Truck accidents commonly result in catastrophic injuries that leave victims with significant medical bills and lost wages. In many truck accident cases, the most effective way to recover compensation for these expenses is to hold the trucking company liable for them. However, this can be challenging without the assistance of an experienced legal team with an in-depth understanding of both federal and state trucking regulations.
A Minnesota law firm may be able to help you hold the trucking company liable if the accident resulted from hours of service violations, negligent hiring, poor vehicle maintenance, and improper cargo loading, among other causes.
Hours of Service Violations
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has established regulations to prevent truck drivers from operating their vehicles for extended periods of time. When drivers are behind the wheel for too long, they can become fatigued, which increases their risk of falling asleep and slows their reaction times, both of which can lead to accidents.
Some of these regulations include an 11-hour maximum driving time after 10 consecutive hours off duty and a required 30-minute break for every eight cumulative hours behind the wheel.
When truck drivers violate the hours of service regulations, it’s sometimes because the trucking company encouraged them to drive for longer to make deliveries on time, opening the company up to liability.
Negligent Hiring
Trucking companies are responsible for hiring drivers with valid commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) and clean driving records. If the company allows a driver to continue working while their CDL is suspended, or if they hire a driver with a poor driving record, it could be liable for injuries the driver causes.
An experienced car accident lawyer can obtain the driver’s CDL and driving record to determine if they were a high-risk driver before the accident and whether the trucking company should have been aware of this.
Poor Vehicle Maintenance
When poor truck maintenance contributes to an accident, several parties could be liable for the resulting injuries and property damage:
- Truck drivers should inspect their trucks at the start of each workday to make sure they’re in working condition.
- Truck maintenance providers must perform adequate maintenance and inform drivers of any issues that require repair.
- Trucking companies must make sure the trucks that make up their fleets undergo routine inspections to comply with federal law.
Our lawyers can help you file insurance claims and personal injury lawsuits against all parties that contributed to the accident that caused your injuries.
Improper Cargo Loading
Depending on the type of cargo a truck is carrying, different cargo securement regulations apply. Failure to properly secure a truck’s cargo can lead to weight shifting during transit, potentially causing the truck to roll over or rendering its brakes less effective. It can also cause cargo to fall from flatbed trailers, striking other vehicles on the road.
Trucking companies may be liable if they encouraged the cargo loaders to overload the truck, resulting in the accident. The cargo loaders and truck driver could also share liability under these circumstances.
Contact Our Minnesota Truck Accident Lawyers
When you sustain injuries in a Minnesota truck accident, you need a lawyer who will help to maximize your compensation by identifying all the at-fault parties and gathering evidence to hold them financially liable. That includes the trucking company, which often has significant liability insurance.
To get started with a free consultation, contact Carlson & Jones, P.A. One of our truck accident attorneys will walk you through the process of holding a trucking company liable for truck accident injuries and explain what your case could be worth.