Parties Who May Be Liable in a Truck Accident Case
Unlike many car accidents where the driver of the other vehicle is usually the only party bearing responsibility, there are often many parties in a truck accident case that could potentially be liable. The driver may be responsible just as in a car accident, but because trucks are generally commercial vehicles, the company employing the driver may be held liable as well if the driver was acting as an agent of that employer at the time of the accident.
This is particularly true if policies of the employer may have contributed to the accident. For instance, an accident may have been directly caused by a truck driver driving too fast for road conditions, but the driver may have been encouraged to drive too fast because of an unrealistic deadline their employer imposed. Another factor that may affect truck accident cases is the violation of state, federal or local laws pertaining to trucks.
Besides the driver of a truck, other parties who Murphy truck accident lawyers may be able to hold liable on a plaintiff’s behalf include the owner of the vehicle, the company assigning driving routes, the company providing maintenance, the manufacturer of the truck or its parts, or a person or company who created a hazardous condition on the road.