An accident can happen when you least expect it. While most accidents occur because of two cars colliding into each other or one car colliding into an object, some accidents can happen when objects fall out of semi-trucks (or even regular pickup trucks) and hit the cars surrounding it.
Semi-trucks carry a lot of cargo when they’re traveling on the highway to deliver products to companies and individuals. They have a responsibility to ensure that everything in their load has been secured properly, but unfortunately not every trucking company follows the proper safety protocol. It’s also possible that a personal truck owner could be carrying a load of stuff in the bed of their truck that wasn’t properly secured.
Here’s what you need to need to know if you’ve suffered injuries due to objects falling from a truck.
FIRST, SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION
First and foremost, it’s important to seek medical attention right away after you’ve been in an accident. Even if your injuries don’t appear life-threatening, you never know when you’ve been injured internally. Those first few hours after an accident are crucial in discovering any unseen injuries that you may have.
WHO IS LIABLE WHEN OBJECTS FALL OUT OF TRUCKS?
If you were involved in an accident with a non-commercial truck, the driver of the truck would be responsible for any injuries that you receive because of the falling object. The general rule of thumb for vehicles carrying objects is that no vehicle can drive or move on any road or highway while carrying objects unless the truck is built or covered in a way that prevents a load from dropping, sifting, or leaking from the back.
If you were involved in an accident with a commercial truck, there are many federal regulations in place that require rigorous standards for cargo on commercial trucks. The cargo on a commercial must be secured properly to avoid items from falling out of the truck and creating potentially dangerous road conditions. If after an investigation it’s proven that the driver or the company did not go to reasonable lengths to ensure the cargo couldn’t fall out of the truck, the driver or company could be liable for any injuries.
COULD I POTENTIALLY BE RESPONSIBLE?
Even though drivers should always exercise caution when driving, the driver is under no obligation to anticipate falling cargo from a truck. Unless there is a warning sign (such as witnessing cargo slipping out from the truck gradually), it’s ultimately up to the truck driver to ensure everything is secured.
Have you been injured from a falling object from a truck in Georgia? You have legal rights. Call the Fry Law Team, expert personal injury attorneys, to set up a consultation at (404) 948-3571.
