Sometimes, people who are hurt in truck accidents are under the mistaken impression that their claim is similar to a crash involving only passenger vehicles. While there are some similarities between these types of accidents, there are also major differences that influence many aspects of an accident victim’s claim for compensation. If your injuries were caused by a negligent truck driver, you want to understand these key differences because they could affect what evidence you will need and your right to compensation.
How Do Truck and Auto Accidents Differ?
For many reasons, truck accidents are more complex than car accidents. Some important differences that could affect your claim include:
- Truck’s size. Due to a truck’s size and weight—often 80,000 pounds—a truck accident will result in a much greater impact, with greater injuries and property damage, than a car accident.
- Injuries. Victims of truck wrecks tend to suffer more catastrophic injuries or death than those involving passenger victims due to the massive size and weight of the truck. The danger is magnified if the trucker was speeding. This can increase the value of a victim’s claim.
- More liable parties. In a trucking accident, there may be more liable parties than just the negligent truck driver who may be responsible for compensating the victim, such as the trucking company, truck or parts manufacturer, and others.
- Higher claims. Because victims often suffer more serious injuries in truck crashes, their claims for compensation are worth more than car accident claims. This also means that negotiations in truck crash claims can be more complex and time consuming.
- Federal regulations. Truckers and trucking companies must follow federal regulations regarding the truck driver’s qualifications, hours of service, truck maintenance, and much more. Violations of these federal regulations are often the cause of the wreck and a truck crash victim’s injuries.
- Evidence. Different evidence is needed in a truck accident, such as the truck driver’s logs, truck maintenance records, and the truck’s black box. These documents can help prove the truck driver’s and trucking company’s negligence and liability for compensating the victim.
- Larger insurance policy. Trucking companies tend to have much larger liability insurance coverages than drivers of automobiles. This makes it more likely that there would be sufficient insurance proceeds to compensate the victim.
Just like truck and car accidents are different, so are car and truck accident attorneys. You do not want to retain an attorney who handles only car wrecks. You need an experienced truck accident attorney who understands the complexity of these cases and the federal regulations that could be involved. The legal team at Tavss Fletcher is here to discuss your situation and guide you through the negotiation of your claim. To start the process, fill out our online form to schedule a consultation with our attorneys.
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