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Experienced Truck Accident Lawyers

Accidents involving large vehicles can be devastating and often result in major injuries and even death. Due to their size and weight, trucks, buses, and other commercial vehicles present a grave danger to accident victims. If the accident individuals smaller passenger vehicles, they typically suffer worse injuries than the truck drivers. Further, the large corporations that own the commercial vehicles have large insurance policies, and their insurance companies work very hard to keep from paying larger settlements.

Our team of experienced truck accident lawyers has seen hundreds of cases involving Trucks, busses, and commercial vehicles. We know how to work with the insurance providers to ensure full and fair compensation after your accident. We will fight for you and your family, so you can focus on recovery.

Causes of Truck Accidents

Accidents involving trucks are caused by a multitude of factors. The most common include:

• Wet and slippery roads
• Poorly maintained breaks
• Driver fatigue
• Drivers over working
• Exceeding the maximum weight requirements
• Passing through weigh stations without stopping
• Distracted drivers
• Overlooking pedestrians
• Failing to safely load the vehicle

Who Can Be Held Liable For a Truck Accident?

Federal agencies and states regulate commercial trucks. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) oversee the trucking industry and require truck drivers to adhere to strict rules. Several parties may be liable for the events that led to the crash. The 3 primary responsible parties are:

• Drivers
• Trucking companies / Business owners
• Manufacturers

Truck Drivers

Commercial truck drivers must meet the requirements of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to operate a commercial vehicle. If a driver violates the FMCSA’s requirements, he or she could be held liable if they engaged in any activities outside of his or her employment including:

• Recklessly operating the vehicle
• Driving under the influence
• Driving the vehicle for personal reasons
• Intentionally using the vehicle to harm others

The employment status of the driver will also determine who is liable. Truck drivers are either independent contractors or employed by a company. Drivers that are independent contracts often carry liability insurance. An experienced attorney will be able to determine liability of a truck driver.

Trucking Companies

Trucking companies may be liable if a truck driver caused an accident during his or her employment.

The FMSCA sets limits on the duration of time that a driver can operate a vehicle for without rest. Trucking companies must limit a driver’s shift to 12 hours. If a company fails to implement this policy, a driver may be impaired from sleep deprivation and a company may be held liable for an accident.

Truck companies must also ensure their vehicles comply with weight and size standards. For Single Axle vehicles, the maximum allowed weight is 20,000 pounds and for Tandem Axle vehicles the maximum weight is 34,000 pounds. If companies are found to violate the allowed vehicle weight, they could be held liable.

Trucking companies are also responsible for ensuring maintenance on their vehicles. Trucking companies are required to inspect vehicles at least once every 12 months and provide any necessary repairs should defects be found. The company could be held liable if they fail to repair any malfunction.

Manufacturer

If any type of vehicle was found to have malfunctioning parts, the manufacturer could be held liable in the event of an accident.

The most common malfunctions include:

• Brake failure
• Defective tires
• Faulty hydraulics
• Broken headlights, brake lights or turn signals
• Defective anti-lock braking system
• Defective hitches
• Faulty power steering
• Malfunctioning cargo straps or restraining devices
• Disobeying traffic laws

Truck accidents often involve several parties when determining liability. An experienced lawyer will determine who is accountable for the accident.

Hiring A Truck Accident Lawyer

If you have been in a truck accident, you will need a quality lawyer experienced in fighting for the rights of the injured and pursuing just compensation. Contact our truck accident attorneys at (800) 219-1919.

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