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Kansas City Trucking Company Negligence Lawyers
Like all businesses, trucking companies have certain responsibilities under the law. If a trucking company neglects these responsibilities, it can result in devastating injuries and even death. Trucking company negligence comes in many forms and can cause variety of problems for its victims, such as long-lasting injuries, high medical bills, destruction of property, loss of wages, and more.
At The Pottenger Law Firm LLC, we believe that victims of trucking company negligence should be fully and generously compensated for their pain and suffering. Our Kansas City injury attorneys have dedicated their careers to helping those who have been hurt due to truck accidents caused by acts of negligence. To discuss your case, contact our offices at 816-531-6006 today.
Types of Trucking Company Negligence
Trucking companies are responsible for their vehicles as well as the drivers they employ. If they fail to perform necessary duties such as vehicle maintenance or driver training, it can result in catastrophic accidents. Common types of trucking company negligence include:
Truck drivers are required by their employers to drive long hours, often pushing them to the point of exhaustion. To make sure these drivers are not pushed too far for the sake of speeding up deliveries, law prohibits trucking companies from requiring their drivers to log an excessive number of hours. These legal limits are meant to keep drivers relatively rested, making the roads safer for everyone. However, some employers may ignore these rules by continuing to demand their drivers log a dangerous number of daily or weekly hours.
If you’ve sustained an injury because of a driver who was pushed too far by their employer, there may be legal options available to help you fight for financial compensation. For more information about these options, contact a Kansas City hours of service violation lawyer of The Pottenger Law Firm LLC, by calling 816-531-6006.
The Consequences of Hours of Service Violations
Federal law prohibits trucking companies from scheduling their drivers for an excessive number of daily hours, while also having additional requirements regarding how many hours within the span of a week a driver can be on the road. If these limits are surpassed due to an employer’s negligent scheduling, the following issues may occur:
- Drivers may fall asleep on the road
- Drivers may fail to signal or make other smart safety decisions due to exhaustion
- Drivers may forget to check their blind spots
In order to learn if a driver exceeded the number of allowable driving hours when they caused you harm, contact a qualified attorney today.
A trucking company has a responsibility to carefully check the background of any potential candidates very closely before hiring. If a person has a significant history of breaking the law or recklessly driving their vehicles, they should be considered unreliable and unfit to hold a truck driving position. Trucking companies that fail to do this basic background work may be found guilty of negligent hiring and be responsible for the costs of any accidents these unfit drivers cause.
If you’ve sustained an injury on the road because of a negligent truck driver, we may be able to help you fight for compensation through a truck accident lawsuit. Call a Kansas City negligent hiring attorney of The Pottenger Law Firm LLC, today at 816-531-6006 to find out how we may be able to help you hold the trucking company responsible for their careless actions.
Truck Driving Red Flags
When trucking companies hire drivers, they are supposed to conduct background checks to look for qualities that may make a person unfit or unqualified to hold a position as a regular truck driver. Certain red flags that may arise and should prevent a company from hiring a driver may include the following:
- Drunk driving arrests
- Excessive speeding tickets or reckless driving arrests
- A history of drug or alcohol abuse
- A history of road rage
- A prior loss of commercial driving privileges
Drivers who have previously exhibited these behaviors should not be driving for a living as they present a danger to others on the road.
When a trucking company hires a new driver, they have a responsibility to train that driver in all safety protocols and provide that employee with whatever information they need to drive safely on the road. If the company rushes these employees onto the road without sufficient training, those new drivers may cause an accident and potentially harm another motorist in the process. When a motorist is injured in this manner, they may be entitled to pursue financial compensation for their injuries from the negligent company that failed to put properly trained drivers on the road.
If you or someone you love has sustained an injury in a trucking accident caused by an untrained truck driver, we may be able to help you recover through pursuing compensation. To learn more about your options after an injury in a truck accident, contact a Kansas City truck accident attorney of The Pottenger Law Firm LLC, today at 816-531-6006.
Truck Companies Training Responsibilities
When trucking companies fail to adequately train their drivers, a trucker may cause an accident because of the following:
- Being unsure about how to handle their truck in an emergency
- Being unaware of company safety rules or regulations
- Violating road rules that should have been taught during training
These errors can potentially cost other motorists their good health and a significant amount of money for medical care. Thus, when you’ve been injured due to an untrained driver, you should pursue compensation to alleviate the financial burdens you are faced with.
Trucking companies have a basic responsibility to properly inspect and maintain their vehicles. This is an essential duty because the failure to properly conduct these tasks can create a needlessly increased risk of dangerous accidents on the roadway. When accidents do occur because of a failure to maintain a fleet’s vehicles, the trucking company may bear legal responsibility for the consequences of the crash.
If you or someone you love has sustained an injury in a truck accident caused by a mechanical failure with a truck that would have been prevented by proper maintenance, we can help. To learn more about your legal options in this situation, contact the Kansas City failure to maintain vehicles attorneys of The Pottenger Law Firm LLC, at 816-531-6006.
Consequences of Maintenance Failures
A trucking company’s failure to properly maintain their vehicles can have serious consequences for other motorists and the truck’s driver. Ignoring this important step in trucking safety can lead to some of the following issues:
- Tire blowouts that could have been prevented
- Brake failures
- Electrical and light failures
- Problems with the trailer
- Lack of adequate visibility or safety devices
- Steering failures
These safety concerns can be avoided, but a negligent trucking company may not take the necessary action to prevent these problems from causing an accident.
Accidents with heavy, powerful vehicles like semi trucks and 18-wheelers can cause serious injuries such as brain damage, paraplegia, and quadriplegia, among others. If you believe that your truck accident is the result of trucking company negligence, talk to a qualified Kansas City trucking company negligence attorney immediately.
Get The Compensation You Deserve if You’ve Been Injured
If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident and someone else is to blame, The Pottenger Law Firm LLC, may be able to help. Our Kansas City personal injury attorneys are committed to fighting for the financial compensation our clients deserve. To learn more about how we may be able to help you and your family, please contact us today.
