Truck accidents are becoming a serious concern, particularly for businesses that depend on the safe and prompt delivery of goods. Whether you own a café, restaurant, or retail store, your business likely relies on trucking services to transport products from suppliers. Not to mention that the economy of a country depends greatly on the transportation of merchandise.
When a truck accident occurs, the consequences can be devastating and we’re not just talking about injured parties. Truck accidents impact a lot more than meets the eye. For instance, they disrupt supply chains, delay deliveries, and potentially cause significant financial loss.
Beyond these operational challenges, they also sometimes make it difficult to understand who’s responsible for the accident.
Liability in truck accidents is often more complicated than in regular vehicle crashes due to the number of parties involved. In a truck accident, multiple entities could share the blame, ranging from the driver and the trucking company to the vehicle manufacturer or even third parties.
In the next lines we’ll try to help you understand the importance of determining liability in a truck accident case. We’ll go through the list and explain each point briefly. Keep reading to learn more.
Importance of understanding liability
A truck accident has taken place so the driver is probably guilty. Then what’s the point in investigating any further? However, that’s not always the case.
Additional investigation is necessary, especially as the number of truck accidents and victims grows each year. In 2022, for instance, the figure of people killed in such accidents almost reached 6,000.
What if the driver was working a long shift and didn’t have any time to rest? In that case, the trucking company would also be at fault for setting such tight deadlines.That’s why it’s important to understand liability and know who’s at fault.
Financial protection
One of the main reasons why it’s important to understand liability is that it’ll help you pursue the correct party for damages and financial costs. Someone needs to be held responsible and take care of all the medical bills, property damage, etc.
Legal safeguards
Properly identifying the party responsible protects your business from wrongful lawsuits or claims. It also helps in dealing with insurance companies, who may try to shift the blame. Not to mention it helps you protect your reputation, especially if you’re a trucking company.
Who bears responsibility?
As mentioned, several parties could be held liable in a truck accident, depending on the circumstances of the crash. Here’s a list of the most common options:
The truck driver
In many cases, the truck driver is at fault, particularly if the accident was caused by negligence, such as distracted driving, speeding, or driving under the influence. Truck drivers are held to high safety standards, and any instance of speeding or reckless driving can result in liability.
However, determining driver negligence requires thorough investigation, including reviewing the driver’s logs and examining their training records. Also, they need to be checked for alcohol in their blood, to rule out any other potential reasons for their lack of focus.
The trucking company
The trucking company may be held responsible if it is found that they failed to properly maintain their vehicles, overworked their drivers, or neglected safety regulations. Unfortunately, this is often the case.
In recent years, certain regions in the US, including Montana, have seen a rise in the number of trucking companies and drivers. With the growth of these companies, the number of accidents has also increased significantly in these areas.
Montana, in particular, has experienced an uptick in large truck collisions. This increase is often linked to trucking companies failing to comply with regulations designed to ensure safety on the roads.
Companies that pressure drivers to meet unrealistic deadlines or fail to enforce rest breaks can be held accountable for accidents resulting from driver fatigue.
Truck drivers frequently seek justice by hiring a Montana truck accident attorney who specializes in these cases and can handle the complexities, such as negotiations with insurance companies, on their behalf.
The truck manufacturer
In some instances, a defect in the truck itself may have contributed to the accident. If the accident was caused by a malfunction, such as faulty brakes or low-quality tires, the manufacturer of the truck or its parts could be liable. This type of liability is referred to as product liability and often requires expert testimony to prove.
That’s why it’s also important to implement regular vehicle maintenance and check trucks on a monthly basis. Truck drivers should also be encouraged to check their vehicles before they start their long shift. This quick check will help them spot the most common errors and malfunctions.
Third-party drivers
In some cases, another vehicle may have caused the truck accident. A third-party driver who acted recklessly by speeding or not keeping their eyes on the road could also be the one responsible for the truck accident.
Many drivers often get distracted by their mobile phones and their lack of focus can cause them to completely lose sight of the road ahead.
In these cases, it’s also valuable to have any witness statements as they may help answer a lot of questions and help the police establish responsibility. Also, if there are any road cameras nearby, they should also be checked as they can provide further evidence of liability.
Key takeaways
Hopefully, now you can see why liability is a complex matter when it comes to truck accidents. Understanding responsibility in a truck accident is essential for both businesses and individuals.
When a truck accident occurs, multiple parties could potentially be at fault, and it’s important to know who to turn to for compensation for all the financial loss.. Whether the driver, the trucking company, or another party is at fault, determining liability ensures that you can get the compensation you deserve as an injured party.
