After a truck accident that caused by another person, you may be wondering who you will be able to hold liable for your injuries. After all, if the accident was not your fault, you should not have to pay for any of your losses, including your medical expense, lost income, property damage, and physical and emotional pain and suffering. There are many more players involved in an accident involving a commercial truck than there are in a “regular” car accident, so there are many more parties that could potentially be held liable. They include the following:
- The Truck Driver’s Employer – A legal doctrine known as respondeat superior1 as well as federal trucking regulations often allow the employer of a truck driver to be held liable for the negligent acts of its employee. This means that even though the truck driver, and not the company, was negligent, victims can recover compensation from the company itself.
- The Company Responsible for Loading the Cargo onto the Truck – It is not uncommon for a 3rd party to be responsible for loading cargo onto a truck before it is hauled to its destination. If that 3rd party fails to properly load or secure the cargo and that failure results in an injury-causing accident, victims may be able to hold it liable for their losses.
- The Manufacturer of the Truck – Modern semi-trucks are complicated pieces of equipment that are comprised of thousands of individual parts. If certain parts fail, it can directly lead to serious accidents. These critical parts include air-brakes, coupling devices, tires, axles, and vehicle lights. If a defect in the way a truck was designed or manufactured leads to an accident, victims may be able to recover compensation from the manufacturer or retailer of the truck.
Call Stewart J. Guss to Speak with a Houston Truck Accident Lawyer
If you have been hurt in a truck accident, you should call Texas attorney Stewart J. Guss today. With more than two decades of experience practicing law in Texas courts,2 Mr. Guss and his team of attorneys and legal professionals know how to hold people who cause accident liable for the damages they cause. For a free consultation, call his team today at 281-644-6500 or send us an email through our online contact form.
1 https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/respondeat_superior
