Commercial trucking companies are regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The FMCSA puts forth laws whose purpose is to make the highways safer for both motorists and commercial truck drivers.

Under the FMCSA’s umbrella regulation of commercial trucking companies, they incorporate the sections regulating both commercial truck drivers and the commercial trucks themselves.

As far as your Louisiana truck accident claim, it is important to recognize the trucking company regulations are very far-reaching and cover everything from fees and preservation of records, to highly-detailed sections on safety standards.

The FMCSA requires everyone to comply with the section focused on the driving of commercial vehicles and this particular section is listed in all other commercial vehicle regulatory sections. These rules apply to every person, both management and workers, responsible for the following as they apply to commercial motor vehicles:

• Management;
• Maintenance;
• Operation;
• Driving commercial vehicles;
• Hiring, supervising, training, assigning; or
• Dispatching drivers.

The commercial driving section speaks not only to general safety procedures that must be followed, but also to very exacting issues, such as, how many hours at a time a commercial truck driver can operate a truck, as well as a list of prohibited practices. When you file your truck accident claim, you must know what actions commercial truck drivers are prohibited from to help build your case.  

The vehicle-related portion of trucking company regulations covers a wide range of topics as well. This topic incorporates the section on driving commercial vehicles and vehicle safety standards. Beyond that, these laws focus on all things related to commercial vehicles such as:  

• Emission standards;
• Transportation of hazardous materials;
• Parking rules; and
• Highly specific safety standards.

The federal regulations for trucking companies are very extensive and your Louisiana truck accident claim may hinge on these regulations. These laws dictate exactly how a trucking company must be established and operated. They also detail the minimum levels of financial responsibility (via insurance) that must be carried.

A qualified Louisiana personal injury attorney who specialized in truck accident cases should be well versed in federal trucking regulations and understands how to prove whether or not a truck driver or trucking company violated these responsibilities during your truck accident.

Contacting a Louisiana Personal Injury Attorney

After a serious truck accident, while you are dealing with injuries, medical bills, car repairs, and insurance companies, it’s important to have someone working on your side.

Speaking with an experienced Louisiana personal injury attorney after a truck accident can help you understand your legal rights and options, and if necessary, help you file a personal injury lawsuit to help you recover compensation for your losses.

The Louisiana personal injury lawyers at the Law Offices of J. Price McNamara can help you recover damages for medical bills, ongoing medical treatment, property damage, and other accident-related expenses. Contact us to schedule your FREE legal consultation today – (866) 248-0580.