A trucking company’s safety responsibilities begin before a driver ever gets behind the wheel. Hiring someone with a dangerous driving history can expose motorists throughout Macon, Georgia, to risks that a reasonable screening process might have prevented.
At The King Firm Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers, we handle serious truck accident claims involving both driver conduct and trucking company negligence. Our Macon negligent hiring truck accident lawyers can examine whether an employer knew, or should have discovered, information suggesting that a driver was not qualified to operate a commercial vehicle safely.
If you were hurt by a truck driver who may never have belonged behind the wheel, we can help you find out why that driver was hired when you contact us at (478) 292-7272. Your consultation is free, and there are no attorney fees unless we obtain a recovery for you.
How Can The King Firm Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers Help After a Negligent Hiring Truck Accident in Macon, Georgia?
The driver’s conduct at the time of the crash is only one part of a negligent hiring claim in Macon, GA. The trucking company’s hiring process also matters, including whether it properly reviewed the driver’s qualifications, employment history, driving record, and other information that could have revealed a safety risk.
A Macon truck accident lawyer at The King Firm Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers can investigate the company’s hiring decisions and develop evidence connecting those decisions to the crash. That work may involve:
- Obtaining the driver qualification file
- Reviewing prior driving violations
- Examining employment history
- Checking licensing and training records
- Investigating required background inquiries
- Reviewing company hiring policies
- Analyzing prior crashes or safety violations
Pursuing the driver’s negligence alone is often not enough. When a trucking company puts an unqualified or unsafe driver on the road, we can examine whether the company should also be held accountable. Reach out today to schedule a free consultation with a Macon personal injury attorney.
What Causes Negligent Hiring Truck Accidents?
Commercial trucking companies have strong incentives to keep trucks moving and driver positions filled. Those business pressures do not excuse shortcuts in evaluating whether an applicant is capable of safely operating a large commercial vehicle.
Negligent hiring may involve:
- Ignoring a poor driving record
- Failing to verify a commercial license
- Overlooking previous crashes
- Inadequate background checks
- Hiring an inexperienced driver
- Failing to investigate prior employment
- Disregarding disqualifying safety violations
- Accepting incomplete or inaccurate applications
The King Firm Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers looks at what information was available when the hiring decision was made and whether reasonable screening would have revealed a safety concern. That evidence can establish negligence apart from whatever mistake the driver made on the day of the collision.
What Injuries Commonly Occur in Negligent Hiring Truck Accidents?
The hiring failure happens in an office, but its consequences can unfold on the highway. Tractor-trailers and other large commercial trucks can cause enormous damage when an unsafe driver loses control, speeds, follows too closely, or makes another dangerous maneuver.
Victims may suffer:
- Crush injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Complex fractures
- Spinal cord injuries
- Internal bleeding
- Severe burns
- Amputations
- Permanent nerve damage
The medical impact of these injuries can extend from emergency surgery to years of rehabilitation or assistance with daily activities. An experienced Macon truck accident attorney will consider those longer-term needs when determining what the collision has cost a client and what compensation should be pursued.
Who Could Be Liable for a Negligent Hiring Truck Accident?
Negligent hiring focuses directly on the employer’s conduct. That does not eliminate potential liability for the driver or other companies whose actions contributed to the crash.
Depending on the facts, liable parties may include:
- The truck driver
- The trucking company
- A motor carrier
- Third-party staffing companies
- Vehicle owners
- Other negligent contractors
A company may also face separate allegations involving negligent training, supervision, or retention if it failed to respond appropriately after learning that a driver presented a safety risk. The available claims depend on what the company knew and when it knew it.
How Long Do I Have To File a Lawsuit?
In Georgia, you have two years from the date of an injury to bring a personal injury lawsuit. That deadline can change in certain circumstances, however, so the filing period must be determined from the specific facts.
In a negligent hiring case, the passage of time can create another problem. Much of the evidence is held by the trucking business. That means driver files, internal policies, employment records, and other company documents can become central to proving what happened before the driver was hired.
Contact a Negligent Hiring Truck Accident Lawyer in Macon, Georgia
When an unsafe truck driver causes a crash in Macon, Georgia, the company that selected and employed that driver may bear its own responsibility for putting the public at risk.
The King Firm Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers can investigate the driver’s background, the trucking company’s hiring process, and the circumstances of your collision. If the evidence supports a claim, we can pursue compensation from the parties whose decisions contributed to your injuries.
Contact the firm today for a free consultation with a Macon negligent hiring truck accident attorney.
