Can U-Haul be sued when a U-Haul truck causes an accident involving personal injury or wrongful death?
This question came up recently when a U-Haul truck rented by a Yale undergraduate ran over three women at the Harvard-Yale tailgate party on Saturday, November 19th. The truck allegedly swerved and accelerated before hitting the women, two of whom were injured and one of whom was killed.
The Yale Daily News asked me if U-Haul could be held liable (sued and held accountable to pay personal injury and wrongful death claims). Here is an excerpt from the article:
Attorney Eric Hageman
Eric Hageman, a Minneapolis-based personal injury attorney who handles cases involving truck accidents, said U-Haul could only be held liable for an accident like Saturday’s if it were proven that the company “did something wrong.” If, for instance, Ross [the driver of the U-Haul] was given the vehicle despite being unqualified to drive it, or if it could be shown that the vehicle was put on the road despite a known need for repair, a case could be brought against U-Haul, Hageman said. . . .
[Hageman] added that the Graves Amendment, a federal statute, substantially limits the liability car- and truck-rental companies face in the event of accidents if their vehicles are shown to have been properly maintained and loaned.
However, even if it turns out that U-Haul is not responsible for the tragedy at the Yale game, the driver of the U-Haul truck could be sued. And if the accident was caused, even in part, by a defective part on the U-Haul truck, the manufacturer of that part could also be sued.
Eric Hageman represents accident victims and their families throughout the United States. He can be reached for a free consultation at 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or by submitting our free consultation form.
Tags: Wrongful Death Attorney
