Who can be held liable in a truck accident case?

The immense size and weight of commercial trucks make truck accidents among the most fatal traffic events.

Liability is also a major issue when it comes to truck accidents and with good reason.

When it comes to injuries, property damage and more, fault can dictate getting the compensation you need as well.

However, truck accidents are not standard car crashes and most of the time involve more than one party that could have some level of responsibility for the incident.

The Truck Driver

Truck drivers are the most obvious party to hold liable in the case of a truck accident.

This implies that the driver might actually be at fault for causing this accident if he was at all negligent.

Some of the forms of truck driver negligence include:

Distracted Driving

The Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles points out that using a cell phone or changing the dial on the radio constitutes something that may raise the risk of an auto accident.

Fatigued Driving

Delivery deadlines mean truck drivers are often required to drive long distances — sometimes without enough sleep.

That can lead to tiredness and reduce their reactivity, thus increasing the chance that they get involved in an accident.

Driving Under the Influence

A truck driver high or drunk behind the wheel of a tractor-trailer is an immense threat on highways.

Speeding or Reckless Driving

One is that if a driver is speeding or driving recklessly in a truck, then he is likely to lose control of the vehicle.

The Trucking Company

When a trucking company does not uphold this responsibility, they may be held accountable for causing a truck accident.

Here are the key areas where a trucking company may face liability:

Negligent Hiring Practices

Ultimately, the trucking company could be liable for accidents involving individuals who experienced traffic violations in the past and then went to a truck driving school.

Failure to Properly Train Drivers

Trucking businesses have a legal obligation to provide factories that make large trucks with the proper training.

Since then, the company might be liable if any driver is involved in an accident due to insufficient training, and in that case, you need an attorney.

But, keep one thing in mind: you need to choose the best attorney like Walkup. So, if you have this type of case, hire an attorney at the law offices of Walkup to ensure you have the best support and guidance throughout the legal process.

Pushing Drivers to Violate Hours of Service Regulations

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association dictates the number of hours in which a truck driver can be on the road and driving without having to rest.

If a company forces drivers to exceed these limits and tiredness causes an accident, similarly, the company could be liable.

The Owner of the Truck or Trailer

Sometimes, the truck or trailer itself is owned by someone other than the company doing the trucking.

And when this takes place, the owner of the car has some duties concerning one of the most fundamental aspects: maintaining and securing his treasured vehicle.

Should a truck or trailer fail due to being in an unsafe condition, and this failure results in an accident, the owner of the vehicle can be held responsible. For instance:

Defective Brakes

The owner would be at fault if they did not properly monitor the maintenance of their truck’s brakes and an accident occurred as a result of brake failure.

Faulty Tires

Also, when tires are not taken care of, they can blow out, and a whole truck will lose control.

Whatever the fault, failing to renew tires would mean that the owner is going to be responsible for hefty damages.

The owner of the truck or trailer is also responsible if he allowed an unsafe driver to drive for him and he knew that this driver had a bad driving record or was unqualified.

The Manufacturer of the Truck or Its Parts

The accident might not have been a driver error or the fault of the trucking company.

The reason one construction truck might not function properly is not the land defect but rather an equipment or component failure of the truck.

In some instances, the responsible party may be chiefly or only a supplier who provided a faulty component part, as in product liability litigation.

So, that’s all we have for you about attorneys at the law offices of Walkup. We hope that this guide has helped you.