If you’ve been in an accident involving a commercial vehicle, you may be confused about who is liable for your injuries and damages. When the other driver is at fault in a traditional car accident, you would typically pursue them and their insurance — but a commercial vehicle may have different owners, policy holders, and drivers. So where do you begin?
In this brief article, commercial truck accident lawyers in Tampa with Inkelaar Law share information on who may be liable and what you should do next if you’ve been involved in an accident.
As with any accident, the other driver may be at fault. If this is the case, they will need to be insured, either with a personal policy that covers professional driving or through their company’s insurance policy. Even if they are not named as the insured, they still have an important role to play in sorting out the pieces after an accident.
Remember, the truck driver may be at fault, but they likely won’t be the same as the person who is listed as the owner of the vehicle or the employer (unless they own the business). Inkelaar Law’s commercial vehicle accident attorneys in Tampa will help you understand the role of the driver in the accident’s liability.
The trucking company will sometimes be listed as the owner of the truck, but in many cases they contract drivers and truck owners. This means that the trucking company may have an important role in the liability of the accident — especially if they promote practices with their drivers or employees that put other people at risk (like payment decreases if a delivery is not made within a certain amount of time).
The owner of the truck may sometimes be the same as the driver, or it might be the same as the trucking company. In some cases, the owner of the truck falls into neither of these categories. The owner plays an important role because they are likely the policyholder of the insurance. As the owner, they are also legally responsible for anything that happens with the vehicle.
Trying to sort out all of these pieces can be frustrating and exhausting when you are already suffering during a very stressful time. If you’ve been hurt in an accident involving a commercial vehicle or truck, Tampa commercial truck accident lawyers can help.
If you have been injured in an accident and are interested in filing a personal injury case, you need an attorney who will help you get back on your feet. Contacting an attorney with Inkelaar Law in Tampa is the first step in holding the responsible parties accountable and getting you the compensation you deserve.
If you need commercial vehicle accident attorneys in Tampa, please give us a call for free consultation at (813) 722-0622, or submit our consultation request form.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.
