PARTIES INVOLVED IN A TRUCKING ACCIDENT IN PHOENIX
Understanding The Parties Who Could Be Involved In A Trucking Accident
Who’s to blame when a multi-ton freight hauler turns a routine commute into a life-altering tragedy?
Many immediately blame the driver, assuming the crash was purely due to human error. What they don’t realize is that factors such as faulty parts, improper loading, insufficient maintenance or unsafe scheduling can be just as critical. In a complex case, pinning the crash on the driver alone risks missing key evidence and letting other negligent parties escape accountability.
A trucking accident isn’t like a typical passenger-vehicle collision. It often inflicts catastrophic damage and draws in multiple parties, each of whom may share responsibility for what went wrong.
At Miller Kory Rowe, our Phoenix truck accident attorneys combine deep industry insight and legal expertise to investigate every detail of your accident, identify all potentially negligent parties and fight for the maximum compensation you’re entitled to under the law.
Why Clients Trust Miller Kory Rowe
At Miller Kory Rowe, we have extensive experience handling complex commercial vehicle accident claims and have the necessary resources to take on powerful trucking companies and their insurance providers. Our attorneys are not afraid of a fight; we prepare every case as though it will go to trial, and we are always prepared to represent our clients’ best interests in the courtroom. As your legal team, we will do whatever it takes to protect you and your recovery.
What sets us apart:
- Arizona-based attorneys, with legal services available in both English and Spanish
- Extensive knowledge of FMCSA regulations, carrier liability, and black box evidence
- We handle high-stakes truck accident litigation with a proven record of success in Arizona courts
- We don’t get paid unless we recover compensation for your injuries and losses
Jeff Miller Board-certified in personal injury and wrongful death law, Jeff brings over 20 years of courtroom experience to serious truck accident cases. He holds drivers, carriers, and manufacturers accountable, combining legal precision with his role as Assistant Professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine–Phoenix to advocate for those facing catastrophic injury.
Gabe Kory Founding partner Gabe Kory draws on his background in corporate defense to dismantle the legal strategies trucking companies often rely on. He builds strong, evidence-based claims by analyzing logbook violations, black box data, and maintenance failures to fight for the full value of your case.
Teri Rowe Named one of Arizona’s Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Trial Lawyers, Teri applies her engineering background to interpret crash reconstruction, braking systems, and federal safety violations. Her ability to turn complex technical data into compelling courtroom narratives helps juries understand how trucking negligence causes life-altering harm.
Parties Involved in Trucking Accident
In the aftermath of a wreck, victims and their families face not only physical and emotional scars but also a maze of potential defendants, every link in the chain of command from the engineer who designed the braking system to the broker who arranged the load.
Here are the key parties who may share liability:
Truck Driver
The driver carries the most visible responsibility on the road. Every commercial driver must hold a valid Commercial Driver’s License, earned only after passing Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)-mandated medical exams, written tests and behind-the-wheel evaluations. Even with proper licensure, drivers can be negligent if they exceed hours-of-service limits, drive under the influence, use a mobile device behind the wheel or operate recklessly. Proving driver fault often relies on electronic logs, onboard cameras and eyewitness accounts.
Vehicle Manufacturer and Parts Suppliers
The company that designed and built the truck and every supplier of critical components, engines, brakes, steering systems and tires must meet strict safety standards. A defect in design, a flaw in production or a failure to warn about known hazards can all lead to product-liability claims when a part contributes to a crash.
Loader or Shipper of Cargo
Whoever loads the freight must respect legal weight limits, balance the load and secure the cargo with appropriate tie-downs. Overloaded or shifting cargo can cause rollovers, jackknifes or spilled materials. If improper loading or faulty equipment plays a role, shippers, freight brokers and loading agents may face negligent-entrustment claims.
Truck Owner
The owner of the rig has a non-delegable duty to keep the vehicle in safe working order. Skipping routine inspections, delaying repairs or ignoring worn components can turn a dependable truck into a dangerous machine. Maintenance records and service logs often reveal whether an owner met this fundamental obligation.
Leasing Company
When a carrier leases its fleet from a separate owner, both entities share liability. Leasing agreements typically require owners to perform inspections and repairs. If those terms go unenforced or substandard parts replace original equipment, the leasing company may also face claims under vicarious liability and contract-based negligence.
