Who Is Liable in a Tractor-Trailer Crash?
Unlike many car crashes, a semi-truck crash often involves several potentially responsible parties. The driver, the trucking company, the trailer owner, the shipper that loaded the freight and the maker of a failed part may all play a role. Sorting out legal responsibility is one of the first tasks for a tractor-trailer crash lawyer, because each responsible party may have separate insurance.
Claims against the driver
Most claims start with the driver's conduct, such as speeding, following too closely, unsafe lane changes, distraction, impairment or fatigue. Commercial drivers need a commercial driver's license (CDL) under 49 CFR Part 383 and follow the driving rules in 49 CFR Part 392, which include limits on texting and hand-held phone use. A safety violation does not prove fault by itself, but in many states it can serve as evidence of negligence, and some states treat it as negligence per se. A truck wreck lawyer compares the driver's conduct against these rules.
Why the trucking company is usually a defendant
When the driver is an employee acting within the scope of employment, the trucking company is usually responsible for the driver's negligence under vicarious liability, also known as respondeat superior. The company may also face direct claims based on its own conduct, including negligent hiring, negligent retention, negligent supervision and negligent entrustment. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations require a driver qualification file under 49 CFR Part 391, drug and alcohol testing under 49 CFR Part 382, and systematic inspection, repair and maintenance under 49 CFR Part 396. Gaps in those records can support a direct claim against the company, and the driver qualification file is often among the first documents a tractor-trailer accident lawyer requests.
When the driver owns the truck
Many owner-operators lease their trucks to a trucking company. The leasing rules in 49 CFR Part 376 require the lease to give the trucking company exclusive possession, control and use of the equipment for the lease term, which can matter if the company says the driver was an independent contractor. The USDOT number and company name on the cab, along with the bill of lading and the lease itself, help identify which company was operating the truck. A truck accident attorney typically requests these documents early.
Cargo loaders and freight brokers
Cargo that shifts or falls can contribute to rollovers and jackknife crashes. The cargo securement rules in 49 CFR Part 393 set requirements for tiedowns and securing loads, and in some cases a shipper or loading company that controlled the loading may share responsibility. Claims against a freight broker that arranged the shipment raise separate questions, including federal preemption, and the answer turns on the specific claim and facts.
Manufacturers and repair shops
If brakes, tires, steering parts or an underride guard fail because of a defect, the manufacturer may face a product liability claim. A maintenance contractor that performed faulty repairs can also be named. Telling a defect apart from poor maintenance usually requires inspecting the parts before they https://juliusjmxe275.westhavenscope.com/posts/underride-and-jackknife-crashes-causes-and-evidence are repaired or scrapped.
Insurance and shared fault
Federal financial responsibility rules in 49 CFR Part 387 require at least $750,000 in public liability coverage when for-hire interstate trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more haul nonhazardous property, and certain hazardous materials require higher minimums. Most states apply comparative negligence, which may reduce damages by the injured person's percentage of fault, while a few still apply contributory negligence. A semi-truck accident lawyer looks at all of the parties, since a single policy may not cover the full loss. This article is general information, not legal advice, and it does not predict the result of any claim.