Drivers are often responsible for the crashes that they cause. However, fault and liability become a bit blurry in cases involving commercial trucks. Semi-trucks and other commercial vehicles are typically company property, and their drivers are often employees. While a driver may be at fault for the crash, their employer may be liable for collision costs.
Establishing transportation company liability is straightforward in specific scenarios. When are transportation companies potentially responsible for semi-truck collisions?
1. When employees make mistakes
Many professional drivers are employees. If they cause crashes while working, their employers may have vicarious liability. The driver may technically be at fault, but the business is financially responsible for the consequences of the collision.
2. When maintenance causes a wreck
As many as one in 10 commercial vehicle crashes occur due to issues with the vehicle itself. Delayed maintenance and improper trailer loading are both crash causes that may lead to direct liability for a transportation company.
3. When employment practices are unsafe
Companies may increase the risk of a semi-truck crash by having improper employment practices. Failing to adequately verify a worker’s credentials or check for serious driving infractions could make an employer liable for hiring an unsafe professional. High-pressure employment policies that make workers feel compelled to violate speed limits, no-texting rules or Hours of Service restrictions could also make an employer liable for a semi-truck crash.
Determining who is liable is important for those with expenses caused by a semi-truck collision. Transportation companies may need to provide insurance or could face lawsuits if they are liable for major commercial crashes.