Sued After a Truck Accident
Truck accidents are devastating and often result in severe injuries and fatalities. If you have been in a truck accident, you may wonder who can be responsible for your injuries and damages. Multiple parties, including the truck driver, trucking company, and manufacturer, can be sued for negligence.
Determining liability can be a complex process, but it is crucial for obtaining compensation for your damages. An experienced lawyer can help you establish who is liable and whether or not to sue them. Let’s explore the various parties who can be sued and how you can pursue compensation.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents
Truck accidents can occur for various reasons. These can include:
- Driver error
- Fatigue
- Distracted driving
- Intoxicated driving
- Speeding
- Aggressive driving
- Equipment failure
- Poor weather and road conditions
Parties That Can Be Sued After a Truck Accident
After a truck accident, several parties can be held liable and sued for injuries and damages. These parties include:
The Truck Driver
Truck drivers can be held responsible for the damages if their negligence or recklessness caused the accident. Such reckless behavior can include driving while intoxicated, speeding, distracted driving, failing to obey traffic laws, and driving while fatigued.
The Trucking Company
The trucking company can also be held liable for the accident its driver caused. A trucking company could have been negligent by:
- Hiring unqualified drivers
- Poor training and supervision of drivers
- Pressuring the driver, causing them not to adhere to safety regulations to meet delivery schedules
- Lack of regular inspections and maintenance of the truck
The Truck Manufacturer
The manufacturer could be liable for the damages a defect in the truck’s design or manufacturing caused the accident. Defects that can lead to truck accidents include faulty brakes, defective steering systems, and defective tires.
For the manufacturer to be held responsible, you must prove that the defect was present in the truck at the time of the accident. This can be pretty complex and may require retaining an experienced truck accident lawyer who can involve experts to establish manufacturer liability.
The Truck Maintenance Company
If a third-party company maintained the truck, and the accident occurred due to failure to maintain the vehicle properly, the maintenance company can be liable. Failure to perform routine inspections and repairs or to maintain brakes and tires can be deemed negligent behavior for which the maintenance company can be held responsible.
The Truck Loading Company
If an unsecured load caused the accident, the company responsible for loading the truck could be sued for the damages. This includes issues such as overloading or failing to secure the cargo properly.
The Government
The government might be liable for a truck accident if the accident was caused by a poorly maintained or designed road that poses a danger to motorists. Government agencies might also be liable if the accident was caused by a government-owned truck.
More than one party can be held liable and sued for damages. For example, if the driver was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and the trucking company failed to screen the driver properly, the driver and the trucking company could be sued.
It is also worth noting that the parties can be sued for negligence. This means that the responsible parties had a duty to exercise reasonable care, but they breached that duty, resulting in the accident and subsequent injuries. The victim and their attorney must demonstrate that negligence contributed to the truck accident.
Filing a Truck Accident Claim in El Paso, Texas
If you were involved in a truck accident in El Paso, you must file a claim within a specific timeframe. The statute of limitations for a personal injury claim in El Paso, Texas, is two years from the accident date. If the accident involved a government vehicle, such as a garbage truck, the time limit is 90 days, and you will need to act fast to not lose your right to compensation.
Contact Our Truck Accident Lawyer in El Paso, Texas Today
Identifying the parties that can be sued after a truck accident is just the beginning of the process. It is essential to seek the guidance of an experienced truck accident lawyer to navigate the complex legal system and pursue the maximum compensation you deserve from the liable parties.
If you or your loved one has been in a truck accident in El Paso, Texas, contact our experienced truck accident lawyers at the Ruhmann Law Firm for a free consultation by calling 915-910-5600 today.