Company Negligence

Truck Accidents and Company Negligence

Issues of Maintenance, Overtime, Etc.

Often, when a truck accident seems to be the fault of a truck driver, the trucking company is in fact to blame. Trucking companies must be vigilant about safety or risk being liable for accidents.

The lawyers of The O'Quinn Law Firm have successfully handled many truck accident cases involving company negligence. They know how to investigate a case to discover evidence of policies and actions that may have led to the accident. Contact us to set up an appointment with one of our lawyers.

Types of Company Negligence

Trucking companies are infamous for engaging in and encouraging dangerous activities that are likely to cause crashes. In the pursuit of more profits, they sometimes cut corners on safety.

For example, they often fail to do proper maintenance of their trucks. Trucking regulations spell out very carefully the steps necessary to ensure the safety of a semi, 18-wheeler, or other large truck. If they ignore these guidelines, they are endangering lives and risking litigation.

Trucking regulations are also very specific about weight limits on trucks. When trucking companies overload commercial vehicles, they cause them to be much less agile on the roads. Incidents that should have only been close calls become crashes.

A large part of trucking companies' responsibilities involves the management of their employees. They cannot put drivers on overtime schedules that force them to drive while fatigued. Driver fatigue is well-known to be a major cause of crashes, and trucking companies must allow for a normal amount of rest.

Trucking companies also have a responsibility to hire competent drivers. They must make sure that drivers have the proper licensing and training and do not pose an obvious threat to others on the road.

All of the above, and many other potential violations, are matters of strict liability. This means that if trucking companies are caught doing any of them, they are at fault, regardless of other circumstances. Companies can also share fault with drivers -- see Driver Negligence for more information.

Contact Us

To determine whether any of the above circumstances caused a wreck, it takes a careful investigation by an experienced and skilled attorney. Contact us for a free initial consultation with one of our attorneys. We serve potential clients nationwide and are available for evening or weekend appointments.

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