Tractor-trailer trucks seem to tower over passenger cars and can be intimidating to other drivers on the road. The size, weight and speed at which tractor-trailers travel increases the potential for serious trucking accidents. As a result, the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has developed special truck driver regulations aimed to keep truckers and other drivers safe.
One Missouri couple now understands the importance of those federal regulations and is thankful to be alive. The couple was injured when a tractor-trailer collided with their Dodge Ram truck. The couple filed a lawsuit against the trucking company and driver claiming that, although traveling at a low speed, the truck hit the rear passenger side of their Ram. The Missourians claimed that because of the accident they incurred medical expenses and require long-term medical care. Recently, the couple settled their lawsuit for $975,000.
Those injured as the result of commercial vehicle negligence may be able to recover compensation by filing a negligence lawsuit. Although it may not seem obvious, the driver of the truck is not the only potential defendant. Trucking companies, contractors, employers and insurance companies may also be required to compensate victims for their injuries. Depending on the type of cargo the truck was hauling, the manufacturer or shipper of hazardous cargo may be responsible for the victim’s injuries. Victims may be able to receive damages for physical, emotional or financial losses resulting from the trucking accident. The amount of compensation a victim may receive depends on his or her unique injuries and the specific facts of the case.
Following a trucking accident, Missouri victims may be unsure which steps to take next. Choosing the correct defendant to file suit against is critical to receiving the compensation to which you are entitled.
Source: The Madison-St. Clair Record, “Clayton attorney secures $975K settlement in trucking accident,” Ann Maher, Feb. 21, 2014