If you’ve experienced a car crash before, you know just how traumatic it can be. If an accident involves a truck, that trauma can be even worse. It goes without saying that accidents involving semi-trucks can be especially disastrous, given their size. This means that truck accident are more likely to be catastrophic—or, in other words, have permanent life-altering consequences for their victims. If you or a loved one was involved in a truck accident, hiring a personal injury lawyer is imperative. Truck accidents can be substantially different from a legal perspective than regular car crashes. Here are some of those differences.
Higher Compensation
If you’ve been involved in a truck accident, you might be relieved to know that compensation from lawsuits tends to be higher. But this is just a necessary result of the fact that the consequences of semi-truck crashes tend to be greater than from regular accidents—think brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, or even amputation. It follows that the medical bills associated with these accidents are typically far costlier. Then there is the added risk of losing working hours due to a catastrophic accident, which means you may be able to receive compensation for reduced income.
More Insurance
Commercial trucks generally carry far more insurance than other vehicles. In fact, their insurance policies can run upwards of $12,000 annually. But the actual cost of their policy is impacted by a variety of factors, such as the product in tow, the value of the truck, distance traveled, and the driver’s experience. This is why insurance companies go to such great lengths not to pay a claim. You can expect the insurance carrier to try to blame you for the accident. Hiring an experienced lawyer is necessary to navigate this dispute.
Different Liability
Proving liability is the biggest hurdle to overcome in court. It can be especially complicated in truck accident cases. In a regular car crash, there are generally only two parties involved. Not so with these. There is the possibility that the trucker’s employer could be found liable. Many semi-truck accidents occur due to issues with the cargo in tow. Remember: truck drivers typically aren’t the ones who load their trailers. If the cargo was improperly loaded and this caused the accident, liability could fall with such as warehouse workers or shippers.
For a deeper examination of this topic, read our article about the fundamental differences between passenger vehicle and commercial truck collisions and how these differences affect your case.
Contact The Snyder Law Group Today
The Snyder Law Group, LLC, proudly represents clients throughout Maryland and Washington, D.C. Our experienced Baltimore attorneys understand the frustration that comes with an insurance company, medical professional, or other party that refuses to accept liability for negligent or reckless behavior. You can take heart in knowing there are talented and experienced lawyers ready to work for you. We are experienced in handling personal injury claims of medical malpractice or injury resulting from serious car and truck accidents, and have secured hundreds of millions in verdicts settlements*. Please visit our website, www.410thefirm.com, for more information and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.