Commercial trucks are typically part of a transport company or trucking fleet with mechanic teams that support their vehicles. These trucks are also put through inspection by trucking regulations. All of these separate parties may potentially be held liable for a serious injury or wrongful death of a loved one you may have suffered in an Illinois truck accident.
A Chicago truck accident lawyer will be able to help you review the details of your Illinois truck accident.
After obtaining the records necessary for evidence in your case, they can help you identify any potential third parties that may be involved in your Illinois truck accident claim.
Truck Drivers are the Obvious Defendants
When you are the victim of an Illinois truck accident, most of the time the accident was caused by truck driver negligence. Common causes of serious truck accidents relating to driver negligence include:
- Failure to observe proper resting regulations;
- Driving while under the influence of intoxicating substances;
- Aggressive driving; and
- Distracted driving.
Driver negligence is a serious issue factoring into many Illinois truck accident claims. A Chicago truck accident lawyer will be able to obtain the driver’s record of duty which details when they were driving and if they took the regulated amount of time off between driving shifts. Some trucks are also equipped with data monitoring systems that can determine if the vehicle was being operated at safe conditions. These records can be used as evidence to support your claim during the investigation.
Truck Repair Facilities and Manufacturers
Most trucking companies have a designated repair facility or team responsible for performing repairs and maintenance on their fleet. The trucking company should be keeping records of all work done on each vehicle and these records may point to overlooked issues, neglected maintenance, or failure to take safety measures.
Truck manufacturers are also another party that may become involved in an Illinois truck accident. If the truck is found to be defective because of a manufacturer error that was not corrected, you may be able to file suit against the manufacturer as well. A Chicago truck accident attorney can review the vehicle history for repair and maintenance abnormalities, as well as the manufacturer information for any recall or warranty issues.
Continue reading to see how trucking companies can factor into your Illinois truck accident claim and how a Chicago truck accident lawyer can help you best develop and support your claim.
Trucking Companies are Common Third Parties
While the truck driver in your Illinois truck accident is generally the main defendant in your case, their parent trucking company can be held liable in many cases. Your Chicago truck accident lawyer will be able to request the driver and vehicle history records for the driver and truck involved, and use this to determine the cause of the crash.
By law, trucking companies must maintain records of their drivers’ activity and the maintenance of the vehicles they drive. Unfortunately, federal regulations only require the company to maintain these records for a fixed period of time, as short as 90 days for some records. In the event of a serious Illinois truck accident, many companies will destroy records as soon as legally possible to prevent them from being used in court as evidence.
Time is of the essence when investigating a trucking company as a third party defendant in your Illinois truck accident case. An experienced Chicago truck accident lawyer will know they must act quickly to obtain these records before they are destroyed.
Trucking Inspections
The commercial trucking industry has many laws and regulations they must follow for the safe and legal operation of their vehicles. Weigh stations, hazardous cargo transport guidelines, and cargo inspections are among a few of the additional inspections commercial trucks must undergo on a regular basis.
If your Chicago truck accident lawyer finds evidence that the truck involved in your Illinois truck accident was in violation of any inspection, yet still allowed to operate, you may be able to file a third-party claim against either the inspection department or the trucking company or driver that allowed continued operation.
Hiring a Chicago Truck Accident Lawyer
Having an experienced Chicago truck accident lawyer on your side after a serious Illinois truck accident will help you deal with the insurance companies and get your case settled much more quickly than if you chose to go without professional legal help. Your lawyer will know the proper third parties to investigate and help you seek damages from all those responsible for your injuries.
A Chicago truck accident lawyer from the Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle, P.C. knows the proper third parties to look to when determining all those involved in your Illinois truck accident. Contact us today for a free case evaluation – 312- 263-1080
