Commercial Vehicle Accidents

You’re driving along on your way home from work when suddenly a commercial vehicle runs into you at a stoplight, now what!? Have you given any though on what to do do after being involved in a commercial vehicle accident!? According to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, In 2014, 3,978 large trucks and buses were involved in fatal crashes. That same year, an estimated 438,000 large trucks were involved in police-reported traffic crashes according to the National Highway Safety Administration.

What To Do

First, you want to ensure that you and any passengers are not seriously injured and notify the police immediately. Obtain information from commercial vehicle driver and wait for the police to arrive to fill out a police report. In situations where injures are involved, emergency services may arrive as well to attend to the injured parties. After the shock of being in a commercial vehicle accident, it is time to look at your options like calling a truck accident attorney to call for legal help.

Who Pays for the Damage?

With most car wrecks the driver who is at fault is responsible for the damages. The same applies to commercial vehicle accidents and the drivers who work independently. However, with commercial vehicle drivers who are operating an employer’s truck you can seek compensation for damages with the company itself. Employers are liable for the negligence of their employees.

In certain commercial truck accident cases it can get complicated when you have a commercial vehicle that belongs to an owner. For example, owner A hires a driver B to operate it. Owner A leases the truck, using driver B, to company C to haul cargo for company D. Who does your attorney go after to pay for damage? In these types of situations the facts of the accident come into play. That’s why police reports are so important when it comes to personal injury cases involving semi-truck accidents and company vehicle accidents.

In other cases, if the accident was due to a mechanical failure then you may sue the owner of the vehicle and even the repair shop who serviced the vehicle. All-About-Car-Accidents.com stated that depending on the circumstances and contracts among the owner, driver and company, you may end up suing all of them. It all depends on the facts of the case because remember, no two traffic accidents are identical.

Independently Contracted Drivers

What if the driver who hit you is an independent contractor? You would sue the driver for damages, but this is also a time when contacting a personal injury lawyer can help you. Your attorney will review the driver’s contact to see if the owner of the truck or the company the driver is working for can be held responsible. Trucking companies will say they are not responsible for independent drivers, but their contracts may have language stating that company owners control some of the driver’s actions. That could means a big difference between suing the driver and suing the trucking company. After all you are suing to get your life back to normal and to seek justice for something that was not your fault.

Jeff is Here 4 You

If you or a loved one has been injured in a commercial vehicle accident Jeff is here 4 you! Davis Law Firm is here 24/7 to listen to your case. Our team of legal representatives offer free consultation so there is no risk in calling. Don’t wait to suffer another day contact us today!