West Palm Beach Truck Company Negligence Attorney
Florida law makes trucking companies liable for most accidents caused by their drivers. But trucking companies can have independent liability for their negligent acts. Call Pike & Lustig to discuss whether you can seek compensation against a trucking company. In some cases, we can even seek punitive damages against a trucking company for conduct that goes well beyond carelessness. Our West Palm Beach truck company negligence attorney explains more in this post.
Why Truck Companies Are Negligent
There are many examples of trucking companies not using the care we expect, and causing accidents as a result:
- Negligent hiring. The company does not perform necessary background checks to see if the trucker is fully qualified or has a dangerous driving history.
- Negligent training and supervision. Trucking companies must supervise their employees. That means pulling truck drivers who are dangerous or get into accidents.
- Lack of drug testing. Drug testing is an important part of supervision and required by the law. Trucking companies should test a trucker before hiring them, after most accidents, and randomly throughout the year. If a truck driver fails, then they should be suspended until they complete a return to service process.
- Negligent maintenance of the truck. Transportation companies must regularly service their fleet of vehicles. They should pull any truck from the fleet that is dangerous or needs repairs.
Why are trucking companies negligent? Often, they are trying to save money. The past few years has seen a collapse in the amount of freight. Companies are competing by lowering their rates, which cuts into their profits. They will cut corners anywhere they can, including delays to necessary repairs.
Other companies are struggling to hire enough truckers. Many older truckers retired during the pandemic and are not being replaced by younger truckers. To deal with this shortage, trucking companies are hiring anyone they can find, regardless of their driving history.
Trucking company negligence causes accidents, and injured motorists pay the price. Florida law will make a trucking company liable when its actions cause a foreseeable accident.
Contact Our West Palm Beach Truck Company Negligence Attorneys to Discuss Damages
Pike & Lustig can seek compensation to cover our clients’ medical bills and lost income, as well as repairs to their vehicles. We can also include a demand for pain and suffering damages.
In some cases, we might bring a claim for punitive damages, where the trucking company was grossly negligent. For example, they could have known a trucker failed a drug test but refused to suspend them. If that trucker crashes because they are drunk, then the company is grossly negligent. A trucking company should pay punitive damages as a form of punishment in situations like those.
Call Pike & Lustig quickly to get your case going. There are short deadlines to meet to bring a valid personal injury case in Florida. Anyone who misses the deadline can have their case dismissed. A West Palm Beach truck company negligence attorney with our firm can review the facts and take all necessary steps to preserve your rights.
