Commercial Truck Accidents

 

If a car accident can be a tragedy, a commercial truck accident almost always is. The size difference alone is staggering – the average car weighs about 4,000 pounds while 18-wheelers weigh about 80,000 pounds. This alone can make commercial truck crashes especially devastating. If you’ve been in an accident involving a commercial truck, and you believe the other party is responsible, call us at Lanzotti & Rau today to schedule a free consultation.

Not Your Normal Car Accident

Car accidents and truck accidents have an important difference. Because the driver of a big truck works for a company, he or she will be under the company’s insurance policy rather than their own personal one. The law requires truck drivers to be insured at a much higher rate than normal drivers, and the minimum can be anywhere from 500,000 to 5,000,000 dollars depending on the type of truck and cargo.

This is good news for victims of truck accidents, since it means that they are more likely to receive full compensation for their injuries, unlike some car accident situations where the driver is uninsured or underinsured. The minimum settlement would be much higher in a commercial truck accident than a normal auto accident because insurance coverage is so much greater.

In addition, more than one party may be responsible for the accident. If the truck driver was falling asleep at the wheel, but the truck’s brakes were also faulty, the plaintiff could seek damages from both the driver and the driver’s company responsible for the maintenance of the vehicle, or maybe even the manufacturer of the brakes. But, with many responsible parties comes the trouble of determining the level of responsibility for each one. This can drag out a case into a trial, rather than receiving a quick settlement.

Experienced Auto Accident Attorneys

Because commercial truck accidents can be intricate, and injuries sustained can be grave, it is important that you as the victim receive full compensation for your injuries. At Lanzotti & Rau, we can help you get damages for the following: medical bills, lost wages, future costs, and pain and suffering. Don’t take the initial settlement an insurance company offers you without first getting legal counsel from us – you could be getting vastly less than you deserve. Introduce yourself and your situation to us during a free consultation, and we will let you know what we can do for you. To schedule one, call us today at 573-335-9300.