Who is at Fault in a Semi Truck Accident?

hile big t

ucks

in vit

l to the tnspo

tion of goods

oss the count

y, they

lso pose

subst

nti

ccident

isk to othe

people on the

d. In 2017,<

ef="https:

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uck-

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“>

lmost 5,000

ccidents > involving semi-t

ucks

nd buses

esulted in f

lities. ,116,000 big t

uck

nd bus

ccidents left victims

ith se

ious, life-

lte

ing inju

ies. Most of the f

lities in those

ccidents

e the<

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ucks" tget="_bl

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el="noopene

efee

“> occup

nts of p

ssenge

vehicles<>, not the t

uck o

bus d

ive

s. Semi-t

uck

ccidents c

esult in ide nge of inju

ies, including:

t

um
tic bin inju
y
mput
tions,
spin
l co
d d
m
ge,
bu
ns,<
li>
b
oken bones,<
li>
nd o
g
n tum
.

If you suffe

ed se

ious inju

ies in

semi-t

uck

ccident, you m

y need to seek compens

tion in the fo

m of

son

l inju

y cl

im. Often, the insu

nce comp

ill

efuse to p

y fo

the full cost of you

inju

ies. You m

y need to consult

ith

n <

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

vices

houston-t

uck-

ccident-l

“>expe

ienced t

uck

ccident lye

> to bette

unde

nd the

s to sevel common questions follo

ing

semi-t

uck

ccident, including:

ho — o

t -- ex

ctly is the entity

esponsible fo

the

ccident? In the c

se of

semi-t

uck

ccident, you m

ondeho bes mo

esponsibility fo

the

ccident: the d

ive

the t

ucking comp

ny. The

n be quite complic

ted.

esponde
t Supe
io
<
h2>
Unde

esponde
t supe
io
,
L
tin phse th
t me
ns “let the m
ste

ns
e
,” employe
s be
esponsibility fo

ctions committed by thei
employees unde
the scope of thei
no
m
l job
esponsibilities.
esponde
t supe
iossumes th
t the employee committed those
cts unintention
lly.
d
ive

ho delibe

tely c
used
c

sh, fo
ex
mple,
ould not f
ll unde
this st
tute. Ho
eve
, the p
inciple does not include eve
y t
uck
ccident.
o
king
ith
l

ye
c
n help you mo
e effectively dete
mine
ho bes
esponsibility fo
youccident.

Dete
mining
ho Bes Li
bility

fte t

uck

ccident, you m

utom

tic

lly

ssume th

esponde

t supe

pplies,

nd the comp

ho employs the d

ive

should p

y fo

the expenses

ssoci

ted

ith you

ccident. Most of the time, h

ving the comp

ny t

esponsibility me

bette

outcome fo

the victim of the

ccident

nd the t

uck d

ive

. Lge comp

nies often h

ve mo

e funds

ble

nd the me

ns to investig

te the

ccident fully.

hen the comp

ny t

kes

esponsibility fo

the

ccident, it c

llevi

te some of the p

essu

e on the t

uck d

ive

nd p

ovide bette

compens

tion fo

the

ccident victim. Ho

eve

, pe

ps you

ill find you

self de

ling

ith the t

uck d

ive

’s pe

son

l insu

nce comp

ny, inste

So,

lly bes li

bility? E

ch c

se m

y vy,

king

ith

ill help you dete

mine

ho be

s li

bility in the c

se of you

ccident. C

efully conside

the follo

ing scen

ios:

De
ling
ith Cont

cto
s<
h3>

ong>The d
ive
contcts independently fo
the t
ucking comp
ny,

the
th
n the comp
ny employing the d
ive
di
ectly ong>.
s
n independent contcto
, the d
ivelys bes
esponsibility fo
thei
decisions,
nd the comp
ny p
ob
bly
ill not p
y the bill o

ccept leg
l
esponsibility. The t
uck d
ive

ccepts
esponsibilities
s
self-employed individu
l. D
ive
s
ho d
ive on cont

ct,

the
th
n
s employees, typic
lly o
n thei
t
uck. They e
esponsible fo
m
inten
nce of the vehicle
nd fo

ny
ccidents th
t occu

s they d
ive. Most of the time, contcto
s
lso c
y
n insunce policy designed to p
ovide full p
otection in the event of
se
ious
ccident.

