Harlene Labrum | May 15, 2025 | Truck Accidents
Who is Liable in a Truck Accident in Tennessee?
Truck accidents are the most severe road accidents and can result in devastating injuries and huge losses. The size and weight of commercial trucks increase the risk of catastrophic harm, including spinal cord damage, head trauma, burns, and internal injuries.
Victims can also suffer broken bones and soft tissue damage, making recovery physically and financially demanding. Given the complexity of these accidents, identifying the responsible party is key to achieving a fair outcome.
Unlike car accidents, truck accidents involve multiple parties, from drivers and trucking companies to maintenance providers and cargo shippers. Each party may share liability based on their role in the events leading up to the crash.
Holding the right party accountable is crucial to get the results you deserve. This is where an experienced Nashville truck accident lawyer comes in. Understanding these liability aspects can help injured individuals navigate the legal process and fight for justice.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents
Truck accidents in Tennessee stem from specific issues that help identify liability. These crashes involve complex factors that need to be reviewed. In 2021 alone, there were over 7,000 large truck crashes in the state, according to official data. Understanding these causes clarifies who may be at fault.
Below are the main reasons truck accidents happen in Tennessee:
- Driver Fatigue or Hours of Service Violations: Federal rules limit driving hours, but exhausted drivers who disregard these rules cause crashes.
- Distracted or Impaired Driving: Using phones or driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs reduces focus and increases the risk of crashes.
- Mechanical Failures or Poor Maintenance: Faulty brakes or worn tires, often due to neglected inspections, cause serious truck accidents.
- Overloaded or Improperly Secured Cargo: Heavy or unstable loads can shift during transit and cause drivers to lose control and crash.
- Speeding or Reckless Driving: Excessive speed or aggressive driving contributed to many of Tennessee’s 7,000+ large truck crashes in 2021.
Each of these causes highlights potential negligence by drivers or trucking companies. Thorough investigations uncover these factors to assign responsibility and determine liability in truck accident cases.
Potentially Liable Parties
Truck accidents in Tennessee involve multiple parties who may share responsibility. Identifying these parties requires looking at their role in the crash.
Below are the main individuals or entities that may be liable:
Truck Driver
Truck drivers may be responsible for:
- Speeding or reckless driving.
- Texting or using a phone while driving.
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- Violating federal regulations, including Hours of Service.
- Failing to take required rest breaks and causing fatigue-related crashes.
Trucking Company
Trucking companies are liable for business practices such as:
- Inadequate driver screening or training.
- Pressuring drivers to go over legal hours.
- Neglecting vehicle maintenance and inspections.
- Not enforcing safety protocols.
- Overloading trucks or using defective equipment.
Truck Manufacturer or Parts Supplier
Defective truck components, such as faulty brakes or tires, can cause accidents. For such defects, manufacturers or sellers can be held liable under Tennessee’s product liability laws. Defective parts can also worsen accidents.
Improperly loaded or insecure loads can make trucks unstable, creating the potential for collisions. Overloaded loads resulting from loader mistakes can cause loss of control. In addition, inadequate training of loaders can amplify these hazards even more.
Other Third Parties
- Maintenance contractors: Failure to properly maintain trucks can result in accidents.
- Government agencies: Poor planning of roads or failure to maintain roads could heighten the risk of accidents.
- Other motorists: Drivers who act recklessly around commercial trucks may also share fault.
Determining all liable parties ensures proper accountability in Tennessee truck accident cases.
Tennessee’s Modified Comparative Fault Rule
Tennessee has a modified comparative fault standard that affects legal claims in truck accidents. If a victim is partially at fault, their financial recovery is reduced by their proportion of fault. However, victims are not able to collect damages if they are 50 percent or more at fault.
Insurance companies routinely attempt to shift blame onto victims in order to pay less. Consulting a lawyer early is necessary to counteract these tactics and ensure your rights and interests are protected.
Gathering Evidence to Establish Liability
Proving liability in Tennessee truck accidents requires strong evidence. Collecting key evidence helps clarify who is at fault and builds a compelling case against negligent parties.
Below are crucial types of evidence:
- Police reports and crash scene investigation: Official accident details and initial findings.
- Truck driver logs and black box data: Logs reveal driving hours, while black boxes record speed or braking.
- Maintenance records and inspection logs: These documents show if neglected upkeep contributed to mechanical failures.
- Eyewitness testimony and expert analysis: Witnesses and industry specialists provide insights into crash causes.
Why Liability Can Be Complicated in Trucking Cases
Tennessee truck accident liability has a complicated web of variables. Federal and state regulations, including the stringent Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) guidelines, place strict safety requirements on trucking firms and drivers that must be followed.
Regulations address factors such as cargo weight limits, maintenance protocols, and driving hours. Since multiple entities may share liability for the crash — drivers, trucking companies, manufacturers, and contractors — a diligent legal investigation is needed to sort out the web of liability and assign fault correctly.
How a Tennessee Truck Accident Lawyer Can Help
Truck accident cases require skilled legal support to get your life back. An experienced attorney can:
- Identify all the parties involved, from drivers to loaders.
- Gather and examine evidence, such as driver logs and maintenance records.
- Negotiate with insurers to prevent discriminatory blame-shifting.
- File lawsuits and litigate in court if necessary.
- Maximize financial recovery for medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages.
Having an experienced truck accident lawyer in your corner ensures that you and your family receive the best possible outcome in your case.
Accountability Matters: Get the Results You Deserve After a Truck Accident
Tennessee trucking accidents can shatter lives and lead to financial hardship. Bringing accountable parties to justice is key to obtaining the compensation that victims and their loved ones deserve. The experienced Nashville personal injury attorneys at the Labrum Law Firm can help.
We guide victims through complicated truck accident cases to obtain recovery for medical expenses, lost income, and other losses. Call us at [phone] today or fill out our online form for a free consultation.
