Pennsylvania residents who drive reconcile themselves to the fact that there is a good chance that at some point in their driving life they will be involved in an automobile accident. Crashes are always frightening and can be dangerous depending on the nature and circumstances of the accident. Truck accidents have the potential to be even more impactful because of the sheer size of the vehicles involved in a truck crash.
An accident involving a car and a recycling truck occurred recently in Schuylkill Haven. The driver of the car was sitting at a stop light when a truck did not slow down in time and ran into the back of the car. The car driver was taken to the hospital for injuries and the driver of the truck was taken for drug testing, which is the standard practice when a holder of a commercial driver’s license is involved in a vehicle accident.
In truck accidents, often times, because the trucks involved in the accident are company trucks, determination of fault is an important distinction. Unlike in car accident where the owners of the cars involved will hold liability, truck accidents are different in that the company that owns the truck may ultimately be liable for the accident. In this type of situation, the driver of the truck is the agent of the company. As such, liability bypasses the driver and goes directly to the company because the company owns the truck and is therefore responsible.
Taking note of possible injury no matter how minor can go a long way in protecting one’s rights. A legal professional may help victims assess their damages and formulate a strategy for moving forward with a claim.
Source: Republican Herald, “Woman injured in crash near The Freeze in Schuylkill Haven,” Thomas Leskin, May 10, 2013