What makes trucking accident cases so complicated?

Every motor vehicle accident has its own set of circumstances that must be considered when an injury victim seeks compensation for injuries. Even seemingly straightforward accident cases can be complicated when you begin to consider the insurance matters that arise.

However, trucking accidents can be particularly complex for a number of reasons:

Multiple parties may be potentially liable

When a large commercial truck is involved, the parties that may be liable for a crash include:

• The trucking company
• The truck driver
• The party that was responsible for loading the truck
• Any party that may have been hired to maintain or repair the truck or trailer
• Truck part manufacturers
• All of these parties’ insurers

When conducting a truck accident investigation, it is important to examine the role of any party that may have been liable for the crash. In some cases, multiple parties may be liable, and it is crucial that you have on your side an attorney who knows how to investigate accidents involving large commercial vehicles.

The trucking industry is closely regulated

The trucking industry is subject to rules and regulations that do not apply to smaller passenger vehicles. When a truck accident occurs, it may be necessary to examine a number of potential regulatory violations that might have led to the crash. For example:

• Violation of truck drivers’ hours-of-service limits, resulting in truck driver fatigue
• Improper loading violations
• Speed limits that apply to large trucks and not necessarily to smaller vehicles
• Failure to properly maintain the truck

The trucking industry is closely regulated for good reason. Large trucks carrying heavy payloads at high rates of speed can cause immense damage. If you were injured due to trucking industry violations, a proper investigation of the crash could yield evidence that can be used in your personal injury claim.

Trucking companies and insurance companies have their own legal teams

Trucking companies and their insurers are notorious for trying to minimize or deny compensation to injury victims, even when a trucking company’s negligence caused the collision. Because these companies have their own lawyers who are ready to do what they can to deny your compensation, it is only fair that you have an experienced attorney on your side to protect your interests in the aftermath of a crash.

Please see our Truck Accident Overview to learn more.