Who Can You Sue in a Commercial Trucking Accident?

80,000 pound weapon

America runs on the back of the commercial trucking industry, but when things go wrong—an over-tired driver on the road too long or under the influence, negligent driving, an improperly loaded truck, an improperly maintained vehicle, faulty equipment—a commercial truck becomes an 80,000 pound weapon that can cause injury or death.

Who can you sue in a truck accident?

Should you become injured in a commercial trucking accident, the question then becomes who exactly can you sue? Like many questions when it comes to law, the answer is complicated. At first glance you may think the truck driver is the only responsible party, but when it comes to a commercial trucking accident, chances are you’ll potentially be suing multiple entities. These may include:

• The driver—Many truck drivers are independent contractors, working for themselves, and do not have deep pockets. It’s important to look at other entities who may share fault.
• The truck driver’s employer—If the truck driver is not an independent contractor, then the driver’s employer may be liable.
• The truck’s owner—This may seem counterintuitive, but the truck’s owner may be different from the driver or the employer.
• The truck’s manufacturer—If any part of the truck, from cab to trailer, causes the accident through equipment failure, the manufacturer could be found liable.
• The truck maintenance company—Whoever is responsible for truck maintenance, even a third-party company.
• The cargo owner/loader—If the cargo is improperly loaded, the cargo owner could share fault.
• The driver of other vehicles involved—If any other vehicle was involved in the accident or was the cause, that driver could be at fault and held liable.

Multiple defendants

With multiple defendants, which is often the case as can be seen above, the responsibility for damages could be shared by any or all of them depending on where fault is found. For this reason, commercial trucking accident litigation can be complex and time consuming.

When hiring a lawyer for a commercial trucking accident claim…

Be sure they have the knowledge, expertise, resources, and staff necessary to competently navigate the complexities of commercial trucking accident suits, and recover suitable compensation.

If you or a family member has been involved in a commercial trucking accident, learn more about how we can help.