Can More Than One Party Be at Fault in a Commercial Truck Accident?

If you’ve been injured in a commercial truck accident, you may be facing significant financial, physical, and emotional challenges in the months and years ahead. These crashes often result in severe injuries and substantial losses, making it essential to understand your legal rights and options for pursuing compensation. 

To seek financial compensation in a commercial truck accident, you need to ensure that you are fighting to hold the right party (or parties) accountable. Even if you are clearly entitled to financial compensation, if you file your claim with the wrong company, you won’t receive the compensation you deserve.

What Parties Can Be Liable for a Commercial Truck Accident?

Fighting to hold the right party (or parties) accountable for your truck accident starts with hiring a lawyer to conduct a thorough investigation. Depending on what your lawyer uncovers during his or her investigation, you could have a claim against one or more of the following: 

The Truck Driver’s Insurance Company

Some truck drivers are owner-operators. This means that they own their own independent trucking business and have their own liability insurance. If you got hit by an owner-operator, you could have a claim against the truck driver’s insurance company. 

The Trucking Company 

If the truck driver who hit you is an employee of a trucking company, the trucking company could be liable for your injuries. Likewise, if the truck driver works for another type of business (i.e., a grocery store chain or online retailer), you could have a claim against the truck driver’s employer in this scenario as well. 

The Truck’s Manufacturer

Truck defects can cause (or contribute to causing) serious truck accidents in some cases. Examples of defects include faulty brakes, faulty tires, and issues with a truck’s hydraulic or electrical system. If your truck accident was fully or partially caused by a truck defect, the truck’s manufacturer could be liable.

A Truck Component Manufacturer

In many cases, truck manufacturers purchase individual components from other companies. If your accident involved a defective component that was manufactured by another company, this could provide you with another potential source of financial compensation. 

A Repair Shop or Mobile Maintenance Company that Worked on the Truck 

Along with defects from the factory, issues caused by negligent repairs or maintenance can also cause (or contribute to causing) serious truck accidents. In this scenario, the repair shop or mobile maintenance company that worked on the truck could be fully or partially liable for your injuries. 

The Company that Loaded the Truck’s Cargo 

Another category of potential causes of commercial truck accidents are cargo-related issues. In some cases, trucks carry cargo that has been loaded by a third party. If a third party improperly loaded the truck’s cargo (i.e., by placing too much weight on one side or failing to properly secure the cargo), this could be enough to support a negligence-based claim for compensation. 

Another Driver Involved in Your Truck Accident 

When evaluating your legal rights after a commercial truck accident, it is important not to overlook the fact that the accident could have fully or partially resulted from non-truck-related factors. For example, in many cases, other drivers make mistakes that leave truck drivers with no place to go. If another driver played a role in causing your truck accident, you could have a claim against this driver’s insurance company. 

A Government Agency or Road Construction Contractor 

When considering potential non-truck-related factors, it is also important to assess whether an issue with the road may have played a role in your accident. Improper surfacing (or resurfacing), negligent road design or construction, and various other road-related issues can potentially leave truck drivers (and other drivers) helpless to avoid a collision. 

Even these are just examples. As we said above, commercial truck accident cases are complex, and determining your legal rights requires a prompt and thorough investigation. If you have been seriously injured in a truck accident in Arkansas, we encourage you to contact us promptly for more information. 

Injured in a  Truck Accident in Arkansas? Contact Us for a FREE Consultation Today 

When more than one party may be responsible for a commercial truck accident, knowing where and how to file your claim can make all the difference in your recovery. At Oliver Law Firm, we have the experience, resources, and skill needed to investigate your crash, identify liable parties, and pursue the maximum compensation to which you may be entitled under Arkansas law.

We handle every step of the process for you, from gathering evidence to negotiating with insurance companies and taking your case to court when necessary. We are here to ensure you have the answers and support you need during this difficult time.

For a FREE, no-obligation consultation with an experienced Arkansas commercial truck accident lawyer at Oliver Law Firm, call (479) 202-5200 or contact us online now.