Defective Truck Cab Guard Litigation

After a lawsuit involving a defective truck cab guard resulted in a $16.8 million jury verdict for the victim’s family, two cab guard manufacturers have posted warnings on their websites stating that the guards should not be used as safety devices on log trucks and that the device will not prevent serious injury or death. According to a news report in Law360, the case in question involved a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of a man who was killed after crashing and being crushed with the load of logs he was hauling. According to family members, the cab guard failed to properly maintain the load and sent the logs flying forward and tragically causing the death of the truck driver. Other defective truck cab guard lawsuits have been filed making similar allegations.

What are Truck Cab Guards Meant to Do?

Defective Truck Cab GuardThe jury in this case found that the cab guard in the truck, manufactured by Merritt Equipment Co., was defective in design. Cab guards are required as front-end structures on 18-wheeler trucks that pull trailers, flatbeds and log trailers. Their job is essentially to prevent shifting cargo from contacting the cab of heavy trucks. However, in this particular case, they failed and the driver died as a result.

A lawyer for the family said that truck drivers should be able to work with the understanding that the vehicles they drive are designed well and will keep them safe during a crash. The jury found that the plaintiffs were entitled to punitive damages totaling $16.8 million. The judgment against Merritt was for the sum of $15.2 million. Two other companies had settled before the verdict. Court documents state that the jury found the Merritt cab guard to be defectively manufactured and lacking in warnings.

When can the Manufacturer of a Defective Cab Guard be held Responsible?

Cab Guard

If a defective product has injured you, you may have a product liability claim against the manufacturer. In order to be successful with your product liability claim, there are several elements that must be proved:

  • You must prove that the product that injured you is defective in some way. This can be shown when there was a flaw in the manufacturing process, the design of the item was no safe or the manufacturer did not warn consumers of the danger.
  • You must also prove that the product defect caused your injury while the product was being used in the manner that was intended by the manufacturer.
  • Finally, you must show that you were injured by the product in some way.

Contact an Experienced Defective Truck Cab Guard Lawyer

Defective Truck Cab Guard LawyerIf you or someone you know have suffered serious injuries due to a defective truck cab guard, you may be able to receive compensation for your medical bills, lost income and pain and suffering, among other losses. Our firm is working with experienced defective truck cab guard lawyers across the country, who are investigating these cases. They may be able to file a defective truck cab guard lawsuit for you and they charge no fee unless you win an award or settlement. For a free (no obligation) case evaluation, call our toll free number at 1-800-992-6878 or fill out a contact form online.

Source: https://www.law360.com/articles/882793/jury-says-truck-crash-victim-s-family-entitled-to-over-16m

Author Photo

Paul d’Oliveira

Attorney Paul d’Oliveira has been practicing personal injury and disability law for over 30 years. He started his personal injury law practice in 1989 with two offices in Fall River, MA and East Providence, RI. Today his firm has 16 offices in RI and Southeastern, MA.

Rate this Post

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars
Loading...