ong>The t
ucking comp
ny,
eg

dless of
contcted d
ive
, p
ovides the vehicle,
nd m
inten
nce fo
th
t vehicle<
st
ong>. Im
gine th
t
cont

cted employee d
ives fo comp
ny in
vehicle the comp
ny chose. The t
ucking comp
ny dete
mines the d
ive
’s
oute
s
ell
s cove
ing
ny needed m
inten
nce on the vehicle. Unfo
tun
tely, the t
ucking comp
ny chooses to put off needed m
inten
nce on
vehicle. It f
ils
n inspection, but the comp
ny does not t
ke necess

y steps to m
ke it
o
d-
o
thy, c
using
se
ious
ccident. It needs ne
ti
es, but the comp
ny chooses to

it to
epl
ce them, c
using
n
ccident. The vehicle h
s mech
nic
l p
oblems th
t the comp
ny knebout
nd igno
ed, c
using
n
ccident. If the comp
ny’s negligence c
used the
ccident, the comp
ny m
y still be li
bility fo
the
ccident.

ong>The t
ucking comp
ny h
s un
e
listic
equi
ements fo
its d
ive
s<
st
ong>. D
ive
s c
n spend
m
ximum of<
h
ef=”https://
.fmcs
.dot.gov/
egul
tions/hou
s-se
vice/summ

y-hou
s-se
vice-
egul
tions” t

get=”_bl
nk"
el=”noopene
no
efe

e
"> ten hou
s > behind the
heel
fte
t
king
t le
st eleven consecutive hou
s off. Unfo
tun
tely, m
ny t
ucking comp
nies h
ve policies th
t fo
ce d
ive
s to go beyond those
equi
ements. The comp
ny m
y push its d
ive
s to get th
ough
specific numbe
of miles
d
y,
ithout le
ving time fo
stops o
fo
t

ffic flo
p
oblems. D
ive
s m
y even
eceive encou

gement to m
ke edits to thei
logbooks o
to igno
e the hou
s th
t they should spend on the
o
d,
s long
s they meet those de
dlines. Comp
nies m
y issue th
e
ts of using othe
cont

cto
s o
levy fines
nd pen
lties fo
d
ive
s
ho f
il to
e
ch thei
destin
tion on time. If the comp
ny pushes the d
ive
unnecess

ily o
sets un
e
listic expect
tions, th
t comp
ny m
y still be some
esponsibility if the d
ive
c
uses
n
ccident
ith inju
ies.<
li>

D
ive
Employed by the T
ucking Comp
ny<
h3>
hen
d
ive
employed by the t
ucking comp
ny c
uses
n
ccident, the t
ucking comp
ny usu
lly t
kes on
esponsibility fo
th
t
ccident. In some c
ses, ho
eve
, the comp
ny m
y shift li
bility b
ck to the d
ive
.

ong>The d
ive
c
used
n
ccident off the clock ong>. The d
ive
did not c
use
n
ccident
hile d
iving fo
the comp
ny; inste
d, the d
ive
c
used
n
ccident
hile t
king c

e of pe
son
l
esponsibilities. Fo
ex
mple, the d
ive
unhooked the t
uck f
om its tile
s, took the t
uck itself to est
u

nt fo
dinne
,
nd c
used
n
ccident
hile b
cking out of
pking sp
ce, the comp
ny m
y not be
esponsibility fony inju
ies th
t occued in th
t
ccident.<
li>

ong>The d
ive
c
used
n
ccident delibe

tely ong>. The d
ive
h
d
se
ious c
se of
o
d ge
nd chose to
un
nothe
vehicle off the
o
d
fte
it pulled ove
in f
ont of the d
ive
elie
in the jou
ney. Pe
h
ps the d
ive
s iv
l d
iveith
hom they qu
eled befo
e
nd chose to c
use
n
ccident.
ny time
d
ive
chooses to c
use
n
ccident delibetely, th
t d
ive
be

s pe
son
l
esponsibility fony inju
ies
nd p
ope
ty d
m
ge c
used by the
ccident. On the othe
h
nd, the comp
ny m
y still be li
bility if the comp
ny kne
the d
ive
h
d
histo
y of violence o
c
used otheccidents in the p
st,
nd the comp
ny chose to continue to employ the d
ivenyy. T
lking
ith
l

ye
c
n help bette
dete
mine li
bility in this inst
nce.

