Any motor vehicle accident can cause serious damage, but those involving semi-trucks are often far more devastating. Due to their enormous size and weight, these vehicles are more challenging to control, making them more susceptible to crashes in the first place. Plus, bigger vehicles obviously have the power to cause more destruction. When these accidents occur, they can cause painful injuries, costly damage, and other serious problems.
In order to handle the aftermath, it’s important to find out who is liable for the crash itself. To ensure you know your rights, make sure you know who could be liable for your trucking accident.
If you were involved in a trucking accident, several parties may be responsible, including:
- The truck driver
- The trucking company
- The vehicle manufacturer
When trying to identify the liable party, you need to start by figuring out what caused the crash. Once you determine what led to the accident, you should be able to identify who bore that responsibility. For example, if a truck crashed into you while the driver was drunk, the driver is probably liable, and the trucking company might bear some responsibility as well.
Understanding Trucking Company Liability
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has several rules and regulations in place to protect truck drivers and everyone else on the road. These rules govern the trucking industry and hold trucking companies responsible for the drivers they employ and the vehicles they own or use. One rule requires all drivers to have a specific type of driver’s license, while another limits their driving to a certain number of hours each day. If the trucking company fails to observe these rules, it could ultimately cause a crash.
For example, if a truck driver does not have the proper license, it is safe to assume he or she does not have sufficient training to operate a large vehicle. In that instance, if the driver was involved in a crash, the trucking company could be liable for all of the resulting damage because they made the mistake of employing an unqualified driver.
Truck companies are also required to maintain safe vehicles, load trailers properly, strap down cargo safely, and practice several other safety measures. When a company fails to observe these rules, their negligence could cause a crash, leaving the company liable because of their negligence.
Manufacturer Responsibility
If some type of mechanical error causes a trucking crash, such as a brake failure or a steering malfunction, the vehicle manufacturer or vehicle parts manufacturer could be liable. When a company designs or manufactures a faulty part, it could make the vehicle unnecessarily safe, putting the truck driver and everyone else on the road in serious danger.
Let Our Firm Help You
Were you injured in a trucking accident? Truck crashes can be extremely devastating because semi-trucks are exceptionally large and heavy, making them more damaging in a collision. If you were involved in a crash with a semi-truck, you might be dealing with painful injuries, costly medical bills, emotional trauma, property damage, and several other issues. By pursuing legal action against the liable party, you could seek justice for the injuries you’ve suffered, as well as maximum compensation. If you think you have a case, our experienced firm wants to help.
Contact Singleton Smith Law Offices, Inc.to discuss your truck accident with our Murrieta personal injury attorneys.