Can I Sue Anyone If A Semi-Truck Hits Me?

Driving on the freeway can sometimes make you feel like you're a tiny car in a sea of semi-trucks. With so many semi-trucks on the road, it puts drivers at risk of getting seriously injured or even killed. According to statistics, 4,136 people died in large truck crashes in 2018, 67 percent of which were passengers or occupants of smaller vehicles. If you were injured in a car accident, you may thank your lucky stars that you aren't one of those statistics, but you may wonder what your legal rights are in regards to whether or not you can sue or get compensation. 

Who Was at Fault? 

Before you can start looking into suing anyone, you will need to have evidence regarding who was at fault in the accident. For instance, if the semi-truck driver was at fault then you may have a case, but if you were at fault then you won't be able to sue anybody.  

Who Can You Sue? 

If you do have police records and other evidence that the semi-truck driver was at fault, then you and your commercial vehicle wreck attorney will have to determine who you can sue. 

Are They Their Own Contractor? If the driver is their own licensed contractor, that means that they don't work for anybody else, but just get hired for smaller jobs. In this case, it can sometimes be hard to get compensation because they may not have much money, but it's still worth pursuing. 

Do They Work for a Trucking Company? Suing a truck company is a lot easier than suing an individual in some instances, especially because they have more money and they typically work with an insurance company. Although trucking companies may have a huge legal team, they will have to pay for all of their own legal fees and you are more likely to come to a settlement. 

Whether you are suing an individual or a trucking company, your attorney will have to show that the driver was districted, drunk, impaired, speeding, or that they were driving in dangerous conditions where they shouldn't have been. Then from there, they will try to get you compensation for all of your hospital bills, your injuries, and any time that you may have missed form work. If you want to learn more about whether or not you have a case, reach out to a commercial vehicle wreck attorney near you. 


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