Trucking Company Negligence Causes Truck Accidents

Trucking companies place innocent lives at risk when they fail to conduct routine maintenance and inspections of their trucking fleet. Recently, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fined a trucking fleet company for its illegal termination of a truck driver who raised numerous safety concerns regarding defective equipment on his truck.

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After being hired in 2011, the truck driver notified the trucking company of various concerns, including ineffective brakes, steering issues, non-functioning turn signals, leaks and a cracked windshield. The driver requested the problems be fixed, but the trucking company refused. Subsequently, the driver contacted the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, and a truck inspection revealed sixteen violations. The truck was removed from service until the appropriate repairs were made. Thereafter, the trucking company fired the truck driver.

After filing a whistleblower complaint, OSHA ruled in favor of the truck driver after finding that he was wrongfully terminated for notifying regulators of a workplace safety violation. OSHA released the following statement:

This driver was fired for doing the right thing. A defective truck is a danger not only to its driver, but to other motorists on the road. Commercial truck drivers have a legal right to report safety issues to their employer without fear of termination or retaliation. Violating the law can put workers at risk and has costly consequences for the offending employer.

Semi Truck and Commercial Vehicle Accidents – Tampa Injury Law Firm

A trucking company is responsible for the condition of its commercial vehicles, trucks and tractor trailers on the road, as well as some of the actions of its truck drivers. While truck driver error is the most common cause of large trucking accidents, the second most common cause is truck equipment failure which is often the result of improper maintenance by the trucking company. Truck equipment failure can include: brake failure due to ineffective adjustments; faulty lighting; improper securing or load distribution; inadequate trailer attachment; tire blowouts due to wear; and transmission failure.

Determining responsibility for an accident involving a large semi truck or tractor-trailer can be more complicated than a traditional car crash. Responsible parties may include, but are not limited to, the truck driver, the owner of the truck, the company that leased the truck, the truck manufacturer, the tire (or parts) manufacturer, and/or the shipper or loader of the truck’s cargo. The Capaz Law Firm will analyze all available evidence and will conduct a thorough accident investigation, and with the help of accident reconstruction experts, our Tampa truck accident attorneys will identify any and all potentially responsible parties and will work to hold them all accountable for their negligence.

Experienced Tampa Tractor Trailer Accident Attorneys

Our Tampa truck accident lawyers have experience with handling complex claims involving truck accidents, trucking companies, trucking company insurers, and other potentially liable entities. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident caused by a commercial vehicle, tractor-trailer, semi-truck or 18-wheeler, contact the Tampa truck accident attorneys at the Capaz Law Firm.