A recently filed wrongful death lawsuit claims that a component of the braking system of a tractor-trailer caused a deadly crash when it failed. The accident, which occurred in 2015, killed a woman and injured her infant son. The wrongful death lawsuit was brought against the manufacturer of the brake part, Meritor WABCO Vehicle Control Systems, and other parties.
The lawsuit claims that the brake part has undergone forensic testing and that test results show that the Meritor modulator valve was defective, as defined by Alabama law, at the time of the accident. The plaintiff in the lawsuit, the husband of the deceased and the father of the injured child, seeks compensatory and punitive damages for her wrongful death, product liability, negligent and wanton maintenance of the tractor trailer, and failure to warn of defects.
Tractor trailers are designed to be driven long distances on a regular basis. Because of this, the safe operation of any tractor trailer involves regular checks of all of the parts of both the tractor and the trailer. Many components of a truck wear out fairly quickly, and must get replaced on a regular basis, so regular checks ensure that worn out parts get replaced before they fail on the road. If a part fails while the driver is on the road, an accident could occur.
Sometimes safety checks are not performed regularly, or repairs are not made as soon as they are needed and accidents occur. Sometimes these checks are done by the driver of the truck and at other times, mechanics inspect the trucks. At other times, accidents happen when parts fail without any warning or in spite of vehicle checks that could not reveal the defect that caused the crash. When a tractor-trailer is involved in an accident which may have been caused by a mechanical defect, multiple parties could each be partially or fully responsible for the injuries and the damages that were caused by the crash. When there are multiple defendants, the lawsuit can become rather complicated as the parties try to blame each other for the accident and absolve themselves of responsibility for as much of the damages as they possibly can.
Barrett Law PLLC: Helping Mississippi Trucking Accident Plaintiffs and Their Families
Trucking accident cases involving mechanical defects can be lengthy and complicated. Accident victims and their families may be kept waiting for much-needed compensation while the potentially responsible parties point fingers at each other and argue over who is responsible for how much of the damage that was caused by the crash. This can be frustrating for accident victims and their families, but they do not have to go through it alone. If you were injured or someone that you love was killed in a trucking accident where there may have been a mechanical defect, Mississippi Trucking Accident Attorneys could help you navigate the complicated trucking accident claims process so that you can devote your time and energy to healing your injuries or recovering from your loss. If you have questions about Mississippi trucking accidents, please call the dedicated Mississippi Personal Injury Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC at 1 (800) 707-9577 to set up an initial consultation.