The Truck Driver that Caused My Accident Should Not Have Been on the Road: Can I Get Compensated for My Injuries?
In the United States, there are almost 3.5 million commercial truck drivers on the road. Any one of these drivers could potentially cause a traffic accident. Commercial trucking companies have a responsibility to ensure that their trucks are well-maintained in a safe condition and that their drivers are qualified, licensed, sober and properly trained. When trucking companies fail to adequately train and monitor their drivers or to properly maintain their fleet, they put the safety of automobile drivers and pedestrians at risk. Trucking company negligence often leads to devastating crashes that result in catastrophic injuries and death.
Fortunately, federal law tightly regulates who can work as commercial truck drivers. These laws require that drivers have the proper commercial driving license, companies provide proper certifications and training information, check the driving history of drivers for any past accidents, screen for medical history, drug use, and past criminal behavior. Federal law requires that trucking companies only hire drivers who are safety-conscious and maintain strict standards for their drivers. These regulatory procedures must also be renewed every few years.
Trucking companies hire hundreds or thousands of drivers annually. However, many trucking companies have an extremely high turnover rate. This means these companies invest a lot of time in the hiring and training of their drivers. Often times, this causes industry-wide corner-cutting to save themselves time and money. When that happens, they put unqualified drivers on the road and risk the health and safety of millions of other drivers.
When an unqualified or dangerous commercial truck driver is involved in an accident and the trucking company should not have hired that driver in the first place, the trucking company may be held responsible for any injuries or wrongful deaths that ensue. If it can be proven that a trucking company did perform a background check, knew that the driver had a bad past but still hired them anyway, the trucking company can be held accountable for gross negligence which can provide greater compensation for the injured party.
Any trucking company that violates federal safety regulations can face fines and punishment by federal agencies. Unfortunately, however, the federal government won’t get compensation for you or your injuries. To receive the compensation you deserve, you’ll need to file a lawsuit for negligent hiring in civil court.
If you or a loved one have been injured by a commercial truck driver, call Personal Injury Attorney Chelsie M. Lamie at 727-501-3464 for a free consultation. You can also learn more about Attorney Lamie by visiting www.chelsielamie.com.