Truck Accidents Attorney in Lincoln

Who Is Liable in a Truck Accident?

Commercial truck collisions differ significantly from standard automotive accidents because multiple corporate entities often share the blame. When we investigate a crash, we look beyond the driver to identify every party responsible for your injuries.

Depending on the specific facts of your collision, we can pursue compensation from several distinct entities, including:

• The truck driver. The individual operating the commercial vehicle bears direct responsibility if they violate Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations, ignore driver fatigue metrics, or operate the vehicle recklessly. 
• The commercial freight carrier. Major national and regional freight carriers must enforce strict safety rules. A carrier is liable if corporate management forces drivers to ignore safety protocols or fails to maintain the fleet properly. 
• Third-party vendors and maintenance crews. Separate corporate entities often load cargo or service commercial air brake systems for truckers. If improper commercial weight distribution or faulty machinery caused the collision, we can hold these outside subcontractors accountable. 

Corporate insurance companies actively try to shift blame among these parties to confuse victims and delay payouts. Senior Attorney Tony Brock draws on his deep understanding of FMCSA rules and extensive experience in commercial trucking to untangle the overlapping layers of liability. We investigate the entire corporate chain to identify who owes you compensation. 

How Shared Fault Works in a Nebraska Truck Accident Case

Nebraska handles shared fault differently from most states, and the difference is not a matter of degree. A jury assigns a percentage of fault to everyone involved, including you. If your share lands below the combined fault of the parties you are suing, your award is reduced by that percentage. For example, 20% at fault means 20% less. If your share reaches 50%, you recover nothing. There is no partial award past that line, no matter how severe the injury is.

That structure explains why a carrier's defense in a serious case is so often built around fault percentages rather than the value of your injuries. Moving your number from 40 to 50 does not cost the carrier a tenth of the claim. It ends the claim, and it costs them everything they would otherwise owe. Skid marks, dashcam footage, electronic logging data, and the position of debris at the scene are what keep that argument from taking hold, and each has a shelf life.