Speeding Truck Accidents

Driving over the speed limit is one of the most common ways for a tractor-trailer or another commercial vehicle to get into a crash in East Tennessee. If a commercial vehicle starts to skid or roll over, there may not be any time for others on the road to avoid the potentially devastating consequences of the wreck. At the Hartsoe Law Firm, we have the necessary experience and resources to go up against negligent drivers and the powerful trucking companies that employ them. If you have been involved in a crash, Knoxville truck accident attorney Mark Hartsoe is ready to help you pursue compensation. He has an accident reconstruction team on 24-hour standby that he can send out to a truck wreck scene to determine the cause.

Given the weight and size of their vehicles, why would truck drivers speed? In most cases, they are under a tight deadline to make a delivery or meet other goals on behalf of their employers. A speeding truck driver is more likely to lose control of their vehicle and get into an accident.

Under FMCSA regulations, truck drivers are required to record their mileage and hours worked in a log book. Their employers in turn are required to make sure that these log books are accurate, but some employers may encourage their drivers to falsify records in order to avoid fines. Our firm can look closely at the log books to determine whether they may have been falsified and whether a driver was speeding. Hartsoe may retain an accident reconstruction specialist to review skid marks, debris, witness testimony, and information in a black box inside the truck that records vital data about what was happening at the time of the accident, such as how fast the driver was traveling.

A trucking company may be held indirectly or directly liable for a speeding truck accident. If the driver was in the course and scope of employment at the time of the crash, their employer may be held liable under the doctrine of respondeat superior. This is a form of derivative liability under which the trucking company is responsible if the truck driver is found negligent. Moreover, a trucking company may also be held directly liable under theories of negligent hiring, negligent supervision, or negligent retention if they failed to conduct a background check or ensure that the log book was accurate.

If you are able to establish the liability of a truck driver or a trucking company based on the driver speeding, you may be able to recover compensatory damages, both economic and noneconomic. A damages award is likely to include losses such as lost wages, medical costs, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and property damage.

Trucking companies and their insurers may go to great lengths to protect themselves against liability. It is important to obtain aggressive representation. Knoxville truck accident lawyer Mark Hartsoe can advocate for your interests if you have been hurt in a speeding crash. Call the Hartsoe Law Firm at 865-804-1011 or contact us via our online form to arrange a free consultation. We represent people throughout East Tennessee who need a motor vehicle collision attorney, including in Knox, Blount, Monroe, Loudon, Jefferson, Grainger, Cocke, Campbell, Hamblen, Greene, Anderson, Cumberland, and Fentress Counties.