Truck accidents can be terrifying experiences. Following an accident, you might be dealing with serious injuries, medical treatment plans, time away from work, and more. While you might have a feeling that someone else should be liable for your medical bills and lost wages, how can you tell which parties are responsible?
Personal injury law gives accident and injury victims the right to file a claim against parties whose negligence or intentional wrongdoing led to the accident. Therefore, you need to determine the exact cause of your truck crash to identify who should be liable. There are different parties that could be liable in a truck accident claim, depending on the specific cause or causes of the crash. Often, truck accident victims must file multiple claims to obtain the full compensation they deserve.
The following are some examples of potentially liable parties in truck accident claims. To discuss liability for your specific accident, contact a Riverside truck accident lawyer near you directly.
Truck Drivers
Truck driver error is a leading cause of commercial truck crashes. These drivers have to undergo training, pass an examination, and obtain a special commercial driver’s license (CDL) in order to operate semi-trucks and other tractor-trailers. They also have to comply with stricter rules of the road and federal trucking regulations. The higher standard for commercial drivers exists because these vehicles are difficult to operate, and they can cause widespread and devastating destruction when they crash.
A truck driver might be liable for an accident for many reasons, including:
- Distracted driving
- Impaired driving
- Speeding or driving too fast for conditions
- Fatigued driving
- Failing to check blind spots
- Failing to yield
- Violating other traffic laws or regulations
Often, police officers at the scene can identify whether a truck driver violated the law or made other errors that could have caused the crash.
Trucking Companies
When a truck driver is an employee of a trucking company, the company can also be held liable for the negligence of the driver. This is because a legal doctrine of respondent superior holds employers strictly liable for the negligence of employees. If the driver was negligent, you might file a claim against the company, as well.
Trucking companies are also subject to strict standards and regulations. These companies can be negligent in many ways, including:
- Not maintaining trucks that malfunction and crash
- Allowing unqualified individuals to operate trucks
- Not properly supervising drivers
It is possible that a company’s negligence helped lead to the crash.
Third Parties
There also might be third parties that could be at least partially responsible for a truck accident. These might include cargo-loaders who work for other companies and who improperly load a truck. This can cause crashes in different ways. Also, maintenance companies might not properly repair or inspect trucks, leading to malfunctions. Other drivers might also be to blame – for example, if another driver cut off a semi-truck, the truck driver might have had to swerve, causing the collision with your vehicle.
There are many different parties that might be liable for truck accidents, and you should seek help from an experienced personal injury attorney regarding your case.
To protect your rights, hire an attorney right away. At JLF Law Firm, our Riverside, San Bernardino, Downey, and El Monte car accident lawyers have helped many victims get the compensation they need to cover medical bills and replace their lost wages. Contact us right away by calling (909) 316-2446 San Bernardino Office, (951) 337-4432 Riverside Office, (562) 222-3069 Downey or filling out our contact form.
