If you have seen an accident involving a large truck or commercial vehicle, you already know that these crashes are not your typical traffic accident. Accidents involving large vehicles are different from crashes involving cars, small trucks, or motorcycles. Semi-trucks, 18-wheelers, and other large truck accidents typically result in more fatalities and catastrophic injuries than collisions involving only passenger vehicles. However, there are other differences that make accident claims involving large trucks more difficult to handle.

How Are Large Truck Accidents Different from Other Traffic Accidents?

In addition to the severity of injuries in large truck accidents, traffic accidents involving large trucks also:

Involve Multiple Parties

Even though you may only have two vehicles involved in the crash, crashes involving large trucks or commercial vehicles often involve multiple parties as defendants. A common cause of commercial truck accidents is driver error.

However, even though a truck driver may cause a crash, you may also have a trucking company, shipper, or other party involved as a defendant in a truck accident claim. Shippers and trucking companies who schedule unrealistic deadlines, fail to maintain equipment, or load cargo improperly could also be liable for damages from a large truck crash.

The Complexity of the Accident Claim

Accident claims involving commercial vehicles can be far more complicated than other traffic crashes because of the federal and state regulations and laws governing the trucking industry and large vehicles.

An attorney must understand these laws and how the laws and regulations can impact an injury claim. For example, regulations related to maximum driving hours and required maintenance could have a significant impact on the outcome of an accident claim.

Gathering Evidence After Truck Accidents

After a truck accident, an attorney needs to act quickly to preserve evidence that can be crucial in proving the cause of the crash. A truck’s black box contains valuable information that may be useful in determining the cause of the crash. A truck accident attorney can place the truck company on notice to preserve this evidence. Also, evidence at the accident scene and physical evidence from the truck also need to be gathered and preserved as soon as possible to avoid the loss or destruction of the evidence.

Recovering Compensation for Injuries and Damages

Truck accident cases usually result in substantial damages and losses for accident victims. Trucking companies and their insurance providers have teams of investigators, insurance adjusters, and other professionals who begin working on the case immediately to minimize liability for damages. If an accident victim does not have a legal team working harder to protect the victim’s best interest, the victim may not receive full compensation for damages and losses associated with a large truck accident.

Contact Indianapolis Truck Accident Attorneys for a Free Case Review

Truck accidents result in challenging accident claims. You need a law firm that has experience handling these types of accident claims to fight for your right to a fair and just settlement for your injury claim.

Schedule your free consultation with an Indianapolis truck accident attorney in your area by calling Poynter & Bucheri at 1-800-265-9881 or (317) 780-8000.