Any accident on the road is bound to be scary. Colliding with another vehicle could lead to minor, serious, or fatal injuries, and your experience during and after a crash might be determined by the type of automobile involved.
Truck accidents will have different steps and requirements, which you must be aware of to avoid liability and secure a compensation claim. Find out how truck accidents differ from car accidents.
Truck Companies Have Rapid Response Teams
Unlike car drivers, trucking companies will have a rapid response team to turn to following a crash. They’ll not only have a defense attorney at the ready, but they will have the insurance company, safety director, an investigator, and even an accident reconstructionist to help them avoid liability.
For these reasons, don’t delay in reaching out to a qualified truck accident attorney who will jump to work as fast as a trucking company’s rapid response team. It will prevent the guilty party from gaining a legal and financial advantage over you following a crash.
Large Vehicles Can Equal More Serious Accidents
Some trucks weigh thousands of pounds and are 80-feet long, which means they can sustain more damage during an accident than a car, even at a low speed. Therefore, if your vehicle is hit by a truck or even a semi-truck, it is more likely to be totaled, and you could sustain more serious injuries. Every qualified truck driver understands their responsibilities on the road, which is why they must be held accountable for their mistakes, which may prevent similar collisions in the future.
It’s Harder to Predict a Truck Accident
Most car drivers will have experience with the different ways people handle their cars on the road. As a result, they might be able to predict their behavior to avoid a collision. However, as you will have less experience with trucks on the road and might be unaware of their legal responsibilities, they are more unpredictable.
A Truck’s Cargo Could Pose a Risk
Colliding with a huge vehicle isn’t the only risk to your health on the road, as the cargo can pose a danger. For example, poorly loaded or unsecured cargo can increase an accident’s severity. Also, if the truck contains hazardous chemicals, it could cause you to sustain more injuries or damage to your car. If a truck driver doesn’t have the correct license to drive hazardous chemicals, you could be entitled to a higher compensation sum.
Spoliation is an Issue
As a trucking company will spring into action to avoid financial or legal liability following a collision, they might attempt to destroy evidence immediately, which is known as spoliation. While a truck company is entitled to destroy specific documents after a set period, an accident attorney can send a preservation letter to legally demand they preserve all evidence until the case is complete, such as documents, videos, and additional materials. If the company fails to preserve this information, a judge may issue various sanctions against them.
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