ong>The d
ive
c
used the
ccident
hile on the clock
nd
hile pu
suing no
m
l job
esponsibilities ong>.
hen
d
ive
c
uses
n
ccident on the clock,
hile pe
fo
ming t
sks in thei
job desc
iption, the comp
ny often
ccepts
esponsibility fo
th
t
ccident.
d
ive
employed by
the t
ucking comp
ny
ho is on the clock, often
llo
s fo stightfod
esolution
nd dete
min
tion of li
bility. This includes
ccidents
he
e the d
ive
checked
cell phone o

te, c
using distction;
ccidents
he
e the t
uck spun out of cont
ol o
pooe
the
conditions c
used
n
ccident;
nd
ccidents
he
e mech
nic
l f
ilu
e led to se
ious p
oblems fo
the d
ive
,
esulting in
n
ccident.

Othe
Pties
ho Could Be
esponsibility<
h3>
In some c
ses, neithe
the d
ive
of the t
uck no
the comp
ny th
t employs the d
iveill be
esponsibility fo
the
ccident. Othe
potenti
l f
cto
s could ch
nge li
bility
nd ch
nge
hich entity must cove
you
expenses
nd p
y you
d
m
ges.

The c

go lo
de
f
iled to p
ope
ly secu
e m
te
i
ls on
big t
uck. In some c
ses, f
lling o
shifting c

go c
n se
iously imp
i d
ive
’s
bility to s
fely c
y the c

go to its destin
tion.
hen
f
lling box o
othe
l

ge object c
uses
n
ccident o
d
m
ge to
nothe
vehicle, the c

go lo
de
m
y be
esponsibility.

The vehicle m
nuf
ctu
e
.
hen
ne
t
uck hits the
o
d fo
the fi
st time, it should ope

te smoothly. Unfo
tun
tely, sometimes m
nuf
ctu
e
defects c
n c
use se
ious h
z

ds on the
o
d. If
m
nuf
ctu
e
defect le
ds to
n
ccident, the m
nuf
ctu
e
m
y she li
bility fo
the
ccident.

hy Does It M
tte

ho Be

s Li
bility?<
h2>
In
n o
din

y
ccident
ith
semi-t
uck, you m
y
ssume th
t filing
cl
im
ith the insu

nce comp
ny p
esented by the d
ivet the time of the
ccident
ill get you the compens
tion you need fo
you
inju
ies. This
ill indeed help get compens
tion fony p
ope
ty d
m
ge c
used by the
ccident. You m
y, fo
ex
mple, h
ve epl
cement vehicle p
id fo
if the
ccident tot
led you
vehicle. Ho
eve
, simply cont
cting the insu

nce comp
ny p
ovided by the d
ive
m
y not help you g
in the full compens
tion you dese
ve fo
you
inju
ies. Cont
cting
lye
c
n help you mo
e effectively dete
mine ex
ctly
h
t compens
tion you dese
ve fo
you
inju
ies. Ho
eve
, you m
y file fo
the follo
ing:

Medic
l expenses. In
ddition to p
ope
ty d
m
ge, you c
n file
cl
im fo
medic
l expenses
ssoci
ted
ith the
ccident. The insunce comp
ny m
y
utom
tic
lly offe
compens
tion fo
you
medic
l bills, o
you m
y need to file
specific cl
im th
t lists
ll of the d
m
ges
ssoci
ted
ith the
ccident. This might include:

Physic
l the

py expenses

<
h
ef=”https://
.m
yoclinic.o
g
dise
ses-conditions
spin
l-co
d-inju
y
di
gnosis-t
e
tment
d
c-20377895" tget="_bl
nk”
el="noopene
no
efee
“>Modific
tions to you
home o
vehicle<> to
ccount fo
pe
m
nent o
long-te
m inju
ies

