Who can be Sued in My 18 Wheeler Accident?

According to the Texas Department of Transportation, more than 34,000 collisions on Texas roadways in 2015 involved at least one commercial trucking vehicle. Going back to 2014, more than 6,000 motorists suffered some form of loss or injury over that one-year span. As you head north on I-35 from the city of San Antonio, one of the first counties you pass through is Comal County. Within Comal County lies the smaller town of Spring Branch.

Statistics indicate that in 2014, there were over 400,000 commercial trucking collisions in the United States. Traffic which runs north and south across the state of Texas include hundreds of miles of interstate highway. Thus, risk of accident increases dramatically for all other motorists when they share the road with an 18 wheeler. In the town of Spring Branch, dangers on the road extend even further, due to the poor conditions and lack of nighttime visibility on some roads.

Who Can be Sued in My 18 Wheeler Accident?

If you have been involved in a Spring Branch commercial truck accident and you are wondering who can be sued in my 18 wheeler accident, one of the most important things to understand is that there may be more culpable parties than may be initially apparent. Education about the most common of these parties may be every victim’s most important action following the accident.

Generally, there are a few third parties who can be held accountable in Spring Branch 18 wheeler accidents. Many times they include:

• Driver of the commercial truck
  • Perhaps the most common source of culpability can be traced back to the driver of the truck itself. There are countless ways the operator of a commercial vehicle can endanger him/herself or others while driving:
    • Fatigued driving
    • Texting while driving
    • Forged or inaccurate logbooks
    • Careless driving
    • Speeding
    • Driving under the influence
    • Reckless driving
• Commercial trucking company/corporation
  • Negligent hiring practices, overscheduling, and careless hiring tactics are just a few of the ways the hiring company can assume culpability when their trucks are involved in a collision.
• The owner of the truck
  • Regardless of operation and maintenance, whoever owns or leases the 18-wheeler can often be legally held responsible in the event of an accident.
• The truck’s manufacturing company
  • If the accident was brought on by a internal malfunction of the truck’s machinery and mechanical parts, there is a possibility that the manufacturer of the truck itself can be held accountable.
• Shipment/freight/cargo loader(s)
  • Often times, vehicles of this magnitude transport tons of heavy materials and cargo. Thus, those who load and pack these trucking shipments should be held accountable when or if these contents fall onto the road and create hazards for other drivers.

Consult a Spring Branch 18 wheeler accident attorney at Carabin Shaw to ensure financial accountability for all parties responsible for your accident.

Especially in inclement weather and at high speeds, 18 wheelers and their drivers can pose a multitude of potential risk to surrounding vehicles at any given time. Some of the most common dangers of a commercial truck include difficulty coming to a full stop, the capability to navigate large blind spot areas quickly, and high likelihood of motor or other mechanical failure.

The one variable that can always be controlled before a trucking accident ever occurs is proper hiring techniques by trucking corporations. Unfortunately, drivers of these trucks are often unqualified, or placed in charge of a vehicle without proper background checks and/or research into past jobs and other appropriate personal records. But proving this negligence can be a tricky procedure, and legal guidance can be your best chance to do so quickly and effectively.

Carabin Shaw Can Help

Of course, after determination of culpability, the next most important action you can take as the victim is to prove presence of guilt. To do this most effectively may require the services and guidance of a lawyer serving the Spring Branch/Comal County region. The 18 wheeler accident attorneys from Carabin Shaw are willing and able to come to counsel and defend you after a trucking accident, wherever you are in the state of Texas. Our lawyers handle all forms of 18-wheeler collision cases.

For more information regarding questions like ‘who can be sued in my 18 wheeler accident’, call the Spring Branch lawyers from Carabin Shaw today. We offer all potential clients a preliminary consultation, free of charge, to answer this and all other questions you may have. We even have bilingual attorney options for our Spanish speaking options. Call our team of experienced lawyers today, toll free at 1.800.682.1260, or at our local San Antonio offices at 210-222-2288.

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