Trucks are the backbone of our economy, tirelessly transporting goods across our highways – including Iowa’s part of I-80.
However, their massive size and weight make them potential disasters waiting to happen if not properly maintained. Regular and meticulous truck maintenance – including thorough inspections, timely repairs, and strict adherence to maintenance schedules – holds the key to preventing catastrophic accidents caused by mechanical failures.
Semi-trucks, with their sheer size and weight, demand our trust and confidence on the road. Regular truck maintenance serves as an unwavering commitment to ensuring the safe operation of these behemoths.
We have seen all too often how neglecting semi-truck maintenance can have catastrophic repercussions. Mechanical failures resulting from inadequate maintenance can turn a highway into a scene of devastation.
Types of Maintenance Failures that Can Cause Iowa Semi-Truck Crashes
- Brake failure: Imagine the heart-wrenching consequences of brake failure—an innocent driver rear-ended, an intersection collision that shatters lives, or a runaway truck that leaves a trail of destruction. These are the haunting realities of accidents caused by brake failures resulting from poor maintenance.
- Tire blowouts: Another terrifying outcome of neglected maintenance. When tires are not diligently inspected and replaced as needed, they become ticking time bombs on the road. Excessive wear and tear weaken the tire’s structure, increasing the likelihood of a blowout while the truck is in motion. A sudden tire blowout can trigger a chain reaction, causing the truck driver to lose control and resulting in catastrophic rollovers, jackknifes, or collisions with unsuspecting vehicles.
- Steering malfunctions: Caused by neglected maintenance, steering malfunctions can unleash a nightmare scenario. Imagine the anguish of a truck careening out of control, veering into other lanes, crashing into barriers, or, worst of all, toppling over with a force that shatters lives.
- Faulty steering: Resulting from poor maintenance, can transform a truck into a deadly projectile on our roads.
- Engine problems: Fuel system failures or overheating can suddenly transform a truck into a stranded and immobile hazard, blocking traffic and leading to unsuspecting collisions.
In the aftermath of a devastating semi-truck accident, victims and their families often seek justice and compensation for their losses. Maintenance failures can play a pivotal role in semi-truck accidents, but it may not always be clear to victims and their families what happened to cause the crash.
How a Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer Will Help You Win Your Case
This is where an experienced Iowa trucking accident lawyer can be the lynchpin in your case. Here’s how an attorney can help:
- They will conduct a comprehensive review of relevant documents. This includes obtaining maintenance records, inspection reports, repair logs, and any documentation related to the truck’s maintenance history. These documents can provide valuable insights into whether the trucking company or the driver adhered to recommended maintenance procedures, identified and addressed potential issues, and followed industry standards.
- They will consult with trucking industry experts. Engaging qualified professionals, such as mechanical engineers, trucking specialists, or forensic investigators, can help the attorney gain a deeper understanding of the maintenance failures that may have contributed to the crash. These experts can examine the available evidence, assess the truck’s condition, and provide their expert opinions on whether inadequate maintenance played a role in the accident.
- They will interview witnesses and obtain depositions. This can include statements from the truck driver, maintenance personnel, employees of the trucking company, or even other motorists who observed the truck’s condition prior to the accident. Their accounts may shed light on potential maintenance issues, irregularities, or previous instances of neglect that may have contributed to the crash.
- They will collaborate with accident reconstruction experts. By analyzing the physical evidence, skid marks, vehicle damage, and other factors, these experts can recreate the sequence of events and determine how maintenance failures may have played a role in the crash. By collaborating with accident reconstruction specialists, they can strengthen your case and present a more comprehensive picture of the accident’s causes and consequences.
All of these steps are critical to winning your case and getting the compensation you deserve — but it can be overwhelming. If you’re like most people, you want to focus on healing and getting your bills paid. Hiring an attorney to worry about these complex issues for you lets you focus on taking care of yourself and your family.
RSH Legal offers free, no-obligation case evaluations to Iowans who have been seriously injured in trucking crashes. To schedule yours, call 1-800-433-0283 today.
