What Happens If Multiple Parties Are Liable in a Truck Accident Case?

Has Your Life Been Turned Upside Down By a Negligent Commercial Truck Driver?

A car accident is bad enough. Dealing with repair shops and insurance companies, and missing work while you heal. It’s just a downright terrible ordeal. But when you’re in an accident involving a commercial vehicle? Be prepared for the headache to get worse as you get the run around, never knowing if their first settlement is fair or not. A fully loaded semi can weigh as much as 80,000 lbs, meaning the chances of sustaining life-altering injuries skyrocket.

Besides the obvious, commercial vehicle accidents also come with a more unique issue: who should be paying you for your damages? Many people may suspect it’s just the driver and their insurance, maybe the company that employs them. But things are not going to be that easy. In commercial vehicle accidents, many other parties and their negligence may have contributed to the accident and your injuries.

Rundlett Law Firm PLLC is here to guide you through this process. Our goal is to identify the responsible parties and then seek the maximum compensation possible. While a settlement is ideal, our personal injury attorneys are not afraid to fight by your side in court.

Call 228-591-9324 to schedule a free consultation with a Biloxi personal injury attorney. If you live in Clinton, call 601-282-8426.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Truck Accident?

One of the most complicated parts of a truck accident case is determining who is actually responsible. It is rare that the driver holds the blame alone. Commercial vehicles operate within a network of companies and contractors, and any one of them could’ve contributed to what happened.

Any one of these parties could be liable for your accident:

• The truck driver: If the driver was speeding, distracted, fatigued, or driving under the influence, they can be held personally liable for the crash. Even something like driving too many consecutive hours can be enough to be found liable.
• The trucking company: These companies are often responsible for their drivers. If they hired someone without a proper background check, failed to enforce breaks, or pressured the driver to meet unsafe deadlines, they could be held accountable.
• The cargo loaders: If the truck was loaded improperly or carried an unbalanced or overweight load, it can affect the vehicle’s handling and increase the risk of a rollover.
• The maintenance crew or mechanic: If the company in charge of inspecting and maintaining the truck fails to repair or even spot a mechanical issue, it could be held liable for negligence.
• The manufacturer: Sometimes, the issue arises from a defective part or mechanical failure. If an accident results from flawed manufacturing, the manufacturer could be held responsible.

When multiple parties are involved, a detailed investigation is required to determine who did what and who should pay for it.

What If You Are Partially Responsible For Your Accident?

Being involved in a truck accident doesn’t mean the crash was 100% someone else’s fault. If you were distracted for a moment or made a lane change too fast, you could make yourself partially responsible for causing the accident. That doesn’t mean you don’t have legal options, though.

Mississippi law allows injured drivers to recover compensation even if they share some of the blame. Mississippi uses a pure comparative fault system, which means your final compensation is reduced based on your share of the fault. For example, if you are found to be 20% responsible, your payout would be reduced by 25%.

Insurance companies love to use this system to their advantage. The more fault they can pin on you, the less they have to pay. The insurance company loves nothing more than a victim who speaks with them before speaking with an attorney.

Are Insurance Companies Really That Bad?

In short, yes, they are.

It doesn’t matter how friendly these adjusters sound on the phone. Their job isn’t helping you; it’s protecting their company’s bottom line, and they have an entire playbook that helps them do just that.

Some of the most common tactics include:

Trying to get a recorded statement right away: This will not benefit you. They are hoping you say something, anything at all, that they can twist to downplay your injuries or shift some, or all, of the blame on you.

Pushing for a quick settlement: Before you’ve spoken with a medical professional or figured out how serious your injuries are, the insurance companies will try to give you a low-ball initial offer that seems just high enough to be fair. In reality, this offer will barely cover your current medical bills.

Asking for medical records to “verify your treatment”: What they’re actually doing is digging through your history, looking for anything they can use against you.

Delaying the process until you’re desperate: They know your bulls are piling up. They know you’re missing work. And they definitely know there is a time limit. The insurance companies are not afraid of using time as a weapon.

If you’ve been hurt in a truck accident, be careful. Don’t give statements. Don’t sign anything. And never assume they are playing fair.

How Will a Personal Injury Attorney Investigate Fault?

Getting to the truth after a truck accident requires more than a police report. Black box data, driver logs, dashcam footage, and witness statements all play a role. Sometimes, expert reconstruction is needed to show how the crash really happened. In many cases, key evidence is buried in company records that won’t be handed over without a subpoena.

If you’re tired of dealing with this alone, call Rundlett Law Firm PLLC to speak with a personal injury attorney who cares.

Call 228-591-9324 in Biloxi or 601-282-8426 in Clinton to get started with a free consultation.