The damages from accidents involving big rigs are often utterly catastrophic. The reasons for this probably aren’t surprising: large trucks have a great deal more mass, bulk and size, and thus are capable of doing a lot more harm than smaller cars.
What’s worse is that the numbers of truck accidents seem to be increasing, rather than decreasing, and many people have trouble figuring out who to sue when they’re hurt by one of these large commercial vehicles. Learn what happens if you’re hit by a semi truck in Colorado, why these cases get complicated, and how a dedicated truck accident lawyer can help.
When You’re Hit by a Semi Truck in Colorado
Getting hit by a semi truck in Colorado can open up a quagmire of legal complications. The reason for this, unfortunately, has little to do with the damages that result, and everything to do with who is responsible.
When two cars collide, one or the other driver holds responsibility. When a truck is involved, there is a multitude of entities that might hold some responsibility: the driver, the carrier company, the loading company, the manufacturer of the truck parts, and the maintenance crew.
Determining Responsibility
The first step in getting compensation for your accident involves working out against whom to file suit. In general, if the driver is an employee of a trucking company, the company can be held responsible for their actions. If the driver is an independent contractor, they might be solely responsible.
In addition, if the truck was improperly loaded, causing the cargo to shift which results in the driver losing control, the company who loaded the cargo might share responsibility. If the driver lost control due to something failing as a result of poor maintenance, the maintenance crew could be responsible. If something in the truck fails because the parts were faulty, the manufacturer of the parts could be subject to a product liability claim.
This means that it’s important to properly investigate the circumstances of the incident so you can determine who was responsible, either completely or in part.
Playing the Blame Game
The next problem you’ll face is that the various parties involved (or at least, their insurance carriers) will try to shift blame from one to the other. The trucking company will try to shift blame on the driver. The maintenance crew will claim that the parts were faulty.
Many of them might actually try to blame you, saying you’re not as hurt as you claim, that you were the one who was negligent or any other number of tactics. It can create a ping-pong game that never ends unless you have a solid resource to investigate the accident in your corner.
Hiring a Colorado Truck Accident Lawyer
If you’ve been hit by a semi truck in Colorado, you need someone who will defend your rights aggressively and get you the settlement you deserve. You need someone in your corner who can properly investigate the situation and discover who’s really responsible.
You need a qualified Colorado truck accident lawyer who can fight the insurance companies and get you the compensation you deserve. For years, the injury lawyers at Heuser & Heuser have helped people just like you collect damages for medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages and more. Give us a call to discuss your case for free and find out how we can help.
