Rental trucks are commonly used in the United States. They have enough storage to transport goods from one place to the other. While rental trucks come in handy, their large size also renders them difficult to drive and maneuver. There were 4,842 large truck accidents in 2020, a considerable 33% increase from 2011.

Due to their size, rental truck accidents can cause considerable damage. Statistics from 2020 show that in these truck accidents, the people injured included 30.6 % of truck occupants, just 1.7% of non-occupants, and a staggering 67.7% of other vehicle occupants.

Who Is Liable for Rental Truck Accidents?

If you or a loved one is injured in a rental truck accident, you must know whom to hold accountable to receive compensation for damages. While your first instinct may be to blame the truck driver, things aren’t always so simple. Several factors come into play to determine liability.

Truck Drivers

Drivers may be responsible for rental truck accidents if the driver is at-fault due to negligence. A truck driver will be liable for damage resulting from a truck accident if they are found:

• Under the influence of alcohol or intoxicating substances
• Distracted or using mobile phones or other devices while driving
• Engaging in reckless behavior, like driving in the wrong lane or overspeeding
• Negligence and lack of experience, resulting in improper loading that causes a rollover or fatal crash

If you’re the truck driver and found guilty of any of the above, your insurance company will have to pay for the damages resulting from the accident.

Trucking Rental Company

There are several instances where the trucking company will be held responsible for a rental truck accident. A few of these are mentioned below:

• If the trucking company failed to properly maintain and inspect the truck before renting it out, resulting in a brake failure or any other mechanical failure
• If the driver does not hold a proper license, the rental company would be held liable for hiring such a person anyway
• If a driver lands at work intoxicated and the rental company rents them the truck anyway, the company could also be held responsible for negligence

What to Do If You Can’t Establish Rental Truck Accident Liability?

As a layperson, it’s difficult to know who should be held responsible for the rental truck accident under U.S. law. Since circumstances differ, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to establish fault. At times, there is more than one cause of the accident, which may confuse you.

If you or your vehicle suffers injuries in a rental truck accident, contact a truck accident lawyer immediately. The Bourassa Law Group has a legal team to help you recover compensation for a range of truck accidents. We have the expertise and experience to determine legal liability for the truck accident and ensure you get a claim for recovery for the injuries and expenses.

Call us at (800)870-8910 for a free consultation.  

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