The Potential Defendants in a Truck Accident Case

Trucks are massive in size. Even thinking about driving near a truck can be scary due to the size difference. A minor collision can result in substantial damage to the car.

Truck drivers usually get the blame for truck accidents. Sometimes they do deserve the blame, but not at all times. Truck accidents are not always the fault of truck drivers.

Many other parties could play a role in truck accidents, directly or indirectly. As a victim of a truck accident, it is your responsibility to determine the at-fault party for your accident. Determining liability is one of the most important steps in recovering compensation for your losses.

This blog post discusses the most common liable parties in a truck accident. Knowing all the potential defendants is the first step to zeroing in on the one who actually caused the accident.

Potential Defendants in a Truck Accident Case

Following are some of the potential at-fault parties who could be held liable for a truck accident:

Truck drivers
Trucking company
Maintenance team
Cargo handling team
Truck manufacturer

Truck Drivers

Truck drivers are the most common at-fault parties in truck accident cases. Distracted driving is one of the most common causes of truck accidents. Distracted while driving a truck is much different than distracted while driving a car. It is very difficult to navigate a truck that has lost control. The truck driver is the first person you should look into.

Trucking Company

The role of trucking companies in truck accidents often goes unnoticed. Trucking companies can influence their drivers a great deal. The goal of trucking companies is to make as many trips as possible to make a profit. They will do anything, even if it is unethical, to make more trips. For example, they might force drivers to violate hours of service to deliver the goods sooner.

Maintenance Team

Defective parts are one of the most common causes of vehicle accidents. You can’t blame the truck driver for accidents caused by defective parts. You need to blame the maintenance team. It is the maintenance team’s responsibility to inspect, find, and repair defective parts before sending the truck out for the trip. If they fail in their duty, they can be sued.

Cargo Handling Team

The cargo should be loaded in a certain way to be balanced. If the cargo is not secured properly, then the truck might roll over or swerve. In addition, the team is allowed to load only a certain amount of cargo on the truck. Violating this rule can result in truck accidents. Improper loading leads to the driver losing control of the vehicle.

Truck Manufacturer

Finally, truck manufacturers can be held liable if they manufacture a defective truck. As said, handling a truck with a defective part is close to impossible. In such cases, truck manufacturers can be sued. Winning a case against truck manufacturers can be quite hard, which is why you should hire an experienced truck accident attorney.

Takeaway

Truck drivers are not always responsible for truck accidents. You need to find the right at-fault party to win a truck accident case. Experienced truck accident lawyers can help you determine liability. They can also help throughout the case and get you the compensation you deserve. So, hire a lawyer as soon as possible.