While trucking accidents are frequently caused by negligent truck drivers attempting to increase revenue that are encouraged by commercial carriers to cut corners and push the limits of safety, sometimes big-rigs are unsafe even when a San Francisco truck driver operates the vehicle properly. There are many tractor-trailer accidents caused by big-rigs that are not properly maintained or that are defective.
When a San Francisco big-rig accident is caused by a vehicle defect in a component or system of the tractor-trailer, a Bay Area trucking accident victim may be able to pursue a trucking accident claim based on product liability law. A product liability claim in the context of a San Francisco big-rig collision may be based on strict liability, negligence or breach of warranty.
Potential product defects that cause a San Francisco big-rig accident may include such defects as the following:
- Defective braking systems that prevent the big-rig from stopping
- Faulty fuel systems that contribute to fire or explosion
- Steering malfunctions that contribute to the loss of control of the vehicle
- Improper and inadequate under-ride protection guards
- Faulty manufactured tires that contribute to vehicle blowouts
- Failed hoses and seals
While the manufacturer of a big-rig equipped with faulty equipment may be liable for a San Francisco trucking accident caused by a product defect, commercial carriers are also required by regulations under California and federal law to properly inspect a tractor-trailer. A commercial carrier has a legal obligation to perform proper maintenance so that unsafe big-rigs do not expose the public to the dangers of massive vehicles with defects that make them even more dangerous.
If you are involved in a San Francisco big-rig accident, the enormous size and weight of the big-rig may result in severe injury, including bone crush injuries, spinal cord injuries causing paralysis, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) resulting in loss of cognitive functioning and even wrongful death. The danger of suffering these sorts of catastrophic injuries in a Bay Area big-rig collision is significant because the big-rig may outweigh a passenger vehicle by more than twenty times.
Contact Us
If you are injured in a San Francisco big-rig accident, our experienced San Francisco big-rig accident lawyers at Zimmerman Law may be able to help. We invite you to contact us as soon as possible because critical deadlines apply. We invite you to contact The Law Office of Ian Zimmerman for your free initial consultation. We are open 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., speak Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese, and are available for weekend, evening, home and hospital meetings and visits. We also offer free initial consultations and work exclusively on a contingency fee basis so that you pay nothing if we don’t win your case.