Florida Poor Truck Maintenance Attorney
Driver negligence is most often cited as the main reason behind a car accident. Quite often, however, the actual cause is a defect in the automobile such as a defective tire, or a failure brought on by a lack of proper vehicle maintenance. This cause of vehicle accidents is even more pronounced in the case of commercial semi-trucks and tractor-trailers. Given the tremendously high number of miles put on these big rigs, you would think that maintenance is performed regularly as a top priority. The unfortunate reality is that truck maintenance is not always performed as well as it should be, and it is sometimes not conducted at all. The personal injury trial lawyers at Halpern Santos & Pinkert, P.A. hold transportation carriers accountable when their poor truck maintenance is responsible for a serious truck accident in Florida.
Federal rules require inspections and maintenance, but trucking companies ignore them
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is tasked with regulating the trucking industry for the safety of truck drivers and others on the road. FMCSA rules include maximum hours of service to prevent accidents caused by truck driver fatigue. Additionally, truckers and carriers must comply with regulations regarding inspection, repair and maintenance. These rules require drivers to conduct detailed inspections before driving and at the end of each day. Carriers must also make periodic inspections by qualified inspectors and brake inspectors. The rules forbid any unsafe operations that are likely to cause a truck accident or vehicle breakdown.
FMCSA rules also maintain a list of parts and accessories which are necessary for safe operation and must be present on the rig and in good working order. These include:
- tires
- brakes and brake system components
- mirrors
- signals and lights
- safety equipment
- coupling devices
Federal employees as well as the carriers themselves must make periodic inspections, and records are required to be maintained by the carrier. Unfortunately, many companies are known to falsify these records in order to keep trucks on the road that are in need of maintenance. Roadside inspections are conducted every year by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance. In a recent blitz of more than 60,000 inspections, nearly ten thousand trucks were immediately placed out of service due to safety violations. Over one-quarter of these were brake violations, and another 15% were removed due to unsafe tires or wheels.
We’ll Help You Get Justice after a Serious Florida Truck Accident
At Halpern Santos & Pinkert, P.A., our experienced truck accident lawyers know how to investigate whether poor truck maintenance played a role in the crash, including whether trucking company employees actively tried to conceal their noncompliance with federal rules. We’ll work hard to bring transportation carriers to justice and obtain a full amount of compensation to help you with your injuries and the disruptive impact this accident has had on your life.
After a serious truck accident in Florida, call Halpern Santos & Pinkert, P.A. for a no-cost consultation with our team of dedicated and successful personal injury lawyers.
