Why Are Truck Accident Cases More Complicated Than Car Accidents?
Truck accidents pose unique challenges that make pursuing compensation for them more complicated than a typical car accident case. While your attorney must still prove negligence and show the real impact the accident has had on your life, like they would in any motor vehicle case, they must also contend with several other complicating factors.
This guide from Stine & Associates, P.C., will explain what those complicating factors are and how a skilled truck accident lawyer can help you recover the compensation you deserve.
More Severe Injuries
Commercial trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, while a standard car weighs only a few thousand. The sheer force generated in a truck accident frequently causes severe, life-altering injuries. Assessing the extent of these injuries and their full impact on your life requires thorough investigation, and often help from medical professionals.
Severe injuries also typically demand higher compensation, raising the stakes for insurance companies. Insurers will fight even harder to deflect blame, downplay injuries, and weaken your claim to avoid paying you what you’re owed.
Multiple Liable Parties
Liability in a car accident generally falls on one of the involved drivers. Truck accidents, on the other hand, can involve several liable parties, sometimes more than one simultaneously. Potentially liable parties in these cases include:
- The truck driver
- The trucking company
- Maintenance contractors
- Cargo loaders
- Vehicle and part manufacturers
Determining liability requires careful analysis of all potential responsible parties and a detailed knowledge of trucking operations. When multiple parties bear responsibility, gathering the evidence to hold them all accountable can be significantly more complicated than when one party alone caused the accident.
Unique Evidence
Truck accident claims rely on specialized evidence. That evidence can include:
- Black box data
- Electronic logging devices (ELDs)
- Maintenance and inspection reports
- Cargo reports
- Driver logs
While this evidence can be incredibly useful for proving negligence and recovering compensation, it requires an experienced truck accident attorney to preserve, obtain, analyze, and present it. Trucking companies possess all of this information, and without significant legal persuasion, it may be “lost” or destroyed before you can acquire it.
Federal Trucking Regulations
Truck drivers and trucking companies must comply with strict federal regulations set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). These rules cover driver hours, hiring and training requirements, vehicle maintenance, and cargo limits. Violations can impact liability, but uncovering them requires specialized legal knowledge.
Complex Insurance Policies
Trucking companies maintain high-limit insurance policies that differ from standard auto coverage. These policies are intricate and complicated, and insurers often use that to their advantage to minimize payouts. It can take a skilled truck accident lawyer to analyze policy language and negotiate for the settlements victims deserve.
How a Truck Accident Lawyer Can Help
A layman may find it challenging to pursue any personal injury claim on their own, but the added intricacies of truck accident cases make seeking experienced legal guidance essential. A seasoned truck accident attorney can help by:
- Reviewing your case for free
- Investigating the accident to identify all liable parties
- Preserving and obtaining vital evidence
- Calculating your maximum compensation
- Utilizing experts to analyze black box data
- Offering compassionate support
- Dealing with insurers
- Negotiating a fair settlement
- Representing you in court, if necessary
Many truck accident victims fear they will suffer further financial distress by hiring an attorney for their case. At Stine & Associates, P.C., we work on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay nothing up front, and you owe us nothing in legal fees unless we win your case.
Contact a Truck Accident Lawyer Today
If you’ve suffered injuries in a truck accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you don’t have to face it alone. Attorney Cindy Stine and the team at Stine & Associates, P.C. have extensive experience handling complicated truck accident cases and fighting for the compensation our clients deserve. We’ll protect your rights while you focus on recovery. Contact our law firm today for your free consultation.