Determining Responsibility in Truck Accidents

Accidents involving commercial trucks are often devastating due to their sheer size and weight. It is not uncommon for devastating injuries and serious property damage to result from accidents with 18-wheelers. Determining fault in a truck accident, however, is not always simple. Although it may feel intuitive to blame the driver, it is often the case that violations on the part of a trucking company or another party led to the situation that caused your accident. Discuss your specific situation with an experienced truck accident attorney, who can help you determine who exactly was at fault in your accident.

Potential Responsible Parties in Truck Accidents

Most commercial trucking companies have taken care to distance themselves legally from responsibility in accidents through various means. Besides the company itself, other potential responsible parties include the:

• Truck operator
• Owner of the truck or trailer
• Party that leased the truck or trailer from the owner
• Manufacturer of the truck, tires, or other parts that may have caused or contributed to the accident
• Shipper or loader of the truck’s cargo in accidents that involve improper loading

Company owners often attempt to avoid litigation by requiring drivers to lease the trucks themselves and by hiring the drivers as “independent contractors,” rather than employees. Fortunately, federal laws have fought to quell this type of responsibility-dodging by decreeing that companies that own trucks involved in accidents are held liable if the truck displays the company’s name.

Contact a Truck Accident Attorney in Tennessee Today

If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident in Tennessee, your first priority should be on physical and emotional recovery. As you do so, however, the legal team at Pohl & Berk, LLP may pursue the financial compensation you need to cover your losses – including medical expenses and property damage – from those responsible. Speak with a Tennessee truck accident attorney by calling 615-277-2765 today.