Who Can Be Held Liable for Truck Accidents With Help From a McAllen Truck Accident Lawyer
Truck accidents can be especially dangerous due to the sheer size and weight of the vehicles involved. Getting compensation in the aftermath of these accidents can also be more complicated due to the high number of potential at-fault parties.
If you were involved in a McAllen truck accident caused by someone else, keep reading to learn who you might be able to hold liable with help from a McAllen truck accident lawyer.
The Truck Driver
If the truck driver’s actions or negligence caused the crash, they may be liable for the accident. However, this might not mean that the truck driver is the one who pays. If the driver is an employee of a trucking company, the company is liable for their actions while on the job. However, if the driver is an independent contractor, they may be liable for their own accidents. In either case, the at-fault party’s insurance is usually the first place you’ll turn to seek compensation.
The Trucking Company
Next, if the trucking company instituted unsafe policies, encouraged unsafe behavior, or failed to maintain safe hiring and training practices, and those actions or failures resulted in your crash, then the trucking company may be held liable for the accident. Keep in mind that, in many cases, a trucking company will be liable for accidents caused by truck drivers acting in the course of their employment. This means that trucking companies are one of the parties most often held liable for truck accidents.
The Truck Repair Company or Maintenance Crew
There are all sorts of people and firms involved in the maintenance of cargo trucks. From the truckers themselves to the truck company, repair team, and maintenance crews, many people play a role in making sure trucks are safe for the road. If one of those parties fails in their job, they may be held liable for accidents that occur as a result. For instance, if a truck repair company makes a mistake in their work, and that mistake leads to an accident, then they may be held liable for the crash.
If you think your crash was caused by poor truck maintenance or repairs, it’s imperative that you seek assistance from a McAllen truck injury lawyer to learn about your options.
The Truck Manufacturer
In addition to the teams charged with maintaining safe trucks, there are also companies whose job it is to manufacture trucks that meet safety standards. If a truck manufacturer has a faulty design or produces a faulty product, and those issues cause an accident, then they may be held liable for that accident. In this case, you may need assistance from a product liability attorney rather than a car accident attorney. If your accident was caused by a truck manufacturer, we can tell you more about what to do next.
The Cargo Loading Company
Finally, some truck accidents are the result of improperly loaded cargo. If a load is imbalanced, it can cause the truck to tip over, jackknife, or lose control, accidents which often involve other nearby vehicles. Whatever company or firm failed to properly load the truck may be held responsible for accidents caused by that failure.
Get Truck Accident Compensation With Help From a McAllen Truck Accident Attorney
Keep in mind that in addition to the parties listed above, the same types of parties that may be at fault after a non-truck auto accident might also be at fault after a truck accident. This includes other drivers, road maintenance crews, and local governments in charge of roadway signage.
Finding out who was at fault for your crash isn’t easy, but we can help. To learn who’s liable for your McAllen truck accident, you should get in touch with a McAllen truck injury lawyer at Villalobos Law Firm.
The McAllen truck accident injury lawyers at Villalobos Law Firm have the experience and the resources needed to stand up against big trucking companies, and we would be proud to fight on your behalf through an 18-wheeler accident lawsuit. Get in touch today to start the fight for justice.