Trucking Accident Attorneys in the Greater Boston Area
Trucking accidents involving passenger vehicles and large trucks account for thousands of fatalities and serious injuries each year. Although the objective of interstate trucking regulations governed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is to reduce the number of serious and fatal trucking accidents, adherence to interstate trucking regulations is critical to preserving the safety of other drivers and passengers on the road.
Contact a truck accident attorney at Kenney & Conley in Braintree, Massachusetts for knowledgeable advice about your rights after a trucking accident involving you or a family member.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulates the interstate trucking industry. Commercial trucks and other large trucks over 10,000 pounds must adhere to safety regulations and other regulations established by FMCSA. Our comprehensive knowledge of trucking laws enables us to analyze a truck accident case and uncover violations by the truck driver, trucking company, and other applicable responsible parties.
- Safety ratings: Specific procedures determine the safety rating of semi trucks and other large trucks. Motor carriers and truck drivers are responsible for correcting identified unsafe conditions.
- Hiring procedures: Truck companies must adhere to federal regulations regarding the minimum truck driver qualifications. However, the carrier can also be held accountable for negligent hiring practices that reveal a history of hiring drivers with a poor driving record, criminal record, or history of drug or alcohol use.
- Insurance: Due to the elevated risk for catastrophic injuries or fatalities in a truck crash, the minimum insurance coverage required for tractor trailers and other large trucks is much higher than that of small passenger vehicles.
- Inspection and maintenance: Interstate trucking regulations set forth the requirements for truck maintenance and frequent inspections. These rules direct what components require frequent inspections, the number of miles between inspections, and other requirements concerning truck repairs.
- Operation guidelines: Truck drivers and trucking companies are required to comply with strict guidelines concerning the operation of large trucks. Specific requirements direct how loads should be secured before travel, the frequency of inspecting how the load is secured, the number of continuous hours a driver may spend behind the wheel without rest, the frequency of rest periods, the length of time spent in a rest period, and other requirements. Unfortunately, demanding delivery schedules held by many motor carriers compel truck drivers to speed, drive without sufficient rest, and alter drive logs.
- Company responsibility for truck drivers: Motor carriers in the past have attempted to escape financial responsibility following a serious or fatal trucking accident by claiming the driver was an independent contractor and therefore, the truck company was not liable for the truck driver's negligence. However, FMCSA eliminates any distinction between truck drivers who were classified as employees and drivers who were classified as independent contractors.
Driven Toward Results in Trucking Accident Cases
With more than 20 years of representing accident victims throughout Massachusetts, our attorneys have comprehensive understanding of interstate trucking regulations. This in-depth knowledge enables us to conduct effective investigations and prepare compelling claims regarding liability and damages resulting from a severe trucking accident. View some of our results in serious semi truck accident and commercial trucking accident cases.
At Kenney & Conley, we have a deep understanding of what our clients are enduring on a daily basis as they recover from a devastating truck accident or cope with the death of a family member. This drives our attorneys to do our best to obtain complete compensation for our clients. Contact our personal injury law firm for trucking accident representation in Massachusetts.
