Semi trucks are heavy vehicles that often have heavy loads that they are transporting. This combination can make a semi truck a lethal object when it isn’t being driven in a safe manner. When a big rig accident occurs, the cause of that accident becomes a primary consideration for the people who were injured in the accident since this is a point that could have an impact on the personal injury case.
The trucking company regulations might be to blame for an accident. This might be the case if the trucking company sets unrealistic delivery times or doesn’t ensure that drivers follow the hours of service regulations. It could also be the case if the company doesn’t keep up with the maintenance duties for the trucks or trailers.
Trucker error is one of the possible causes of a trucking accident. This can be due to the trucker consuming alcohol or drugs, not getting enough sleep, being distracted or trying to hurry. In some cases, trucker error is caused by improper loading or securing of loads.
With all of the parts on a semi truck, it shouldn’t be a surprise that components on the truck or trailer can fail. When these components fail, accidents can occur. Think about how catastrophic it would be if a fully loaded truck was unable to stop because of a malfunction or failure of the brake system.
Just because you determine the cause of the accident doesn’t mean that it is going to be easy to determine what parties should be held liable for the accident. Insurance companies, trucking companies, component manufacturers and truck manufacturers are some of the parties that might be held liable for the accident.
Source: Stop Unsafe Trucks, “Common Causes of Truck Accidents,” accessed June 22, 2016