Big trucks can be intimidating when you drive next to them. They can weigh up to 80,000 lbs., and their height and length can block your view of adjacent lanes and the road ahead. It’s easy to view these 18-wheel behemoths as the “bullies” of Oklahoma’s highways and interstates, and even easier to believe that their drivers are always the at-fault parties when they’re involved in crashes.
But truck drivers are just as susceptible to the actions of negligent drivers as people in passenger vehicles. Truck drivers must always be on guard for reckless drivers, as even minor traffic law violations and bad decisions can require truckers to employ drastic evasive maneuvers to avoid crashes.
Unfortunately, truck drivers aren’t always able to avoid collisions, and when they’re injured, they can pursue compensation from at-fault drivers just like other motorists can.
Who Can Be Held Liable for Truck Drivers’ Injuries?
Injured truck drivers can pursue compensation from multiple parties after accidents that weren’t their fault, including:
Other drivers
There are few vehicles on the road that can cause truck drivers to suffer serious injuries during direct collisions. However, drivers can be held liable for truck drivers’ injuries when their actions, such as swerving or pulling out in front of them, cause trucks to jackknife, roll, or crash into stationary objects.
Truck companies
Sometimes, trucking companies or the companies that use trucks to do business cause trucking accidents by overloading trailers. Truck drivers typically aren’t involved in this process, and they may have no idea that their trailers exceed weight limits until it’s too late and they lose control or are unable to stop or slow down.
Truck manufacturers
The manufacturers of trucks and their components, including brakes, tires, wheels, and trailers, can be held liable for crashes when those parts break down and cause drivers to lose control and crash.
Governmental bodies
All drivers are susceptible to crashes caused by poor road conditions. But overly sharp turns, damaged and broken pavement, steep drop-offs, and a lack of guard rails or runaway ramps are all much more dangerous for truck drivers than people in cars, trucks, and SUVs. When the parties responsible for maintaining and repairing roads fail to do so and trucks crash, they can be held liable for damages.
Third Parties
Trucking companies may utilize many businesses and individuals for even a single truck. And when those third parties make negligent mistakes, serious accidents can occur. Examples of mistakes can include hiring drivers who aren’t qualified, failing to inspect trucks regularly, and not performing proper background, alcohol, and drug tests on drivers.
Other truck drivers
The image of truck drivers coordinating their movements via CB radios is accurate to a degree, but truck drivers don’t always play nice with each other or drive cautiously in each other’s presence. When it comes to vehicles, the biggest threat truck drivers face is other big trucks. When two big trucks collide, both drivers can suffer serious injuries, as can any other drivers unlucky enough to be caught in the crash.
Multiple Parties Are Sometimes at Fault for Truck Accidents
Oklahoma’s roads can be hectic and chaotic, especially in rush hour traffic on busy highways and interstates. When big trucks are involved in crashes, it’s not uncommon for multiple parties to be at fault.
For example, a driver may switch lanes in front of a truck in heavy traffic, which is already enough to cause a crash, but the truck driver may be unable to slow down or stop due to worn-out or defective brakes. In some cases, truck drivers themselves may even be partially at fault for their accidents, but still eligible to receive compensation due to being less than 51% at fault.
Our Lawyers Can Identify and Hold All At-Fault Parties Responsible for Damages
Truck accidents are extremely complex, even when the primary victims are the truck drivers themselves. However, truck drivers often face difficult battles when it comes to getting compensation. That’s because insurance companies often believe that truck drivers caused their accidents, even when evidence shows otherwise.
At Parrish DeVaughn Injury Lawyers, our Oklahoma City truck accident attorneys don’t let insurance companies make life-changing decisions based on preconceived notions or unfair bias. We work hard to present evidence they can’t deny, and then we fight to get our clients maximum compensation.
If you were injured in a truck accident, even if you were behind the wheel of an 18-wheeler, we want to help you get the money you’re owed. Contact us today.
