Atlanta Trucking Company Negligence Attorney Goes After the Big Guys

Trucking company negligence means significant recovery for truck crash victims

Commercial trucking companies have a responsibility to ensure that their trucks are well-maintained in a safe condition and that their drivers are qualified, licensed, sober and properly trained. When trucking companies fail to adequately train and monitor their drivers or to properly maintain their fleet, they put the safety of automobile drivers and pedestrians at risk. Trucking company negligence often leads to devastating truck crashes that result in catastrophic injuries and death.

At McMenamy Law, our trucking company negligence attorney carefully evaluates the facts of each case to determine if truck driver negligence or trucking company negligence caused a big rig crash and how to best position a case against the truck driver and/or trucking company to get you the best possible outcome.

Causes of trucking accidents from negligent company acts or omissions

Commercial trucking companies hire drivers and maintain the trucks. As a result, trucking companies put themselves at risk for legal liability when they fail to take steps to ensure their drivers and trucks meet the highest levels of safety. Logbook violations, neglecting to provide adequate safety devices in 18-wheelers and the reckless transport of hazardous materials are among the many negligent acts and omissions that put trucking companies at risk of liability. The more common forms of trucking company negligence are:

• Hiring unqualified drivers — Trucking companies hire hundreds or thousands of drivers annually. Negligence during the hiring process, including hiring unqualified drivers and failing to conduct a proper background check, can lead to disastrous results. When an unqualified or dangerous commercial truck driver collides with another driver or pedestrian and the trucking company should not have hired that driver in the first place, the trucking company may be held responsible for any injuries or wrongful deaths that ensue.
• Failure to inspect or maintain a truck — According to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), 29.4 percent of all large-truck crashes involve brake failure, brakes improperly adjusted or other brake-related issues. Defective tires are also a common cause of trucking accidents. The DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration specifies how trucks are to be maintained and requires that trucking companies perform periodic inspections on their equipment. When commercial trucking companies fail to maintain the safety of their fleet and that failure results in an accident, the trucking company can be held responsible for any injuries, damages or death.
• Noncompliance with federal regulations for travel and sleep time — Sleep deprivation is a common problem for commercial truck operators, especially long haul drivers. Fatigued semi-truck drivers have impaired judgment and slower reaction times and are prone to cause accidents. Federal law regulates the number of hours a commercial truck driver is allowed on the road. Commercial trucking companies that fail to comply with federal requirements for driver travel and sleep time may be held liable for serious injuries or wrongful death when a driver’s lack of sleep causes a truck crash.
• Failure to ensure that tractor-trailers are properly loaded — When a big rig is overloaded or its load is unbalanced or improperly secured, freight can shift, debris may fall off or the truck could roll over or jackknife. Drivers and passengers of vehicles in the vicinity of an overloaded or unbalanced 18-wheeler are in danger of serious injury or even wrongful death if the truck loses control. Commercial trucking companies may be held responsible for any injuries if they failed in their duty to ensure that the tractor-trailer was properly loaded.

Contact our Atlanta attorney to determine if you can recover compensation from a negligent trucking company

Contact McMenamy Law today at 404-846-2828 and 866-957-3928 or online for a free, no-obligation consultation. Our office is conveniently located at the corner of West Paces Ferry and Peachtree roads in Buckhead. We can meet with you at your home or the hospital if you cannot travel to our office. All cases are handled on a contingency fee basis.