A fleet of private sanitation trucks that operate on New York City’s streets every night are often in poor repair and the vehicles have repeatedly been declared unsafe and pulled off the road by government regulators, according to an investigative report by ProPublica. The report singles out Century Waste, a New Jersey company, which has more than 30 trucks operating in the city, which have failed 65 percent of the government inspections performed, according to city and federal records. The trucks’ brakes, axles, steering mechanisms, have all been found faulty.
Dangerous Conditions
On Aug. 1, a wheel flew off a Century Waste truck, sailed over the center median of the Gowanus Expressway in Brooklyn and crashed through the windshield of a car driven by a 64-year-old man, a civilian employee of NYPD. Police said the truck that lost the wheel was hit with 16 summonses for unspecified “equipment violations.” The city’s Business Integrity Commission, which licenses and oversees private garbage companies, has said its authority on these private trucks is limited.
But, it has asked Century Waste to re-inspect all its trucks immediately. While the city’s residential trash is hauled away by the city, private companies collect the trash that is discarded by businesses. ProPublica, which has been reporting about New York City’s private trash collection industry has found that the industry is rife with concerns over safety and lax oversight. A recent report found that Sanitation Salvage’s trucks were involved in the deaths of two people in accidents that happened within a period of six months.
According to an analysis of data from the city and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), trucks operated by the city’s 50 biggest garbage companies are pulled off the road and declared unsafe to drive after 53 percent of government inspections. Also, 14 of those 50 companies had not been inspected once in the past two years. Nationally, commercial trucks are pulled off the road after 21 percent of inspections.
Importance of Truck Maintenance
Federal laws require all large trucks to be properly maintained. The FMCSA requires every motor carrier to “systematically inspect, repair and maintain…all motor vehicles subject to its control.” Parts and accessories must be in safe and proper condition at all times. Any driver who gets a roadside inspection noting a violation report must deliver it to his/her employing motor carrier.
The motor carrier official must examine the roadside inspection report. Within 15 days after the inspection, the motor carrier must sign the report to certify that all violations have been corrected, and return it to the address indicated. Also, the motor carrier should retain a copy on file for 12 months from the date of the inspection. When trucks cause injuries and damages to other motorists and passersby, the companies that operate these trucks can be held liable for the losses that result.
Compensation for Injured Victims
Accidents caused by improperly maintained garbage trucks may result in devastating injuries ranging from head injuries and spinal cord trauma to death. Injured victims of truck accidents can seek compensation for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost income and benefits, hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc. Families of deceased victims can also seek compensation by filing what is known as a wrongful death lawsuit.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident, or if you have lost a loved one in an auto accident caused by a negligent driver, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you.
For over 46 years, our skilled accident attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims get fair compensation for their losses. Our law firm recently recovered $5,600,000 for a bicyclist who was hit by a van, and $2,550,000 for another victim of a truck accident, and $3,000,000 for a pedestrian who was hit by a car, and the full $1,000,000 insurance policy for a pedestrian who was hit by a truck, and $4,625,000 for a driver who was in a car and was hit by a van, and $2,500,000 for a man who fell through an improperly secured hole.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury and medical malpractice cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
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Source: https://www.propublica.org/article/century-waste-sanitation-garbage-truck-collection-safety-record