Defective Truck Parts Lawyer in St. Louis, MO
While many truck accidents are caused by driver error, some occur because defective truck parts fail, and the driver loses control of the vehicle as a result. If you were hurt in a truck collision caused by a defective vehicle component, you may be able to hold the manufacturer liable for your injuries with the help of our experienced truck defect attorneys.
Contact Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC for a free consultation with a defective truck parts lawyer. We will review your case and explain your legal options after a truck accident caused by faulty parts.
Who Is Liable When a Truck Accident Is Caused by Faulty Equipment?
Liability for defective truck equipment often falls on the manufacturer of the equipment. If a faulty part causes a truck driver to lose control of the vehicle and collide with you, you may be able to seek compensation for your injuries by filing a personal injury lawsuit against the parts manufacturer, vehicle manufacturer, trucking company, or maintenance provider.
Cases involving faulty equipment against manufacturers are based on product liability laws. In Missouri, product liability cases can be used to hold manufacturers liable for design, manufacturing, or warning label defects that render the product dangerous, even when used correctly. In truck accidents, a component may be defective if it fails when used as intended.
Can I Sue a Truck Manufacturer for Defective Parts in Missouri?
You can sue a truck manufacturer for defective parts in Missouri. Product liability cases use strict liability. In cases where strict liability law applies, you do not need to prove that the manufacturer was negligent. Instead, you only need to show that a defect existed and that it caused your injuries.
Our lawyers can gather the necessary evidence and expert testimony needed to prove that a defect caused the collision that injured you.
What Evidence Do Attorneys Use to Prove a Truck Part Was Defective?
Attorneys use various types of evidence to prove that a truck part was defective. One of the most important types is physical evidence. Our truck defect attorneys may be able to preserve the truck part that caused the accident so that it can be tested for defects.
Additionally, our attorneys may consult with expert witnesses who can testify about the defect and its relation to the crash. Expert witnesses may include engineers and manufacturing professionals who can provide testimony about how the part should have functioned and why it failed. They may also include crash reconstruction specialists who can demonstrate how the part failure caused the accident.
In some cases, part recall notices issued by manufacturers or internal documentation could also be crucial in proving that a defect existed and that the company knew about it.
How Do Defective Brakes and Tires Contribute to Truck Accidents?
Defective brakes and tires contribute to truck accidents by effectively turning the truck’s driver into a passenger. When brakes fail, drivers cannot stop their vehicles even when they have plenty of time to react to hazards ahead on the road. When tires blow out, they can cause drivers to lose control, swerving into other lanes or rolling their trucks over.
What Compensation Can I Recover After a Defective Truck Part Accident?
The compensation for defective truck part injuries could cover various losses, including:
- Medical expenses – Your past and future medical treatments, physical therapy, medical devices, prescription medications, hospital stays, and surgeries related to the truck accident
- Lost wages – The income you lost or will lose because of the injuries’ impact on your ability to work
- Pain and suffering – The physical pain you experience and its impact on your daily life
- Emotional distress – The anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and other psychological trauma you experience because of the accident
- Permanent disability – The impact your permanent disabilities have on your life and the accommodations you have had to make for them
- Property damage – The cost of repairing or replacing your damaged vehicle and other personal property
What Are the Most Common Defective Truck Parts That Cause Accidents?
Some of the most common defective truck parts that cause accidents in St. Louis include:
- Brakes– Brake failures can result in high-speed rear-end collisions or rollover accidents if the truck goes around a turn too quickly, for example.
- Tires– Defective tires may explode because they cannot handle the amount of pressure they are rated for, causing a driver to lose control of their truck. Tread separation is another common type of tire defect that leads to blowouts.
- Steering systems – Issues with the truck’s steering system can make it impossible for the driver to avoid a collision.
- Vehicle lights – Faulty lights can make a truck difficult to see at night, which may contribute to rear-end or underride collisions.
- Trailer connections – A jackknife accident could occur if the connection point between the truck’s cab and trailer fails.
- Securement straps – If the securement straps fail due to a defect compromising their integrity, cargo may fall onto the road and collide with other vehicles.
How Do Lawyers Investigate Defective Truck Part Claims?
Lawyers typically investigate defective truck part claims by obtaining and preserving evidence and having experts analyze it. Our lawyers can issue a letter to the trucking company to preserve the truck so that its components can be reviewed for signs of defects, and its black box can be checked for the truck’s speed and other information that may indicate why the part failed when it did.
Our defective truck part attorneys can also consult with expert witnesses who can analyze the defective part and establish how it contributed to the crash.
Contact Our St. Louis Defective Truck Part Attorneys
Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC has more than 30 years of experience helping truck accident victims seek compensation for their injuries. If you were injured in a St. Louis truck collision caused by a defective vehicle component, contact our firm today for a free consultation with one of our experienced truck defect attorneys. We are available 24/7 to review your case and answer your questions.