Driving a big rig is a huge responsibility. Thankfully, you cannot be a trucker just by being willing to do it- you need to meet some legal requirements. As unbelievable as it is, if you're involved in a serious semi-trailer truck wreck, you might need to find out if the trucker was qualified to drive in the first place.
In this brief video, a South Carolina trucking accident attorney discusses the legal standards to drive an 18-wheeler, how to find out if the trucker meets them, and the impact an unqualified trucker can have on your trucking accident case.
Transcipt
Shockingly, a trucking accident victim might need to know whether the trucker was qualified to drive in the first place. Federal law requires trucking companies to keep a driver qualification file. That file should include a detailed job application that includes crashes and traffic ticks for the prior three years, plus all license suspensions. It should also include a copy of the annual driving record for every state the trucker is licensed in. It should include a doctor’s certification the trucker is medically qualified to drive. And finally, it should also include proof the trucker can safely operate a big rig with proof of passing a road test, or, a copy of the truckers CDL.
It usually takes a lawsuit to get a copy of the file, but if you can prove the trucker wasn’t qualified to drive, the trucking company can be held legally accountable for that. Finding these violations isn’t easy. It takes a sharp eye and thorough knowledge of the law to build a convincing case around it. If you’ve got questions about your trucking case feel free to fill out our get help now form so you can a response from an experienced trucking attorney about your concerns. I thank you for thinking about this with me and I hope I see you soon.
