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18 Wheel Truck on the road during the day. Side view.

Who Is Responsible For My Truck Accident?

Truck Accident Lawyer

When you are still recovering–emotionally and physically–from a truck accident, it is important that you begin working with a lawyer as soon as possible to form your truck accident claim. Truck accidents are not always simple and while it might be clear that you are not responsible for the accident, that does not automatically make the truck driver the responsible (or only responsible) party. Instead, truck accidents may be the fault of one party or multiple parties. When you work with a lawyer, they will be able to conduct further investigations into who may be the at-fault party. 

Which parties might be at fault? 

Depending on what happened to cause the accident, there may be one or more parties responsible. 

  1. The truck driver. It could be that the truck driver is the only responsible party. This can happen if the truck driver was fatigued and drifting off to sleep, was texting and driving, changing the radio, or was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. There are many reasons that the driver may be the sole party responsible for the accident occurring. 
  2. The trucking company. The next obvious party might be the company the truck driver is working for. Even if they are not at the scene when the accident occurs, they can still be responsible. They may have cut corners with inspections, purchased products that are not up to certain standards, required (or pressured) truck drivers to make certain deadlines, or required drivers to drive with faulty or broken equipment. 
  3. The team who loads the cargo. As a lawyer, like a truck accident lawyer from a law office like MartinWren, P.C. knows, the cargo loaders might also be responsible for the accident. The cargo loaders are responsible for loading the correct weight into the truck, ensuring the load is secure, and making sure that nothing might fall off the truck when it is en route. If this happens, it may be the cargo loaders who are responsible for the accident. 

How can things get messy? 

Things can become messy because it may not be clear which party is responsible or whether multiple parties are responsible. For example, if the trucking company pressures the driver to make it by a certain deadline and the driver chooses to drive through the night instead of sleep, both the trucking company and the driver may be responsible. If a parts manufacturer sold damaged or defective parts, then the only party responsible might be the manufacturer. Things can become muddy quickly when you are involved in a truck accident. You want to ensure you have a lawyer by your side who can help you iron out what happened and who might be responsible. 

Get the Help You Need Today

If you are suffering from injuries and property damage after you have been in a truck accident, find a law firm you can trust today. You should not have to figure your claim out on your own.