Serious Lawyers for Serious Injuries

When Drivers Aren’t at Fault

Published on Mar 20, 2019 at 11:48 pm in Truck Accidents.

Recent high winds in Texas have caused several semi-trucks to blow over on various highways and roads in the Amarillo area. If winds are causing, roughly, 80,000 pound vehicles to rollover, you can imagine what it’s doing to smaller, lighter vehicles.

There are a small pool of accidents that cannot be blamed on either, or any, driver involved in an accident. This may be due to unkempt roads, debris, falling trees or sign posts, natural disasters and more. Heavy winds fall under this category. There may be instances where it is up to local organizations or government to provide safe roads and infrastructure, but some conditions are out of human control.

Examples of accidents that are not driver’s faults are:

  • Faulty Traffic Lights
  • Animals
  • Potholes
  • Natural Disasters and/or Natural Hazards
    • Ex: Hail or Wind
  • Debris
  • Missing Stop Signs

The only time a semi-truck or big-rig truck may be at fault during naturally occurring elements such as heavy rain are if they are not properly maintained. When a truck is not properly kept up-to-date then they may be at fault for any damage or accidents that occur.

Speeding​: Truck drivers should never speed. The mass and weight of their vehicle can be up to 80,000 pounds. Especially during inclement weather, speeding can create a major hazard for other vehicles. Speeding also makes it much more difficult for large trucks to brake, as 18-wheelers cannot brake the way smaller, lighter vehicles can. Speeding related accidents will often be the fault of the truck, or whoever was speeding, if involved in an accident.

Road Work​: Trucking accidents that are caused by faulty roads or non-maintained highways are often the fault of a third-party, whether it be the city or even a construction company that was involved in planning. However, if a truck is not well-maintained and that is the reason that they were unable to maneuver a road, the fault may fall on the driver and/or trucking company.

Truck Maintenance​: Truck companies and drivers are legally responsible for maintaining their vehicles. Regardless of the length of their trip, they must always upkeep their truck, as well as keep records of all maintenance.

As stated previously, natural disasters happen. People cannot predict rain or wind speeds that would put drivers in danger. However, it is up to everyone to create as safe of an environment as possible for themselves and everyone else on the road.

If you have recently been in an accident due to the negligence of a truck driver or company, reach out to Buckingham Barrera for Texas and New Mexico’s best truck wreck lawyers for the best representation for you and your family.

Meet Your Team

Free Legal Consultation

Call us or fill out the form below to tell us about your potential case and a personal injury lawyer will get back to you as quickly as possible.

Legal & Firm News

How To Dispute Car Accident Fault

When you’ve been injured in a car accident, correctly identifying the at-fault party is key to recovering compensation for your damages. Damages awarded in personal injury claims address your lost wages, medical bills, pain and suffering, mental anguish, property damage, and more. So what happens when you’re wrongly accused of causing a car accident? If […]

Read More

What Is the Texas Good Samaritan Law?

Many of us have passed by a bad accident, wishing there was something we could do to help out. Some of us may not be able to contribute more than checking on the victims and calling 911 to get paramedics to quickly come to the scene. However, others may have had some basic first aid […]

Read More

The Dangers of Concussions in Youth Sports

Sports are the second leading cause of traumatic brain injury (TBI) among youth aged 15 to 24, outnumbered only by motor vehicle crashes. It’s estimated that: Between 1.7 and 3 million sports-related concussions happen every year in the U.S. 2 out of every 10 high school athletes will suffer a concussion during the play season […]

Read More