do not meet the proper specifications. These parts may not function correctly, or they may fail without warning, affecting a truck driver's ability to drive safely. In other cases, companies may use the proper parts, but these products may be defective, and a manufacturer may be liable for truck accidents that occur as a result.

Contact Our Fairfax, Virginia Inadequate Truck Maintenance Attorney

Maintenance-related truck accident cases can be complex. A thorough investigation will be needed to identify issues that caused a truck to be unsafe. At Shevlin Smith, P.C., our attorney will review maintenance records, inspection reports, and other evidence to determine exactly what went wrong and who may be held responsible. Contact our Fairfax improper truck maintenance lawyer at 703-591-0067 to set up a free consultation.