NJ Truck Equipment Failure Attorneys

Proudly serving all of New Jersey

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Accidents Caused by Defective Truck Equipment

While truck equipment failure represents just a small portion of all accident causes, when equipment does fail, the results can be catastrophic. Some equipment failures are seemingly minor, such as a faulty hood latch, but can lead to very destructive truck crashes. If that latch fails, the hood can fly open and block the driver’s view of the road. Other equipment malfunctions are obviously dangerous, such as brake failure whether it’s decreased braking ability or complete brake failure. Any equipment failure can be disastrous.

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The Importance of Regular Maintenance

Regular and thorough maintenance is crucial to keeping large trucks safe on the road. This maintenance should address all parts of the truck, including braking systems, tires, lights and mirrors.

Brake failure is a scary incident for drivers and can lead to very destructive accidents. When a semi-truck cannot stop, everyone in its way will feel the full force of 40,000 to 80,000 pounds of steel and cargo crashing into them. At best, the truck goes off the road and only causes property damage. Even in this best-case scenario, the driver is unlikely to escape unscathed.

Tire blowouts are a common type of equipment failure for all types of large trucks. Improperly inflated tires, either underinflated or overinflated, can fail and blow out. Defective tires are also susceptible to this type of incident.

When not properly kept up, even small equipment failure can cause major accidents. A truck driver who is missing even one mirror is at a major disadvantage and cannot see all of the traffic around him. Missing taillights can make it hard for a following vehicle to determine how far away the truck is, and they can cause a driver to slide under the truck’s rear end. This is known as an underride collision.

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Causes of Faulty Truck Equipment

New Jersey road conditions are dangerous enough sometimes, but faulty vehicular equipment makes those conditions even worse. Negligence never mixes well with a motor vehicle. As a result, truck equipment failure can take a variety of forms:

• Faulty brakes
• Burned out lights
• Worn Tires
• Structurally weak and overused trailer hitches
• A poorly kept engine

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Keeping Trucks Safe on the Road

A truck is only as safe as all of its parts. Truck parts need to be regularly inspected in order to ensure the safety of not only truck drivers, but all other motorists on the road as well. However, for trucking companies, inspecting trucks means that those trucks are not on the road. If those trucks are not on the road, then those trucks are not making money for the trucking companies. Therefore, maintenance on trucks not only costs trucking companies money, but prevents those companies from making money as well. Unfortunately, some companies choose to put off truck repairs, endangering the lives and safety of New Jersey motorists in the process. By putting off repairs, truck companies are able to cut their overall operating costs and increase profits. That is, if they’re not spending money to fix trucks on a regular basis, they’re making money through deliveries instead. This tactic comes at a high price though, as simple equipment failure can often lead to more serious equipment failure, resulting in an increased threat of life-threatening accidents.

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Proving Liability in a New Jersey Accident

Trucking companies and equipment manufacturers may be responsible for injuries sustained in large truck accidents. Catastrophic trucking injuries such as traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage and dismemberment are all life changing. Other accidents are not just life changing, they end lives. When trucking companies skimp on maintenance to save a buck, everyone is at risk. When large truck manufacturers sell faulty equipment and allow truckers to use it, parts fail, and people are hurt.

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Get the Compensation You Deserve for New Jersey Truck Equipment Failure Injuries

Whether you are a truck driver who has suffered from an equipment failure accident or a car driver or pedestrian struck in an accident, you need trusted legal representation to stand up for you. Call a New Jersey truck accident lawyer at Lependorf & Silverstein, P.C. at (609) 240-004 to discuss your incident. We will give you a free case evaluation. Injuries from truck accidents can be severe, permanently impairing and even fatal. We want to help you recover the compensation you deserve.

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