Many truck accident claims are large ones. Wrongful death, serious injuries, life-changing impairment, loss of income, and total vehicle loss are frequently the result of these frightening crashes for which innocent victims should be able to claim compensation.
The question is how much the defendant will pay, if found liable for all of the damage.
With Virginia truck accidents, sorting out all the parties that could be liable is crucial because of the substantial amount of money involved. Which parties should an experienced truck accident attorney look at?
- The owner of the truck: This could be the motor carrier (trucking or logistic company, utility firm, waste management firm, construction company, etc.). Many motor carriers do not own all the trucks they operate, but instead have a leasing contract with independent owner-operators. Under such a contract, the motor carrier is usually, but not always, the liability insurance holder.
- The owner-operator: Some trucks are owned and operated by an independent person for his or her own account with an individual DOT number. Other owner-operators lease and operate their trucks for a motor carrier. Who has third party liability insurance and for what amount is essential information to be discovered.
- The owner of the trailer: Tractors and trailers are separate entities that do not always belong to the same company. In certain cases, it is important to find out who owns the trailer.
- The employer of the driver: Employers are responsible for the accidents caused by their workers, but a driver's employer could be a company other than the truck owner.
- The manufacturer of the truck, trailer, or any deficient truck part: If the crash can be ascribed to the failure or design fault of any part of the tractor-trailer, then the manufacturer of the deficient part can be held liable.
- A parent or affiliated company: There can be many reasons why the motor carrier or driver's employer keeps certain activities and accounts separate in different corporations. Sometimes, these parent companies have substantial insurance coverage "just in case," which they don't want the plaintiff to uncover.
Crashes involving 18-wheelers require the sort of in-depth investigation and analysis that can only be conducted by experienced and skilled truck accident attorneys. If you have been hurt in a Virginia truck crash, please contact our Warrenton or Culpeper office today. You can discuss your case with one of our skilled, dedicated attorneys to see how we can help you secure fair compensation.
