MANASSAS PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS MANAGE TRUCK ACCIDENT CASES

Determined representation for Virginia victims seeking full, fair compensation

If you or a loved one has been hurt in a truck crash, you should understand two facts. First, commercial trucks are required to carry high levels of insurance, so your injuries, no matter how severe, can probably be covered. Second, the insurers who underwrite common carriers have deep legal departments tasked with limiting any payouts for accident claims. To recover the full, fair compensation you deserve, you need experienced and determined legal representation. For more than 20 years, The Daugherty Law Firm has fought for the rights of accident victims. Our personal injury attorneys provide capable, trustworthy representation focused on positive results.

Truck accidents pose a greater risk to life and limb

Although crashes involving large commercial trucks make up less than two percent of Virginia’s motor vehicle accidents, they result in a large proportion of fatalities. According to the Virginia Highway Safety Office, there were 2,306 large truck crashes in the Commonwealth in 2017, in which 822 people were injured and 45 were killed. That means a truck crash is two-and-a-half times more likely to cause a fatality than an auto accident. Naturally, the immense size and weight of a semi-truck vastly exceeds that of a passenger car, so the car stands little chance in a collision between the two. In the event of a jackknife, a tractor-trailer traveling at highway speed can cut a destructive swath across several lanes.

Who is liable for a commercial truck accident?

Because of Virginia’s strict pure contributory negligence law, an injured party can recover compensation only against a defendant who is 100 percent responsible for the harm done. Your attorney must identify the cause of the accident and hold the right party or parties accountable. In commercial truck accidents, the party at fault might be any of the following:

  • Truck driver — Driver error accounts for most truck accidents, but drivers can increase the likelihood of an accident by working when fatigued, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, driving aggressively or engaging in distractions that take their eyes and minds off the road.
  • Trucking company — When a driver is at fault, the trucking company assumes financial responsibility for the injuries under the rule of respondeat superior (“the master must answer”). In addition, a trucking company can be liable for violating federal regulations, allowing drivers to work too many hours behind the wheel and putting equipment that failed inspection back on the road before it is repaired.
  • Truck owners/lessors — Trucking companies often lease their trucks, in which cases the lessors may be liable for injuries caused by negligent maintenance or mechanical defects.
  • Maintenance company — Trucking companies often subcontract maintenance on their equipment. If brakes or other components fail or malfunction after a maintenance company worked on them, that company could be on the hook.
  • Equipment manufacturer — When original equipment fails or malfunctions while it is still under warranty, the manufacturer can be held liable for any damage caused.
  • Cargo loader — Some truck crashes, such as rollovers, occur because the vehicle has been overloaded or improperly loaded. The company responsible for loading the trailer could be liable.
  • Another driver — Trucks sometimes crash because of interference by drivers of other vehicles who make unsafe maneuvers around big rigs, causing them to brake sharply and lose control.

Our legal team has the resources to investigate your crash thoroughly, so we can identify the proper defendants and hold them accountable.

Contact our truck accident attorneys in Manassas for a free consultation

The Daugherty Law Firm accepts commercial truck accidents cases on a contingency fee basis, getting paid only if we win a monetary recovery for you. Call our office at 703-659-2437 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.

We offer reasonable fixed-fee arrangements and accept major credit cards.

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