Commercial Semi-Truck Accident Lawyers That Fight for Your Compensation

What You Should Know About Commercial Vehicle Accident Cases

The Brown Firm is familiar with the intricacies of cases involving truck companies and commercial drivers.

Below is some helpful information to improve your understanding, but if you need more information about trucking accident cases, contact The Brown Firm for a free initial consultation.

• Burden of Proof: You have the burden of proving liability and damages in a truck accident lawsuit. You have to prove the negligence of the commercial driver or trucking company caused the crash and your injuries. Expert testimony from treating physicians and expert witnesses establishes the causal relationship between the collision and your accident injuries when substantial damages are involved. Qualified experts can also testify regarding the permanency of your medical condition and that your medical bills are reasonable and necessary.
• You Have To Fight Commercial Entities: Truck drivers and truck companies will employ a legal team skilled at investigating and fighting claims like yours. Consult a personal injury law firm before talking to the at-fault party’s insurance company.
• Worker’s Compensation Can Cover Trucking Accident Claims: Unlike typical motor vehicle accidents, truck drivers might have legal rights to file a worker’s comp claim or a claim against the party who caused or contributed to the collision. The Brown Firm represents injured truck drivers to secure the best outcome for your case from the party responsible for the crash.

Determining Fault in a Trucking Accident

Commercial trucking companies must follow strict guidelines put in place by the government to protect motorists from fatal truck accidents. 

If any federal motor carrier safety regulations are not followed and result in accidents with passenger vehicles, the truck driver or trucking company will most likely be held liable.  

Commonly violated rules include:  

• Improperly maintained vehicles  
• Fatigued drivers  
• Violations of highway traffic and safety laws   
• Cell phone use while driving 
• Intoxication while driving

Driver fatigue is probably the most common cause of 18-wheeler accidents. Even drivers with extensive experience that drive over the number of designated hours permitted each day to meet an unrealistic time limit will become fatigued. Being overworked is an extremely common problem in the trucking industry; therefore, when an accident occurs, a careful examination of driving records is essential.  

Driving logs will likely demonstrate an overall disregard for the federal safety regulations or prove to be fraudulent. Additionally, drivers and trucking companies are only required to keep these records for six months. Therefore, you must obtain these implicating logs within the initial six-month period, or they may be destroyed before you bring your serious injury claim.   

A person who does not have solid proof, or incriminating evidence, that the hours of service regulations were ignored will have a much more challenging time winning their commercial truck accident case. This is why hiring a truck accident lawyer is essential.  

A committed personal injury lawyer from The Brown Firm will analyze your case for proof that the truck driver or trucking company was negligent and at fault for the accident by:  

• Analyzing driving logs  
• Checking vehicle maintenance  
• Identifying any manufacturer defects or recalls  
• Authenticating driver credentials  
• Investigating the scene of the accident 
• Reading police reports  
• Examining photographs  
• Compiling witness statements  
• Understanding medical treatments