Liability for Trucking Companies That Employ Unfit Drivers

Due to the enormous size and weight of large commercial trucks, when they get in crashes they typically cause severe damage and injuries. Truck accidents are often caused by poorly trained drivers that are incompetent. Considering that driving a commercial truck is far more complicated than your average sedan or another private automobile, it would only make sense that truck drivers should be adequately trained before they get behind the wheel.

When a large vehicle at around 80,000 pounds is speeding out of control into traffic there is no doubt that the results will be catastrophic and devastating. This is specifically true for other drivers in much smaller cars that have to take on the immense impact. As a result, truck accidents often cause debilitating life-long injuries and death. Victims in these situations, may not know what to do in the aftermath of such a traumatic event. While seeking medical treatment is imperative, so is speaking with an attorney that fully understands how to examine truck accidents, gather evidence, and advocate for victims to secure full and fair compensation for their damages.

If a truck accident has caused you significant harm, call the Pennsylvania truck accident lawyers at Edelstein Martin & Nelson to discuss your accident.

Who is Responsible When a Driver is Unfit for Driving a Truck?

When a trucking company is hiring new drivers they hold a tremendous amount of responsibility. Due to the potential dangers, an unfit driver will have, it is imperative the truck company do their due diligence in researching the background of prospective drivers, that they scrutinize their resume, and that they also place an emphasis on training and experience operating large trucks. Failure to do all of these steps can result in placing an inept driver behind the wheel of a massive vehicle that can cause cataclysmic harm to others on the road.The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrationhas very detailed rules and regulations for truck drivers that trucking companies must follow. These include employing drivers with the capacity, proficiency, and competence to safely operate large trucks. There are many requirements that must be considered including:

• Physical capability
• The background and driving record of a potential driver
• Proper training and skill

If a trucking company put a driver on the road that lacked in any of these categories, they then put everyone around the truck at increased risk for an accident happening. When an accident does happen due to a poorly trained or vetted truck driver, the trucking company may be liable for the resulting damages victims suffered. Due to the often, severe consequences of a truck accident, the settlement amount that a trucking company may be presented with has the potential to be quite large. As a result, their insurance provider will often fight to diminish such settlement demands and look to find ways to outright deny them.

Speak with a Truck Accident Lawyer in Pennsylvania Today

Filing a claim for the full amount of compensation you are owed by a trucking company is not going to be an easy task. You will likely be met with insurance adjusters that are trying to get you to give them information to jeopardize your case or aggressive lawyers that are meant to intimidate. This is why it is best in these instances that you work with an attorney that can stand up for you and fight to get you what you deserve.For help after a commercial trucking accident in Pennsylvania, please call the Pennsylvania personal injury attorneys at Edelstein Martin & Nelson by calling (215) 731-9900.