Commercial Trucking Accident

If you’ve been in an accident involving a commercial truck, particularly involving a semi or “big rig,” you need an attorney that has experience handling these types of cases. Hiring the wrong attorney can costs you hundreds of thousandsof dollars, even millions of dollars. At Parker & McConkie, we have an on-call consultant who currently manages a large trucking company’s safety division andwho helps us stay on top of current trucking regulations. Also, some of our attorneys have personally worked in the trucking industry and have the experience you need to get you the results you deserve.

Semi-trucks and commercial trucks weigh more than other vehicles on the road, which means they can cause a lot of damage in an accident. This means that drivers of semi-trucks have an important responsibility to drive safely because when they don’t follow the rules, they can do more damage than most cars on the road. Forexample, they need to ensure that all tires, brakes, lights, horns, and other functions are working properly and regularly maintained before making a trip.They also need to limit the amount of time they drive on the road to avoid fatigued driving. They are required to keep track of their time in log books.They also need to keep the truck and trailer reasonably clean so that reflection tape is visible at night time. These are only some of the thingsdrivers must do to keep us safe.

Call 801-845-0440 to get in touch with a member of our firm after your accident. We can review your case for free!

Trucking companies also have a responsibility to hire responsible drivers that have agood driving history. It would be wrong for a trucking company to hire a person to drive one of its trucks if that person had 3 prior DUI charges in the past 10 years. This puts all of us at risks. Consequently, trucking companies must perform sufficient background checks before they put somebody behind the wheel of one of its trucks. Drivers must also pass road tests, meet physical qualifications, drug and alcohol screening, and other state regulations.

Commercial trucks often have useful technology that helps us and experts reconstruct the accident. This can be an invaluable tool for proving that the truck driver is at fault. The truck’s “black box” stores electronic data on the trucks acceleration and deceleration history, GPS location, air bag deployment, speeds, and other data. This information can disappear quickly, so it’s imperative thatyou get Parker & McConkie involved early so that we can get this information preserved for inspection.

It’s important to note that companies are responsible for its employees negligence. This is called “vicarious liability” or “respondeat superior” in the legalworld. In other words, if the truck driver causes an accident while on the job and injures you as a result, his company or employer is responsible to compensate you. The company can also be responsible for its own negligence, whether it’s for negligent supervision, negligent hiring, or negligent entrustment. Knowing the difference to all of these claims is critical for maximizing the value of your claim.

If you’ve been injured in an accident involving a semi-truck or any commercial vehicle, we know how to help. These cases are document-intensive and require aknowledge of the applicable Federal rules and regulations. Most companies also have internal policies and rules that drivers must follow. We find all of therule violations to keep us all safer and to get you the result you deserve.