If you’re lucky enough to walk away from a trucking accident in Mississippi, you need to count your blessings because they are incredibly dangerous and often fatal. The sheer size of big rigs and 18-wheelers makes them exponentially more lethal when the driver acts negligently and causes an accident. If you’ve been the victim of a trucking accident, you need to call our offices to speak with a Hattiesburg car accident attorney to discuss your options and begin the processes of determining liability and earning the financial compensation you may be entitled to.
When determining the liability of a trucking accident, a skilled Mississippi trucking accident lawyer knows to look beyond the driver. Though the accident was caused by their negligence, there are likely other parties at play. It’s impossible to fight this battle on your own, especially when the driver specifically did not act negligently. They could have done everything correctly according to driving laws and protocols, and for circumstances outside of their control, they still could have caused a trucking accident. You need an attorney on your side who knows how to determine if the driver acted negligently as well as if any other parties can be held liable.
Since Mississippi is an at-fault state, the party who caused the accident is responsible to pay the damages to the victim, in this case: you. When truck drivers get into accidents, they are one of four (4) parties that may be responsible for damages.
The driver: This is the most obvious answer, as they were the one behind the wheel to cause the accident. Were they speeding? Did they merge without looking? Did they jackknife their truck? Were they inebriated or high at the time of the accident? All of these scenarios and more prove liability and therefore mean they would need to pay your damages including medical bills and car repairs.
The truck company: If the driver was on the job, the trucking company that employs the driver can be held liable for the accident. Did they improperly screen the driver and overlook a history of substance abuse or driving infractions? Did they knowingly enable their team to overload the truck or trailer that caused an imbalance in weight? Did they ignore common and necessary repairs making the vehicle non-compliant and send it out for a run anyway?
The mechanic/repair company: If the trucking company outsources repairs for their trucks, the person/company that repairs their vehicles may be held liable if they did not properly maintain the vehicle, improperly repaired it, or used defective parts. You need a Hattiesburg car accident lawyer on your side to explore this possibility.
The government: If the state doesn’t take care of its roads, a perfectly capable, confident, and competent truck driver can still cause an accident. You’ll need a car accident lawyer to prove that road conditions were a determining factor in your accident.
If you were the victim of a trucking accident and face high medical bills and car repair bills, you shouldn’t needlessly suffer. Contact our offices today to speak with an expert Hattiesburg car accident lawyer so that new can review the details of your accident, determine liability, and build a case so you earn the financial compensation you deserve. Call us now for more information.
