Truck Accidents Caused by Truck Hitch Failure in Virginia

A truck hitch connects a trailer to the truck or tractor unit that tows it. Common types of truck hitch connections include trailer pins, ball hitches, and fifth-wheel couplings. Fifth-wheel couplings consist of a “kingpin” that extends from the front of the trailer and a horseshoe-shaped device protruding from the back of the truck. Fifth-wheel couplings allow the trailer to rotate atop the coupling, providing better handling.

Truck drivers must inspect the hitch components for any signs of damage. A truck driver can attach a trailer to a hitch on flat ground by aligning the components and slowly backing up until they connect. After connecting a truck hitch, the driver should inspect again to ensure the hitch has connected properly.

A truck hitch that is not connected properly or fails while in use can set off a chain of events, leading to serious truck accidents and devastating injuries. If you’ve been injured in a truck accident caused by a hitch malfunction, you could have a personal injury claim against those responsible for the failure, such as negligent truck owners, careless mechanics, or even the company that manufactured a defective hitch. Contact Kendall Law Firm today for a free consultation with a Virginia truck accident lawyer.

Common Causes of Hitch Failures

A truck hitch failure can involve the hitch uncoupling, detaching, snapping, or shattering, detaching the trailer from the tractor and sending it traveling off uncontrolled. Alternately, the force of the decoupling can upend the tractor, leading to a rollover or a jackknife. These failures can happen for many different reasons, including:

• Breaks due to excessive weight: An overloaded trailer might exceed the weight rating of the hitch coupling and cause it to snap while in transit.
• High hooking: High hooking is when a truck driver attaches the trailer’s kingpin higher than the fifth wheel coupling on the truck tractor. When the trailer’s kingpin sits too high, it may not properly engage with the fifth wheel coupling. Instead, it can slide across the top of the coupling and get stuck in front. When the truck driver tries to pull the trailer forward after high hooking, the force can damage the fifth wheel coupling or the kingpin. An improperly connected fifth wheel coupling can also break or disconnect during travel.
• Inexperience: An inexperienced truck driver might cause a hitch failure accident by incorrectly engaging or connecting the hitch components, failing to inspect the hitch components before and after connecting the truck and trailer, or failing to recognize signs of damage or wear and tear in the hitch components.
• Wear and tear (lack of maintenance): Truck and trailer owners should regularly inspect hitch components for damage that can lead to a hitch failure on the road. Trucks require constant maintenance because they have thousands of individual components. Failing to fix or replace damaged or worn hitch components increases the chances that the hitch fails or disconnects during travel.
• Brake defects: Defects in the truck’s braking system or improper braking technique can stress the truck hitch excessively, causing it to fail suddenly.
• Speeding: Speeding can also place excessive stress on a trailer hitch, wearing down the components and eventually causing them to fail during travel. A truck driver who repeatedly brakes and speeds up rather than maintaining a steady speed under the speed limit puts extra stress on the hitch.

If you were injured in a truck accident caused by a hitch failure, reach out to our legal team for assistance. We want to ensure the party responsible for your accident is held liable for their negligence.

Who Is Responsible for Truck Hitch Failures?

Various parties may be responsible for a truck accident when a truck hitch or locking mechanism fails. The potentially liable parties for serious accidents caused by a trailer hitch failure include:

• The truck driver: A truck driver may be responsible for a truck hitch failure that occurs because they failed to inspect the hitch before connecting the truck and trailer or after connecting the elements to ensure the hitch mechanism was connected properly. Driving with an improperly connected hitch can result in a truck hitch failure. Truck drivers can also cause hitches to fail due to improper driving behaviors, such as speeding or improper braking. Truck drivers should also confirm trailers’ weights before connecting them to the hitch to ensure that a fully loaded trailer will not exceed the hitch’s weight limits.
• The trucking company: Trucking companies are responsible for regularly inspecting and maintaining their vehicles, including hitch components on trucks and trailers. Deferred inspections or maintenance may allow damage or wear to go unnoticed and unrepaired, potentially leading to a catastrophic hitch failure on the road.
• The mechanic or repair shop: Many trucking companies outsource maintenance and repairs to third parties, including mechanics and repair shops. If a ball hitch, trailer pin, safety chains, or a fifth wheel coupling has become loose, bent, or is at risk of breaking, the part should be replaced. If hitches break because these replacements were not made, the repair shop can be held liable for their negligence.
• The hitch manufacturer: Truck and trailer manufacturers and manufacturers of hitch components may bear responsibility for a truck accident caused by a design or manufacturing defect in the equipment. A design defect is one in which the specifications of the components make the hitch unable to perform as advertised. Manufacturing defects may involve errors in fabricating or assembling hitch components or using substandard materials or components.
• Cargo loaders: Cargo companies may be responsible for truck hitch failures if they overload a trailer past the hitch’s weight rating or inaccurately calculate or communicate the cargo weight to the truck driver or trucking company.

Contact an Experienced Truck Accident Attorney for a Free Case Review

Have you been injured in an accident because a truck’s hitch failed? Determining who’s to blame can be complicated, but it’s critical to pursuing the full compensation you deserve. The team at Kendall Law Firm is standing by to help you demand the money you need for your medical bills, vehicle repairs, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.

Contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our experienced truck accident lawyers in Virginia. We’ll review your case, advise you on your options, and outline who could be to blame for your injuries. And if you decide to trust us with your case, we won’t charge you a fee unless we win. Don’t delay – reach out today.