When Can a Vehicle or Parts Manufacturer Be at Fault for a Truck Accident?

parts manufacturer liability for truck accidentManufacturers have a legal duty to make sure that their products are safe and effective to use. This includes manufacturers of parts used in 18-wheelers, big rigs and other commercial vehicles. Since these trucks often weigh several tons, when they are involved in collisions, the results are often catastrophic, and manufacturers may be held liable if the accident was caused by a defective part.

Our experienced Windsor truck accident lawyers are prepared to review your particular circumstances and see if you may have a legal claim for compensation. Contact our firm to request a free consultation.

When Trucks Are Considered Defective

Trucks are defective when they pose an unreasonable threat of harm to the public. Defects are commonly classified into one of the following categories:

  • Design defect – This type of defect is caused by a design of a product that made the product inherently dangerous, such as a truck that is more likely to tip over.
  • Manufacturing defect – This defect arises when a problem occurs during the manufacturing process, such as when the rubber in a tire deforms and causes the tire tread to separate. 
  • Marketing defect – A marketing defect or failure to warn defect occurs when the instructions for the product do not adequately warn the consumer of the danger of using the product.

To receive compensation for a defective product, you must be able to show that the defect caused or contributed to the truck accident and that you were directly injured as a result.

Most Common Defective Truck Parts

Trucks are made up of thousands of parts. However, defective parts that can cause a malfunction or other safety-related issues often include:

  • Brakes – Properly functioning brakes are required to stop a truck and prevent catastrophic collisions. When brakes malfunction, the vehicle may not be able to stop or may not be able to decrease its speed and the impact of a collision.
  • Tires – Motorists can often see tire tread from commercial trucks littering highways. Tread separation or cracking tires can result in a serious blowout and collision.
  • Steering equipment – Steering components may break, making it so that the commercial truck driver cannot avoid an accident.
  • Fuel systems – Some vehicles have the gas tank placed in a dangerous location where it can easily be ignited to cause fires or explosions.
  • Accelerators – Accelerators that break and/or stick can cause a truck driver to unintentionally speed up.
  • Electrical problems – Electrical issues may cause a safety system not to work or a malfunction to occur while a truck driver is operating a vehicle.

Proving the Vehicle or Parts Manufacturer Is Liable

When the cause of a truck accident is a defective part, the manufacturer of the vehicle could be at fault for any resulting damages.

Proving a manufacturer is liable for a truck accident can be challenging. This is why we recommend that you retain the services of a lawyer from our firm. Our lawyers may need to conduct a detailed investigation of the commercial truck involved in the accident. This includes using accident reconstruction experts and gathering evidence to help establish how the defect occurred.

Should our lawyers uncover that the vehicle or parts manufacturer knew or should have reasonably known the parts used in the truck were defective, we are prepared to hold them accountable for any injuries, property damage or deaths that resulted from the truck accident.

Reach Out Today if You Have Been Injured

If you or someone you care about has been harmed in a truck-related accident, the legal team at Greg Monforton and Partners may be able to assist. We have years of experience building strong cases on behalf of our clients against negligent truck manufacturers.

We provide a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your legal options and charge no upfront fees, so you have nothing to risk by contacting us. You only pay us if we help you obtain a recovery.

Give us a call at (866) 320-4770 or fill out our free case review form.