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What Makes a Truck Accident More Complicated Than a Car Accident?
Posted on behalf of Peter T. Nicholl in Truck Accidents Published on December 26, 2018 and updated on March 6, 2022.
People who have been injured in car accidents may think they can handle the legal process after a truck accident. They may think that both are traffic accidents, so they are similar situations and can be handled the same way.
However, there are a lot of added complications with truck accidents that you do not have to deal with after a car accident. This is why you should give serious thought to having representation from a trusted attorney. The experienced Maryland truck accident attorneys at Peter T. Nicholl Law Offices can help you navigate this complex process. Schedule a free legal consultation today.
Multiple Parties Could Be Liable
There are many parties involved in a trucking operation. The truck driver may be an independent contractor of a trucking company. The vehicle may be owned by another party. If a defective part contributed to the accident, a vehicle manufacturer may have some liability for the crash.
An experienced attorney can gather evidence to help support your claim and determine all of the responsible parties. This will allow him or her to pursue the maximum amount of compensation. For example, it might be better to file a claim against the party that owns the truck if that party has more insurance coverage.
Multiple Insurance Policies
The truck driver, leasing company, trucking company and other parties may all have different types of insurance and coverage amounts. You will need to evaluate these different policies to determine the company with which you will file a claim. The process can be even more complicated if you need to work with multiple insurance adjusters in different states.
Truck accidents may result in serious injuries that require ongoing medical treatment and care, which is why it is so important to obtain maximum compensation from an insurance claim. This is very hard to do when you are dealing with a severe injury and struggling to pay your bills because you cannot work. This is why having an experienced attorney at your side can be such an advantage.
Trucking Industry Regulations
The trucking industry is heavily regulated. Truck drivers and trucking companies must follow various rules, including:
- Driving a limited number of hours per day
- Taking a certain amount of time off after driving consecutively for many hours
- Keeping travel logs
- Meeting licensing requirements
- Undergoing drug and alcohol testing
- Being adequately trained
- Taking mandatory breaks
- Having vehicles undergo constant maintenance
An experienced truck accident lawyer can analyze various forms of evidence, including surveillance footage, truck records and black box data to determine if any of these rules were violated. If they were, this may help establish fault for the accident.
Contact an Experienced Truck Accident Attorney
If you were injured in a truck accident, you could greatly benefit from hiring an experienced truck accident attorney. Having a legal advocate can help you level the playing field with the insurance company, which may try a variety of things to lower the value of your claim, such as trying to settle your claim quickly before you have a chance to consult with a lawyer.
An experienced attorney from Peter T. Nicholl Law Offices can discuss your legal options at no cost and with no obligation, so there is no risk in contacting a knowledgeable attorney before agreeing to a settlement.
Our dedicated truck accident lawyers can help you navigate the complex insurance claim process and analyze trucking industry regulations to pursue fair compensation on your behalf. We have extensive knowledge of the trucking industry and regulations and will use this information to establish liability.
Call today to schedule a free case consultation with a dedicated truck accident lawyer. 410-244-7005.
