What Do You Need To Know About Truck Accident Liability In Philadelphia?

Large commercial trucks are invaluable to our economy. However, these vehicles can also cause serious injuries if they get into an accident. If you or somebody you care about has been injured in an accident caused by truck driver or truck company, contact team at the Dan Doyle Law Group today. Our Philadelphia truck accident attorneys will thoroughly investigate your case to determine liability and secure the compensation you need.

How to determine liability in these cases

Residents of Philadelphia and the surrounding areas must understand that truck accident is not uncommon. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), there were 4,761 fatalities and more than 148,000 injuries due to large trucks during the latest reporting year in this country.

Looking closer at the Commonwealth, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation says that there were 7,336 total large truck crashes during the latest year of data.

Determining liability in these incidents is usually going to be more complicated than determining liability in regular car accident cases. Multiple parties could be at fault if a truck is involved in an accident.

The PA DOT specifically states that these incidents occur primarily due to vehicle failure. This can include problems with the following:

• Tires and wheels
• Brakes
• Powertrain failure
• Steering system failure
• Suspension failure
• Unsecured loads or overloaded trailers

When vehicle failure is to blame, the trucking company may be liable for any damages that occur. An investigation will be conducted into the truck owner to determine whether or not regular inspection and maintenance of the vehicle have happened based on the FMCSA guidelines.

In other instances, the truck driver may be at fault. An extensive investigation will be conducted after a truck accident to determine whether the actions of the truck driver contributed to the accident. In many cases, it is determined that a truck driver:

• Operated while impaired by alcohol or drugs
• Operated while distracted by their cell phones or other devices
• Was driving fatigued because they did not follow the proper hours of service regulations
• Was improperly trained and should not have been driving the vehicle

Using video and photo surveillance, eyewitness statements, and accident reports, your Philadelphia truck accident attorney will begin to piece together liability. They may also use accident reconstruction experts to determine what happened in this incident.

Our team is ready to help

If you or somebody you care about has sustained an injury in an accident with a large commercial truck, seek legal assistance immediately. At the Dan Doyle Law Group, we thoroughly understand these cases and will get to work proving liability. Our goal is to secure the compensation you need, which can include:

• Coverage of all truck accident-related medical expenses
• Recovery of lost wages if you cannot work
• Coverage of physical therapy
• Pain and suffering damages
• Loss of enjoyment of life damages
• Possible punitive damages against the truck driver or trucking company

When you need a Philadelphia truck accident attorney, you can contact us by clicking here or calling 215-987-3730 for a free consultation.