Driving a large commercial vehicle, such as a semi, requires more than just quick training and a few practice sessions. To operate a variety of vehicles, gearboxes, brakes, and other systems, truck drivers require extensive training. Additionally, they require training to deal with everyday occurrences like bad weather, heavy traffic, tight bends, and flat tires.
In cases when better-trained truckers could avoid a collision or significantly lessen the effects of an accident, novice truckers are more likely to cause a crash without training for certain types of commercial vehicles, systems, and sometimes risky conditions. You may be entitled to compensation from the trucker’s employer if you were hurt in a truck accident as a result of the driver’s lack of training.
In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about proving fault and the lack of training of a truck driver after a car accident.
If you’ve been hit by an improperly-trained truck driver and need help fighting for compensation, we recommend seeking out a truck accident lawyer with experience in this specific legal niche. A truck accident attorney can look at your situation and build a case to get you the damages you are entitled to after being hit by a truck driver. An accident attorney can also be beneficial in helping you understand how to prove the improper training of a truck driver and gather evidence for your case.
Proving a Lack of Truck Driver Training After an Accident
When operating their cars on the road, truckers are required to adhere to greater safety precautions than regular civilian drivers. They need to be on guard at all times since they are operating larger vehicles that occasionally transport hazardous materials. To protect everyone’s safety on the road, truckers must also go through rigorous training and preparation before using such equipment. To obtain their CDL licenses, truck drivers must successfully complete a demanding course and a test. Additionally, these professionals must adhere to safe driving practices in order to maintain their licenses.
The CDL exam involves knowledge of driving a truck, passing an eye and physical examination, adhering to trucker-specific traffic rules, air brake safety, fundamental driving abilities, navigating bad weather, detecting blind spots, and making wide bends. The firm the trucker works for may offer further training, so they should be familiar with any workplace rules. Drivers of commercial vehicles are required to always drive cautiously and safely while utilizing the knowledge they received during training.
There must be adequate proof that the driver was improperly trained if you intend to make a claim. The employee’s past must be looked at in these circumstances because accidents can and do occur on the road.
When an employee hires a truck driver, it is the employer’s duty to make sure that all drivers have received the necessary training to fulfill both corporate standards and legal obligations. In Florida, it typically takes 6 weeks to prepare for and pass the CDL exam, but there are still additional requirements.
Once a driver has their CDL, it is the employer’s duty to maintain the following information on each driver:
- How long they were on the road.
- Whatever infractions or tickets they have been issued.
- The individuals have received training.
When a motorist earns their CDL, laws must be updated, therefore training should be uniform. A lawyer may check into the business for information about what was provided to the individual while looking into the background of a driver’s training history to determine what was provided. Companies that don’t provide the necessary training risk legal repercussions, particularly if one of their drivers causes an accident.
Filing a Claim Against a Truck Driver or Fleet Company
You must demonstrate that the truck driver owed you a duty and broke it in order to establish negligence on their part. This is the essential notion that will make it possible for you to hold them accountable and maybe have them pay you money for damages. A comprehensive investigation is required after a truck accident to show that the driver, their company, or another party was at fault. Only by demonstrating the driver and their employers’ irresponsibility can you hold them accountable.
By preserving every piece of information relevant to the accident, you can aid the inquiry. Take photographs of your automobile, the truck, and the accident scene as soon as you are able following the collision. You can get assistance from Jonathan Perkins Injury Lawyers by working with investigators and witnesses who have demonstrated the carelessness of both trucking companies and commercial drivers. We may gather any accident-related evidence, including police accident reports, your medical records, insurance records, and any data linked to the accident.
We can also ask the driver and their employers for supporting documents. When we have enough pertinent data, we will use it to argue in court that the trucker was at fault in your case.
Find a Truck Accident Attorney Who Will Fight For Your Negligent Driving Accident Case
In Connecticut, dangerous heavy truck accidents happen often and are becoming worse. Due to the mechanics of pitting a massive commercial truck against a typical passenger car, these incidents frequently result in more serious injuries than car-on-car collisions. Additionally, as this article has described, many truck drivers may not have had the required training, which can lead to major auto accidents.
Some of the most frequent personal injury cases that the truck accident attorneys at Jonathan Perkins Injury Lawyers assist in resolving include car and truck accidents. To get you the compensation you deserve, our skilled accident injury lawyers know how crucial it is to obtain the necessary proof and deal with insurance companies. Call Jonathan Perkins Injury Lawyers at 203-635-0282 or use our online contact form to get a free case review if you want to consult with an injury lawyer who will represent you.