Semi and commercial trucks are some of the most dangerous vehicles on the road due to their massive size and weight. When they are involved in a crash, they are more likely to cause catastrophic injuries and fatalities than other vehicles. Although they are necessary for the transportation of goods across the nation, they not only risk our commutes but complicate matters in legal cases as well.
In your average car accident, there are two parties involved: your insurance company and the other driver’s insurance company. When there’s a commercial truck involved in the accident, however, there could be several parties. Determining liability in these kinds of accidents can become more complex and require legal counsel to help you navigate the process.
Why Are Truck Accidents and Car Accidents So Different?
A big rig with a fully loaded trailer attached weighs about 80,000 pounds. In comparison, the average passenger vehicle weighs about 5,000 pounds, meaning a semi has about 16 times the impact power of your everyday car. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, over 121,000 crashes involving large trucks caused someone to suffer an injury in the United States during 2018. Many of these wounds are severe or result in life-long complications.
When dealing with trucking accidents, you also have to traverse extensive federal regulations regarding trucking companies, individuals who lease space from truckers, and truck drivers themselves. Knowing when these federal regulations have been infringed upon and who is at fault for the violation requires broad experience in dealing with those regulations and going after trucking companies to recover the full amount of compensation that you deserve.
How Do You Determine Truck Accident Liability?
An investigation into the incident will likely be required to determine who could be held liable for any injuries or losses that occurred during the truck accident. Liability could be held by the following entities:
- Truck driver: For violating traffic laws or hours-of-service regulations
- Trucking company, or carrier: For failing to properly train drivers or schedule maintenance
- Manufacturer of the truck or its parts: If truck components are found to be faulty
- Owner of the cargo: If the load is too dangerous or heavy
- Local government or contractors: If roadways are not properly designed or maintained
- Trucker’s employer: If the driver had previous infractions
- Cargo loaders: If loaded improperly and cargo disrupts the truck’s balance
Trucking accidents could be caused by any of these factors, a combination of several of them, or something different completely. This is partially what makes these cases so complicated.
An accident reconstruction specialist may need to be called in for a scientific analysis and interpretation of the accident to assist in determining fault. These experts have specialized training in traffic accident reconstruction engineering and physics and can help solve how and why an accident occurred.
Call a Top-Rated Utah Personal Injury Attorney for Your Truck Accident
With over 70 years of combined experience, our team of knowledgeable lawyers at Feller & Wendt has won millions of dollars in compensation for our fellow Utah residents. Our track record of success has resulted in better medical care for our clients and diminished stress over mounting medical bills.
If you have been involved in a truck accident in Layton, Salt Lake City, St. George, or Meridian, we would be honored to serve you. Call (801) 499-5060 or complete our online contact form today to receive a free case evaluation. We won’t charge you any fees up-front and you won’t owe us anything unless we are able to win a verdict in your favor.
