When most people hear about a single-vehicle truck crash, they automatically assume that the trucker is to blame for the collision. “Who else can be responsible if there was no one else involved?” they think. However, many do not realize that sometimes, there are factors at play beyond the truck driver’s control. For example, the truck was maintained improperly, the trucker was under a tremendous amount of pressure due to the over-demanding schedule, or a manufacturing defect caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle. When it comes to single-vehicle truck accidents, it would be wrong to jump to conclusions without investigating the factors behind the collision. Contact a Lexington truck accident lawyer to prove to your insurer and trucking company that the crash was caused by something beyond your control.

Single-Vehicle Truck Accident in Lexington, Kentucky

One such single-vehicle crash involving a truck occurred in Lexington recently. As reported by LEX 18, Bryan Station Road at Johnson Road was shut down after the single-vehicle collision on Lexington’s north side. When emergency crews and police officers arrived, the box truck was on its side. The truck driver was hospitalized with minor injuries. Read more about what makes large trucks so dangerous.

Four Potentially Liable Parties (Other Than the Trucker) in a Single-Vehicle Crash

There are four common scenarios in which a truck driver is not found at fault for the single-vehicle truck crash, or is only partially responsible for the collision. Kentucky adopted the legal standard of pure comparative fault, which means multiple parties can share responsibility. In these situations, the following parties may bear the responsibility for a single-vehicle truck accident:

  1. The Trucking Company
    A large percentage of single-vehicle truck collisions are caused by overworked, fatigued, and tired drivers. However, many of these drivers are forced or encouraged by their trucking company to exceed the number of hours a trucker may drive per day in violation of federal hours of service regulations. If a trucking company encouraged or incentivized a driver to work more than they are legally allowed, the company would share liability for the single-vehicle accident.
  2. The Company That Loaded the Truck
    Many trucking companies choose to contract an independent firm to load the trailer. If improper loading of the truck caused a single-vehicle crash, the company that loaded the trailer would bear a fair portion of liability for the accident.
  3. The Company That Maintained the Truck
    As it is in the case of loading the truck, a trucking company may choose to delegate vehicle inspection and maintenance services to another company. Thus, that firm must maintain the trucks in a way that makes them safe for driving. If a vehicle was not maintained properly, which caused or contributed to the single-vehicle accident, the third-party company would be liable.
  4. The Truck Manufacturer
    Defective parts and components such as the brake system, steering wheel, hydraulics, tires, or other parts often cause single-vehicle truck accidents. Since manufacturers of trucks and their parts and components have a duty to make sure that their products are safe for consumers before they enter the market, any defects or malfunctions may shift some or all of the liability onto the manufacturer, distributor, seller, and other parties in the chain of distribution.

Single-vehicle truck accidents are rarely thoroughly investigated by local authorities, which is why it is vital to have someone with the necessary expertise and legal tools to establish fault in your crash. Contact our Lexington truck accident lawyer at Roberts Law Office to discuss your case. Call (859) 231-0202 for a free case review.