Truck accidents can involve tremendous property damage, but that is only secondary to the severe injuries and death that they can cause. A California truck accident can leave a victim with catastrophic injuries that could require long-term medical care and rehabilitation. Moreover, the accident injuries can leave a person unable to work and earn a living, and change many other facets of their daily way of life.
Because truck accidents can cause so much damage, the stakes are very high when it comes to identifying the cause of the crash. Likewise, it is crucial to determine all of the parties who may have some legal responsibility for the accident-related damages.
Semi trucks are immense machines, and various different people and companies can have a hand in putting them on the roadways. Logically, truck drivers may have legal liability if they cause an accident that involves other people. In addition, if the driver works for a company that owns the truck, that company can also be liable for accident-related expenses.
Beyond those two potential parties to a legal claim, it is possible that a maintenance company worked on the truck and improperly altered something on the truck, which led to the accident. Under those circumstances, that third-party company would also share in legal liability. Likewise, if the truck’s cargo somehow contributed to the accident, the manufacturer of that product may be liable for some of the damages.
Overloading a truck with heavy cargo and driver fatigue are two possible causes of a truck accidents. But, the number of other potential causes, including improper truck maintenance, are numerous. Similarly, the parties who may be legally liable for compensating truck accident victims can also be numerous.
An experienced personal injury attorney will know which parties to name as defendants following a fatal commercial truck accident, or one that results in serious injuries. People in Orange County who have been involved in a truck accident should research their legal options.
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