Many accidents involve trucks, and those accidents can cause individuals involved to suffer many different injuries. When that happens, the individuals affected may very well want to pursue damages and it is important to know some key information about doing so.
First, you will want to identify all possible defendants. Of course, the driver of the truck that hit you will be one, but they won’t be the only one. The trucking company that owns and is responsible for the operation of the truck may also be a defendant. If the company is in an employment relationship with the driver who hit you and that driver’s negligence can be proven, the company can be held legally liable.
Of course, certain things about the professional relationship between the company and the driver will need to be established, including that the company had some degree of control in regards to the driving situation and that the accident happened when the driver was driving for the company.
This dynamic can be complicated if the driver is an independent contractor. Even in those cases, your attorney can look at the degree to which the company supervised the driver. If at all possible, you want to confirm as many defendants as you can, including trucking companies, employers, and contractors. Each is likely to carry separate insurance policies that collectively will determine the amount of damages you can recover.
You’ll also want to have evidence of how the accident happened. This is key to showing the court the degree to which the driver who hit you is at fault when your case is reviewed. Make sure to go over all key details with your attorney so you can maximize the amount of damages you could potentially receive.
Source: FindLaw, “Truck Accident Overview,” accessed May 13, 2016