Find Out More About a Potential Garbage Truck Crash Claim & How to Position It for Success
Austin homes and businesses rely on garbage trucks to collect waste and keep the city clean. To do that, large garbage trucks routinely make stops, operating hoppers, packer blades, and hydraulic arms, often on busy roads surrounded by traffic. That can set the stage for serious garbage truck accidents when things go wrong, mistakes are made, or motorists are negligent.
If that happens, there may be various legal remedies available to the survivors of these wrecks — and it’s never too early to learn about these options, assert your legal rights, and take steps to get on the road to recovery.
To help you start doing that, the answers below uncover more about liability and potential evidence for Austin garbage truck accidents, as well as what to expect if you move forward with a case.
Who’s At Fault for My Garbage Truck Accident?
At-fault parties can include any person or entity, like a company or municipality, whose negligence was a factor in causing the garbage truck accident. On the surface, this question may appear simple to answer, especially if you saw how the collision happened. However, it’s integral to remember that.
- Two or more motorists may shoulder liability: Even if you saw one driver slam into another, it’s difficult to know if other involved motorists were drunk, using cellphones, speeding, or otherwise behaving recklessly on the roads.
- Public and private entities can be liable for their vehicles and drivers: Cities, counties, and/or private companies who own and operate garbage trucks can be at fault for crashes caused by unsafe vehicles and/or dangerous garbage truck drivers. If your crash involved a residential garbage truck in Austin, then the city of Austin could be among those liable for the accident.
- Garbage truck accident investigations are key to liability determinations: In many cases, it’s only possible to get a clear picture of fault for a wreck by conducting careful, thorough investigations and looking at all potential evidence.
While an attorney can help you answer this question, after going over the facts and available evidence, some of the parties who may be at fault for garbage truck accidents in Austin, TX, can include:
- The drivers of passenger vehicles, as well as other roadway travelers like motorcyclists or pedestrians
- Garbage truck drivers and/or other commercial motorists, like 18-wheeler drivers and bus drivers
- The cities, counties, other public entities, and/or private companies that own and operate garbage trucks in Austin, TX
- Truck equipment manufacturers, repair shops, and/or technicians
- The parties responsible for building and maintaining safe roads (While these can be the same parties when cities handle garbage collection services and road maintenance, they can be different on private roads controlled by homeowners’ associations, for example.)
What Evidence Do I Need for a Garbage Truck Accident Case?
The evidence you need to establish liability and win a garbage truck accident claim:
- Depends on your case and exactly how the crash happened
- Can come to light via deeper investigations after the crash
- Often, these claims can be strengthened with items like (but not limited to):
- Police reports for the garbage truck crash
- Photos and/or videos of the crash
- Debris on the roads and/or damage to surrounding road features
- Eyewitness statements and accounts
- Expert witness analysis and insights
- Garbage truck maintenance records
A lawyer can point out exactly what evidence may be vital to your potential claim while helping you locate and preserve that evidence. That could go a long way toward building a stronger garbage truck accident case.
What Happens After I File a Garbage Truck Accident Claim?
The nature of your claim and who you may be suing can impact how your case will move forward and what to expect as you proceed. That’s because:
- There may be different deadlines and processes for filing a lawsuit against a public entity (like the city or county) versus suing a private company.
- More complex cases may require more in-depth investigations and discovery, along with expert witnesses, depositions, and more.
- The strength of your potential garbage truck accident case can influence how receptive liable parties are to admitting or fighting fault and disputing damages.
On top of those factors, your needs, choices, and objectives can also affect what happens after you file a claim and what it may take to resolve it. Regardless, however, an Austin garbage truck accident attorney can offer the representation and guidance you need when it’s time to position a claim for a successful resolution.