St. Louis Improper Truck Maintenance Attorney

Truck broken down due to lack of maintenance

Without proper inspection and maintenance, tractor-trailers and other large commercial motor vehicles (CMV) pose a serious risk to the safety of everyone they encounter on the streets, roads, and highways of St. Louis. When a truck accident results from improper truck maintenance, the consequences can be devastating and long-lasting.

If you were recently injured in a truck accident, the improper truck maintenance lawyers at Craig, Kelley & Faultless, LLC, are ready to help you. In many cases, the crash can be traced to faulty brakes, worn tires, or some other mechanical failure due to improper maintenance. Our St. Louis improper truck maintenance attorneys want to help you pursue the compensation you deserve from the truck driver, the trucking company, or another responsible party.

To learn more, contact us today and request a free consultation about your truck accident case. Our St. Louis truck accident lawyers are ready to investigate your situation and explain your best legal options for seeking maximum compensation.

Federal Regulations for Truck Maintenance and Inspections

Commercial trucks are designed to carry heavy loads of cargo for long distances. For that to happen safely, all of a large truck’s parts and systems must function correctly. That is why federal regulations require trucking companies to systematically inspect, repair, and maintain all the vehicles in their fleet and that individual truck drivers take responsibility for making sure their vehicle is safe.

Federal regulations, which are enforced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), specifically require truck drivers to inspect their large trucks at the start and end of every workday, including their:

  • Brakes
  • Lights
  • Tires and axles
  • Horns
  • Steering mechanisms
  • Emergency equipment

The driver must also keep a record of the inspections, repairs, and maintenance. If the driver finds a safety issue, the issue must be documented, and the vehicle must be deemed out-of-service (OOS) and removed from the road until the problem is fixed. Unfortunately, truck drivers and the trucking companies that employ them do not always follow the rules.

A recent roadside check by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) detected a safety issue that was serious enough to park the commercial motor vehicle until it was safe in roughly one out of every five CMVs that were inspected, or more than 11,000 trucks. The most common violations involved:

The statistics show the unsettling reality that many semis, 18-wheelers, and other CMVs on the road in St. Louis are unsafe and on the verge of mechanical failures that could result in catastrophic accidents.

How Improper Truck Maintenance Can Cause Crashes in St. Louis

When trucking companies and truck drivers fail to systematically inspect, repair, and maintain their vehicles in compliance with federal regulations, serious accidents can result. Some of the most common faulty maintenance issues that lead to truck accidents in St. Louis are:

  • Reduced performance — A tractor-trailer’s brakes, for example, may be so worn and in need of repair that they make it impossible for the truck driver to stop or slow down as traffic and weather conditions change.
  • Mechanical failures — When brakes fail, tires blow out, and steering systems fail to operate as they should, the driver should get the tractor-trailer or other large truck off the road until it is repaired. Tire blowouts, brake failure, and other serious malfunctions can cause severe truck accidents.
  • Impaired driver control — If the truck’s brakes are not functioning properly, for instance, or wheel runoff occurs, the driver can lose the ability to operate the vehicle safely when surrounded by traffic.
  • Lack of emergency equipment — In addition to being unable to respond properly when dangerous situations arise, a poorly maintained commercial truck may also lack flares and other safety equipment required to protect the driver and others while the semi-truck is on the side of the road.

Liability and Compensation in Truck Accidents Due to Negligent Maintenance

When trucking companies and the drivers they employ fail to follow federal regulations, and devastating truck crashes result from their negligence, they should be held accountable. In some cases, other parties, such as a mechanic or cargo shipper, may be held liable for the losses caused by a truck accident.

If you have suffered injuries in a truck accident due to improper truck maintenance, you have the right to seek full and fair compensation from all parties responsible for the harm you have suffered, including:

  • Past and future medical expenses
  • Lost wages and diminished future earning ability
  • Pain and suffering
  • Punitive damages (designed to punish wrongful conduct in exceptional cases)
  • Repair or replacement of your vehicle and damaged property

At Craig, Kelley & Faultless, LLC, our truck accident attorneys in St. Louis will analyze your unique situation to carefully calculate your damages and work tirelessly to pursue the maximum amount of compensation for you.

The Importance of Taking Quick Action to Gather Evidence

Because drivers, trucking companies, and others could face significant liability when a truck accident caused by improper truck maintenance occurs, the stakes are extremely high for them. In turn, you can expect those parties to move quickly after a crash to protect their interests.

That is why you should have an experienced St. Louis truck accident attorney at your side if you have suffered injuries in a collision with a commercial motor vehicle driver. An attorney from Craig, Kelley & Faultless, LLC, can take immediate steps to ensure evidence is gathered, preserved, and analyzed, including the trucker and trucking company’s inspection, repair, and maintenance records. Our attorneys can use the evidence to negotiate aggressively with insurance adjusters and make sure that your rights are protected.

How Our St. Louis Negligent Truck Maintenance Lawyers Can Help

Truck accidents due to negligent vehicle maintenance should never happen. If you are facing the aftermath of an injury or death after a trucking accident in St. Louis, you deserve answers. At Craig, Kelley & Faultless, LLC, we have assembled a highly trained, hard-working team that will be dedicated to finding those answers for you and pursuing all the compensation you are entitled to receive.

To start the process, contact us now for a free, no-obligation case assessment with an experienced St. Louis truck accident attorney. We know how to take on trucking companies and their insurers, and we will be dedicated to seeking the compensation you need to move on with your life after the traumatic experience of a truck crash.