Philadelphia Truck Accident Attorneys

Determining liability in a truck accident requires speed, experience, and determination. At The Beasley Firm, we will work tirelessly to identify which parties can be held responsible for your injuries and how much you can pursue in damages. The following are the most common parties liable for semi-truck collisions:

• Driver. A driver can be held liable if they are speeding, tailgating, texting, driving under the influence, or driving while fatigued. Fault also depends on whether or not the driver is an employee or an independent contractor.
• Trucking company. If the owner of the tractor-trailer acted negligently, they may be held responsible. Many times companies place unrealistic expectations on drivers, forcing them to ignore federal rules and regulations. An overworked driver is more likely to cause an accident than one who gets the recommended seven hours of sleep.
• Person who leased the truck. If someone is leasing the truck, they can be held liable in place of the owner.
• Third-party maintenance and repair company. If the trucking company hires a third-party to maintain their trucks, they may be at fault if they are negligent during their inspections.
• Manufacturer. A poorly designed tire that explodes in the middle of a highway and causes an accident may be the fault of the manufacturer.
• Cargo shipper/loader. Improperly loaded and overloaded cargo can make it harder for a driver to properly control their truck. Whoever was in charge of loading or shipping the cargo may be held liable.

The Beasley Firm will perform an extensive investigation to determine if one or more party is responsible for the negligence that caused your injuries. In many cases, we can file a personal injury lawsuit against more than one party in order to recover the full amount of compensation that our clients deserve.

Contact Us our Philadelphia trucking collision attorneys today for a free consultation.

Did the Truck Driver Violate Federal Regulations?

In an attempt to prevent serious crashes involving large commercial trucks, tractor-trailers, big rigs, and semi-trucks, there are various regulations set forth by the United States Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. These are designed to keep the safety of the truck driver and all others on the road in mind. Two of the most important regulations involve the maximum weight of the truck and the way the trailer is loaded, as well as the Hours of Service regulations. When drivers violate these regulations, they leave themselves and others susceptible to serious crashes.

However, it’s important to know what these regulations mean, who can violate them, and how they can cause a collision:

Weight Restrictions

Commercial trucks are large in and of themselves. When they are carrying extensive amounts of cargo, they can reach massive weights. It’s important to know, though, that these trucks and trailers should not exceed a combined 80,000 pounds. When they are overloaded, they can cause problems with other parts of the truck, as well as make it difficult to control or stop the truck. When too much weight is in the trailer, stopping becomes more difficult and it can result in brake failure or some other part on the truck breaking, including the hitch. Overloaded trucks are also responsible for numerous jackknifes.

Proper Cargo Loading

It is also possible to improperly load a trailer by making one side heavier than the other. This becomes especially dangerous when the truck has to make certain turns in which the heavier side of the trailer is making the bend. The heavier cargo could cause the trailer to turn over, landing it on its side and putting anyone nearby at risk of injury, as well as the truck driver. It is the responsibility of the trucking company owner, the driver, and the cargo loader to make sure the trailer is properly loaded. In some cases, the cargo might be purposely overloaded in order to deliver more products. This is dangerous to do.