How Are Trucking Accidents Different Than Car Accidents?
When a commercial truck hits your vehicle, you might assume that pursuing compensation involves basically the same process as seeking financial recovery following a car accident. However, the unique circumstances of truck accidents mean these claims can involve complexities and challenges not encountered in typical car accident cases. A knowledgeable truck accident attorney can prepare you for what to expect when pursuing a compensation claim after a truck wreck.
Severity of Accidents
Truck accidents tend to cause more severe injuries and property damage than car accidents because the massive weight of a commercial truck leads to more severe forces in a collision. When truck accident victims sustain severe injuries, it can slow down the claims process as trucking companies and insurers negotiate harder against higher amounts of settlement compensation.
Truck accidents can also involve multiple vehicles, potentially injuring dozens of people, further complicating the claims process as trucking companies and insurers must handle numerous claims simultaneously.
Effect of Trucking Regulations
State and federal trucking regulations can make investigating a truck crash more complex than investigating a car accident. The trucking industry must follow numerous safety rules and regulations, and a trucking company or truck driver who disregards these rules can cause a devastating collision. For example, a truck driver who violates the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s hours-of-service regulations increases their risk of causing an accident due to drowsy driving.
Complex trucking regulations require truck crash victims and their legal counsel to thoroughly investigate trucking company records for evidence of a motor carrier’s or trucker’s fault for an accident. A truck accident can occur due to an unsafe cargo load or inadequate truck or trailer maintenance, for which truck accident attorneys may find evidence in trucking company records.
Complexities Regarding Liability
The trucking industry involves a large number of parties, any of whom may bear some liability for a truck accident. Potential defendants in a truck accident case may include:
- The truck driver
- The trucking company
- The truck’s owner (if someone other than the trucker or trucking company)
- The shipping company
- The truck’s third-party mechanics
- The truck’s manufacturer or the manufacturer of a part used on the truck
Pursuing liability against trucking companies can also involve complex liability questions. Trucking companies may have a web of corporate affiliates that make it challenging to identify the correct party to sue in a truck accident lawsuit. Motor carriers may have layered insurance policies in which different amounts of coverage come into effect after exhausting coverage under other policies, making it challenging to calculate the total amount of insurance coverage available for a settlement.
Contact a Truck Accident Lawyer Today
If you’ve suffered injuries in a Michigan truck crash, you need experienced legal representation who can guide you through the challenges of pursuing compensation in a truck accident claim. Contact Ainsman Levine, LLC, today for a free, no-obligation consultation with our dedicated attorneys to discuss your legal options. We’re here to manage the process of seeking financial recovery for your medical bills, lost wages, and other losses.