A truck hitch is a critical piece of equipment that connects a trailer or another towed apparatus to a truck. Truck hitches are relied upon to maintain strong links between the truck and the object being towed, such as a trailer. Truck hitch failure is an extremely dangerous situation that could cause severe motor vehicle accidents, injuries, and deaths.
What Is Truck Hitch Failure?
Truck hitch failure describes an issue or malfunction with the mechanical device that hitches (connects) a truck to a trailer or another towed piece of equipment. When a hitch is not working properly, it can break or become unlocked in transit. This can release the trailer or object being towed into the roadway. The loose trailer may strike other motor vehicles and cause catastrophic accidents, including multi-vehicle pileups.
Large Trucks and Hitch Malfunctions
Large commercial trucks have unique hitches compared to those used by passenger cars. Semi-trucks have larger and stronger trailer hitches known as “fifth-wheel couplings.” They have more moving parts, such as a locking mechanism that keeps the trailer’s pin in place.
It is essential that a tractor-trailer hitch is working properly since trucks can tow thousands of pounds of cargo. If a trailer is released into the road due to truck hitch failure, it could prove deadly for surrounding drivers.
What Causes Dangerous Truck Hitch Failures and Malfunctions?
A trucking company or the owner of the truck is responsible for ensuring the reasonable safety of all involved equipment, including the trailer hitch. The owner must regularly inspect the hitch, repair it as needed with quality parts and replace the equipment if it no longer works properly.
The following issues can result in a dangerous truck hitch failure:
Defectively designed equipment
Broken locking mechanism
Low-quality hitch parts
Rusted or damaged hitch components
A lack of lubrication
Ignored hitch repair or maintenance needs
Failure to replace a worn or broken hitch
Incorrect type of hitch for the truck
An overloaded truck that exceeds the hitch’s weight limit
Improperly loaded, unsecured or off-balance cargo
Failing to use safety chains
Truck driver negligence, such as speeding
These problems can result in a faulty hitch coupling and disastrous equipment failure on a drive. Truck drivers should never be allowed to operate vehicles with damaged or defective hitches.
Can You Hold Someone Liable for a Truck Hitch Failure Accident in Connecticut?
Truck hitch failure is a preventable type of accident risk. If this occurs and causes a serious or fatal accident in Connecticut, one or more parties may be held liable or financially responsible. Liability will go to the person or party most at fault for causing the truck hitch failure under Connecticut’s tort-based insurance law. The liable party may be the manufacturer of the hitch or one of its parts, the trucking company, a truck owner, a truck driver, a maintenance shop, or a combination of parties.
Pursue Compensation for an Accident Caused by a Faulty Truck Hitch
If a faulty truck hitch causes a severe injury or death, the victim or victim’s family may be able to pursue financial compensation from one or more parties. A successful claim could help the plaintiff move forward by reimbursing expenses associated with the accident and injury. To discuss how to file a claim for injuries caused by truck hitch failure in Connecticut, contact Loughlin FitzGerald, P.C., for a free consultation.
