Who Pays for Medical Bills After a Commercial Truck Crash?

 Posted on October 11,2021 in Truck Accidents

Tractor-trailers, tanker trucks, flatbed trucks, and other large commercial trucks play a crucial role in transporting goods across the United States. Unfortunately, these trucks can also cause severe damage during traffic accidents. If you or a loved one were hurt in a truck crash, you may be left wondering how you will pay for the medical expenses resulting from the injury. Medical debt can be a huge burden on a family – especially when the injured person is also unable to work and earn an income after the crash.

If another party’s negligence or recklessness caused the crash, that party may be liable for the victims’ medical expenses. However, determining who is liable for a truck crash is often a difficult task.

Liability for a Truck Accident Varies

The costs resulting from a commercial truck accident are often high enough to bankrupt a victim. Medical expenses, lost wages, and vehicle damage are just some of the expenses an injured victim may be forced to contend with. According to Illinois law, when a party’s negligence causes someone to be injured and suffer damages, that party is legally responsible for reimbursing the injured person for their damages. However, it is not always clear who is at fault for a truck crash. Liability could fall to:

The trucking company or carrier – Often, a trucking company is ultimately responsible for damages in a truck accident case. Like other employers, trucking companies are liable for their employee’s actions during work hours. So, if your accident was caused by a truck driver who was intoxicated, sleep-deprived, or driving in a negligent manner, the trucking company may be liable.

The truck driver– Not every truck driver is an employee of a company. The truck driver, or more likely, the driver’s insurer, may be the liable party.

A negligent manufacturing or design company – Sometimes, neither the driver nor the carrier is responsible for a truck accident. Consider a situation in which a faulty truck tire caused a blowout and caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle. In this case, the at-fault party may be the company that designed or manufactured the faulty tire.

A government entity – Though rare, it is possible that a government entity such as a city or county is responsible for a truck crash. If the government failed to maintain a highway or fix broken traffic signals, for example, the government may be liable for crashes caused by the oversight. Successfully suing a government entity is very difficult, but it is possible. Because lawsuits involving the government are subject to special rules and deadlines, it is important to work with a highly skilled personal injury attorney in a case like this.

Contact a Chicago Truck Accident Lawyer

The question of liability is often a difficult one to answer in a truck collision. For help seeking compensation for medical bills and other damages following a truck crash, contact a knowledgeable Cook County truck accident lawyer from Adler Law Offices, LTD. Call 312-236-2700 for a free consultation.

Source:

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=073500050K2-1116