All of us have seen heavily loaded trucks on the highways which carry cargo that has a chance of becoming loose during the journey. Loose cargo can lead to catastrophic accidents with fatal injuries to neighboring drivers and passengers, aside from the property damage. According to an estimate, over sixty percent of the road traffic accidents involve loose cargo and improper loading of heavy materials onto trucks.
Loose cargo poses an incredible danger for everyone on the road. Unsecured items loaded onto a truck can hit the cars behind it with extreme impact, leading to death and destruction in its wake. On the other hand, loose cargo can also prompt drivers behind the trucks to quickly change lanes or directions, losing control of the vehicle and colliding with another car. These accidents often prove fatal for those involved. If you or someone you know has been involved in a serious accident involving loose cargo, you may be entitled to obtaining compensation.
Who Is Responsible?
According to the knowledgeable truck accident lawyers at Reyes Law Firm in Dallas,TX, in cases of serious accidents involving loose cargo on trucks, the truck driver may be liable if his unsafe driving caused the accident. On the other hand, if the employer of the said driver does not prohibit unsafe loading practices, they may be considered responsible in a court of law.
Most often than not, individual drivers are responsible for not complying with the safety standards of their place of employment. If you succeed in proving negligence in a court of law, such drivers can be held responsible for the accidents and prosecuted accordingly. Aside from loose cargo wreaking havoc on the road, improperly stored cargo can also throw the truck off its balance and lead to death and destruction on a wide scale.
Strict laws exist in the United States constitution, preventing loose cargo on large vehicles on the road. However, both the Federal as well as the State legislatures determine the liability in such accidents.
Immediate Steps
Immediately after an accident, try to get to a safe place. Check yourself and all passengers in the car for any injuries, visible or otherwise. Then call 911 and ask for medical assistance as well as the law enforcement authorities. It is vital to keep a photographic record of the car, road conditions, and injuries, etc. Exchanging insurance information and identification is also essential for any insurance claims in the future.
After you have obtained the information from the scene of the accident, you should consider contacting an attorney who specializes in such cases and start working on a legal strategy as you recover from the accident. Depending on the facts of the investigation and the evidence obtained at the scene of the accident, you may succeed in obtaining financial compensation, which can assist in covering your medical bills, disability-related loss of income, etc.
If you or someone you love has suffered at the hands of a truck with loose cargo, it is within your legal rights to seek legal counsel and obtain compensation that you deserve.
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