Whenever a commercial vehicle causes any kind of property damage or injuries, the business that is responsible for the truck’s safe operation may be subjected to a civil lawsuit. If the plaintiff is successful, they will have to pay for various costs like medical expenses and repairs.
A residence in Charlotte, North Carolina sustained severe damage when a landscaping truck crashed into the home’s living room.
Work truck slams into the front of a home in the morning
The incident happened in the early morning hours at about 4:30 am on Briar Creek Road. There was a woman inside on a couch who was briefly stuck under debris from the collision. She was taken to a local hospital as a precaution, but did not appear to be seriously injured. Another witness in the area said he heard loud noises and saw clouds of smoke, but could not tell what happened initially.
A man who lived in the same neighborhood said that the landscaping truck was supposed to pick up food from his catering company. He believes the collision was an honest accident, as he witnessed the incident from his kitchen.
The truck was also hauling a large amount of landscaping equipment at the time of the crash that added to the damage. Video of the scene showed part of the truck’s front cab inside the house, along with various wooden and stone debris from the accident.
Cases against trucking businesses
Even though the individual driver who was in the vehicle at the time caused the accident, the business he works for can also be named as a defendant in a civil case. This is because businesses are strictly liable for the actions of their employees while they are engaged in their normal job duties.
A civil lawsuit against the employer will attempt to claim that the driver breached their normal duty of care on the roads and caused various kinds of losses. This is the same structure as any other negligence case, but both the driver and parent company are usually named as defendants in the case. The plaintiff’s attorney will then try to make an argument for a reasonable amount of damages for their client through things like medical records, invoices for repairs, proof of lost wages, or other problems caused by the truck driver’s negligence.
The state of North Carolina has its own set of laws related to proving fault and damages, so it is best to retain a lawyer who focuses their practice on this area of the civil law.
Truck accident law firms are available in the Charlotte area
Get more information about a truck accident lawsuit from a local lawyer. You can browse the listings on USAttorneys.com to find a legal professional near you.