Big Truck Accident Responsibility: The Importance of Holding Trucking Companies Accountable
Of all the personal injuries our office sees, a crash with a big truck is among the most devastating. A minor fender bender with a vehicle weighing up to 80,000 pounds is rare. Instead, you or your loved ones may be impacted by an enormous mass of metal that can permanently alter lives.
We recognize that trucking companies can often be negligent, putting unprepared drivers on the road and enforcing unrealistic delivery schedules. A responsible company should address this matter, but sadly, not all operators take the precautions they should.
In Alabama, that has resulted in hundreds of unnecessary deaths and injuries that happened when a passenger vehicle tangled with a large truck.
Alabama Truck Accident Attorney Chip Nix urges all drivers to avoid a large truck they see driving irresponsibly down a road.
Big Truck Accident Responsibility
It’s no surprise that trucking is the mode in which most goods are delivered throughout Alabama. A truck is heavier than a passenger SUV or light truck and includes an 18-wheeler, tow truck, delivery truck, or work truck.
Unfortunately, as trucking plays an increasingly important role in our commerce, we have seen an increase in truck-related accidents.
In 2013, there were 116 truck-related fatalities in Alabama. Every year since there has been a rise in the death rate. In 2022, 162 Alabamans lost their lives in accidents with trucks, and 2,417 were injured, according to the Alabama Department of Transportation.
Improper lane changes and failure to yield the right of way are common causes of trucking accidents, and trucking companies or their drivers are often responsible for these accidents.
Who Can Be Held Responsible in a Big Truck Accident?
Unlike an accident with another passenger vehicle, a truck may have many potentially responsible parties. For example:
Truck Driver—A driver is supposed to be well-trained, free from distractions, and well-rested. He should stop when tired and follow the federal hours-of-service rules that specify how much sleep he must have before getting behind the wheel. He should not speed, do drugs, or drink while driving. If the driver pushes his limits and violates federal or company rules, he can be held responsible for an Alabama truck accident.
Truck Company—Alabama has over 31,000 trucking companies, many of which are small and locally owned. Companies claim they are increasingly focusing on safety for the public, adhering to weight limits, and correctly loading a truck to maintain balance. However, the company may find it has committed to a tight delivery date and may demand an unrealistic schedule for the driver to deliver goods.
If the company also owns the trucks, they are responsible for timely repairs and recall items to avoid truck accidents. In that case, the trucking company and driver may be held responsible for an Alabama truck accident.
Truck Maker – If a large truck is defectively designed, the manufacturer can also be held responsible for an Alabama truck accident that results in deaths or injuries.
Local Governments—Occasionally, roadwork has disrupted adequate signage to keep everyone safe on the road. If a highway is temporarily diverted, a large truck driver must have sufficient notice to slow his vehicle and travel safely. Failure to do so means the local municipality can be held accountable for an Alabama large truck accident.
Your Montgomery, Alabama Truck Accident Attorney
Truck Accident Attorney Chip Nix has decades of experience investigating Alabama truck accidents and their cause. He advises you to call his Montgomery office as soon as you can following the accident because capturing evidence from the scene and the truck will be vital to proving your case.
Because of the many layers and potential accountability that should be investigated, we may find that several factors contributed to your accident and that more than one party is at fault for the truck accident.
We will gather evidence from truck and driver logs, screen tests for drugs and alcohol, witness statements, the company’s and its driver’s history, and electronic onboard recording devices, among other documents.
When we complete a thorough investigation, we will be able to seek compensation for your losses, your trauma, your medical bills, or, in some cases, the loss of a loved one.
Call Chip Nix at his Montgomery office at (334) 279-7770 as soon as possible after your large truck accident so he can begin to work for you.
Sources:
Alabama Trucking
https://www.alabamatrucking.org/about/fast-facts-and-stats/
Drive Safe Alabama
https://drivesafealabama.org/serious-stats/
