After a car accident, you may be concerned initially about your health and well-being, not about legal matters or insurance claims. When you get to those concerns, you may have many questions. Should I call an attorney? Do I need to file an insurance claim? How will I pay for repairs to my car? These are all likely questions you must answer should the accident result in property damage.
All the answers depend on whether you were driving your car or a commercial truck. Here is a brief introduction to the differences between auto and truck accidents according to the law:
State and Federal Regulations
Be sure to review the current laws, regulations and licensing requirements of your state when you have been involved in an accident. Your ability to obtain compensation after your accident may be affected by the type of insurance you have, whether you were driving distracted, or if you’ve maintained basic licensure according to state regulations.
A truck driver’s situation can be more complicated. More factors can determine a truck driver’s liability including if that driver islicensed to operate that particular truck. Federal law requires truck drivers to keep logs detailing any rest or maintenance stops and if a trucker fails to do so, it can lead to a shift in liability.
Who Pays the Settlement After an Accident?
There are major differences between auto and truck accidents regarding who pays a settlement:
- Regular vehicles may have minimum insurance standards that do not cover the damages caused by the accident.
- Truck drivers must carry larger insurance policies, but commercial vehicles cause more damage.
- Regardless if the truck driver has a personal insurance policy, they are still operating a commercial truck for their employer.
Now you may be a little confused about who is liable to pay damages, but it is rather simple. Usually, because the truck drivers are employees and drive for their job, their company is legally responsible should an accident occur.
Matching Representation with a Company Team
If you are involved in an accident with a fellow car driver, you will typically just exchange insurance information and possibly hire a personal injury lawyer. However, if you are involved with a commercial truck, it is likely you will be up against a team of lawyers and a much larger insurance company. Often, a car driver is responsible to build a case against the company.
The good news is, you don’t have to gather evidence alone.
Thankfully you can hire a personal injury lawyer to review your case and help you with your insurance claim. They can even represent you should you need to move past a claim into court. If you have been involved in an accident with a commercial truck, don’t wait, hire a personal injury lawyer today such as the Truck accident lawyer locals trust to help you recover damages from your accident.