A truck accident can cause a victim to suffer a lifetime of injuries and consequences or even end in their death. When something like this happens, the victim and their family often need help covering the costs of consequences. Filing a personal injury claim against the truck driver may seem like the best way to maximize your compensation, but the driver may not be the party that is ultimately responsible for your accident.
The settlement from a truck accident can be as much as several million dollars or more, which is why you should be sure you are doing everything in your power to protect your future. Part of this pursue includes confirming if the trucking company is responsible for the truck accident you were in. Here are four ways that a trucking company may be liable for your injuries:
Unsafe cargo loads
When trucking businesses need to move a large amount of cargo in a short amount of time, they may overfill a truck and send it out for delivery. This imbalance in the truck can cause difficulties in controlling the vehicle. It can also result in high winds blowing over the truck and causing it to crush nearby vehicles.
Forced overtime
For most workers, overtime means a couple of extra hours of work and a larger paycheck. For truck drivers, it can mean sitting behind the wheel of a vehicle weighing several tons, all while completely exhausted. This kind of exhaustion can cause a driver to fall asleep at the wheel or not notice they are drifting into oncoming traffic.
Reckless driving
If a company needs a delivery sent within a short amount of time, they may pressure a driver to speed in order to make the delivery on time. A speeding truck is much harder to control on the road and drastically reduces the time a driver has to react to something on the road.
Lack of training
Suppose a trucking company chooses to hire an inexperienced driver or does not properly provide them the training they need. In that case, the inexperienced driver can become a liability to everyone around them on the road. It is a company’s obligation to ensure their employees are not a danger to anyone. When they fail to meet this responsibility, a skilled attorney can hold them liable for their actions.
Build A Plan You Can Count On
When a truck accident causes you to suffer life-changing injuries, do not just assume that the driver is the liable party. Consult with an experienced personal injury attorney who can help you get to the bottom of things and protect your future.