Commercial truck accidents are some of the most devastating vehicle accidents on Kentucky’s roads and highways. Victims of commercial truck accidents often suffer serious injuries requiring extensive, costly medical treatment.
If you or your loved one were injured in a commercial truck accident, you may wonder who is liable for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other accident-related losses. It is normal to assume the commercial truck driver is at fault, and this may be the case.
However, other parties may be liable for your accident or share responsibility with the truck driver for your damages. The following article highlights these parties and the intricacies of liability in commercial truck accidents.
No two commercial truck accident cases are alike. Have your accident circumstances reviewed by an experienced Louisville commercial truck accident attorney to determine liability for your accident.
Determining Fault in a Kentucky Commercial Truck Accident
Commercial trucking is a highly-regulated industry, and it takes multiple parties to keep commercial trucks constantly on the road. When any one of these parties fails to perform their job or acts recklessly and causes an accident, they may be liable for the resulting damages.
Determining the responsible party or parties for a commercial truck accident usually requires a thorough accident investigation. Massive amounts of evidence are collected from the accident scene, trucking company, and more to aid the insurance company and the victim’s attorney in building a case for fault.
Potentially Liable Parties in a Kentucky Commercial Truck Accident
Most commercial truck accident claims are against truck drivers and their employers.
However, an accident investigation may reveal any one or more of the following parties liable for a Kentucky commercial truck accident:
- The truck driver. A truck driver may drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol, speed, drive drowsy, or disregard trucking regulations;
- The trucking company. A trucking company may fail to hire qualified drivers or fail to properly train or drug test drivers;
- The truck owner. The truck owner may fail to maintain their truck;
- The truck manufacturer or a parts manufacturer. The truck manufacturer may fail to issue a recall for faulty or defective equipment;
- The truck mechanic. The truck mechanic may fail to make a repair or make a faulty repair;
- The cargo loader. The cargo loader may improperly load cargo causing it to shift or become imbalanced during transport;
- Another driver. Another driver may drive recklessly causing the truck driver to hit the victim’s vehicle; and
- The local or state government. The local or state government may erect faulty construction barriers, fail to erect signs, or fail to correct road conditions causing the truck driver to crash.
Discuss how liability may affect your commercial truck accident claim by speaking with an experienced Louisville personal injury attorney today.
Contact an Experienced Louisville Commercial Truck Accident Attorney Today
Dolt, Thompson, Shepherd & Conway, PSC has represented injury victims in Kentucky for over 30 years. We put our clients first in everything we do and want to make a difference in their lives.
Call our Louisville office today to find out how Dolt, Thompson, Shepherd & Conway, PSC can help you. We offer a complimentary consultation and only charge attorneys’ fees when we win compensation for you.