Tractor-trailer drivers play a central role in keeping American life functioning as normal, and virtually every industry in the country relies on them to transport goods and materials. However, their numbers on the road mean they also have a duty to keep other drivers around them safe while driving. It also means that they—and often their employers as well—can be held financially liable for harm they cause through their own misconduct.
Filing a civil suit over a commercial truck collision can be challenging for most personal injury attorneys. If you want a chance at getting fair financial restitution after an incident like this, you will need support from an experienced Stockton truck accident lawyer who has experience pursuing and winning these claims.
The average tractor-trailer outweighs passenger cars by a factor of several tons, which means collisions between the two types of vehicles often have uniquely devastating consequences. Anyone who suffers an injury through a truck driver’s negligence that requires immediate emergency care should focus solely on getting the treatment they need. After your condition is stabilized, one of our Stockton truck accident attorneys can help you build and file a strong civil claim.
However, if they are physically able to do so safely, there are several things truck crash victims can do to strengthen a future civil claim before leaving the scene of their wreck, such as:
Even in this scenario, getting professional medical attention should still be a top priority, as formal documentation of injuries will be crucial evidence to incorporate into a lawsuit or settlement demand.
The most likely person to be named as a defendant in a civil claim over a commercial truck wreck is whoever was driving the truck at the time of the incident. However, it is also possible in some situations to hold trucking companies liable for accidents like this, either because their employee acted irresponsibly on the job or because they were directly at fault as an organization for something such as a lack of background checks for drivers they hired.
Alternatively, some truck wrecks stem from mechanical failures rather than driver error, in which case a skilled Stockton lawyer from the Law Office of Brian H. Turner may be able to help take legal action against a mechanic who failed to repair faulty components or a manufacturer that produced defective parts. Sometimes, even third parties, such as suppliers who failed to secure cargo properly or other drivers on the road, can be held partially or primarily at fault for causing a crash involving a tractor-trailer.
Even at low speeds, collisions between 18-wheelers and passenger cars can cause catastrophic damage both to the cars involved and to their occupants, and high-speed wrecks can often cause fatal injuries. No matter the extent of the damage, you may have grounds to file a civil suit over the injuries and losses you can trace back to a wreck caused by a truck driver or a trucking company’s negligence.
You have help available with whatever legal action you need to pursue from a seasoned Stockton truck accident lawyer ready to fight tenaciously on your behalf. Call today to discuss your options.