This is the second post in our series on the handling of trucking accidents in Austin, Texas. Our last post provided an overview of topics we will be discussing and stressed the need to contact an attorney if you have been injured by a big rig. It is important that one retain an attorney as truck accident cases are far more complex than auto accidents. In this post we will discuss another important topic - identifying the various defendants in such a case.
Austin trucking accidents may result in several defendants being sued for negligence
Trucking accidents potentially involve the negligence of several defendants. First, the driver is a possible defendant if they failed to obey traffic laws, or other safety requirements, and a victim was injured as a result. Second, the truck’s owner is potentially liable as employers are responsible for the acts of their employees and contractors. Additionally, the owner may be negligent if they failed to properly train the driver or if they were aware that the driver had a history of operating the truck in a reckless fashion. Finally, those who hired the trucking company to transport goods may be responsible if it can be shown that they knowingly hired an operation with a history of accidents.
The different types of liability faced by each defendant means that a trial may have to address several different aspects. Testimony will be directly related to the driver’s operation of the truck. Additional testimony will be required in regards to steps the vehicle’s owner took to train the driver, to check the driver’s background, and to have policies in place which ensured safety. If the company which owned the truck is part of a larger conglomerate then there may be an aspect of the case dealing with other companies in the conglomerate who may share liability (such as a parent corporation). Finally, additional testimony may be required to show whether the company which contracted with the freight agency took adequate steps to ensure that their goods would be transported in a safe manner. These types of issues can make Austin trucking accidents highly complex.
Austin trucking accident victims should hire an attorney with the resources necessary to handle such a case
The high number of defendants in a trucking accident case makes such a matter very complex. This means that the Plaintiff’s attorney may have to expend substantial amounts of money to establish the liability of each defendant. Unfortunately, there are personal injury firms which may lack the resources necessary to see such a case through to completion and a Plaintiff’s case may be harmed as a result. For these reasons it is suggested that you contact a lawyer able to handle large scale matters. DJC Law has the resources necessary to handle large scale matters and is not concerned about going toe to toe with large defendants. Contact our office today.
In addition to Austin, we also service Travis County cities which include Rollingwood, Round Rock, Elgin, Jonestown, Manor, Bee Cave, Lago Vista, Sunset Valley, Lakeway, Creedmoor, the Williamson County cities of Georgetown, Cedar Park, and Leander, as well as other areas of Texas.