How does the court determine who was responsible for a trucking accident?

Determining Responsible Parties in Fort Worth, Texas Trucking Accident Cases

Hiring a firm with significant resources is important because large-scale trucking cases often take years to resolve and involve defendants with deep pockets. In this article we will discuss the process of determining responsible parties in a trucking accident case.

Texas trucking accidents often involve more than one responsible party

One of the first steps in any personal injury case is determining who should be held responsible for the damage done to the plaintiff. Determining liability in a trucking accident can be much more involved than a typical car wreck. Parties held responsible for a trucking accident may include more than just the driver of the truck. It is important to investigate the owner of the truck (whether it be an individual or a business), the company who has contracted the truck, and others. It is important to understand why so many parties may be held liable in these cases.

Texas law recognizes the potential liability of several parties in accidents involving commercial vehicles such as an 18-wheeler. If the driver of the truck was negligent in causing the accident then he or she may be held individually responsible. In addition, the driver’s employer may be held responsible. In some cases employers may be held liable for the negligent acts of their employee or for negligence in hiring the employee. For example, if a trucking company hires a driver with a bad driving record or poor history with other trucking companies this may place liability on the trucking company for its hiring practices. Other acts such as negligent supervision of the driver, failure to train the driver, poor maintenance of the truck, and failure to keep proper records required by law, can also place liability on the trucking company. These same concepts can apply to other businesses or owners who were somehow connected to the trucking enterprise. The potentially long list of responsible parties in a trucking case means that Texas residents need to ensure that all potential parties are pursued.

Read More About Proving Responsibility in a Trucking Accident

Hire a Fort Worth trucking accident lawyer who will take steps to hold all responsible parties accountable

It is important to hire a Fort Worth area injury lawyer with the resources and experience to thoroughly investigate and pursue large-scale trucking cases. Counsel should take the necessary steps to determine which parties bear responsibility and build the case from the accident scene to the courtroom. If you have been injured by a large truck or commercial vehicle then contact an attorney today. Counsel is necessary regardless of whether you were injured in Texas counties including Tarrant, Dallas, Johnson, and Wise, as well as Hurst, Euless, Bedford, Haltom City, Richland Hills, North Richland Hills, Watauga, Grapevine, Colleyville, Southlake, Arlington, Keller, Grand Prairie, Fort Worth and Dallas.