Whether it’s from a legal perspective or simply the physical aspects of the accident, there are many differences between normal vehicle accidents, and collisions involving commercial trucks.
A More Violent Collision
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 3,921 people killed and 104,000 people injured in crashes involving large trucks in 2012. A large truck is defined by a gross vehicle weight rating greater than 10,000 pounds. This is stating the obvious, but there is a much higher chance that the collision will be more extreme, due to the simple physics of a much larger object colliding with the other vehicle.
Usually More Parties Involved
Since trucks and their drivers are a part of a commercial enterprise, there is a higher likelihood of more people or entities being involved as defendants or plaintiffs. While the average passenger vehicle accident involves those the parties in the accident and their respective insurance companies, an accident involving a commercial truck can involve those elements, plus a trucking company, other employees, as well as truck manufacturers and product manufacturers or distributors.
Liability is Often Greater
Due to the more violent nature of a truck accident, there is a greater chance of severe injuries. Also, since there is a greater chance of more parties being involved on the defense side, there are more avenues for plaintiffs to seek restitution for their financial, physical and mental losses. Therefore, this can lead to larger court settlements.
Trucking accidents require a higher level of legal skills from your attorney, since there are often more factors involved. An inferior or inexperienced attorney may overlook additional avenues that can be taken to seek financial restitution for a plaintiff. This can cost you dearly. If you have been involved in a traffic accident with a commercial truck, call us today to discuss how we can help retrieve just compensation for you and your family.