When a big truck causes a commercial crash, people tend to assume that the driver is responsible. While that may be true in many cases, drivers don’t control every aspect of their transportation jobs.
There are limitless possible circumstances where a driver might not actually be at fault for a crash in a commercial truck. The two examples below are among the most common.
An employee driver gets in a crash because of a maintenance issue
Perhaps the company overlooked serious issues with the brakes on the truck. Maybe there were other mechanical or structural issues with the vehicle that made it more likely to stall out or otherwise cause issues unexpectedly for the driver.
About 10% of all crashes caused by big trucks involved issues with the vehicle itself that may be outside of the control of the driver unless they own the vehicle themselves.
A driver ends up in a crash because of questionable loading practices
Hauling thousands of pounds of merchandise, materials or equipment requires careful planning. The improper placement of items in the trailer of a commercial truck could affect how easy the truck is to maneuver. Commercial drivers could get into crashes when their truck suddenly rolls over because a company that hired them improperly loaded the trailer.
In cases where the truck driver isn’t responsible for a crash, you may have options for compensation that range from an insurance claim to a civil lawsuit against the employer or client who technically has the ultimate responsibility for the collision. Understanding your options makes it easier to handle the fallout of a commercial truck crash.