CDL Requirements

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Commercial driver’s licenses (CDL) are a requirement for driving any large commercial motor vehicle (CMV). Licensed drivers are assumed to a have taken the specific courses and studied the materials necessary to understand how to drive larger CMVs safely. Without this training, drivers may not be appropriately skilled to respond to unexpected obstacles in the road or understand what to do if one of their tires blows out. CMVs can weigh anywhere from 10,000 to 80,000 pounds, which makes them deadly if they get out of control. Most truck drivers who are required to use CMVs in their day-to-day jobs, therefore, must be capable and responsible individuals.

Liability

Truck drivers that are unlicensed are more liable in the event of an accident. If an individual doesn’t have a CDL when driving a commercial vehicle, they are committing license fraud. License fraud is, unfortunately, quite prevalent in the industry and investigations are pending in multiple states in many cases.

If a truck company knowingly hired an unlicensed driver to carry freight over state lines, you are likely to be compensated for any injury or property damaged sustained in an accident with the unlicensed driver. Personal injury cases are all determined by negligence. If the trucking company did a background check to ensure the driver did have a license, and the records showed the driver did pass the CDL test, they did their due diligence in investigating, and the liability might then fall on the driver. However, if the company didn’t do a background check and merely hired the driver based on their word, the company would be responsible for not investigating further to ensure the public safety.

Let Our Trucking Accident Attorney Fight for Your Compensation

Truck accidents can cause severe damage to passengers and vehicles alike. If you’ve been injured by a truck driver, don’t hesitate to give our skilled Charleston truck accident attorneys a call. The lawyers at Berthold Law Firm, PLLC are dedicated to helping the victims of personal injury seek compensation for their medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and rehabilitation costs. If someone was negligent and caused a severe truck accident, they must be brought to account and pay for the damage they caused. Talk to us about the particular circumstances of your case, and we can use our 75 years of combined legal experience to see what we can do for you.