Encountering commercial trucks is an unavoidable reality when out on the road. With that comes the chance of finding yourself in an accident with one. And if that does ever happen to you—who’s to blame? Don’t worry—the blame isn’t being put on you. Truck accidents can become complicated when establishing who is liable for the accident, between the truck driver and the trucking company itself—often a combination of the two. Here’s why:
There Are Always Multiple Parties Involved
On a base level, three parties are always involved: you and your family, the truck driver, and the trucking company. This means there will be at least three points of view to verify, multiple ways to split the liability, and countless pieces of evidence to sift through.
Moreover, this can become more complicated if other passenger vehicles and insurance companies are involved. And in even more convoluted scenarios, you may have multiple truck drivers, and therefore numerous trucking companies, to deal with.
There Are Interstate Travel Complications
In addition to the variety of parties that may or may not be involved in the lawsuit, there can be even more complications if the truck accident itself took place within a different state than where you live or where the trucking company is based. This oftentimes makes it necessary to file your claim states away from where you may actually live. As you can imagine, this can prolong the process and make inter-party communication difficult. Therefore establishing liability in a timely manner is more difficult as well.
The Cause of the Truck Accident Itself
Lastly, establishing liability means understanding who and what caused the truck accident. When it comes to the truck drivers themselves, liability may be found if they were:
- Fatigued
- Speeding
- Tailgating
- Intoxicated
Meanwhile, the trucking company may be liable if the crash was caused by:
- An overload of cargo
- Poorly balanced cargo
- Poor vehicle maintenance
- Harsh or unrealistic deadlines imposed on the driver
Make Your Case With Brown & Brown
If you’ve been injured in a truck accident, it’s no charge out of your wallet to discuss your case with an experienced attorney here at Brown & Brown Attorneys at Law—serving both Missouri (314-333-3333) and Illinois (618-888-8888). Don’t miss out on the compensation you deserve after a truck accident!
