There are countless ways a semi-truck accident might be caused, but many of those reasons stem from the negligence or carelessness of the truck employer. Truck accidents can be extremely dangerous, even more so than other types of crashes because of the imposing size and weight of the vehicles involved. The pedestrians, drivers, and passengers in semi-truck accidents often experience painful or serious injuries, and when those damages are caused by another person’s mistake, the negligent party should be held fully responsible.
When it comes down to it, truck employers hold much of the control regarding the safety of both the vehicles and drivers. Even though the majority of truck accidents are due to driver error, that doesn’t necessarily mean the employer wasn’t also to blame. In some instances, the employer may not have provided the driver with enough training to make him or her a capable driver, or, in other situations, the driver and employer might both be responsible for the crash.
Truck employers may be considered negligent if they fail in any of the following areas:
- Hiring practices: The employer should only hire capable drivers who possess the correct class of driver’s license, and that license should be in good standing. Employees with revoked or expired licenses should not be permitted to drive.
- Driver training: All drivers should receive sufficient training prior to beginning work and should know all proper driving laws and safety precautions.
- Truck inspection: Trailers and trucks should always be inspected prior to use. This means everything should be in working order, up to code, and the truck should be deemed safe to drive.
- Loading trailers: There is a right and wrong way to load a truck trailer, and loading heavy cargo unevenly or unstably could be very dangerous. Weight distribution should be even and loose cargo should be tied down, otherwise it could jackknife and cause a crash.
- Trucking rules and regulations: Truckers and trucking companies have certain rules they are required by law to follow in order to ensure the safety of truck drivers and everyone else on the road.
All employers have a responsibility to operate a safe business, and if they fail to do so they should be held responsible for the result of their negligence. If you were involved in an accident with an 18-wheeler and suspect the cause was employer negligence, you may be eligible for compensation. If the employer was responsible, you could potentially receive reparation for current and future medical expenses, loss of wages, pain and suffering, and the cost of the damage to your vehicle.
