As you travel the roads of the United States, You see large commercial trucks everywhere. You are so accustomed to seeing them, that you give them little thought. The main focus for most is getting around them instead of waiting for them to slowly pull up after a stop.
As an experienced truck accident lawyer, I know that sometimes you come face to face with the reality of sharing the roads with these major haulers. There are many ways that drivers can have an accident with a truck.
They may turn incorrectly and take out the side of your car. You can run into the back of them when they are stopped but you didn’t notice. Sometimes they spill their cargo or the jackknife spills the contents of their trailers.
In times like these, you must figure out who was at fault. Was the driver traveling too fast? Was the load not secured properly? Did something on the truck malfunction? These things combined put drivers in danger. This is when a truck accident attorney is needed.
Who Is Responsible?
Your truck accident attorney will be tasked with unraveling this puzzle. Here are a few options to consider:
- The driver
Did the driver operate the truck correctly? Was he or she fully awake and driving within the guidelines set by law? Were they speeding? Were they attempting to do a dangerous maneuver on the road?
- The owner of the truck
This can be a private owner or a truck line. Whoever was responsible to ensure the truck and trailer were in sound repair and safe to drive.
- The insurance company
The insurance company represents the owner of the rig. They carry responsibilities to ensure the public is safe from the vehicle.
- A parts manufacturer
Did the brakes fail? Was there a leaky hose or a malfunction of a part that created a dangerous situation? If so, they are responsible.
- The government
The government is responsible to keep the roads in good repair. They must have proper warning signs to allow people to know what is ahead. Sometimes they design the road such that there is no escape for an out of control truck.
- The company who loaded the cargo
Often a third party actually loads the cargo on a trailer. If the cargo is not loaded properly and shifting of the material causes an accident, they may be held liable for the damages.
The trucking industry is essential to the U.S. way of life. As a nation we depend on these trucks to deliver and transport goods needed. This is currently the most efficient way to transport goods.
You have no choice but to share the road with these huge vehicles. For the most part, truck drivers are experienced, trained, and follow the law.
But when someone in this chain of events does not do their job correctly, the results can be costly in property and even human life.
When an average citizen finds themselves in this situation, they need a truck accident lawyer. This is not a job you want to do alone, A trucking accident can affect you for the rest of your life. So, seek the help of a good attorney and let them do the heavy lifting for you.