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Our Columbus Truck Accident Lawyers Explain Your Rights After a Weather-Related Accident

Truck Accidents

Winter weather conditions can make Ohio’s highways extremely dangerous. This is especially true when there are big trucks on the road. Limited visibility, limited control and increased braking distance all increase the risk of truck accidents—and these accidents can have devastating consequences in many cases. In this article, our Columbus truck accident lawyers explain your legal rights after a weather-related accident.

Truck Drivers and Trucking Companies Can Be Held Liable for Weather-Related Accidents

Like all other drivers, truck drivers have a legal duty to operate their vehicles safely at all times. Winter weather is not an excuse for taking chances or making mistakes. When a truck driver makes a mistake that leads to an accident in bad weather, the truck driver can – and should – be held accountable.

Depending on the circumstances involved, this could either involve filing a claim under the truck driver’s insurance policy or filing a claim with the truck driver’s employer.

If the truck driver is an owner-operator, then the driver may have his or her own insurance coverage. If the truck driver is an employee, then his or her employer may be liable. This should be the case as long as the accident occurred within the scope of the driver’s employment (i.e. he or she was making a delivery and not driving the truck on personal time). In either scenario, insurance coverage should be available, and recovering just compensation will most likely involve negotiating a settlement with the help of a Columbus truck accident lawyer.

Other Companies Could Be Liable for the Truck Accident As Well

Of course, truck drivers aren’t the only ones who make mistakes in bad weather. If the truck driver was forced to swerve in order to avoid a collision with a reckless driver, for example, then the reckless driver’s insurance company could be liable for the crash.

Truck accident victims can also have claims against truck and component manufacturers, maintenance shops, government authorities, and other third parties. Determining liability requires a prompt and thorough investigation, and this makes it important to hire a Columbus truck accident lawyer as soon as possible.

Truck Accident Victims Can Seek to Recover All of Their Accident-Related Losses

Even if winter weather played a role in your truck accident, this does not limit the amount that the at-fault party has to pay. You are entitled to just compensation regardless of the circumstances involved. This includes just compensation for your vehicle damage (i.e. getting your car repaired or replaced), medical bills and lost wages, pain and suffering, and other economic and non-financial damages. Calculating your losses will take time, and it will require you to work closely with a Columbus truck accident lawyer who has an intimate understanding of Ohio’s personal injury laws.

Get the Help You Need to Recover from Your Truck Accident in Columbus

If you need to know more about your legal rights following a commercial truck accident in Ohio, we encourage you to contact us promptly. Call 888-444-7440 or request a free consultation online now to speak with a Columbus truck accident lawyer as soon as possible.