agree, that may change when you start go for medical costs too. there is no doubt the driver is responsible for the safety of the trailer.

best of luck and hope the GF is ok.

 

It really is that U-Haul is 100% responsible for the unhooked trailer. Why else would they have someone hook it up if they don't take responsibility for it? Just think about what you do. Shouldn't you take responsibility for what you do? It's an even worse mentality to have if you think that the second you're done with whatever you work on, it's no longer your responsibility. That's an even worse thing. It's just like a warranty. Don't you want your truck warrantied, so if there is a problem with it that you didn't cause, as in one from the factory, you expect Chrysler to take responsibility for it.
Now, as far as the injury, U-Haul is 0% at fault for that. What they would argue in court is that they didn't tell her to stand there. She could've been in the truck or 10 foot away. But from her own free will, she stood there. Which, it's really the truth. The U-Haul guy didn't come up from behind her, take her hand and place it where she did, then have you back off and not check to make sure she was away. But I will tell you, that must suck. Just thinking about someone screaming in that agonizing pain sends shivers down my back, so I can only imagine what that does for you. I've luckily never been in any situation like that where you hear that, but it has to be one of the worst and scariest sounds ever. Now, were you to get them to pay for the medical bills, take that money and run.

 

That's a good point, but I wonder to what extent that I have to check things that I've paid other people to do? The most recent example is when I took my truck to the dealership to get the oil changed. A 20 point inspection came with the oil change.

The next day, I took the truck onto the interstate and noticed the hood bouncing around once I hit 70 MPH. I immediately pulled over and noticed that the hood wasn't completely shut. My guess is that service opened the hood the check fluids, etc, as apart of their 20 point inspection but never fully closed it afterward. Thank god for the safety latch.

Several of my friends mentioned that I should have checked that before leaving the dealership. But that got me thinking... what about the other stuff that the dealership messed with. Should I have checked the oil filter before driving off? What about the oil they put into the truck.

 

I check those things... because its my property and my safety on the line. Let's say instead of just hurting her hand, they had to amputate it. At least you would have the satisfaction of blaming uhaul, right? Of course not! You'd kick yourself every day for not double checking it. That's why you double check it, because **** happens and the consequences are too great to risk. Of course u-haul should have hooked it up right, and the clown should get fired. But in the mean time, it was your lady that got hurt. Do you see the yin and yang here?

 

ive also done alot of towing in the last 4 years being in landscaping. it is easy to forget those things when hooking up a trailer when your worried about getting all of your other equipment ready. Ive hooked up the trailer sometimes and walked away then came back to check on it before we left and maybe the pintle was up or the chains werent on. its human error but i agree, definatly re check someone elses work like that, hey its a lesson learned. i know how you feel though, i got in my first accident in my 4 years of driving on friday, i got rear ended by another person who got rear ended. luckily the car that hit me was a corrola and only hit into the trailer bar. i love seeing people in 4x4's who think they can fly down the road at 60mph when its snowy/icy. slow and steady wins the race in those conditions. good luck in the future.

 

If the trailer came off going down the road and struck a passerby or another motorist, I would ticket YOU for the accident because it is YOUR responsibility. I don't care if the Pope hooked up your trailer. Your truck = your responsibility.

 

Definately sucks about everything but the whole u-haul thing is your fault hands down. Once you drive away from their lot it's your responsibility. Personally you really should have checked the tongue of the trailer before driving off the lot. While I understand your girlfriend was hurt but it could have been a whole lot worse if the trailer had become unhooked while driving down the road and taking out someone just minding their own business on the side of the road.

Get a good lawyer you can spill coffee on yourself and get McDonalds to pay for it. Forget to check that the tongue of a trailer is attached to your trailer hitch ball and you can get uhaul to pay for that too. Sorry to be a dick but own up to the part you played in the scenario.

 

Pirata are those 18" Mickey rims?

 

+1 I'm tired of people not accepting liability for their actions or lack thereof

 

i have been pulling a trailer for about 20 years now and i always double check everything. if i stop somewhere and leave it unattended i check it before i get back in the truck. just a habit i have gotten into.
also, if you google Spencer Morrison AND woodchipper you will find that a few years ago an old high school friend of mine and 2 of his triplets were killed by a guy pulling a woodchipper that was improperly attached. another friend of mine was right behind him when it happened but didn't know who it was until it was on the news. he saw him and said he had been decapitated and couldn't recognize him. hope everything turns out alright for you and your girlfriend but EVERYONE needs to get in the habit of double or triple checking this stuff. if you aren't familiar enough to know what to check then you should hire someone else to haul it for you.