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Who Can Be Held Responsible For a Truck Accident in Seattle, WA?

gosankolaw • Feb 01, 2022

While a car accident typically involves just the (often two) parties involved in the crash, commercial truck accidents can be much more complicated. This is because, in addition to the drivers involved, the trucking company that employs the truck driver also becomes a part of the case. As the driver’s employer, the company may bear legal responsibility for the actions of its driver and the trucks it owns.

Parties that can be held responsible for a truck accident

While a full investigation will be needed in order to determine which parties can be held liable in a particular trucking accident, there are generally several parties that can be involved. These include:

  • The truck driver. The driver themselves may be solely or partly responsible for the accident, such as through negligent behavior.
  • The trucking company. The company that hired the driver and owns the truck may also be responsible. While not directly involved, they may be found guilty of not properly training their drivers, for example, or forcing them to work under unsafe conditions that caused a crash.
  • Cargo shipper & loader. Sometimes trucking companies simply transport sealed cargo on their vehicles and were not involved in the arrangement of the cargo. If a cargo shift or some other kind of issue caused by the cargo shipper & loader contributed to the truck accident happening, then the cargo shipper and loader may be found liable for the accident.
  • Truck manufacturer. If an accident was caused by a defect or malfunctioning of the truck itself, then the manufacturer of the vehicle may be found liable for the trucking accident.
  • Government agencies or contractors. Sometimes, an accident may be caused by a hazardous road condition, in which case the government entity responsible for that condition, or the contractors who were involved, may be held liable.

Determining liability requires much evidence

In order for the right parties to be held liable, it is imperative that any evidence pertaining to the trucking accident is gathered as soon as possible. This includes photos and videos taken during or after the crash, police reports, vehicle inspections, company records and logs, witness statements, and more.

Always discuss your situation or case with an expert truck accident attorney. Doing so will ensure that you have the right guidance, information, and support to pursue legal action after a trucking accident.

The legal team at Gosanko, O’Halloran, Lepore PLLC has the experience and resources necessary to investigate the accident and bring strong claims against those responsible so that you can get the compensation you need and deserve. Call us at 206-275-0700 to get a consultation today.

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