When it comes to crashes involving trucks or semi-trucks, their causes, Truck Accident Injuries , and types of accidents are different from those involving a passenger car. Trucks are big and heavy. They take a longer time to come to a stop, making them more susceptible to collisions. Their sheer size also means the resulting injuries are often more severe than those from an accident between normal cars only.
Driver fatigue is one of the most common causes of truck accidents. A combination of shortages in the number of truck drivers and commercial trucking companies looking to maximize their profits has caused an increase in drowsy drivers on the roads.
This also means that while the driver is the one present at the accident scene, they might not be the only financially liable party.
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Who’s Responsible for Truck Accident Injuries?
Driver fatigue causes blurred vision, decreased attention, poor judgment, reduced motor skills, among other problems on the road. Your truck accident lawyer can conduct investigations to understand the circumstances of the crash, and what parties are liable.
Depending on how the accident happened, one or more of the following persons or entities might be responsible for your compensation.
The Truck Driver
If the truck driver knowingly got behind the wheel while fatigued and caused an accident, they might be liable for your injuries.
Every driver on the road has a duty of care to drive in a manner that’s safe for every other road user. Driving while drowsy or fatigued amounts to negligence because the driver breached this responsibility.
Typically, you’ll be seeking compensation from the truck driver’s insurance company. If the driver doesn’t have insurance or is underinsured, you might have to collect compensation from your uninsured motorist coverage.
Commercial Trucking Company
In most instances, the commercial trucking company is usually aware of drivers working past their stipulated hours of service. An attorney’s role is to uncover all forms of evidence, including entries to the driver’s logbook for their hours of service.
Since truck accidents tend to be catastrophic, a lot of plaintiffs might be seeking compensation from one at-fault party. If the settlement amount is insufficient to cover your losses, you might be eligible to pursue compensation from the driver’s employer under the vicarious liability law.
Always consult a truck accident lawyer and explore all the options available to you.
Truck Owner
A truck driver might be independently contracted by a truck owner, or an owner pressuring the supervisor to deliver unrealistic results.
Conducting a thorough investigation will help uncover all parties that were aware of the driver’s negligence and did not take action to prevent harm, including the truck owner. Most of these parties will have a strong defense that’s backed up by legal support. A favorable outcome is usually only possible with the help of a dedicated truck accident attorney.
Filing a Claim After a Truck Accident
After identifying all the liable parties, it’s now time to file a truck accident claim and receive financial remedies that can help to get your life back on track.
The first thing your truck accident lawyer will do is gather evidence, such as toll records, gas receipts, the possibility of current drug prescriptions, phone records, and so on. Next, they’ll determine all the losses that the accident has caused you, including medical bills, property damage, and emotional suffering. An attorney can then use this to quantify the value of your claim and seek that amount from the liable parties.
If you are looking for more information on truck accidents, call 1800Victim2 to get all your queries answered.
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