While they are most commonly seen on and around construction sites, most dump trucks are also street-legal vehicles that can be used to carry raw materials and waste between worksites. Unfortunately, this means that the irresponsible operation of a dump truck can potentially harm not just workers on the job but also pedestrians, passers-by, and people driving their own vehicles on local roads and highways.
No matter where a dump truck accident in Southlake occurs, it can be critical to act quickly and decisively in the aftermath of one that leaves you seriously injured. The faster you reach out to an experienced truck collision lawyer and start working on a possible civil claim, the better your chances of recovering fair compensation from the people responsible.
Recovering After a Dump Truck Accident on the Job
Texas is notable for being the only state in the country that does not require any type of employer to maintain workers’ compensation coverage for their employees, regardless of how big they are as a company or what industry they work in. Because of that, it is not always possible to get paid on a no-fault basis for medical bills, a portion of lost wages, and other out-of-pocket expenses after a dump truck accident in Southlake, even if the injured person was performing job-related duties at the time of the accident.
For people who do have workers’ comp coverage through their employer and commonly work with or around dump trucks, though, it is worth emphasizing that “job-related duties” can have a somewhat broad definition depending on the circumstances. For example, if someone gets hurt in a crash not caused by their own irresponsible actions while they are driving a dump truck from one worksite to another, they would still have been “on the job” for the purposes of workers’ comp even if they were not actually on a worksite at the time. This is because they were driving an employer-owned vehicle towards someplace they had to be for their job.
For a free legal consultation, call (817) 775-5364
Filing a Third-Party Lawsuit Over a Dump Truck Crash
Except for the scenarios mentioned above, most claims built around dump truck accidents in Southlake—whether work-related or not—will be third-party lawsuits or settlement demands built around the theory of legal negligence. In brief, someone is “negligent” and therefore financially liable for ensuing damages if they directly cause an accident by engaging in reckless or careless conduct, such as violating traffic law while driving a dump truck or not making sure the area is clear before dumping the load from the back of a truck.
Alternatively, some dump truck accident claims may be built around strict liability if the main cause of the accident was a defect in the truck itself that its manufacturer should have corrected before selling it for use. Sorting through all available evidence to determine who should pay financially for a specific accident is one of many things a capable legal professional could provide crucial assistance with.
Southlake Dump Truck Accident Lawyer Near Me (817) 775-5364
A Southlake Attorney Could Help Following a Dump Truck Accident
Even comparatively “minor” accidents involving dump trucks tend to result in serious injuries that are expensive to treat and cause no small amount of physical and psychological harm during the healing process. More severe incidents have the potential to cause debilitating injuries that will never fully heal and which may lead to a lifetime’s worth of lost work income, physical pain, and emotional anguish.
Help from a dedicated lawyer will almost always be essential to getting paid fairly for these and other damages caused by a dump truck accident in Southlake. Call today for a private consultation.
Call (817) 775-5364 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
