It may just be a headache to get involved in a minor fender bender with another standard motor vehicle driver. You will likely have to report it to your auto insurance company, pay for auto repairs, etc. But it may be all the more devastating for you if the other involved driver in your auto accident was operating an 18-wheeler truck. Overall, this may significantly elevate the injuries and damages you subsequently suffer from. That said, please read on to discover who is to blame for causing your truck accident and how a seasoned St. Mary’s County truck accident lawyer at The Dorsey Law Firm can help you hold them accountable via legal action.
Why was my accident with a truck so catastrophic?
An 18-wheeler truck being part of your auto accident may almost automatically make the aftermath more catastrophic. Simply put, this is due to a commercial truck’s sheer size and weight. Sadly, your standard motor vehicle has little to no chance of withstanding damages or offering you 100 percent protection when going up against a truck like this.
What may make your involvement in a truck accident even more disastrous is if the 18-wheeler was loaded with hazardous materials. This is because these hazardous materials may spill out of the trailer upon collision. For one, flammable liquids may cause a fire on the road. Or, hazardous chemicals may make you vulnerable to certain health threats.
Who should I blame for causing my truck accident event?
You may quickly blame the truck driver for causing your accident since they are at the scene with you. Well, this may be true under certain circumstances; like if the truck driver negligently ignored traffic signs and entered a road they were not supposed to, with low clearances or narrow lanes. However, the responsible party may not even be present at the accident scene.
On the one hand, upon further investigation into the case, you may have to blame the truck driver’s employer. This may be if their employer schedules them to drive longer than the enforced legal limit. Specifically, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, a driver may only drive 12 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty; may not drive more than 16 hours after coming on duty following 10 consecutive hours off duty; and may not drive after 70 out of 8- hours on duty within seven to eight consecutive days. So, this is relevant if the catalyst of your accident was the truck driver’s fatigue.
On the other hand, you may learn that other trucking company employees are at fault for your accident event. This may be if your truck accident was specifically a rollover accident. That is, a truck rolled over on its side and collided with your standard motor vehicle when turning, changing lanes, or otherwise. With this, the other employees may have improperly loaded the trailer in a way that made the weight severely disproportionate.
To conclude, you should know that a competent St. Mary’s County auto accident lawyer is here to assist you with whatever your legal issue may be. So please reach out to us at The Dorsey Law Firm today.
