Establishing Liability When You Are Injured By A Commercial Vehicle

10 May 2019
 Categories: , Blog


Car accidents can lead to a wide range of injuries and losses. When you are in an accident involving a commercial vehicle, the case can become more complicated. If your injuries are permanent and you are not going to be able to return to work, it is going to be vital to your financial stability to get the compensation you deserve. A commercial vehicle accident attorney will be able to determine who the liable party is and who to name in the personal injury lawsuit. If the accident was caused because of a poorly maintained vehicle or if you were hurt because of the negligence of the other driver, it's time to establish liability in your case.

When Vehicle Maintenance Is Ignored

Commercial vehicles must be properly maintained in order to be safe on the road. Whether you are driving the commercial vehicle, or you are injured by a person driving one, the maintenance record of the commercial vehicle is important. If you discover that there was a reported problem with the brakes, for example, and a failure of the brakes caused your accident, the company that owns the commercial vehicle has liability in the accident.

If the Driver Was Working Past Maximum Hours

You may discover that a person who hits you while driving a commercial vehicle has been driving long beyond their scheduled shift. All workers can only work so many hours in one day. If the employee was being forced to work beyond the maximum daily hours and hit you because they were tired, the company is going to be partially liable for your injuries. Commercial accidents have many causes, and it's important to look at the status of the driver that hit you to see if only they are liable or if their company is too.

When Drivers Aren't Properly Trained

If you get hurt driving a commercial vehicle because you didn't really know what you are doing, this is a personal injury lawsuit with your employer as the defendant. You need to be trained to use commercial vehicles, and you can't be expected to drive a vehicle that you haven't been trained to use. When you listen to your employer and drive it anyway, your employer is liable for your injuries.

Liability in a personal injury lawsuit is important. When you are partially to blame for your accident, you are going to receive less compensation. If you can establish that a large company is liable for your injuries, you have a much bigger chance of getting a large disbursement.

Contact a lawyer at a firm like Snyder & Wenner, P.C. for more information.


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