Under federal law, commercial tractor-trailers can weigh up to 80,000 pounds when fully loaded with cargo. A vehicle of that size and mass hitting a small car is almost certain to result in devastating consequences, as far too many Oklahoma residents learn every year.
If you have been hurt as a result of getting hit by a truck, a conversation with an Altus truck accident lawyer should be high on your priority list. You should not have to suffer immense physical, financial, and personal losses just because someone else acted irresponsibly. A dedicated personal injury attorney could work with you to hold a negligent driver or company accountable for the harm they caused you.
Identifying the Right Defendant for a Truck Wreck Claim
Much like other types of wrecks, truck crashes often stem from a truck driver’s failure to follow the rules of the road. If a trucker causes an accident by taking a turn too fast, failing to check their blind spots, driving while intoxicated, or doing anything else that was reckless or disregarding the safety of others, any person hurt as a result of that negligence could have grounds for civil compensation.
However, truck accident claims are somewhat unique in that the ideal defendant is not always the person who directly caused the accident. Through the legal principle of respondeat superior, trucking companies are often held responsible for the negligent actions of their employees or persons they hire to drive their trucks. Large businesses or corporations generally have a greater financial capacity to cover an injured person’s damages than an individual trucker would.
Sometimes trucking companies are directly at fault for truck crashes. If a company forces their employees to disobey federal driving hours regulation and instead drive while dangerously fatigued, an Altus tractor-trailer collision lawyer could help an injured person hold that company liable for their misconduct. Other potentially at-fault parties for this kind of incident might include mechanics who failed to provide proper service to a truck, manufacturers who made defective truck components, or third-party suppliers who did not ensure a truck’s load was secure while loading it.
What Could Potentially Limit Recovery?
Another way that a truck accident case sometimes resembles other types of auto accident claims is in the potential impact of comparative negligence. Under Oklahoma Statutes Title 23 §13, any civil plaintiff found by a jury to be partially to blame for their own injuries is subject to a proportional reduction in recoverable damages based on their percentage of fault. Furthermore, any plaintiff found to be more than 50 percent at fault for an accident is ineligible to seek any compensation at all.
On top of that, the two-year statutory filing deadline for personal injuries set by OK Stat. Tit. 12 §95 applies to truck accident claims regardless of how severe a plaintiff’s losses are. In light of this, seeking assistance from a local truck accident attorney is crucial so that the deadline does not pass without a filing.
Get in Touch with an Altus Truck Accident Attorney
In the wake of a truck wreck, acting quickly to pursue civil compensation is often key to protecting your future prospects. The physical injuries, financial losses, and subjective emotional damages that this kind of incident can cause have the potential to change the course of your life. Comprehensive financial recovery could minimize the suffering you have to endure because of another person’s negligence.
An Altus truck accident lawyer could stand by your side from start to finish of the litigation process, relentlessly fighting for a positive case outcome on your behalf. Call today to discuss your options.