Common Causes of Trucking Accidents
Trucking collisions rarely stem from a single misstep. Investigations typically uncover multiple contributing factors, including:
- Driver Impairment
Alcohol and drug use behind the wheel remains a serious hazard. Federal rules require pre-employment and random testing for all commercial drivers. Refusing a test or registering a blood-alcohol concentration above 0.04 establishes clear liability if impairment causes a crash. - Driver Fatigue
Exhausted drivers pose a heightened risk. Fatigue factors into roughly 12 percent of all large-truck crashes and 10 percent of near-crashes. Hours-of-service regulations limit drivers to 11 hours of driving after 10 consecutive off-duty hours. Skipped rest breaks, often driven by tight schedules, can turn a routine haul into a deadly run. - Equipment Failure and Defective Parts
Brake malfunctions, tire blowouts and steering failures account for a significant share of wrecks. Mechanical issues contribute to about 12 percent of large-truck crashes. Liability may extend to part manufacturers when design or production flaws cause a breakdown, and to maintenance shops or owner-operators if inspections or repairs were neglected. - Improper Loading
Overweight or unevenly distributed cargo can trigger jackknifes, rollovers and spilled loads. Shippers, brokers and loading crews share a duty to calculate weight limits, balance freight and secure it with proper chains or straps. Failure to meet these standards can make them liable under negligent-entrustment theories. - Maintenance Lapses
Routine inspections of brakes, suspension, lights and fluid levels are essential. Skipped or inadequate maintenance transforms a dependable rig into a rolling danger. Service logs and repair invoices often reveal whether owners and leasing companies upheld their duty to keep trucks roadworthy.
By pinpointing these common causes, your legal team can trace each thread of negligence, ensuring no responsible party escapes accountability.
How Liability Is Established in Truck Accidents
Establishing liability in a trucking accident case hinges on four core elements: duty, breach, causation and damages.
Duty
Every party in the trucking process, from manufacturers and maintenance shops to shippers and drivers, owes a duty to act with reasonable care. Truck drivers must obey hours-of-service rules and drive safely. Carriers must hire qualified operators and maintain their fleet. Parts suppliers must design and build safe components.
Breach
A breach occurs when a party fails to meet its duty. Examples include a driver skipping rest breaks, a carrier ignoring maintenance schedules, a loader overstuffing a trailer or a brake-line manufacturer using substandard materials. Federal regulations and industry standards provide clear benchmarks for proper conduct.
Causation
Linking the breach to the crash requires evidence. Telematics data can show speeding or hard braking. Maintenance logs can reveal overdue repairs. Load manifests can prove improper cargo distribution. When these facts align, you establish that the breach likely caused the wreck.
Damages
Finally, you must document the harm: medical bills, lost income, property repairs and pain and suffering. Precise records and expert testimony on prognosis and future costs turn those harms into quantifiable damages.
In some cases, legal doctrines such as respondeat superior (holding carriers responsible for drivers) or negligent entrustment (holding loaders or owners responsible for unsafe cargo) broaden the scope of liability. By mapping each party’s duty and breach, you build a case that covers every source of negligence.
FAQs About Truck Accident Cases
Q: What is the statute of limitations for filing a truck accident claim in Arizona?
Q: Can I still file a claim if I was partially at fault?
Q: How much compensation can I expect after a truck accident?
Q: What role do accident reconstruction experts play?
Q: How much does it cost to hire a commercial vehicle accident attorney?
Helpful Resources for Arizona Residents
Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) – Crash Reports
Request official accident reports and review traffic safety information.
Arizona Corporation Commission – Motor Carrier Safety
Check registration and compliance records for trucking companies operating in Arizona.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) – Company Snapshot Tool
Look up safety records, inspections, and violations for commercial trucking carriers.
Arizona Judicial Branch – Civil Court Information
Find case information, court locations, and self-help resources for civil litigation.
Take Action Now With Miller Kory Rowe
Trucking accidents involve many potential defendants, from manufacturers and shippers to carriers and drivers, making claims complex.
At Miller Kory Rowe LLP, we dig into every detail, partner with top experts and hold all responsible parties accountable. If you’ve been hurt in a truck crash in Arizona, contact our Phoenix attorneys today for a free consultation. We’ll protect your rights and fight for the compensation you deserve.
Contact our Phoenix truck accident attorneys for a free consultation today.
Start Your Medical Malpractice Claim
Take the first step toward justice by completing a quick claim review today.
SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION WITH AN AN EXPERIENCED ARIZONA NURSING HOME ABUSE ATTORNEY
The Miller Kory Rowe LLP team has spent decades fighting for the rights of nursing home residents. If you suspect or know a loved one is a victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, please call 928-563-6405 or contact us online. Our attorneys offer free consultations and there are no fees unless we win your case. With offices in Phoenix and Tucson, our firm is uniquely positioned to serve clients throughout Arizona. Contact our firm today!
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
REAL CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
DO I HAVE A CASE?
TALK TO OUR ATTORNEYS NOW
why choose us?
Decades of Experience
At Miller Kory Rowe LLP, our attorneys have more than 60 years of combined experience helping individuals injured by the negligence of others. We are dedicated to getting our clients the settlements they deserve to help them restore their livelihood and peace of mind.
DEDICATED TRIAL ATTORNEYS
With every case we pursue, our trial attorneys have three foundational beliefs: Dedicated. Aggressive. Principled.
EXTENSIVE RESOURCES
When you work with our law firm we put all of our extensive resources into finding evidence, interviewing witnesses, and navigating through the complexities and challenges that each claim presents.
