While it is unusual for passenger vehicles to lose control of their braking system, brake problems are much more common with large trucks. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), brake issues are the most common cause of crashes involving large trucks. Some of the more common types of brake issues that cause accidents include worn brake lines, worn brake pads, brake disc failures, and ABS failures.
If you or someone you know was involved in an accident that was caused by or involved brake issues in a large truck, a Lafayette truck accident lawyer from our team at Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers may be able to help. Call (337) 777-7777 for a free consultation.
Brake Technologies and Legal Issues
Advancements in braking technologies have generally made our roads and our vehicles safer, but in absolute terms, thousands of deaths and millions of accidents still occur every year as a result of driver errors, faulty vehicles, and malfunctioning brakes. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), some brake technologies can warn drivers of an imminent collision, and others can take control of a vehicle to avoid a potential crash. These systems include dynamic brake systems (DBS) and collision imminent braking (CIB).
Despite these advancements, brake-related truck accidents are still a major issue, and accidents caused by faulty, malfunctioning, or delayed braking are traumatic experiences for everyone involved. They can also lead to considerable legal and liability issues because there are so many parties involved. You can speak with a Lafayette personal injury lawyer to help you pursue compensation.
For example, if someone drives while intoxicated, his or her response times will increase, and this can lead to an accident. In such cases, assigning liability for an accident is pretty straightforward. However, what about a commercial truck that is involved in a brake-related accident? The driver, the vehicle owner, or a maintenance crew may be at fault.
Determining liability and quantifying the damages that you may be entitled to after a truck accident can be difficult, and this is where we can help. We understand Louisiana law, and a Lafayette brake problems lawyer from our team can help you navigate the complex landscapes of insurance coverage, bodily injury law, and accident laws. Call us for assistance with accidents and injuries that arise after a brake accident.
Laborde Earles injury was great for me they took care of me very fast and professional. If for any reason I need legal help they will be who I use.
ClientBrake Accident Injuries
Damage and bodily injuries in truck accidents run the entire gamut of those seen in vehicle accidents of other types. Possible injury types include:
- Broken bones
- Fractures
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)
- Spinal Cord Injuries (SCIs)
- Internal bleeding
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Amputations
- Neck injuries
- Property damage
Depending on the nature and the extent of damage sustained in your accident, you may be able to file a claim for the injuries listed above, as well as:
- Lost income
- Wrongful death
- Pain and suffering
- Rehabilitative care
- Surgery and therapy costs
- Medicine costs
- Diagnostic testing
- Assistive devices
- Travel to and from doctor and therapist meetings
Call Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers at (337) 777-7777 to learn more about which of these damages and which compensable injury categories may apply to your case. A Lafayette 18-wheeler accident lawyer can tell you more.
I thank God for Digger & David. I don’t know what we would have done if it hadn’t have been for them.
Rick Smith | ClientDrivers Have a Responsibility to Maintain Their Brakes
A basic principle when it comes to vehicle accidents is that the driver is responsible for the servicing and maintenance of their vehicle. They must assess the health of their brakes. Not doing so is tantamount to negligence. If they do not know the symptoms of brake failure, choose to ignore them, or simply want to avoid paying for costly repairs, liability for accidents caused by faulty or defective brakes may fall on them.
If the driver in your accident experienced any of these signs before the accident and failed to get their brakes checked out, they could be liable for any injuries they cause in an accident related to brake failure:
- Squeals or grinding noises emanating from the brakes
- Having difficulty slowing the car down when they drive
- The brake pedal shaking when they drive
- Clicking noises when they apply the brakes
- A loose brake pedal
- Unusual drag when they drive
If the driver is responsible for the brake failure accident, we will likely also be able to hold the truck driver’s employer liable under vicarious liability laws.
In some cases, the manufacturer or mechanic might be liable for an accident if a defective brake or improper maintenance caused the accident.
Proving fault on the part of a manufacturer can be tricky because you must be able to prove that poor or defective brake design was the reason for the brake failure. This can require extensive research and fact-checking to show a correlation between accidents similar to yours and brakes, car models, or driving circumstances similar to those in which your accident occurred.
If manufacturer defects or issues cannot be identified, a Lafayette semi-truck accident lawyer can look into maintenance and service issues that may have contributed to or caused the braking accident.
The reassurance from Digger and his staff gave me that renewed hope that it’s going to be okay down the road.
ClientWe Are Here to Help You
Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers has one goal, and that is to help you win your claim or lawsuit and recover from the damages–the physical, mental, financial, and property damages–that your brake accident caused.
Filing and pursuing a civil accident claim can feel like a full-time job. It will require you to do a considerable amount of research, interview accident eyewitnesses, and handle everyone from insurance agents and service crews to hospital staff and other parties involved in the accident. A Lafayette brake problems lawyer from our team can help you every step of the way.
Call us for a free case evaluation at (337) 777-7777. We provide services on a no-win, no-fee basis, so you pay nothing unless we win your case for you. Please let us help you; call now.
