Oklahoma City Truck Accident Attorneys

Common Types of Negligence That Cause Truck Accidents

You may be entitled to compensation under the law if you were involved in a truck collision that wasn’t your fault. To successfully recover damages, you must be able to demonstrate that one or more parties involved in operating, overseeing, loading, or maintaining the truck involved behaved negligently. 

Our lawyers are prepared to handle truck accident cases arising from many types of negligence, including:

• Fatigued driving. Fatigue severely impairs reaction time and judgment, in many ways mimicking the effects of drunk driving. Truck drivers must follow strict “hours of service” regulations that limit the number of hours they can drive without resting. A driver behaves negligently when they ignore these roles and their resulting fatigue causes an accident. A truck driver’s employer may also be negligent if they pressure or incentivize drivers to exceed the limits to meet overly aggressive deadlines. 
• Distracted driving. Distracted driving refers to anything that takes a driver’s full attention off the road. Truck drivers who use cell phones, eat, or focus on in-cab technology instead of the road are more likely to cause collisions.
• Excessive speeding. Speeding significantly reduces the time they have to react to traffic changes or avoid obstacles. Truck drivers who exceed the speed limit or drive too fast for conditions, such as rain or heavy traffic, put immense strain on the vehicle's braking system and greatly increase the severity of any resulting crash.
• Negligent hiring, training, or supervision. Trucking companies behave negligently when they hire unqualified drivers, fail to conduct proper background checks, or neglect to provide essential training on safety regulations and vehicle operation. A company also acts negligently when it allows a driver with a known history of violations or drug or alcohol abuse to operate its vehicles.
• Insufficient vehicle maintenance. Trucking companies and vehicle owners must maintain their fleet in a safe operating condition. Failing to perform mandatory inspections, delaying necessary repairs, or ignoring known defects like bad brakes, worn tires, or malfunctioning lights can cause mechanical failures that result in preventable accidents.
• Overloaded or improperly secured cargo. Improperly loading or securing cargo on a truck changes the vehicle’s center of gravity and makes it difficult to control, especially when turning or braking. Overloading the truck can also compromise the braking system. The company or the cargo loader acts negligently when they violate weight limits or cargo securement rules, leading to shifted loads or rollovers.
• Driving under the influence (DUI). Intoxicated drivers cannot accurately judge distances, reliably maintain their lane, or react quickly, creating a higher probability of causing a devastating and deadly collision.

Who Is Liable for a Truck Crash?

You can only recover compensation for truck accident injuries if you take legal action against the appropriate party or parties. Negligence tends to be straightforward in a typical car accident, but in a truck accident case, parties in addition to or other than the driver themselves may be legally responsible for the crash. Our team at JJ Law can meticulously investigate every detail of your accident and identify all liable parties.

Depending on the circumstances, one or more of the following parties could be liable for a truck collision:

• The truck driver
• The trucking company
• The cargo loader or cargo loading company
• The truck’s maintenance or repair shop
• The vehicle or vehicle component manufacturer

We can help you seek accountability when you have suffered life-altering injuries in a truck crash. Call (888) 495-3339 or contact us online to get started.