Was The Driver Who Caused The Accident Qualified To Drive A Truck?
Someone has to drive the trucks. When transportation companies can’t find qualified drivers with clean records, they take whomever they can get. After a truck accident, the background of the trucker and screening practices of the employer can be important clues to the cause of the crash.
The Cleveland personal injury lawyers of Bashein & Bashein have held trucking companies and other employers accountable for negligent hiring and training. We handle 18-wheeler wrecks and commercial vehicle accidents in northeast Ohio and statewide.
If your loved one was injured or killed by a reckless or unqualified driver, you need a law firm with the experience to prove it. Contact our Cleveland negligent truck hiring lawyer today for a free consultation.
Cleveland Truck Company Liability Attorneys
We share the road with thousands of over-the-road truckers, delivery drivers, utility workers, construction workers and others who drive trucks for a living. The majority are qualified and safety-minded, but sometimes employers hand the keys to people with sketchy backgrounds:
- A history of traffic violations
- Prior truck accidents
- Multiple DOT safety violations
- No commercial driver’s license (CDL)
- Expired or suspended CDL
- Prior DUIs or drug convictions
- Failed drug tests
We research the driver and the company’s hiring practices to show that the truck driver should not have been on the road, and that the employer was negligent by (a) knowingly hiring an unqualified driver or (b) failing to perform background checks before hiring. The employer can also be negligent for failing to train new drivers or require a certain level of experience, especially for jobs involving tractor-trailers or heavy equipment.
The driver might be a fine, upstanding citizen but still be a bad candidate as a truck driver if that person’s health problems (for example, heart disease or poor vision) pose a threat to other motorists. In an accident case that went to the Ohio Supreme Court, we held a trucking company accountable for faking annual physicals of drivers.
Did The Employer Endanger Your Life To Save A Buck?
Talk to a Cleveland trucker negligent hiring lawyer at Bashein & Bashein about your accident and legal remedies. Call 216-771-3239 or toll-free 800-771-4457 or e-mail us today to schedule a free consultation.