Truck Accidents Caused by the Negligent Hiring of Unqualified Truck Drivers
Standards for Hiring Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers
Employers in the commercial trucking industry are prevented by law from knowingly allowing or permitting a disqualified driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV). Employers are also obligated to disqualify truck drivers who violate § 383.51 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations.
An employer can be held responsible for the actions of their employee if that employee was hired negligently. Anyone injured in a truck accident in the Nashville area should contact one of the experienced lawyers at the Nashville firm of Kinnard Law to find out if this might apply to your case.
Call (615) 933-2893 for a free consultation to get started.
Values That Set Our Firm Apart
Kinnard Law has over a century of combined experience helping individuals hold trucking companies responsible for hiring unsafe drivers. Our firm fights for our clients fiercely, backed by extensive trial experience and a record of success. Attorney Randy Kinnard has tried over 250 cases alone. When you need to entrust your case to a representative, we are the names you can depend on.
- Trusted Experience – Our attorneys have tried hundreds of cases, more than most firms ever do.
- Proven Success – Our firm has secured millions in record-breaking verdicts and settlements.
- Client Dedication – Our clients matter to us; they are not just case numbers.
Employer’s Duty to Reasonable & Safe Hiring Practices
As a driver, you have the right to expect reasonably safe behavior from professional truckers who share the road with you. The trucking industry tries to ensure safe driving by keeping track of truck drivers with unsafe records. However, when companies have negligent hiring practices, innocent people suffer the consequences.
As a result, Tennessee law does not only hold the driver responsible—the company may also be at fault. Discovering employer negligence is an important part of our work. If the driver who caused your injury or loss had a known record of reckless or unsafe driving, the employer is considered culpable in that driver’s actions. We make sure that every responsible party is subjected to the law for the sake of you, your loved ones, and every other driver on the road.
Obligation to Hire Drivers with Valid CDLs
Employers are required to hire truck drivers with valid commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs). Driving commercial semi -rucks is a weighty responsibility that requires specialized skills. As such, the federal government mandates that these drivers obtain CDL certification from their state’s licensing bureau. Once a driver has a CDL, they must maintain it. Drivers can lose their certification through serious traffic violations. Employers are obligated to monitor violations that could put their driver’s CDLs in jeopardy.
Why Hire Kinnard Law?
Our firm does not believe in shoddy, turn-and-burn legal work. We are seasoned trial lawyers who abide by our values, utilizing our experience and skill to better our clients’ lives. As a result, we have secured millions of dollars for our clients in record-breaking verdicts across the state. When you work with us, you can trust that we are able to fight for your cause—and we do it right.
Get started today by scheduling a free case consultation. Call Kinnard Law at (615) 933-2893 today.

Verdicts & Settlements
Unmatched Dedication Has Led to Record-Setting Victories-
Personal Injury - Erin Andrews Lawsuit Against Hotel $55 Million
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Medical Malpractice - 62 Year Old Woman $22.2 Million
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Medical Malpractice - Largest Verdict in Weakley County History $15.2 Million
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Medical Malpractice - Davidson County $6.5 Million
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Wrongful Death of 22 Month Old $5 Million
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Golf Cart Accident $4.4 Million
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Medical Malpractice - 24 Year Old College Student $4 Million
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Wrongful Death - Tractor-Trailer Wreck $3.25 Million
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Wrongful Death - 16 Year Old Boy $3 Million
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Auto Accident - Rutherford County $3 Million

Client Testimonials
Helping the Injured Obtain Justice
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Integrity, above and beyond
“From a choice in the Yellow Pages to Success. This Law Firm has proven itself as absolutely professional, goal oriented, kind and compassionate in the past several years during my case. Mutual trust ...”
- H.W. -
In the hardest two years of my life, you provided the utmost trust, comfort, and support.
“Thank you Randy, Jennifer, and Cynthia so much for not only helping me get through what has been the hardest time of my life, but for always providing grace, trust, and a sense of comfort for what ...”
- T.H. -
We are very grateful.
“Our case was not easy. Many law firms would not be willing to get involved with a case this complicated and time-consuming. What Kinnard Law achieved on account of conquering numerous hurdles was ...”
- E.I. -
Great staff.
“I had the pleasure of working with a few different Kinnard Law lawyers after a personal injury. The process in its entirety took a couple years - which is longer than I anticipated, but also news to ...”
- J. -
100% Best Lawyers Around
“You have all been so kind and loving to our family! We appreciate all the hard work and dedication you all put in for our case.”
- J.S.
Awards & Accolades
Highly Respected in the Legal Community-
Randall Kinnard is a member of the Inner Circle of Advocates, a prestigious invite-only group comprised of the top 100 plaintiffs’ trial lawyers in the United States.
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Randall Kinnard (since 1993),
Mary Ellen Morris (since 2017),
and Jennifer Eberle (since 2022)
have all been recognized for their legal skill and achievements. -
The firm has received the prestigious “Best Law Firms” rating in the practice areas of Medical Malpractice Law, Personal Injury Litigation, Product Liability Litigation and Health Care Litigation.
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Attorney Randall Kinnard is a member of ABOTA, a nationwide organization of lawyers who care passionately about the trial system in the United States.
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Randall Kinnard is an inducted member of the ACTL, one of North America’s premier trial organizations comprised of less than 1% of all lawyers in each state.
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Randall Kinnard is a member of the invitation-only International Academy of Trial Lawyers, which is limited to 500 trial lawyers in the United States.
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Randall Kinnard is a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, an invite-only honorary society comprised of less than .5% of all U.S. lawyers.
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Attorney Randall Kinnard was named the 2019 Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs ‘Lawyer of the Year’ in Nashville, TN.
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Randall Kinnard has been voted to TN Super Lawyers®. This organization recognizes the top 5% of attorneys in their practice area.
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Randall Kinnard and Mary Ellen Morris have received the highest rating for legal excellence by Martindale-Hubbell.
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Our attorneys have been voted by their peers to the "Top 40 under 40" Trial Lawyers list, as awarded by The National Trial Lawyers organization.
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Our firm’s trial attorneys have been recognized among the state’s leading legal minds, and named by Business TN Magazine to its coveted “150 Best Lawyers in Tennessee” list.
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Our attorneys have been named as 2023 “Best of the Bar” by Nashville Business Journal.
