Tow trucks are absolutely necessary utility vehicles that we need to transport damaged or even non-working vehicles from one place to another. Yet because of their obvious dimension and the intricacy associated with hauling another car or truck, a lot can go wrong when a tow pickup truck is moving another vehicle. Tow Trucks: So what can go wrong?
Most tow truck accidents involve the same types of difficulties and factors which can be present in crashes with most other types of vehicles. Additionally, though, there can be further complications due to the load-bearing equipment involved.
Tow truck drivers can occasionally find themselves on the wrong end of personal issues involving individuals angry that their vehicles are being towed, usually due to parking wherever they shouldn’t. This could result in road rage accidents.
Finally, one more danger that tow line truck drivers deal with may be the threat that comes from supporting downed vehicles quietly of the road, that has been tragically evident at the end of 2020 when two tow truck drivers were killed inside the same accident after being struck.
Tow pickup truck accidents usually include one of the following elements: Towed vehicle or other cargo is improperly secured to the truck; Securing products, including cables or even fasteners, break or even malfunction; The item being towed is heavier than the maximum hauling weight of the tow truck; Distracted motorists; Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol; Road rage; and Driving while fatigued.
Some of the worst-case cases involving tow vehicle accidents occur once the vehicle it is carrying is ejected from the back of the tow truck and hits another vehicle or pedestrian. At any speed, but especially on the road, this can be a deadly circumstance. Who is Legally Responsible in a Tow Vehicle Accident?
Liability laws differ fairly broadly from state to state and the issue of who is lawfully responsible will also depend upon the precise circumstances relating to the crash. Even if the incident was a result of a new fault by the tow truck, it may not become the tow truck owner who is liable.
For instance , if an accident takes place as a result of a towed vehicle detaching and flying off the back in the tow truck, a piece of equipment may have been faulty and in need of repair, which may not be the fault of the tow truck driver.
Truck companies owe a responsibility to the public and to their employees to ensure that the particular machinery on their automobiles is inspected frequently to ensure that it is within good working condition. The responsibility to replace and repair items that are at risk of breaking down lies with them, and thus they would be liable when that was the cause.
In other circumstances, the tow truck driver might be personally liable depending on their degree of negligence and fault. On the other hand, if you were struck by way of a tow truck nevertheless the accident was totally or mostly your fault, it is likely that you will be personally responsible for virtually any liability above and beyond what your insurance company covers.
You need to contact an attorney if you have been involved in a truck accident. There are a number of reasons why legal representation is essential, regardless of whether or not you might be the tow truck operator or the victim of being hit by a tow truck.
Having a lawyer at your side offers you a big leg upwards when dealing with the insurance company. You are bound to receive a higher negotiation offer if your claim is coming from a lawyer rather than an ordinary person involved in an accident. Contact Titans Legal to assist with your accident. Call us today at 214-488-8888.