Injury and Accident Attorneys Serving St. Louis, Nearby Missouri, and Nearby Illinois
Braking systems are an essential safety feature of trucks. As such, trucking companies are required by federal regulations to regularly inspect and properly maintain brakes. While such brake inspections should occur prior to long hauls, they are also required to take place once a truck has been driven a specific number of miles.
Even if such brake inspections do take place, however, other factors can contribute to brake failures and serious truck accidents:
- Overloaded trucks or improperly balanced cargo
- Poorly designed braking systems by a vehicle equipment manufacturer
- Intentional depowering of front brakes by drivers or trucking companies in order to reduce wear on the tires (and try to cut maintenance costs)
Those who may be considered to be legally negligent when brake failures cause truck accidents include:
- Truck drivers who failed to inspect braking systems prior to driving trucks on long hauls
- Trucking companies who failed to replace or maintain brakes (particularly when others had previously noted that such maintenance was necessary)
- Repair shops and/or mechanics who failed to properly replace or maintain braking systems
- Vehicle equipment manufacturers who designed defective braking systems that were prone to failure
Call Brown & Brown, LLP for a free consultation to discuss your truck accident case. Dial the 3s for our St. Louis office (314-333-3333 / 573-333-3333) or the 8s for our location in Illinois (618-888-8888).
