Maine Commercial Vehicle Accident Lawyers
Call the law firm that has been fighting for the injured since 1979
Many truck accidents involve commercial vehicles being used to make deliveries. As a result, drivers and passengers of other vehicles can be left with serious injuries. Recovering financial compensation can be complicated. The experienced truck accident attorneys Jabar LaLiberty, LLC fight for the rights of the injured.
Local commercial vehicles, including delivery trucks, don’t have the size of big rigs, but drivers are frequently under serious time pressure. Sometimes that pressure comes from the employer—UPS is famous for holding its drivers to strict time limits on deliveries; some pizza restaurants “guarantee delivery” in a certain amount of time. Other times, the pressure comes from more practical concerns about getting back to the garage by closing time, or finishing early so that the driver can leave for an appointment.
Whatever the reason for the pressure, it encourage behaviors like speeding, risky parking and reckless driving. It can also preoccupy the driver and impair concentration.
Our personal injury attorneys hold negligent parties accountable
Even in the absence of unrealistic time pressure, delivery truck drivers have a job that leaves them at the mercy of traffic, parking conditions, and other factors. Double parking, backing up against the flow of traffic, U-turns and sudden and frequent stops are all part of many delivery truck drivers’ lives.
As with other kinds of trucks, problems with the cargo can also contribute to an accident in various ways. Cargo can spill out onto the road. It can shift in the truck, causing a loss of control or balance. Cargo can cause blown tires or loss of control if the load is too heavy.
As with big rigs, simply determining who factually caused the accident may not tell you who may be legally responsible for the injuries. If the cause was a driver’s negligence, the driver may be liable. Even then, however, there may be a question about whether the employer should ever have hired the driver based on the driver’s past history.
The owner of the business and/or the person who is the driver’s immediate supervisor may also be liable if they:
- Required that deliveries be made too fast (either by imposing time limits or simply requiring that too many be made during a day)
- Supplied a vehicle that was defective
- Overloaded the truck or improperly distributed the load
Portland personal injury lawyers with a record of results
Our legal team investigates your commercial vehicle accident and gathers evidence. We carefully review accident reports and medical records. We seek access to driver records, as well as maintenance and repair records. Our team identifies and interviews witnesses. If needed, we consult accident reconstruction experts and other specialists.
Our lawyers build strong cases that the insurance companies can’t ignore. We then demand compensation for current and future medical expenses related to your injuries, lost wages if you couldn’t work and other damages, such as pain and suffering. Many times, we are able to negotiate a settlement that meets your needs.
If you were hurt in a crash involving a commercial vehicle, contact us today to schedule a consultation with one of our experienced truck accident attorneys.