Tuesday 19 October 2021

Ways That Truck Accidents Are Different From Car Accidents?

When a person gets involved in a truck accident, he/she might be under the illusion that a truck accident is just like any other car accident. However, he/she needs to keep in mind that a passenger vehicle accident is way different from an 18-wheeler accident.



What causes the severity of truck accident injuries?

Usually, large trucks require a greater distance to stop than passenger vehicles. This clearly implies that a truck that is moving too fast or is being driven by a distracted truck driver can cause a catastrophic collision.

Most of the large trucks need more room than passenger vehicles to navigate a turn. Thus, they are prone to tipping. If a large truck tips, it might just crush a nearby passenger vehicle.

Here are some major differences between a truck accident and a car accident:

Larger Insurance Policies
It is a given that the size, nature, and interstate movement of a commercial truck, will be different from that of a car accident. The insurance policy the truck carries can be worth 50 times more than an insurance policy on a car. This amount of coverage is too important because a big vehicle, like the truck, can inflict greater damages. Such insurance policies can be worth millions of dollars. Thus, it is too important for the insurance carrier for the commercial truck to find a way out of liability. Most of the insurance carriers, in these cases, put their most experienced insurance adjusters on the case.

The highly experienced adjusters tend to employ larger tactics to lower their client’s liability. Their other major objective is to increase the blame on the injured party. When they are able to place a small amount of liability on the victim, they can reduce the claim to a great extent. In order to do away with a lump-sum payout, they might tend to offer a really large sum of money at the beginning. Their main intention is to distract the injured victim from the real value of their case. Being the victim here, you must never get into this trap. You must get the support of a truck accident lawyer, as soon as possible.


Fat Medical Bills
In usual, the injuries from a truck accident are way more intense than that inflicted by a car accident. Thus, the medical bills associated with personal injury are much higher, in general. Usually, traumatic injuries are caused by such accidents.

Such accidents often lead to longer stays at the hospital, more extensive treatments and greater repercussions. Such accidents often lead to lifelong injuries and medical conditions. This often leads to missed work. Thus, the victim’s financial situation is affected largely. This is a major factor that needs to be taken into account at the time of determining a settlement amount. When you have the support of an experienced personal injury attorney, he will know the right means to calculate the current as well as future costs. They will make sure that you end up getting the rightful compensation.


Greater Property Damage
Usually, trucks with a full trailer can weigh 80,000 pounds. This huge weight and the huge size of a truck is bound to inflict severe damage on anything that comes in its path. Thus, in most cases, it is noted that commercial truck accidents cause a significant amount of property damage.


More severe Injuries
When a giant truck goes up against a light-weight car, the results can be horrifying! Usually, the injuries from a truck accident are much more severe than those from an accident not involving a truck. The common injuries to the car passengers include severe whiplash, back injuries, broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, and death. Usually, the trucking companies carry larger policies to compensate for this risk. However, the effects of such an injury are highly life-altering in the worst possible way.

Difference in regulations
Most of the commercial trucks are interstate deliveries. Thus, truck drivers and trucking companies need to register with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Department of Transportation. These trucking companies are usually governed by plenty of more regulations than a usual passenger car. These regulations often include maintenance of the trucks, special driver’s licenses and qualifications, annual inspections, and logbooks. Such a large number of regulations open doors to gain compensation in various ways.

Usually, cars don’t have the same regulations. There is no doubt that truck accidents are much more complicated when it comes to determining the cause and liability of the accident.


Higher Chance of Death
As per the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), accidents that involve large trucks are responsible for almost 3,000 to 5,000 deaths each year. Usually, commercial truck accidents are more likely to cause a death than a wreck involving two passenger vehicles. If you or your loved one has been injured in such a drastic accident, you must speak with a personal injury attorney before you file any type of claim.

Different Attorney Experience
Usually, a reliable truck accident attorney plays a major role in ensuring that an injured victim receives the right amount of compensation. It goes without saying that an experienced semi-truck lawyer understands the tactics employed by the insurance companies. He/she will know about the regulations truckers must adhere to. The insurance policies are pretty complex. Only genuine lawyers will know about such complexities. You must never accept the first offer made by the insurance company.



How does the severity of truck accident injuries affect the case?

The impact is huge. Insurance claims get way more complicated. Both state and federal laws apply in these cases. Usually, many parties get involved. Many insurance policies are at play. Thus, personal injury claims stemming from truck accidents can be highly complicated. People injured in a collision with a large commercial vehicle need to consult an experienced truck accident attorney. A truck accident attorney is one who understands the applicable federal and state laws.

As per the Federal & State Trucking Laws, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued regulations that govern large trucks weighing more than 10,000 pounds.