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If you think it is wrong for a rental company to give you a car with worn brakes and tires without any tread, you should feel especially offended when rental companies provide moving trucks in such conditions. Unfortunately, many Enterprise truck accidents occur due to just that— a rental company providing vehicles to customers that have no reason to be on the road. The Chicago trucking accident attorneys of Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers represent the victims of these accidents as well as drivers who unknowingly rent vehicles that are in the worse operating condition imaginable. There is simply no excuse for Enterprise and other large truck rental companies to act in this manner.
It is true that drivers bear a lot of responsibility when it comes to operating their vehicles in a safe manner and this responsibility becomes even greater when you get behind the wheel of a 10,000 pound machine that is capable of demolishing other vehicles in a wreck. Should the drivers involved in trucking accidents be held responsible when they are given improperly maintained and defective vehicles, however? The truth of the matter is that Enterprise and other similar companies have been complicit in trucking accidents for a long time now and they often attempt to hide behind the drivers they rent their vehicles to when it is evident that the accidents were not entirely 'the drivers’ fault.
If you are involved in an accident involving a rented truck from Enterprise, it is important to seek compensation from the parties that are most complicit. It is hard to hold a driver liable if he made every attempt possible to maintain control of the vehicle during a tire blowout or if his or her brakes failed during an attempt to reduce speed or stop. Ways in which rental companies are responsible for rental truck accidents include the following.
- Willfully forgoing safety inspections. Enterprise Rental trucks are not considered commercial vehicles, so Enterprise is able to fly under the radar of the U.S Department of Transportation. Some case studies have revealed that Enterprise and its key competitors have vehicles on the road that are well over a year past due on inspections.
- Refusal to repair or maintain vehicles. The same studies have revealed that trucks have gone for years without maintenance. In some cases, trucks never received repairs, maintenance or inspection at all throughout their entire lifetime.
- Renting vehicles that have outlived their use. Even well maintained vehicles reach a point where they are more likely to encounter mechanical failures due to constant wear and tear. Imagine how much shorter the serviceable lifespan of a truck must be when it has not received any preventative or routine maintenance at all.
- Manufactural defects. While the manufacturer can be held liable for design flaws and defective equipment, it is also the responsibility of Enterprise to inspect their vehicles in order to identify these flaws. When it is revealed that these trucks have not been subject to regular safety inspections, both the manufacturer and rental company may share liability.
Any accident involving a large truck has the potential to leave victims forever changed by their injuries, even when a full recovery is possible. Severe trauma to the head, neck or spine can limit your ability to walk or maintain the quality of life you once had and crushed bones or mutilated limbs can require expensive surgeries and painful rehabilitation to fully recover from.
The Chicago trucking accident attorneys of Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers can maximize your recovery by identifying each liable party and seeking fair compensation from all who contributed to your injuries. We have maximized thousands of clients’ recoveries and secured the compensation they needed for the payment of medical bills, long term rehabilitative treatment, out of pocket expenses, lost wages, wrongful death and pain and suffering. Let us get to work on your behalf to earn the compensation you deserve in full consideration of Illinois law.
Contact us today to arrange a free consultation where we will gather all of the information needed to investigate and review your case. We will be happy to answer your questions, review your legal options and let you know how best to proceed with your case. The success of your case is our success as well and if for any reason at all we fail to recover compensation on your behalf, our services will be free.
