Missouri and Kansas Truck Accident Claims Involving Truck Safety Issues
Both truck drivers and trucking companies are responsible for ensuring the safety of their trucks and their cargo. From regular truck maintenance to proper loading and containment of cargo, a failure to take safety precautions can set the stage of a tragic accident.
At the Sly James Firm, we thoroughly investigate every truck accident case we handle. Not only do we look for driver factors such as driver inattention, use of drugs or alcohol, and driver fatigue, we also investigate factors related to the truck itself.
If you or a loved one was injured in a truck wreck, work with a lawyer who has experience handling truck accident cases. Contact the Sly James Firm online or call 816-472-6800 to schedule a free consultation in our Kansas City law office. Our personal injury lawyers represent injured people as well as families who have lost loved ones in Kansas and Missouri trucking accidents.
Proving Truck Safety Failures in Truck Wrecks
When it comes to truck safety, it's not only 18-wheelers, semis and tractor-trailers that are a problem. Delivery trucks, delivery vans, cargo vans, buses, dump trucks, cement trucks — any kind of commercial vehicle that gets heavy miles can be a problem. Some of the common safety issues our truck accident investigators will consider include:
- Maintenance records may determine if maintenance problems led to brake failure, a tire blowout, or steering failure
- Cargo loading — were the contents of the truck properly secured? Were the straps, locks or containment devices in working order? We will particularly look at this if a piece of debris flew off a truck and hit the car behind it.
- Cargo balancing — if a semi is not loaded properly, the shifting weight of cargo can throw it off balance, contributing to a trailer overturning.
- Defective products — not every equipment failure is the responsibility of the trucker or trucking company. Sometimes defective truck parts play a role in truck wrecks.
- Proper equipment — Commercial trucks have many required safety features. For example, 18-wheelers should have safety bars installed at the correct level in order to prevent cars from sliding under the truck in an accident.
- Trucks also need to have properly functioning running lights while in operation. If a truck is stopped at the side of the road, it is required to put out orange triangles and flairs to alert drivers.
These and other truck safety precautions keep all of us safe on the road. Failing to take these precautions can cause or contribute to injuries and fatal truck wrecks.
If you or someone you love has been seriously injured in a truck crash, contact our injury attorneys online or at 816-472-6800. Your initial consultation is always free.
