Is a Trucking Company Responsible for a Drunk Truck Driving Accident?

Yes, a trucking company could be one of the liable parties in a drunk truck driving accident. To determine if a trucking company is responsible for your injuries and the accident, a truck accident attorney can help you.

Our Phoenix truck accident lawyers at Zanes Law can help determine if the trucking company is responsible for your drunk truck driving accident. Read on to learn more about how a trucking company could be liable for a drunk driving accident.

What Is Vicarious Liability?

Vicarious liability is a legal doctrine that holds an employer responsible for the negligent actions of its employees that cause harm. In the context of commercial trucking, this means a company can be held liable in a civil lawsuit for injuries that result from one of its drivers causing an accident while intoxicated, even if the company itself did not directly engage in wrongdoing.

For a trucking company to be subject to vicarious liability, you and your lawyer must establish:

• The truck driver was an employee of the company, not an independent contractor.
• The driver was acting within the scope of employment at the time of the accident. For commercial drivers, this generally includes driving the truck on the job.
• The driver’s negligent actions caused the accident and resulting injuries. In this case, driving while intoxicated would qualify as negligence.

If these elements are proven, the trucking company is held legally responsible for compensating those harmed by the accident, even though the company was not directly at fault. The doctrine encourages employers to properly vet, train, and supervise workers performing dangerous tasks like commercial vehicle operations.

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How Can a Trucking Company Be Responsible for a Drunk Driving Truck Accident?

There are a few ways that a trucking company can be found legally responsible, even if the direct cause of an accident was a drunk driver. The trucking company could be held liable for:

• Negligent hiring or supervision: If the company failed to properly screen the driver’s background and driving history for issues like prior DUIs, they may be partially at fault. Ongoing supervision and drug testing programs help ensure safety.
• Ignoring warning signs: If the impaired driver showed obvious signs of a potential problem, like drinking on the job or prior close calls, but the company did not intervene, that inaction could contribute to liability.
• Lack of safety policies: Trucking is a heavily regulated industry with rules around substance abuse. If policies and training were inadequate or non-existent, it suggests negligence on the employer’s part.
• Poor maintenance: Improper vehicle checks, broken equipment, or overworked drivers may have cumulative effects that unintentionally enable or cover a driver’s impairment.

How Can a Truck Accident Lawyer Help You After a Drunk Driving Truck Accident?

Being involved in a truck accident, especially one caused by an impaired driver can be an overwhelming experience. In addition to physical and emotional injuries, you now face a complex legal process to seek compensation. This is where retaining an experienced Phoenix personal injury lawyer from Zanes Law makes an important difference.

Our lawyer will fully investigate the circumstances of the crash to determine liability and build the strongest possible case. This may involve requesting documents, reviewing evidence after a trucking accident, like crash footage, and conducting depositions of witnesses.

A key area of focus is establishing that the trucking company did not properly screen, train, or supervise the driver. Our attorneys understand commercial carrier regulations and can identify where protocols were deficient.

How a Lawyer Can Help You Recover Compensation After a Drunk Trucking Accident

In addition to determining fault, the lawyer ensures all eligible damages are recovered. This involves compiling thorough medical records, bills, and lost wage documentation. We consult experts to support claims for pain and suffering as well as long-term needs.

We also handle negotiations with insurance companies to exceed the average truck accident settlement in Arizona. When agreements cannot be reached, our lawyer is prepared to pursue a full trial if needed to provide justice.

Communicating regularly, our Phoenix truck accident attorney will keep you updated on the claim status. We understand the stress of dealing with injuries and expenses without resolution.

Our guidance provides peace of mind in knowing your rights are protected throughout the process. With an experienced advocate on your side, you can focus on healing while our team works to deliver fair recovery and closure.

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Damages You Can Recover After a Drunk Driving Truck Accident

If an impaired commercial truck driver’s negligence caused you injury, your truck accident attorney can pursue full financial compensation for your losses. Specific damages may include:

• Ongoing medical care: Drunk driving crashes often cause severe injuries requiring extensive treatment like physical therapy, surgery, or lifelong prescriptions.
• Lost earnings: Injuries from impaired truckers can prevent working for months or permanently. Both past and future lost income are recoverable.
• Pain and suffering: No amount can replace experiencing traumatic injuries caused by a preventable act like drunk driving, knowingly putting lives at risk. But you can recover compensation for the mental anguish and pain you went through.
• Long-term disability: Life-altering injuries may leave you with disabilities long-term, necessitating at-home healthcare and modifications.
• Wrongful death: If a loved one was killed by a drunk truck driver, you can recover punitive damages to reflect the severity of the reckless act.
• Punitive damages: Courts award punitive damages to deter companies from neglecting duties to properly screen, train, and supervise drivers under their control.

With a lawyer’s help in getting compensation for all quantified and non-quantified costs, you can attain justice and financial security after enduring a tragedy caused by an impaired commercial truck driver.

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Learn More About How a Trucking Company Is Responsible for a Drunk Truck Accident

At Zanes Law, our team of Phoenix truck accident lawyers can help you determine the liable parties in your drunk truck driving accident. Our team has over 20 years of experience helping injured parties like you after negligent truck drivers cause harm.

Contact us to learn more about how a trucking company could be responsible for your drunk truck driving accident and how our team of personal injury attorneys can help.

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