Houston Service Hours Violation Lawyer
Commercial trucks are essential to Houston’s economy. These vehicles deliver the goods people in the city use every day. Unfortunately, not all truck drivers operate their vehicles safely. One of the biggest problems for truckers is that they are often fatigued while behind the wheel. Truckers are under enormous pressure to deliver the goods they are carrying in a short period of time, and they spend a lot of time on the road.
It is natural for truck drivers to become tired while they are working, and that is a dangerous situation. Drowsy driving is always risky behavior, but it becomes even more hazardous when the fatigued driver is operating a truck that can weigh up to 80,0000 pounds. If you have been injured in a truck accident, it is important to determine if a drowsy driver was to blame. Our Houston hours of service violations lawyer can help you do it.
What are Hours-of-Service Violations?
Truck drivers and trucking companies are required to follow many federal laws to ensure trucks do not cause serious accidents on the roads. One of the main rules is the hours-of-service rule. The hours of service rule dictates how much time a truck driver can remain on the road, and when they must take breaks. Under the law, truckers are only allowed to be on duty for a maximum of 11 hours in a 24-hour period, regardless of whether they are operating a truck at the time or not. Truck drivers must also take a 30-minute break any time they work for eight hours.
Truck drivers also cannot work for more than 70 hours in one workweek, and they cannot work for more than seven or eight days during that time. Any time a truck driver reaches their maximum hours or days worked, they must enter a restart period. This means, they must rest for 34 consecutive hours before they can start another workweek.
Any time truck drivers or trucking companies break these laws, it is considered an hours-of-service violation. A violation of the law means the liable party is negligent per se, which can help with your case.
Liability for Hours-of-Service Violations
It is always difficult to determine which party was liable for a truck accident so you can collect damages, and the same holds true with hours of service violations, too. Many people assume the truck driver is always at fault for violating the hours-of-service rule, but that is not always true. Truckers sometimes willingly work longer hours than allowed by law so they can deliver more cargo and make more in profits or wages. Other times though, the trucking company is to blame.
Trucking companies have been known to provide incentives to truck drivers to encourage them to stay on the road for longer periods of time. They too, do this so they can make more profits, regardless of who might be hurt. When this is the case, the trucking company can be held liable for paying the full damages you deserve.
Call Our Hours-of-Service Violations Lawyers in Houston Today
If you have been hurt in a truck accident, our Houston hours of service violations lawyers at Gilde Law Firm can determine if your crash was caused by a fatigued driver. Call us today at 800-973-3106 or contact us online to learn more about how we will fight for you.
