Who Can Be Held Liable in a Shreveport Truck Accident?

When a car collides with a semi-truck, the aftermath can be confusing and overwhelming. Unlike typical car accidents, claims involving big trucks often follow more complex rules. Here is how truck accident claims work differently in Louisiana and why determining liability is more complex than it seems.

Truck accidents differ from regular car accidents for several reasons. First, commercial trucks are much larger and heavier than passenger vehicles, which increases the likelihood of severe injuries or fatalities. Louisiana law treats these accidents differently because of the commercial nature of the vehicles involved.

In a typical car accident, you are usually dealing with one person: the other driver. However, liability in a truck accident can extend beyond the truck driver. Possible parties include:

A truck accident lawyer in Shreveport will investigate several potential defendants, including:

• The Truck Driver: If the driver was negligent—speeding, driving under the influence, or violating traffic laws—they may be held responsible.
• The Trucking Company: Employers can be liable under the “respondeat superior” rule if the driver was acting within the scope of employment. Companies may also be responsible for poor hiring practices, inadequate training, or excessive work schedules leading to driver fatigue.
• Maintenance Personnel or the Vehicle Manufacturer: If defective brakes, tires, or other mechanical issues contributed to the accident, those responsible for maintenance or manufacturing may share liability.
• The Cargo Loader: If improperly secured freight shifted, causing the driver to lose control.

Because multiple parties may be involved, pursuing a claim without legal guidance can be challenging. Evidence must be collected quickly, including driver logs, maintenance records, and accident reports, to establish liability.

Commercial trucks are governed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). These regulations dictate everything from how many hours a driver can stay behind the wheel to how often the vehicle must be inspected.

When a big truck accident lawyer takes your case, they aren’t just looking at the police report. They are looking for violations of:

• Hours of Service (HOS): Did the driver skip a mandatory rest break?
• Electronic Logging Device (ELD) Data: The “black box” of the truck that records speed, braking, and GPS location.
• Driver Qualification Files: Does the driver have a history of safety violations that the company ignored?

Because semi-trucks cause catastrophic, life-altering injuries, the insurance policies involved are significantly larger than a standard car policy. Commercial carriers often have policies worth millions of dollars.

While this sounds like good news for your recovery, it also means the insurance companies will fight ten times harder to avoid paying. They often send “rapid response teams” to the scene of a crash within hours to begin gathering evidence that favors the trucking company. This is why you need a legal team that can move just as fast.

In Louisiana, you generally have only one year from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit for personal injury. This is one of the shortest “prescription” periods in the country. Because truck accidents require months of specialized investigation (downloading black box data and interviewing expert witnesses) waiting even a few months to call a lawyer can jeopardize your entire claim.

At Jack Bailey Law Corporation, we know that a collision with an 18-wheeler is a life-changing event. You shouldn’t have to face corporate legal teams and giant insurance companies alone. We have the resources, the local expertise, and the “Jack Pack” tenacity to hold every negligent party accountable.