A truck accident lawyer VA residents turn to following a trucking accident knows all too well that functioning brakes are paramount on a commercial truck. Of course, all vehicles need working brakes to be a safe mode of transportation. However, statistics show that brakes tend to be neglected on commercial trucks, and are one of the top causes of trucking accidents.
Just How Often Are Faulty Brakes the Cause of Trucking Accidents?
In 2016, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance did an inspection of over 18,000 commercial trucks during Brake Safety Week and determined that 13.2 percent of them were unsafe to be on the road. In 2013, they conducted a study which determined that brake failure played a role in 26 percent of commercial truck accidents.
If you are a commercial truck driver and you were in a trucking accident caused by faulty brakes, the accident may have not been your fault at all. Your employer has a duty to have the truck (and all of its components) inspected on a regular basis; and the manufacturer has an obligation to design brakes that work.
Even if you were not injured in the accident, it may be worthwhile to contact a truck accident lawyer in VA. A truck accident lawyer VA drivers hire after accidents may be able to determine whether or not the accident was actually your fault. If the accident was not your fault, the lawyer may be able to help get that noted on your record to prevent the accident from causing damage to your career.
Why Do Brakes Fail?
Any truck accident lawyer VA has to offer may tell you brake failure is almost always the fault of the driver or the employer because the brakes have been neglected. In fact, truck drivers have a duty to inspect the brakes of their vehicles regularly and make sure necessary repairs are conducted before getting back on the road.
Typically, a commercial truck utilizes an air brake system. An air brake system consists of a number of different parts. Any of these parts could fail, which would make the truck difficult – or impossible – to stop. Even the most skilled and seasoned truck driver with decades of experience and a clean driving record would have trouble controlling a truck with failing brakes. This is why a commercial truck driver who has been in an accident may want to let a truck accident lawyer VA trusts take a look at the details surrounding the accident if a failed brake system was determined to be the cause.
Who Is Liable?
The biggest reason why a truck driver may want to contact a Virginia truck accident lawyer following an accident caused by faulty brakes is that a number of different people could be liable for the accident. It could be determined that the driver and/or the employer were negligent in checking the brake system. While it is less likely, it is also possible the manufacturer designed faulty brakes. If the brakes were recently worked on, the mechanic could also be liable for not doing the work properly.
As you can see, determining liability when faulty brakes cause a trucking accident can be complicated. If you have been in a trucking accident as the result of faulty brakes, schedule a consultation with a truck accident lawyer VA residents trust today by calling 703-997-1165.
