5 Ways Truck Accidents Differ From Auto Accidents

Many people are under the wrong impression that truck accidents and auto accidents are the same. In this article, we’ll take a look at the five ways these two kinds of vehicular accidents differ.

Trucks Are Covered By Bigger Insurance Policies

Trucks are bigger vehicles and they commonly move across states. They are also owned by commercial companies and used to transport valuable products and assets. Naturally, commercial trucks are insured for as much as 50 times more than the worth of privately-owned vehicles. Furthermore, due to the size of these vehicles, they also incur more extensive damage when they get involved in an accident.

Insurance policies on commercial trucks can be worth thousands to millions of dollars. This is why insurance companies often find ways to escape or lessen liability. To do this, they will designate experienced insurance adjusters to the case. These adjusters are trained to do everything in their power to reduce liability or settle the matter out of court.

Trucks Are Governed By Different Regulations

Commercial trucks often travel across various states. This is why truck companies and drivers are required to register with both the Department of Transportation and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). As a result, commercial trucks are governed by more regulations compared to smaller passenger cars.

These regulations require proper and regular maintenance, annual inspections, and special driver’s qualifications and licenses. Because of these special regulations and requirements, determining the cause of an accident involving commercial trucks is often more complicated.

Greater Injuries and Property Damage

Possibly the biggest and most destructive difference between a truck and car accident is the extent of damage and injury that they can cause. Just imagine an 80,000-pound truck hitting a 3,000-pound vehicle — indeed, the result can be devastating. Truck accidents cause far more severe injuries, such as whiplash, broken bones, spine injuries, and brain damage. They often even lead to death.

Furthermore, because the extent of injury in a truck accident is worse than that from a car accident, associated medical expenses are also bigger. Victims may stay in a hospital longer, affecting their financial situation tremendously.

Moreover, commercial trucks can also cause serious damage to any property that they hit during an accident.

Increased Probability of Death

As mentioned above, truck accidents may lead to death. According to the FMCSA, truck accidents cause at least 3,000 deaths in the U.S. annually. Truck accidents are likelier to cause death than accidents involving small passenger cars.

Truck Accident Claims Require Specific Attorney Experience

With so many parties and aspects involved, proving liability and fault in a truck accident is often challenging. Victims go against huge commercial firms and insurance companies. Because of this, it’s best for victims and their families to work with attorneys and law firms who have experience dealing with truck accident cases. Attorneys who specialize in truck accident cases are able to help victims get fair and lawful compensation for the injuries and other damages inflicted by the accident.