The easiest thing to do in the case of a trucking accident taking place is to pile the blame on the truck driver. He could be blamed for driving recklessly or for ignoring warning signs. Yet, not every accident involving a truck is the driver’s fault (even though some are).
Apart from the trucker’s responsibilities to maintain and pay keen attention to the truck’s road worthiness, the trucking company also have to follow certain regulations to guarantee the trucks are in a condition fit for driving. In a case where these regulations are not followed and an accident occurs, the trucking company will bear the blame.
According to Houston 18 wheel truck accident lawyer Greg Baumgartner, a trucking company has to ascertain that the driver’s truck is in good working condition without faults and is ready to be driven. If they don’t make sure of this, the company will be held responsible for any incidences that arise as a result of their failure to adhere to the regulations.
There are also other regulations that must be observed by the trucking company, such as…
- Ensuring no driver works beyond the daily hours of the service limit assigned.
- Ensuring all their truck drivers are appropriately qualified to drive the trucks they are given.
- Ensuring that they examine drivers’ daily reports to understand and get updated information about the condition of each truck.
- Ensuring that every repair requested is properly carried out and the vehicle is without any other faults before setting out.
Sometimes, determining the person at fault for a truck crash is not as immediate as most people think. Even in instances where you are an eye-witness to the accident and it appears as though the driver is at fault, only a thorough separate investigation will help to determine for sure if the driver or the trucking company has violated any of the rules. This investigation will go beyond the scene of the accident into examining the daily records and logbooks to ascertain the condition of the truck before and during the crash.
If you were involved in a truck crash, and you suspect that the trucking companies might resort to falsifying some of their details in a bid to coverup any violations, then you should hire Attorney Greg Baumgartner. He is a trucking accident attorney and will help you determine the right course of action to claim your compensation that you are due.
You can also visit https://www.texas-truckaccidentlawyer.com/blog/when-trucking-companies-drop-the-ball-on-safety/ for more information on this topic.