The Role of Maintenance Records in Proving Negligence in Tulsa Trucking Accidents

Tens of thousands of people are involved in trucking accidents on the nation’s highways every single year. In Oklahoma alone, there were over 3,100 just in 2024.

When you’re involved in a serious truck accident, figuring out exactly what went wrong is rarely simple. Did the driver fall asleep? Were they on their phone or otherwise distracted? Or was it something even less obvious, like a lack of maintenance?

Big commercial trucks are complex machines, and when something fails (brakes, steering, tires, etc.), the results can be devastating. Yes, driver error is a factor in many crashes. However, mechanical failure because of a lack of maintenance is also surprisingly common. That’s why maintenance records can be some of the most important evidence you can have in a Tulsa trucking accident case.

Maintenance records go far beyond listing repairs. They show how the trucking company approaches safety. Maintenance records highlight whether the carrier followed federal inspection requirements, whether routine checks were skipped, or if the same issue kept showing up without being fixed.

If a company did cut corners, those documents can help prove it.

In this post, you’ll learn why maintenance logs are so important, what’s required under the law, and how a truck accident lawyer uses them to strengthen your claim.

Why maintenance records matter in trucking accident cases

Big rigs rack up hundreds of miles every day under very heavy loads. That creates wear and tear, which means they need regular inspections, servicing, and part replacements. If a carrier skimps on any part of that process, it creates a significant risk of failure.

Maintenance records serve as a paper trail. They can show:

• Inspection dates
• Repairs made
• Who handled the repairs
• Recurring issues
• Federal/state legal compliance

In short, they give you an inside look at how the trucking company treated the truck before your accident. Missing maintenance entries, inconsistencies, and signs of rushed or inadequate work can all mean negligence.

Federal and Oklahoma laws on truck maintenance

All trucking companies in the US have to comply with stringent maintenance rules set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Some key requirements include:

• Regular maintenance program – All trucking companies have to have a documented system for inspecting, repairing, and maintaining vehicles.
• Driver inspections – Before taking a truck out, drivers have to inspect it and note any potential safety problems.
• Annual inspections – Every commercial vehicle has to pass a detailed, multi-point inspection at least once a year.
• Recordkeeping – Carriers have to keep maintenance records for each vehicle they own or lease for at least 12 months while it’s in service and for 6 months after it’s sold or retired.

Oklahoma state laws also require that all vehicles on the road (including commercial trucks) be in a safe operating condition.

How maintenance records can prove negligence

While many trucking companies are on the up and up, that’s not always the case. Maintenance records can show where they’re cutting corners. Some common red flags include:

1. Missed inspections – Long gaps between required checks mean the company may have violated FMCSA rules.
2. Ignored defects – If a driver notes safety issues and the company doesn’t address them, that may indicate negligence.
3. Recurring problems – Recurring problems could mean repairs weren’t done correctly, or the part should have been replaced.
4. Poor documentation – Sloppy, incomplete, or missing logs can suggest that the company didn’t take maintenance seriously.

You may be wondering, if proper maintenance would help not only their employees, but also the general public as a whole, why would a company neglect to keep up with it? First, sometimes the repairs themselves can rack up large bills for parts and labor. More importantly, every single week, day and even hour a truck is not in service, the company is likely losing money due to the inability to haul loads. It boils down to companies putting safety on the backburner for the sake of increased profits.

Gathering and protecting this evidence

As you can see, maintenance records are pretty important to your case. The problem? They’re in the trucking company’s possession. That makes them hard to get in the first place, but there’s a risk the company might “lose” or alter them, too.

That’s why one of the first steps your lawyer will take is to send a spoliation letter (a formal notice telling the company to preserve all relevant evidence). This includes maintenance logs, inspection reports, repair invoices, and even mechanic work orders, along with a host of other evidence in the trucking company’s possession. If the company doesn’t comply, it can face penalties in court, and the judge may even tell the jury to assume the missing evidence would’ve been unfavorable to the company.

How lawyers use maintenance records in your case

Once your attorney has the records, they’ll compare them with other evidence, like:

• Accident scene photos – For example, skid marks (or lack of thereof) could match up with brake problems shown in the logs.
• Expert analysis – A mechanical expert can review the records and testify whether the maintenance met industry and legal standards.
• Driver statements – If a driver admitted to noticing a mechanical issue before the crash, that can line up with what’s in the logs.

The goal is to show that the trucking company’s negligence wasn’t just a one-time mistake. Instead, it could be part of a pattern that directly led to the accident.

Maintenance records and multiple defendants

One important point in Tulsa trucking accident cases is that more than one party can share responsibility. Maintenance records can help identify all potentially liable parties, including:

• The trucking company – For not following the required inspection and repair procedures.
• Contractors – The trucking company could outsource repairs to a third-party shop that did poor/incomplete work.
• The driver – For failing to report or address issues during pre-trip inspections.

Can a lack of maintenance lead to accidents?

Maintenance is undeniably important to road safety. Here are some of the most common issues that can happen because of a lack of maintenance:

• Brake failures – Worn pads and leaking brake lines are common causes of accidents.
• Tire blowouts – Tire blowouts are major causes of accidents and can happen because of wear and tear, as well as under-/overinflation.
• Steering problems – A truck’s steering system (from the steering wheel and column to the pitman arm and drag links) is central to road safety.
• Lighting failures – Blown brake lights or turn signals can contribute to rear-end or lane-change collisions.

If the records show that any of these issues were known but ignored, it’s a strong piece of evidence for negligence.

Why do you need a lawyer to get and use this evidence

Even though maintenance records are important, they’re not easy for accident victims to get on their own. Trucking companies know how to limit what gets released or bury key details in stacks of irrelevant paperwork.

A Tulsa truck accident lawyer can help fight these tactics. They can request maintenance records from the trucking company, have experts review them, and connect the evidence directly to the cause of your crash. They can also challenge the company’s claims if it tries to argue that the records prove nothing.

More than just a list of repairs

Maintenance records can turn a complicated truck accident case into one with a clear path to proving negligence. They tell the story of how a trucking company treats its vehicles and, by extension, the safety of everyone on the road.

If you’ve been injured in a Tulsa trucking accident, don’t wait to find out whether poor maintenance played a role. The sooner a lawyer gets involved, the better your chances of securing the records you need before they disappear. Contact Biby Law Firm Injury and Accident Lawyers today to schedule a consultation.