If you were hurt in a crash with a semi truck and trailer, you might be entitled to recover damages for the harms and losses you incur. Before you can recover anything, however, you must determine who was liable for the wreck. Naturally, the at-fault party will depend on the circumstances of the crash, and the only way your personal injury attorney will be able to prove liability is by conducting a thorough investigation first. In general, though, one of the following parties will likely be responsible for the collision.

Parties That Could Be Liable for a Large Truck Crash

1. The Trucker or Motor Carrier

If driver error is to blame for the wreck, the trucker or motor carrier employer will be liable. In general, the trucker will be responsible for all resulting damages if they are an independent contractor. Otherwise, their employer will have to cover the losses that the affected parties incur.

2. The Cargo Loading Company

When cargo shifts during transit, it can affect a truck’s stability and make rollover accidents more likely. If shifting cargo is responsible for a collision, the company that loaded it could be at least partially liable for the damages.

3. The Vehicle or Parts Manufacturer

At the end of the day, trucks are just as vulnerable to malfunctioning as any other consumer product. Even when a motor carrier is meticulous about maintaining their fleet, a single defective part can end up causing a catastrophic crash. In such a scenario, the manufacturer would be liable, and a seasoned personal injury attorney can help prove why.

4. The Municipality

Both city and state agencies are responsible for maintaining the roads. If they fail to do so and an accident occurs as a direct result, all injured parties may hold the applicable agency financially accountable. Since suing a government entity typically has much shorter statutes of limitations, it’s essential to seek legal counsel right away if you suspect the municipality is liable for the wreck that led to your injuries.

5. Another Motorist

If another motorist failed to exercise caution when traveling near the truck, their auto insurer might have to cover the damages. Photographs of the scene, eyewitness testimony, black box data, and dashcam footage can help accident reconstruction experts determine if another driver was responsible for the collision.