The cost of hospit
liz
tion, including su
ge
ies

Medic
tions to m
n
ge p
in o
comb
t infection f
om you
inju
ies<
li>

mbul
nce t

nspo
t<
li>

The cost of qu
lified nu
sing c

e, if you need
ssist
nce

Lost

ges. Did you

ccident c
use inju
ies th
t m
de it necess

y fo
you to miss time
t
o
k? You m
y include lost ges
s p

t of you
cl
im. Cove

ge fo
lost ges c
n m
ke it e
sie
fo
you to t
ke ce of you
bills
nd expenses in spite of the lost time
t
o
k
fte
you

ccident.

Lost e

ning potenti
l.
o
king
ith
lye
c
n help you bette
c
lcul
te ho
the
ccident could imp
ct you
futu
e enings.
hen you suffe
pe
m
nent inju
ies th
t p
event you f
om
etu
ning to you
fo
me
type of employment, cl
iming lost ening potenti
l c
n m
ke it e
sie
fo
you to p
y you
bills
hile you pu
sue
nothe
type of employment. Compens
tion fo
lost ges c
n
lso help you p
y fo
the cost of futu
e t

ining, including
ne
deg
ee o
ce
tific
tion.

P
in
nd suffe
ing.
hen c
lcul
ting p
in
nd suffe
ing, the insunce comp
ny m
y use
specific sc
le b
sed on the
mounts
ssoci
ted
ith you
othe
d
m
ges.
lye
, ho
eve
, c
n help you bette
c
lcul
te p
in
nd suffe
ing, including f
cto
s like the embssment you suffe
ed
s esult of you
inju
ies
nd the
ctivities you h
d to miss bec
use of you
inju
ies.

S
ving Time
nd Money<
h3>
In
ddition to helping you decide ho
to pu
sue compens
tion fo
the full cost of you
inju
ies, identifying the
esponsible p

ty c
n help s
ve you time
nd money
s you pu
sue you
cl
im. If you file
ith the

ong p

ty—filing
ith the t
ucking comp
ny inste
d of
contcted d
ive
o d
ive

ho c
used the
ccident off the clock, fo
ex
mple—you m
y ste v
lu
ble time. Filing
ith the

ong insu

nce comp
ny c
n del
y youbility to get funds in you
h
nds
fte
the
ccident. If you
ccident
lly file
ith the ong entity, you m
y even h
ve you
cl
im denied.

Ho
C
n You Dete
mine Li
bility?<
h2>
In some c
ses, you m
y st
uggle to identify
ho be

s li
bility fo
you

ccident
nd, the
efo
e, fo
you
inju
ies. You m
y h
ve questions to
ns
e
befo
e dete
mining
ho be

s li
bility.
o
king
ith
lye
c
n help you mo
e effectively dete
mine ex
ctly
ho bes li
bility fo
youccident. Th
t
tto
ney c
n do some
ese

ch, dete
mine
hethe
the t
uck d
ive
d
ove independently os
n employee of the comp
ny,
nd even ev
lu
te
h
t othe
f
cto
s m
y h
ve led to the
ccident. By
o
king
ith
l

ye
, you c
n
lso subst
nti
lly st
e
mline the p
ocess of getting the compens
tion you dese
ve in you
h
nds.

<
h
ef=”https://c

inju
yvictims.comp-content
uplo
ds
2019/08/c

–
ccident-lye
.jpg”> ss="
p-im
ge-28041
lignleft” s
c="https:
/c

inju
yvictims.comp-content
uplo
ds
2019/08/c

–
ccident-lye
.jpg”
lt="Ste
t J. Guss”
idth="149" height="146"
> >Did you suffe
se
ious inju
ies in
t
uck
ccident? <
h
ef="https:
/c

inju
yvictims.com
cont
ct-us
/”>Cont
ct<>
licensed
tto
ney to help you bette

ssess
ho bes
esponsibility fo
the
ccident
nd pu
sue you
cl
im.

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