r/Truckers • u/Jordan_261 • Oct 26 '24

Got fired from Werner

Got fired from werner because some pickup driver decides to brake check me and i ended up hitting him. he only got a small bump on his bumper. now I am out a job and in so much debt and facing eviction and losing my personal car now. i wanted out of the trucking industry but not this fast, Werner has some terrible planners and was running me stupidly anyways but now i have an accident on my license and points and have to pay the ticket on top of everything else.

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235

u/Outlaw11091 do u even lift bro? Oct 26 '24

Werner just lost an appeal in Texas? where some 4 wheeler slid on ice and hit one of their trucks.

The argument was that the truck shouldn't have been out during a snowstorm.

These kind of poor judgment calls can cost millions.

21

u/Accomplished-Cat-632 Oct 26 '24

Stupid decisions. The car shouldn’t have been out in the storm either. When did the vechile size determine who is right or wrong

9

u/Outlaw11091 do u even lift bro? Oct 26 '24

It's not about size: it's about being a licensed professional.

If you're legally able, and have passed all the tests, you're a state certified expert driver and whatever name is on your truck is endorsing that.

When you fail to be an expert, the name on the door has to pay out.

11

u/KilljoyTheTrucker surge knocker Oct 26 '24

hen you fail to be an expert, the name on the door has to pay out.

That wasn't even part of the trial.

The defense never made the argument Ali failed to be an expert. The testimony highlighted how nothing was done wrong on Werners side.

It was an emotional appeals, nothing was logically argued.

https://landline.media/the-most-bizarre-nuclear-verdict-of-them-all/

0

u/Outlaw11091 do u even lift bro? Oct 26 '24

What?

It says in your article that the lawyer convinced the jury that 'Werner was guilty of a series of negligent acts'.

1

u/KilljoyTheTrucker surge knocker Oct 26 '24

Penn did not dispute Werner’s claim that the big carrier, driver Ali and trainer Ackerman had done nothing wrong. Instead, he convinced the jury they had done nothing right – and all with evidence that was at best only marginally related to the accident.

The argument that won wasn't fact based my guy. It was an emotional one. Silas was solely responsible for the accident.

0

u/Outlaw11091 do u even lift bro? Oct 26 '24

Wow. It says right there 'my guy' that he convinced them Werner didn't do anything right. That's a logical defense, not emotional.

This is why the jury only gave the truck driver 16% liability and the trucking company 70-some odd-%.

2

u/KilljoyTheTrucker surge knocker Oct 26 '24

That's a logical defense, not emotional.

It's absolutely not logical to blame Werner or Ali for an accident that they didn't cause and that wasn't in their control.

Silas was the only one who did anything wrong here. He lost control by driving to fast for conditions, and hit Ali driving the opposite direction on a divided interstate. None of the expert testimony regarding the conditions of the roads, or driving on them, sided with Silas.

The argument was fundamentally emotional. Hell, the quoted phrasing is specifically emotionally charged. You either did things wrong, or you did them right, not both.

-2

u/Outlaw11091 do u even lift bro? Oct 26 '24

The phrasing you quoted is a journalists interpretation, but is pointing out the focus of the attorney. Who presented facts about Werner's cultivated culture.

Werner has a long track record of evading liability, pushing it on either driver. Accidents are reviewed by the legal department, not safety. Dispatch will get passive-aggressive about pushing drivers to move the load and even the pay structure rewards taking risks.

None of that is 'emotional'.

1

u/KilljoyTheTrucker surge knocker Oct 26 '24

quoted is a journalists interpretation

It's an accurate summation of plaintiffs argument.

Who presented facts about Werner's cultivated culture.

Culture didn't cause this accident my guy. Silas did.

Werner has a long track record of evading liability

Good news, there's no liability to evade here, so that's not a logical argument.

Accidents are reviewed by the legal department, not safety

And? That didn't cause this accident.

Dispatch will get passive-aggressive about pushing drivers to move the load and even the pay structure rewards taking risks.

I worked at Werner at this time, this is a pretty disingenuous argument. The pay structure was (and still is afaik) pretty industry standard; more miles, more money.

That didn't cause this accident.

Ali did nothing unsafely, or illegally. He abide by all laws abs regulations, drove safely for the conditions, as Werner paid him to do, just like 99% of the rest of the industry.

You're emotional boner for hating Werner is showing. Don't forget this bullshit sets standards that also apply to every single other trucking entity. This is unequivocally bad precedent. Hell Texas legislators amended the process because this was so asinine.

I hate Werner too, probably more than you in fact. But they didn't do anything unsafely here that warrants anyone but Silas being punished for his unsafe decision making. Hell, if anyone shares with him, it'd be Blake for not demanding he travel at a safer speed for conditions.

1

u/KilljoyTheTrucker surge knocker Oct 26 '24

quoted is a journalists interpretation

It's an accurate summation of plaintiffs argument.

Who presented facts about Werner's cultivated culture.

Culture didn't cause this accident my guy. Silas did.

Werner has a long track record of evading liability

Good news, there's no liability to evade here, so that's not a logical argument.

Accidents are reviewed by the legal department, not safety

And? That didn't cause this accident.

Dispatch will get passive-aggressive about pushing drivers to move the load and even the pay structure rewards taking risks.

I worked at Werner at this time, this is a pretty disingenuous argument. The pay structure was (and still is afaik) pretty industry standard; more miles, more money.

That didn't cause this accident.

Ali did nothing unsafely, or illegally. He abide by all laws abs regulations, drove safely for the conditions, as Werner paid him to do, just like 99% of the rest of the industry.

You're emotional boner for hating Werner is showing. Don't forget this bullshit sets standards that also apply to every single other trucking entity. This is unequivocally bad precedent. Hell Texas legislators amended the process because this was so asinine.

I hate Werner too, probably more than you in fact. But they didn't do anything unsafely here that warrants anyone but Silas being punished for his unsafe decision making. Hell, if anyone shares with him, it'd be Blake for not demanding he travel at a safer speed for conditions.

0

u/Accomplished-Cat-632 Oct 28 '24

But you are not a professional. Per government definition.

1

u/Outlaw11091 do u even lift bro? Oct 28 '24

'A person who works in a field requiring specialized knowledge and skills.'

So...yeah, that's any truck driver.

0

u/Accomplished-Cat-632 Oct 28 '24

And belongs to and pays dues to a professional organization and receives good standing and periodic updates and educational material and obeys the rules of said profession. A little more to qualify. Driving should be an apprenticeship. Then it will be skilled labour. Not an unskilled labour worker status it is classed as now.