One way that semi-truck accidents happen is when the load in the truck shifts. It may not even move far, or it may shift entirely to one side of the vehicle. But this shift is unexpected and certainly not intended, as all loads are meant to be secured properly.
When the load shifts, it can cause drivers to lose control of their trucks and it can even cause some trucks to overturn entirely. This is dangerous for the truck driver, of course, but also for all of the drivers and passengers in nearby cars. Those who are struck by a semi are much more likely to be injured than the driver of the truck itself.
If you get injured in an accident like this, who is responsible? What do you need to do next?
The driver or the trucking company
The answer to “Who is responsible?” is going to be different in every case, but you need to consider all of the different parties who are in play. Accidents are often far more complex than they initially appear and you need to dig into all of the causes.
For instance, maybe the workers at the warehouse didn’t secure the load correctly, and so that’s why it shifted. Drivers should check their loads, but they can’t always find every mistake made by workers at a warehouse.
Or perhaps the trucking company didn’t provide adequate equipment or didn’t train the loading crews, so it is the company that is at fault. Maybe the crew did the best they could with the training and equipment they had, but they couldn’t prevent the accident.
Naturally, there are also cases where the driver is at fault. They may have been driving too quickly in a sharp corner or hitting the brakes too aggressively. Plus, the accident could be some combination of all of these factors. Accidents are very complicated and they usually don’t have only one contributing factor.
Seeking compensation
The key is to think about everyone who may have played a role as you look to seek financial compensation for your injuries. You know the accident wasn’t your fault, but narrowing down whose fault it was helps you know where you could potentially get that compensation.