Why Truck Accidents are More Complicated Than Car Accidents

Any road accident can be serious, but those involving trucks can be even worse. They can result in severe injuries that may be disabling or even fatal due to the huge size and weight of such a massive vehicle. Commercial trucks also transport potentially dangerous cargo like gasoline.

Additionally, in a truck accident, it may not always be obvious who is liable if you suffer injuries and damages. This is because it is not always clear who can be held responsible for the accident. There are a few ways a personal injury claim can go with truck accidents. Depending on the circumstances, the liable party can be the truck driver, the trucking company or even the manufacturer of the truck. It’s important to understand the reasons why truck accidents can be so complicated compared with accidents involving passenger vehicles.

Damages and Injuries

As trucks are so much larger and heavier vehicles than regular cars, the damage they can leave in their wake can have a significant impact. Truck accidents are far more likely to render people involved seriously injured and even possibly left with permanent disabilities or even killed. Because commercial trucks are so large and heavy, it is far more difficult for the driver to stop in time to avoid a collision. Once a truck does collide with other vehicles, it can do so with high velocity as well.

Large trucks also take up a great deal more space than regular cars. As a result, if a truck gets into an accident or is even stalled on the road, it can indirectly lead to a higher likelihood of accidents occurring.

Overall, the severity of the injuries and damages victims can suffer after getting into an accident with a huge truck can cause the case to become far more complex.

Ownership and Liability

It can be tricky as to who actually owns the truck. As a result, after such a huge vehicle gets into an accident that results in serious injuries and damages, it may be unclear who can be held liable. Sometimes, the truck driver is the owner and operator of the vehicle. However, in most instances, the person who is driving the commercial truck is not the owner. Instead, the trucking company employing that person is the owner of the truck. In addition, if the cargo the trucker is toting belongs to a completely different company and it gets loose and causes an accident on the road, things can be even more complex. It might be difficult to determine exactly who is liable.

Company Efforts

Unfortunately, when trucking companies are the ones liable for a truck accident, they may try to avoid paying out a settlement or offer one that is unfair. In most cases, the insurance company is also involved, which brings up additional issues for all parties involved in the truck accident.

Laws and Regulations

Due to the difficult task and huge responsibility they have, truck drivers are subject to more rules, laws and regulations than drivers of passenger vehicles. One law states that truckers cannot drive for longer than a specific number of hours in a single day as they can become tired to the point of falling asleep behind the wheel. If a truck driver violates any of the laws to which they are subject, they can be held liable for an accident.

Truck Data

Some commercial trucks include a box that records a variety of datahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Event_data_recorder. This might include the speeds the truck has traveled, distance and other information. Such data can be used as evidence if the truck gets into an accident. This can help in establishing liability in a truck accident.

After an accident with a commercial truck, you should take certain steps. Always take as many pictures of the scene of the accident as possible, including of the vehicles, the road, weather conditions and injuries you and others have sustained. This can serve as essential evidence for your case.

Always seek medical attention immediately as well. Injuries that result from a truck accident can be very serious, so it is imperative to get checked out and receive any necessary treatment. Additionally, your medical records can prove exactly what kind of compensation you should receive.