Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – Why will a business rather than an individual truck driver be named as a defendant in a lawsuit?

There are some specific reasons why the process following a truck accident may be different from other motor vehicle incidents. This is generally tied to the fact that most trucks are used by businesses for commercial purposes, and these companies can be named as a defendant in a lawsuit. 

An accident just east of Pittsburgh in New Alexandria, Pennsylvania involved a coal truck that turned over and lost its cargo in a bank parking lot. 

Truck spill causes blockages and property damage in a parking lot

Police received reports of an overturned truck in Westmoreland County on a Thursday afternoon. They responded to a First Commonwealth Bank location at the intersections of Route 22 and Route 981 in New Alexandria. When rescue crews arrived, the truck driver was uninjured. However, the cleanup of a large amount of coal that was dumped in front of the bank and in the parking lot took a substantial effort. Aerial footage of the scene showed fire trucks and bulldozers engaged in the cleanup process while the truck sat on its right side near the edge of the lot. The truck was eventually removed and the bank was able to resume operations as normal.

There was no report from the police regarding what initially caused the truck to tip over and end up in a bank parking lot. The accident is still under investigation.  

Naming a business as a defendant

After an incident like this, the bank may experience losses due to the truck driver’s negligence and the revenue lost during the cleanup. The coal business that owns the vehicle will likely have to end up paying out these losses. This is because in civil lawsuits, a business is actually liable for the actions of the employee during working hours, provided that they are engaged in their normal job duties. This company is probably engaged in transporting coal around on a regular basis, so they are also expected to take certain precautions and follow safety regulations to prevent incidents like this news story from happening. If they failed to exercise reasonable care, they will be found at fault and have to pay for the victim’s losses. 

Calculating damages that the defendant will owe to the plaintiff

Whether the defendant is a business or an individual truck driver, the victim’s attorney will argue for payment for economic and non-economic losses. This can include property repairs, lost wages or income, medical bills and treatment, and anything else with a concrete financial value. There are also non-economic damages available in serious accidents. This is a less tangible amount to estimate, but the victim’s attorney can argue that the trauma and emotional pain caused by an accident has a significant financial value, especially if it has affected the victim’s ability to function normally. After a brief conversation with a personal injury lawyer, they can give you an estimate of the value of your case.  

Get assistance after a collision

Superior legal services are available from firms in the Pittsburgh area. Contact Scanlon and Wojton, Attorneys at Law for a free consultation with more information about how to proceed with a civil lawsuit after a truck accident.