Truck accidents have the potential to devastate victims’ lives. Victims of a tractor-trailer accident should be aware that liability for such an accident could extend beyond the driver of the commercial motor vehicle to the employer as well.
A man was recently injured in a California accident involving an 18-wheeler. The incident happened shortly after 3:30 AM and involved multiple vehicles. Although all of the details are not yet known, it appears that the man’s injuries could be due to an inattentive truck driver. The man had pulled his Camry over to the side of the road to inspect it for damage. He was then hit by an oncoming 18-wheeler. His car turned 360 degrees and he was thrown to the side of the road. This initial collision caused debris to spread across the road, causing multiple chain reaction accidents.
All California drivers on the road are required to exercise a certain standard of care. Drivers that are operating vehicles that require a commercial driver’s license are held to an even higher standard of care and are often subject to federal trucking regulations. For all of these reasons, an accident involving an 18-wheeler can quickly become complicated to work through.
When truckers are involved in accidents like this, the initial goal of the driver and the employer is usually to minimize the impact and liability on their business and employees. Therefore, oftentimes they will immediately involve their insurance company, hire an attorney, a team of experts and an investigation crew.
The best defense against these companies and their strategies is for injured parties to build up a team of their own. An experienced legal team will help an injured party to pursue compensation for any injuries suffered due to a truck driver’s negligence.
Source: San Diego 6 News, “NB 805 Closed After Multi-Vehicle Crash,” Lindsay Hood, March 15, 2013