Can You Sue a Trucking Company for an Accident?

If you’ve been injured in a collision with an 18-wheeler, you may be wondering if you can sue a trucking company to recover compensation for your losses. In many cases, the trucking company is legally responsible for accidents involving its drivers or vehicles, but it’s not always the only party that may be liable. Understanding who you can (and should) sue is a critical step in the legal process.

There are several possibilities. While seeking justice after a serious or fatal truck accident often involves suing the trucking company, various other companies could potentially be liable as well. Making sure you sue the right company is critical for seeking the financial compensation you deserve—and determining which company you need to sue is one of the first steps in the recovery process.

Suing the Trucking Company After a Commercial Truck Accident in Arkansas 

There are several circumstances under which you can sue a trucking company after an accident in Arkansas. Trucking companies can be held liable for serious and fatal truck accidents under a wide range of circumstances. Not only can trucking companies be held liable for their own negligence; but, in most cases, they can be held liable for their truck drivers’ negligence as well. With this in mind, some of the most common reasons people sue a trucking company include:

• Negligent Truck Driving – Negligent truck driving is among the leading causes of serious and fatal truck accidents in Arkansas. Truck driver negligence can take many different forms, from speeding and following too closely to talking on the phone, texting, and drinking behind the wheel. 
• Negligent Truck Maintenance – Negligent truck maintenance is a common factor in commercial truck accidents as well. When trucking companies fail to adequately maintain their trucks, they can be held fully accountable for accidents involving tire blowouts, brake failures, and other maintenance-related issues. 
• Negligent Truck Loading or Failing to Properly Secure Cargo – Cargo loading issues are another frequent cause of commercial truck accidents. This includes both negligently loading cargo (i.e., failing to properly balance a truck’s load or exceeding the truck’s maximum load capacity) and failing to properly secure cargo (i.e., allowing cargo to shift in transit or spill onto the roadway). 
• Exceeding Federal Driving Hour Restrictions – Federal regulations restrict the number of hours that truck drivers can spend behind the wheel. However, trucking companies frequently violate these restrictions in order to keep their trucks on the road for as many hours as possible. 
• Hiring an Inexperienced or Unqualified Truck Driver – Hiring inexperienced and unqualified truck drivers is another common issue for which trucking companies can—and should—be held accountable. When trucking companies hire drivers who are not equipped for the job, they put everyone on the road at risk unnecessarily. 

Again, these are just some of the most common examples. These are by no means the only grounds to sue a trucking company after a serious or fatal collision. An experienced truck accident lawyer can help you navigate the complexities of your claim and ensure that you sue a trucking company—or any other responsible party—to maximize your recovery. 

Other Companies that Could Potentially Be Liable 

In addition to examining all potential grounds to sue a trucking company, your lawyer will examine all potential claims against other companies as well. Depending on the circumstances involved, other companies that could potentially be liable for your (or your loved one’s) truck accident in Arkansas include:

• Truck Manufacturer – Truck manufacturers can be held liable for accidents resulting from truck defects. Defects differ from maintenance issues in that they exist when the truck leaves the factory.  They can be the result of issues with the way a truck is designed or issues that arise during the manufacturing process. 
• Truck Component Manufacturer – In many cases, truck manufacturers buy certain components (i.e., tires and brake pads) from other companies. If one of these components is to blame for an accident, the component manufacturer could be liable. 
• Shipping Company – In truck accident cases involving 18-wheelers carrying shipping containers, the company that loaded the container may be liable for any cargo-related issues instead of the trucking company. 
• Road Construction Contractor – If an issue with the road is to blame for your (or your loved one’s) accident instead of an issue with the truck, the road construction contractor that was responsible for building or maintaining the road could be liable. 
• Another Driver’s Insurance Company – Finally, if another driver was responsible for causing the accident, you may have a claim under this driver’s insurance policy. 

Here too, these are just examples. To ensure that you are doing everything you can to hold the responsible company (or companies) accountable for your injuries or your loved one’s wrongful death, you should speak with an experienced Rogers truck accident lawyer as soon as possible. 

Get Help from an Experienced Arkansas Truck Accident Lawyer at Oliver Law Firm 

If you need to sue a trucking company after a serious or fatal truck accident in Rogers, Arkansas, we strongly encourage you to seek legal guidance as soon as possible. 

Contact Oliver Law Firm today online or at 479-202-5200 for a FREE case evaluation. We serve clients throughout Arkansas and throughout the United States from our office in Rogers, AR.