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Who Can Be Held Legally Responsible in a Truck Accident?

Posted on Mar 26, 2021 in Personal Injury, Truck Accidents

With millions of vehicles on area roadways across Louisiana, it is not uncommon for trucks to collide with vehicles and cause serious accidents. Many truckers drive for many hours and over long distances, so the incidence of serious truck accidents due to drivers’ negligence becomes more likely. And when you factor in the possibility that the truck may not have been properly serviced as required, determining who might be legally responsible for an accident becomes complicated. If you’ve been involved in an accident with an 18-wheeler or any other large truck and are having trouble determining who should be held responsible for the crash, you are encouraged to contact an experienced New Orleans truck accident attorney to explore your legal options. A skilled attorney will know the relevant negligence and product liability laws that may govern the specific circumstances of your case. 

Who Is Responsible for My Injuries After an Accident in Louisiana?

Determining liability in a truck accident can be complex. It’s possible that the driver, the trucking company that hired the driver, or the truck’s manufacturer could be to blame. In some instances, these three parties may share liability, depending on the facts of the case. To determine who should be held responsible for your injuries - and thus responsible for covering your medical expenses, lost wages, and damages for pain and suffering - your New Orleans truck accident attorney will work with law enforcement to investigate the facts of your case. The attorney will gather this evidence and determine the appropriate party to pursue in a personal injury claim. Some of the possible liability scenarios include: If the accident involved a commercial vehicle, such as a UPS or FedEx truck, or if it belonged to a construction or waste management company, the vehicle owner may be held liable for the accident, even if it is found that the driver acted negligently when operating the vehicle. This means that a related lawsuit would be pursued against the company responsible for the truck and not the driver.  The driver’s employer might also be held legally responsible because employers can be held liable for the actions of the people they hire. If the driver was acting within the course of their employment when the accident happened, then it is likely their employer would be held liable. If, however, the accident happened when the driver was off the clock, it might be harder to hold the driver’s employer accountable for the accident. If it is found that the truck had a defect of some sort, such as faulty parts or any other conditions that would have caused an accident to occur, then the manufacturer of the truck could be held responsible for the accident.

Work With a New Orleans Truck Accident Attorney to Seek Compensation for Your Injuries

After a truck accident, you may be facing life-altering injuries that need serious medical attention. Rather than trying to handle the matter on your own, you should contact a New Orleans truck accident attorney with experience handling personal injury cases. Contact our firm today.

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