Car Accidents vs. Truck Accidents

Personal injury cases involving truck accidents and car accidents may seem similar, but the truth is that truck accident cases are typically far more complex. It’s important that you understand how truck accidents differ from car accidents in the event that you are ever involved in this type of collision. Here’s a look at car accidents vs. truck accidents:

Severity of Injuries

Both truck and car accidents can lead to injuries. However, trucks often weigh between 20-30 times more than cars, which means when they collide with cars, the results can be catastrophic. People who are involved in truck accidents typically sustain far more serious injuries than people who are involved in car accidents. Some truck accident injuries may affect victims for the rest of their lives, so victims may need to calculate long-term medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering when determining the value of their claim.

Fortunately, there are much larger insurance policies on trucks than there are on cars. This means victims have the potential to recover more after a truck accident than they would be able to after a car accident.

Liable Parties

Determining liability is one of the many challenges in a truck accident case. In a car accident, liability will usually be assigned to one of the drivers involved in the crash. However, there are many other parties that can be liable for a truck accident besides the driver, including the trucking company, parts manufacturer, and company that has loaded the cargo onto the truck. Before you can begin pursuing compensation, you have to determine liability by investigating the cause of the accident. This can be difficult-especially if you’re attempting to do it without an attorney.

Trucking Industry Regulations

Trucking companies must comply with a number of federal regulations that control how many hours drivers are allowed to be on the road, when drivers should take a break, and how often the trucks should be maintained. If a trucking company violates any of these regulations, it’s possible that the company will be held liable for your injuries. For example, the accident could have been caused by a driver who was drowsy because he was overscheduled by his employer. If the employer violated federal regulations by asking the driver to work too many hours without taking a break, the employer would be held liable for the accident.

Truck accidents may lead to more devastating injuries, but the truth is every type of traffic collision is serious. If you have been injured in a car or truck accident, contact personal injury attorney James Rush at Rush Injury Law . Get in touch with our law office by calling 415-897-4801 or filling out the online form on our website www.rushinjurylaw.com to request a free consultation.