Findlay Truck Accident Lawyer

Truck drivers and the companies that hire them have a lot of responsibility when it comes to public safety. They are operating large, heavy machines that are capable of doing tremendous damage to smaller vehicles, pedestrians, and personal property.

For this reason, when a truck driver makes an error that causes injury to you, your family, or your property, you may be entitled to significant compensation with the help of an injury lawyer.

Findlay truck accident lawyers are here to help you determine the extent of your damages and to pursue legal action against any party that has neglected this great responsibility.

Prevalence of Truck Accidents

Just how frequently trucks are involved in motor vehicle accidents may come as a surprise to some people. According to the Ohio Department of Public Safety, in 2016, there were 16,651 accidents in Ohio involving trucks that caused injury or property damage, and more than half of them (9,699) were caused by the truck driver’s error.

These accidents resulted in 114 deaths and 4,912 injuries, of which 31 deaths and 2,472 injuries were caused by the truck driver’s error.

Common causes of truck accidents that a Findlay truck accident attorney can help with include:

• Fatigued driving
• Distracted driving
• Drunk or otherwise impaired driving
• Speeding or other reckless operation
• Equipment malfunctions

Truck Accident Liability

People might assume that only the driver can be sued in connection with a truck accident. However, there are often several potential defendants depending on the facts of the case. For example, in many cases, the injured person can sue the company the driver is working for.

This type of vicarious liability is called respondeat superior. In these cases, the employer will be liable for the employee’s negligent actions that occur during the course and scope of the employee’s employment.

For respondeat superior to apply, there must be an employment relationship (i.e., the driver cannot be an independent contractor), the employee must be performing duties for the employer at the time of the negligence, and the employee’s actions cannot have been intentionally wrongful or criminal (unless they were either required by the employment or foreseeable).

A good example of respondeat superior is when comedian Tracy Morgan sued Walmart after one of its truck drivers caused an accident that seriously injured him. Walmart settled with Morgan for an undisclosed – but presumably large – amount.

There are several entities a person injured in a truck accident may be able to recover from, based on the specifics of the accident and its cause. Some potential defendants a Findlay truck accident attorney may explore include:

• The driver
• The driver’s employer
• The company that loaded the cargo into the truck
• The manufacturer of the truck and its parts
• The defendants’ insurance companies
• The plaintiff’s insurance company

Recoverable Damages

Findlay attorneys will help clients recover compensatory damages, which will reimburse them for medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and other costs they may have incurred as a result of the commercial vehicle accident.

Depending on the facts of the case, our team may also seek punitive damages, which are additional damages designed to punish a defendant for particularly reprehensible behavior.

Contact a Findlay Truck Accident Attorney Today

Being involved in a truck accident is a terrifying event, but you do not have to suffer financially. The most important thing is that you contact our Findlay truck accident lawyer as soon as possible so that we can get started in recovering the money that you deserve.