Risk Study by Insurance Company and Equipment Rental Company Reveals That the Rental Equipment Most Frequently Involved In Liability Losses Includes Trailers, Tents, Forklifts, and Chairs
A study by Travelers Insurance Company and USI Rental Specialities concerning general liability losses for rental centers from 1996 to 2002 indicated three types of equipment generating a large number of losses are trailers, tents, and lifts. Fatalities involving lifts generally involve power line contact or failure to use fall protection. Fork lifts rank second in severity and fourth in total number of claims. Trailers rank third in severity and first in total number of claims. With regard to trailers, loader and delivery errors are responsible for 62.5% of all claims and 2 fatalities were attributed to trailers, one involving a bystander.
The main cause of trailer claims seems to be a disconnection between the towing vehicle and the trailer. As an experienced Pennsylvania trailer accident and defective trailer attorney, I am well aware that many times rental dealers do not provide adequate training and safety information verbally and in writing for rental equipment. Many times, the equipment is rented and used for purposes other than the operation for which it was designed. It is important that all rental agencies inspect and service the rental equipment before renting to users and do not modify the equipment without the manufacturers consent. All rental equipment should include new equipment with the latest industry safeguards. Old, out of date equipment, even if it is in working order, should be replaced. Obviously it takes a lot of rental income to make up for one significant loss.
As experienced trailer accident and defective trailer attorneys, we have investigated claims where rental companies have rented trailers to individuals with vehicles that were not strong enough to pull their loads. In other situations the rental company failed to properly hook up a trailer to a tow vehicle (or to instruct the renter) causing the unsecured trailer to come loose during towing, then separate and strike innocent pedestrians or passersby. Such failures led to accidents resulting in catastrophic injuries and fatalities.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a defective or unsafe trailer accident, please contact one of our experienced defective trailer accident attorneys at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com. For more information concerning the study, please click on Rental Claims Study.
