Any kind of motor vehicle collision can be expensive and frustrating. People can sustain major injuries and have catastrophic expenses to cover. Crashes can cause property damage, medical expenses and lost wages, along with a host of secondary expenses.
Certain types of collisions have a strong association with being particularly expensive and severe. A crash between a passenger vehicle and a semi-truck can be far more significant than a collision between two passenger vehicles. The claims process after the crash could also be more complex.
What differences can people expect when dealing with a crash involving a semi-truck as opposed to a collision caused by another passenger vehicle?
The potential for worse injuries
Bigger, heavier vehicles can cause far more severe damage to other vehicles. They can also cause worse injuries to vehicle occupants, motorcycle riders, pedestrians and cyclists. The incredible weight and overall size of commercial trucks can easily produce catastrophic or fatal crash injuries.
Different insurance standards
Commercial vehicle collisions can be very difficult to handle in part because of the different insurance rules that apply. Commercial trucks have to carry at least $750,000 in liability coverage. That is multiple times more coverage than passenger vehicles carry. While that may mean better coverage for the people affected by the crash, it may also lead to a more contentious and complicated insurance claims process.
Complex crash investigations
Insurance providers, federal regulatory agencies and local law enforcement professionals may all play a role in the crash investigation process following a collision involving a semi-truck. It can take far longer to have conclusive answers about liability and fault.
When it comes to liability, the number of parties that may have a degree of responsibility for the crash is higher in a commercial collision scenario. The driver could be liable, but so could their employer. Third parties, including component manufacturers, companies that provide vehicle maintenance and even clients that hired the transportation company, could be partially liable for the crash.
Those in need of compensation after a collision caused by a semi-truck may need assistance handling the claims process. Contacting the team at Kastl Law, P.C. by clicking here or calling 469-983-5936 can help those facing complex semi-truck crash claims evaluate their options.