Truck accidents are much more dangerous to passenger vehicles than truck drivers. According to the National Safety Council, 68 percent of injuries after a large-truck accident occur to the occupants of other vehicles. You are at a significant disadvantage when driving next to a truck on the highway.
See below if you suffered a truck accident or want to prepare better for a worst-case scenario. The aftermath of a commercial vehicle crash might be catastrophic, so do not neglect your entitlement to compensation.
Determining liability
Liability is always a difficult question when a third party gets involved. In the case of truck drivers, they usually work for a larger trucking company that has its insurance and regulations. You also must consider the company that loaded the cargo onto the vehicle, which might not be the same as the trucking company. Before making any claims against the truck driver, you must sort all these details out.
Fatigued driving
Usually, most of the liability rests with the driver. It is far too common for truck drivers to work on too little rest leading to drowsiness behind the wheel and poor judgment. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration mandates particular hours of service. If the driver neglects these, they face federal penalties. Also, if the company that hired the driver promotes a culture of ignoring regulations, they may have to pay you damages.
Proving liability is not always straightforward. Truck drivers might falsify their driving logs or claim another factor caused the accident. However, you should never accept a settlement until you explore your options further.
