Who Is Held Liable After an Oklahoma City Truck Accident?

In the legal sense, liability is the responsibility for your actions. If you fail to act with reasonable care and cause someone else to suffer an injury, you are liable for the injury, and the injured party has a legal claim to compensation.

While liability may seem straightforward, if you were injured in a truck accident, it can be difficult to determine who is at fault and, ultimately, liable. Commercial truck accidents can be complex due to multiple potentially liable parties involved. These may include the truck driver, the trucking company, the manufacturer of the truck and its components, the local government responsible for the highway, and more.

If you are wondering who is liable after your truck accident in or near Oklahoma City, The Wolf Pack™ is here to help. Continue reading to learn who may be responsible for your truck accident.

Investigating Truck Accidents

Because of the multiple parties involved, a truck accident must be thoroughly investigated to determine fault. The investigation may include:

• Police reports
• Evidence from the scene of the accident
• Looking at photos or video of the accident and the damage to the vehicles
• Getting data from the event data recorder in the truck

Some truck accidents require bringing in accident reconstruction specialists to determine what happened.

An investigator will also check the truck activity logs to ensure that the driver was adhering to the hours-of-service limits, which determine appropriate driving periods and rest periods. The trucking company’s records should also be reviewed, along with statements from other trucking company employees.

All of this information will be investigated by an insurance adjuster to determine the responsible party for your collision. Having an experienced truck accident attorney on your side can help strengthen your case. Your attorney will look into every detail of your case to ensure your level of fault can be proven to be as low as possible.

Multiple Parties Can Be Found Liable for a Truck Accident

Depending on the investigation results, one or more parties may be found responsible for your collision.

• The truck driver may be liable because of a failure to act with reasonable care, which may include improperly maintaining the truck, driving while fatigued or under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or failing to follow the rules of the road.
• The trucking company may be liable if the driver was improperly trained, was unqualified, or ignored the hours-of-service limits.
• Outside vendors might be liable if they were careless in their responsibilities, such as failing to provide drug and alcohol tests, background checks, or truck maintenance.
• Manufacturers may be held liable if the accident was caused by a defect or mechanical failure that wasn’t a result of improper maintenance.
• Cargo companies may be held liable if their shipments weren’t compliant or they were careless in loading, such as not properly securing cargo that inevitably caused an accident.
• The local government may be held liable if the accident was caused by road hazards from poor maintenance, damaged traffic signs, or a poorly organized construction zone.

Multiple Party Liability

If the investigation reveals that several parties are at fault for the truck accident, it may be possible to seek compensation through multiple claims. The insurance companies may try to offer low settlements to close the claims quickly and inexpensively, but that could leave you with less than you deserve for your injuries.

Injured in a Truck Accident? Call The Wolf Pack!™

If you were hurt from a commercial truck accident in Oklahoma City, The Wolf Pack™ can help! The experienced team of lawyers at Colbert Cooper Hill Attorneys will help you fight for the compensation you deserve. We have years of experience investigating truck accidents and addressing accident claims. You’ll have peace of mind knowing we’re working to build you the strongest case possible. Call 405-218-9200 or fill out the online form to get your free case review from The Wolf Pack™ today!