Drivers Family Settles With Trucking Manufacturer

The truck blew a tire and struck a ditch in the road.  When the truck struck the ditch, the mixer, which was full of concrete and weighed approximately 40,000 pounds, came loose and crushed the roof of the cab.  The incident occurred in Northhampton County, Pennsylvania.

The truck, which was a 1999 S-Series “New England” model and manufactured by Oshkosh Truck Corporation, contained several design and manufacturing flaws.

The front pedestal was not strong enough to support the force of the steel drum in a low-speed crash, and the front pedestal and catwalk structure both collapsed because of low-force impact.

The cab, which was constructed of low-grade aluminum, should have included steel reinforcements and a roll bar or cage.  The cab on the prior S-Series model was made of steel.  However, the company used aluminum on new models in order to minimize weight and maximize the amount of concrete it could carry.

The steering column was also defective and did not collapse on impact.  Additionally, the drum could have included a safety loop to prevent it from detaching and the rear pedestal was not strong enough to withstand the force of the crash.

For free information about construction accidents, see the construction accident attorneys of Pennsylvania.