Accidents on Georgia roads are common and oftentimes traumatic, and whenever trucks are involved, the outcome can be devastating, with catastrophic injuries that are typically extensive and life changing.
It’s unfortunate but true that many trucking accidents can be prevented with proper truck maintenance. Whether the actual fault lies with the driver, maintenance personnel, or with the trucking company, it doesn’t change the fact you’ve been injured and are left to deal with the emotional and financial expenses associated with the crash.
Yet, the party responsible for the negligent truck maintenance does matter in a personal injury lawsuit. The experienced trucking accident attorneys at Pope & Howard, P.C. will work to hold the responsible party accountable and help you receive just compensation for your losses. Continue reading to learn more about proving negligent truck maintenance in truck or tractor trailer accident litigation.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires commercial equipment providers and trucking companies to regularly inspect, repair, and maintain all intermodal equipment and all motor vehicles under its control. The goal is to make sure every part on the truck is safe and in proper working order at any given point in time.
But trucking companies must not simply fix issues when they occur; trucking companies must use a regular preventative maintenance schedule to ensure that every truck on the road is safe. They should also conduct regular inspections of their vehicles, and drivers should make inspections before they hit the road.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration also requires every trucking company to keep a Driver Qualification File (DQF) for all drivers. The DQF is a critical part of the accident investigation for any Atlanta truck accident attorney.
The DQF includes:
The experienced team of trucking accident attorneys at Pope & Howard will obtain and review a DQF for your case.
Proving negligence or fault in trucking accident cases is not an easy process. In addition to carefully reviewing the DQF, it’s vital for the proper parties to be named in the suit. You should also have the proper evidence to present to the court to prove your case.
However, your attorney’s experience is critical in truck accident lawsuits. The trucking accident attorneys at Pope & Howard, P.C. in Atlanta bring decades of experience accessing and carefully reviewing the driver’s maintenance records as well as trucking company maintenance records. The firm’s extensive knowledge of federal and Georgia trucking maintenance laws allows it to quickly determine whether negligent truck maintenance was the cause of the trucking accident.
The experienced truck accident litigation attorneys at Pope & Howard, P.C. in Atlanta will carefully investigate the most important factors to determine if negligent truck maintenance was the cause of your accident.
Our legal team will dig deep into the truck’s black box to discover a range of information, including:
Having experienced trucking accident attorneys like those at Pope & Howard, P.C. on your side can make all the difference for you, your family, and your case. Contact the firm today by calling 404-885-9999 or by completing our online contact form.