It takes a fully loaded tractor-trailer roughly 500 feet to come to a complete stop. When a fully loaded truck carrying up to 80,000 pounds of weight is traveling at 55 miles per hour or more, it takes a considerable amount of time for the driver to slow down the vehicle and stop. Simply stated, everything must go right for the driver to avoid a crash. Even if a truck driver applies the brakes in time, there is no guarantee that they can entirely stop in time to prevent a collision. In some cases, the brakes themselves are the cause of the crash. Then, there may be numerous responsible parties whom you can sue for compensation.

Brake Repairs Are Costly for the Trucking Company

Trucks have multiple axles, each with its brake pads and rotors. It costs hundreds of dollars to replace brakes for just one axle. At the same time, the trucking company must take the truck out of service, and the repair job ties up the maintenance staff. There are numerous costs associated with brake repairs, and trucking companies do not always want to make them. The trucking company may keep the truck on the road when the brakes pass a useful life. The driver only learns there is a problem when they are behind the wheel and cannot fully stop.

Truck Crashes Caused by Malfunctioning Brakes

Defective brakes can cause the following types of truck crashes:

• Rear-end crashes
• Jackknife crashes
• Rollover collisions
• Intersection crashes

Suing the Trucking Company for Brake Crashes

Trucking companies are legally obligated to put only roadworthy vehicles on the road.  They must inspect and maintain the vehicle to provide the driver with a safe truck. You are the one to whom they owe a duty of care. Unfortunately, trucking companies have sometimes been known to cut corners, as maintenance is a large expense. They may not want to take the truck off the road because that vehicle cannot earn them money. The trucking company may give the driver a truck where the brakes do not fully work. Upon visual inspection of the vehicle, the driver may not be able to determine that there is a problem with the brakes.

Product Liability Lawsuits for Defective Brakes

The trucking company may have done everything within its power and acted reasonably to maintain the brakes, yet your crash may have happened. The brakes themselves may have been defective and were the cause of your crash. In that case, you could file a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer of the brakes or any other entity involved in the stream of commerce that resulted in the purchase of the truck. You would need to prove that one of the following defects existed to hold the defendant strictly liable for the crash:

• Manufacturing
• Design
• Marketing

How a Truck Crash Lawyer Can Help You?

You may already be able to prove negligence based on what the truck driver did before the crash. For example, if you were injured in a rollover crash, it should never happen if the truck driver and trucking company exercise due. Nonetheless, you must determine who was to blame for the crash so you can sue the appropriate party. Your truck crash lawyer will perform a complete investigation of the crash to learn the cause and who may owe you money. Because there is physical evidence and the need for expert witnesses, you should hire an attorney as soon as possible after the crash so they can immediately begin an investigation.

Contact Our Albuquerque Truck Crash Lawyers at Buchanan Law Firm, LLC

Our Albuquerque truck crash lawyers at Buchanan Law Firm, LLC know how to stand up and fight for our clients. It is critical that you reach out to a lawyer immediately after your crash. Call 505-900-3559 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. Our office is in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and we serve clients in Santa Fe and the surrounding areas.