An accident claim involving injuries is vital to recovering proper compensation for your losses. However, your claim is even more crucial if a collision with a large commercial vehicle caused your injuries.
Why is it so important?
There are several reasons to pay extra attention to your truck accident claim. First, the injuries suffered in commercial vehicle crashes tend to be severe and may present delayed symptoms and long-term complications or disability. Spinal cord damage and traumatic brain injuries are two examples.
Second, there may be more than one party responsible for your injuries. You may automatically assume the truck driver holds sole liability, but that may not be the case. Identifying all liable parties could mean you get what you deserve in your claim.
Who else could be liable?
Sometimes, the trucking company that employs the driver holds a share of fault in truck accident claims. For example, the trucking company may not properly maintain its fleet, increasing the risk of mechanical or equipment failures that lead to accidents.
Other examples of trucking company liability include:
- Performing lax or incomplete vehicle inspections
- Pressuring truck drivers to exceed federal regulations
- Employing inexperienced and untrained vehicle operators
Under the doctrines of vicarious liability and respondeat superior, trucking employers may be liable for the wrongful conduct of their employees.
Are there others who may be responsible?
There are. For instance, a third-party motorist may have played a role in causing your accident. Additional parties that sometimes share truck accident liability include the manufacturer of possibly defective truck or auto parts and those who may have loaded the vehicle’s cargo improperly.
Experienced legal guidance can help identify all parties responsible for your injuries. This can increase the chances of getting what the compensation you deserve.
