How Is Liability Proven in Maine Truck Accidents?

A commercial truck hit you, and now you want to know who’s responsible and how fault is decided. Liability in Maine truck accidents comes down to proving whose conduct caused the crash. Find out what that involves and what it means for your case.

Do I Have a Viable Truck Accident Injury Case?

Liability in a Maine truck accident case depends on whether another person or company acted negligently and caused the crash that led to your injuries. Negligence is the legal term for carelessness that results in harm, and proving it is what allows an injured person to recover compensation.

Proving negligence in a commercial truck crash requires you to demonstrate four elements.

1. Duty of Care

Everyone involved in operating or maintaining a commercial truck has a duty to act safely and responsibly to avoid causing harm to others. Drivers must follow traffic laws, stay alert, and comply with federal hours-of-service rules. Trucking companies must maintain their vehicles in a safe condition and hire qualified, trained drivers. Manufacturers, maintenance crews, and cargo loaders share that duty by ensuring trucks and their parts are safe before they go on the road.

2. Breach of Duty

A breach occurs when that responsibility is ignored or violated. This might include a driver texting behind the wheel, a company skipping required maintenance, or a mechanic signing off on unsafe brakes. Breaching a duty opens the door to liability.

3. Causation

The next step is connecting that failure to the crash itself. The careless act must be what directly caused the accident and your injuries. For example, if a company neglects brake inspections and the brakes fail, the company can be held responsible for the crash.

4. Damages

The final element involves showing what the crash cost you. Damages can include medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle. These losses demonstrate how negligence led to harm.

Once you prove all four elements, the law establishes liability and gives you the right to pursue compensation in Maine.

What Evidence Helps Prove Who Is at Fault in a Truck Accident in Maine?

Once you understand the legal elements of negligence, the next step is gathering the proof that supports them. Evidence collected after the crash helps show how it happened and who is responsible.

• Accident scene documentation and analysis. Photos, videos, and witness statements help show vehicle positions, skid marks, and traffic conditions. Investigators can review these details to understand the sequence of events that led to the collision.
• Black box data. Commercial trucks are equipped with electronic logging devices that record speed, braking, and hours of operation on the road. This data can indicate whether the driver was fatigued or failed to follow safety rules.
• Driver logbooks. Driver logs record when the operator was driving and when they rested. Gaps or errors in these records can suggest violations of federal driving limits.
• Trucking company records. Maintenance files, inspection reports, and driver employment documents can reveal patterns of neglect. A skipped repair or missed inspection can directly tie the company to the cause of the crash.
• Witness testimony. Statements from people who saw the collision provide independent details about how it occurred. These accounts help verify the physical evidence collected from the scene.
• Police accident report. The responding officer’s report includes citations, contact information, and observations about the crash. This document is an official summary used by attorneys and insurers to assess fault.
• Medical records. Treatment notes and diagnostic records connect your injuries to the crash. They also help calculate the financial and physical impact of those injuries.

A word of caution: Soon after a truck accident, an insurance adjuster may contact you to request a recorded statement. It’s best to hold off until you’ve spoken with an attorney. What you say can become part of the claim record and may be used to limit liability. Mann Law handles these communications to ensure the information collected reflects the facts of the crash and protects your claim.

How Comparative Negligence Affects Your Case

Evidence collected during the investigation helps establish who was responsible for the crash under Maine law. Maine follows a modified comparative negligence rule. This means:

• If you are found partially at fault for the collision, your compensation is reduced by your share of fault.
• If you are 50% or more responsible, you cannot recover compensation.

Disputes about who is at fault in a truck accident in Maine are common. A trucking company might argue that your driving contributed to the crash, or an insurer may try to minimize the driver’s role. A lawyer familiar with these cases can review the facts, challenge unfair claims of fault, and work to maximize the value of your case.

Which Parties Can Be Liable in a Maine Truck Accident?

Several parties may share fault in a Maine truck accident, depending on the circumstances of the crash. Those who could be held responsible include:

• Truck drivers. Drivers can be liable for careless conduct such as speeding, distracted driving, fatigue, or driving under the influence.
• Trucking companies. Companies may face liability for poor maintenance, unsafe schedules, inadequate hiring practices, or failure to comply with safety regulations.
• Manufacturers or parts suppliers. A defective brake, tire, or steering component can create liability for those who design, build, or supply it.
• Cargo loaders or shippers. Overloaded or unsecured freight can cause rollovers, jackknifes, or spills that endanger others on the road.
• Maintenance and repair providers. When service work is skipped or performed incorrectly, those errors can lead to mechanical failure and serious crashes.

Each party plays a role in how the crash occurred. Mann Law reviews every detail of responsibility to identify all liable parties and build the strongest possible claim for each client.

Injured in a Truck Accident? Call Mann Law

Mann Law brings over 50 years of combined experience handling truck accident cases throughout Maine. 

Founding attorney Chrissy Mann’s background in insurance defense gives her insight into how insurers think and how to counter their tactics. Our firm uses that knowledge to build strong cases for injured clients and pursue the compensation they’re entitled to. 

If you suffered injuries in a Maine truck accident, Contact Mann Law today at (207) 709-0900 for a free consultation.

Christiana E. Mann Christiana “Chrissy” Mann has specialized in civil litigation for 21+ years as a savvy and creative litigator, and she’s regarded as a fair, compassionate, and zealous advocate on behalf of her clients.