Who Do You Sue after a Commercial Trucking Accident?

All traffic accidents are dangerous, but the immense size and power of commercial trucks make truck accidents even more so. If you've been injured by someone else's negligence in a truck accident, getting to the bottom of who's at fault is a critical task that's best left in the capable hands of your experienced Columbia truck accident attorney.

Truck Accidents Are on the Rise

The National Safety Council (NSC) shares several important statistics regarding truck accidents in 2020, including:

• Trucks accounted for only 4 percent of all registered vehicles on our roads but were responsible for 10 percent of the total vehicle miles driven and accounted for 9 percent of the vehicles involved in fatal traffic accidents.

• There were 4,842 fatal truck accidents, which is a 33 percent increase over 2011.

• The accident involvement rate per 100 million miles traveled by large trucks was up 18 percent over 2011.

Truck accidents make our roadways far more dangerous for everyone who travels on them.

The Truck Driver

Many truck accidents are caused by truck driver negligence, which can come in a wide range of forms, including:

1. Distraction

2. Exhaustion

3. Failure to obey the rules of the road

4. Impairment

5. Excess speed

6. Aggression

If the accident that leaves you injured was caused by truck driver negligence, you’ll very likely file your claim with the trucking company’s insurance provider. While most such claims are settled out of court, there are instances in which filing a lawsuit against the insurance company handling your claim is the best path forward, and you and your skilled truck accident attorney will make this important determination when the time comes.

The Trucking Company

While truck drivers are the first line of defense when it comes to preventing dangerous truck accidents, the trucking companies themselves often play a pivotal behind-the-scenes role. The fact is that the trucking industry has never been busier, and trucking companies that are hyper-focused on profits sometimes skimp in relation to safety. Consider the following dangerous practices:

• Failing to hire truckers with the necessary experience;

• Failing to implement and enforce reasonable driving schedules that are in accordance with hours-of-service laws;

• Failing to focus on scheduled maintenance checks;

• Failing to keep rigs roadworthy;

• Pushing drivers to perform outside the bounds of safety;

• Failing to focus on loading trailers safely; and

• Failing to call drivers off the roads in dangerous weather.

Your lawsuit may bypass the driver altogether and focus entirely on the trucking company, or negligence on the part of both may be involved.

It’s Time to Consult with an Experienced Columbia, SC, Truck Accident Attorney

Andrew Littlejohn Johnson is a trusted truck accident attorney at Littlejohn Law – serving Columbia in Richland County along with Allendale, Jasper, Orangeburg, and Hampton, South Carolina – who takes great pride in helping clients like you recover fully on their physical, financial, and emotional losses. Learn more by contacting or calling us at 803-764-4099 today.