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What to Know About Defective Truck Parts and Product Liability Claims?
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What to Know About Defective Truck Parts and Product Liability Claims?
In most cases, the parties responsible for your truck accident injuries are the driver and the trucking company. In a handful of cases, the truck driver may have done nothing wrong, but the truck itself was to blame for the accident. When that happens, you may be able to file a product liability claim against both the truck manufacturer and anyone else who was involved in its sale. These cases are difficult ones, but they could lead to significant financial compensation if you win. A truck accident lawyer can help you prove your case and win.
Examples of Defective Truck Parts
A tractor-trailer is an incredibly complex vehicle, weighing up to 80,000 pounds when it is fully loaded. Everything must go right for the truck driver to reach their destination safely and not injure you. Even the slightest defect in a key component of the truck has the potential to cause serious accidents.
Truck parts that may be defective include the following:
- Brakes
- Steering
- Transmission
- Tires
- Underride guards
- Tie down equipment
- Suspension
The truck relies on all of these parts at practically every moment of operation. If any one of these parts is defective, it has the potential to cause severe injuries in an accident.
What Are the Types of Truck Defects for Which You Can Sue?
In any product liability case, there are three main types of defects that would make a defendant strictly liable for the damages that they caused you. These defects are:
- Design Defects: There was a problem with the design that made the product unreasonably dangerous.
- Manufacturing Defects: The design itself was safe, but something went wrong in the manufacturing process that made the product unreasonably dangerous.
- Marketing Defects: The manufacturer knew or should have known of the defect, yet they failed to warn you about it or take steps to fix it.
In addition, you may also be able to sue for a breach of any one of a number of warranties and common law negligence. However, to win under these legal theories, you would need to do more than simply prove that there was a defect.
Who Are Defendants in a Defective Truck Parts Case?
Product liability lawsuits allow you to cast an expansive net in who you are able to sue for your injuries. The legal principle is that anyone who was involved in the stream of commerce is jointly and severally liable for your damages. The most obvious defendant in a product liability case is the manufacturer of the defective truck part. You may also hold the dealer who sold the truck, or the distributor who sold the part, legally responsible for your injuries.
What Compensation Can I Receive in a Product Liability Case?
If you win your product liability case, you may be entitled to a significant amount of financial compensation. Your injuries are likely serious, leading to a higher amount of damages. Further, the defendant likely has a large base of assets for you to pursue in a lawsuit.
You may receive the following types of compensation in a product liability lawsuit:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Emotional distress
- Scarring and disfigurement
Your family can also receive damages when you suddenly and tragically lose a loved one in an accident caused by a defective truck part.
Further, if you take your case to trial and win, a jury may assess punitive damages against the defendant, depending on their degree of fault. Punitive damages can make a truck accident verdict extremely large.
Contact the Albuquerque Truck Crash Lawyers at Buchanan Law Firm, LLC to Learn More
The Albuquerque truck crash lawyers at Buchanan Law Firm, LLC, can investigate the cause of your truck accident to help you learn who may be responsible. Then, our lawyers may pursue vigorous legal action on your behalf. You can schedule a free initial consultation with one of our attorneys by calling us today at 505-900-3559 or using our online contact form. Our office is in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and we also help injured clients in Santa Fe and the surrounding areas.
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Notable Case Results
We have recovered tens of millions of dollars for our clients.
$11.6 Million
Hospital Negligence
Hospital negligence resulted in catastrophic injury. This was a case involving a patient who entered the hospital for routine observation but left the hospital with catastrophic and permanent injuries due to neglect and improper treatment. This case involved extensive expert testimony on all aspects of the client’s care, both by hospital administration, hospital employees, and contractors who were involved in her treatment.
$8 Million
Semi Truck Wrongful Death
Semi-truck negligence caused wrongful death. This case involved a semi-truck driver who was intoxicated on illegal substances and killed our client. The key to this case was both aggressive discovery work, and understanding the trucking laws that regulate truck drivers and motor carriers, so we could prove how reckless it was to put the driver on the road that day.
$3.5 Million
Semi Truck Catastrophic Injury
Semi-truck negligence caused catastrophic injury. This case involved a semi-truck driver who lost control of his vehicle in a high-traffic area, causing devastating injuries to our client. We were able to reconstruct every step of the events leading up to the crash that day to piece together why this happened, using sophisticated experts in reconstruction engineering.
$3.0 Million
Semi Truck & Corporate Negligence
Semi-truck and corporate negligence caused wrongful death. Our client died as a result of the defendant’s negligence in parking a commercial vehicle. The key to this case was understanding trucking regulations and local ordinances at play to show how the situation should have been handled safely.
$1 Million
Semi Truck Wrongful Death
Semi-truck causing wrongful death. This sad case involved the tragic death of our clients when a semi-driver was high on illegal substances. The key to this case was working closely with law enforcement and our reconstruction expert to identify all of the assets we could recover for these clients so that they could be as fully compensated as possible.
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