Understanding who is liable in a truck accident is crucial for your ability to recover compensation for your injuries and property damage after someone else harmed you. The liable party, or more likely, their insurance company, will be responsible for covering your medical bills, lost wages, and other losses caused by the truck accident. An experienced truck accident lawyer in Lafayette can try to maximize your compensation by investigating the accident, gathering evidence, and negotiating a fair settlement.
Understanding Truck Accident Liability Under Louisiana Law
Under Louisiana law, liability for truck accidents is most often based on negligence. Negligence refers to a party’s failure to act in a way a reasonable person in a similar situation would have. For example, a truck driver may be considered negligent if they speed in poor weather, as a reasonable driver would know this increases the chances of an accident.
Parties can also be liable when they violate truck accident laws. Various federal trucking regulations, such as the federal hours of service regulations, govern all commercial truck drivers. Your truck accident lawyer can investigate to determine whether the trucker or trucking company violated any of those regulations, which can help establish whether a party was negligent and at fault for the accident.
The at-fault party is liable for the victim’s losses, which are the negative consequences of the accident, such as medical expenses and property damage.
Who May Be Held Liable in a Truck Accident?
Several parties may be held liable in a truck accident case, including:
- Truck drivers who speed, drive distracted, or otherwise cause accidents
- Trucking companies that negligently hired drivers with poor driving records
- Truck maintenance providers that failed to adequately maintain the vehicle
- Truck manufacturers that contributed to the accident by manufacturing defective parts
- Other motorists who cut the truck off or crash into it, causing a chain reaction collision
- Government entities responsible for maintaining public roads if road defects contributed to the crash
An experienced truck accident attorney can investigate your case and identify every party responsible for your injuries.
Are Truck Drivers Responsible for Damages After an Accident?
What happens if a truck driver gets in an accident caused by their own actions? They’ll be responsible for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other losses caused by the accident.
However, in most cases, the truck driver’s auto insurance liability coverage will pay for it up to the policy’s limit. In Louisiana, all drivers must carry liability coverage to pay for accidents they cause. Federal laws also require most motor carriers to maintain minimum liability policies of $1 million. Regardless of whether a truck driver is hired directly by a trucking company or is classified as an independent contractor, the trucking company can be held liable for the driver’s negligence.
Why Hire a Truck Accident Lawyer in Lafayette to Prove Liability?
Hiring a truck accident lawyer in Lafayette to prove another party’s liability for your injuries is essential to maximize your compensation. Without the assistance of a skilled attorney who knows the state and federal trucking regulations at play, it may be challenging to prove fault or establish liability.
If you were injured in a Lafayette truck accident, contact Attorney Omar Thibeaux at The Thibeaux Firm for a free consultation about your case with a respectful and hardworking truck accident lawyer. Attorney Thibeaux is the 25% attorney, always charging a flat 25% fee for cases where he wins compensation for you.
