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Believing that truck accidents and car accidents are similar is a common misconception. It is not uncommon for people to believe that truck accidents are larger scale than passenger car accidents. However, trucking accidents tend to involve more injuries and fatalities, higher insurance policies, more parties to consult, and more regulations than average motor-vehicle accidents.
Injuries and Fatalities
Injuries are common in regular motor-vehicle accidents. However, truck accidents tend to bring a greater risk for injury and more expensive medical bills. Due to the weight differentiation between semi-trucks and cars, injuries obtained from an accident can be devastating. The estimated 80,000-pound difference may lead to higher rates of permanent injuries.
Injuries obtained from a truck accident may force the injured party to spend extended amounts of time in the hospital. Ultimately, this will lead to more expensive medical bills and the possibility of chronic pain. Similarly, fatalities are more common in truck accidents. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, truck accidents cause an estimated 5,000 deaths per year.
Insurance Policies
Due to the nature of these vehicles, semi-trucks tend to have considerably high insurance policies compared to passenger vehicles. It is not uncommon for these vehicles to have insurance policies worth millions of dollars. Therefore, there are higher stakes involved in determining liability. The commercial vehicle’s insurance adjuster will utilize tactics to avoid claiming liability. If the adjuster succeeds, the passenger vehicle may lose their deserved compensation for hospital bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
More Parties to Consult
In a regular motor-vehicle accident, the driver only consults with a few relevant parties. These parties tend to be the other driver and their insurance company. However, this process becomes more complicated when a driver is involved in a truck accident. The driver may need to consult multiple other parties, which include:
- Trucking companies
- Contractors
- Employers
- Manufacturers
Truck Regulations
Commercial drivers tend to drive interstate to make deliveries and complete other tasks. Due to this, truck drivers must follow specific regulations. Drivers are typically registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Department of Transportation. These organizations help govern and enforce regulations specific to truck driving, which include:
- Truck maintenance
- Annual inspections
- Logbooks
- Special driver’s licenses
Being aware of these regulations can help one proceed with legal options after an accident.
Our Virginia Beach Truck Accident Lawyers Advocate for Victims of Truck-Related Accidents
If you or a loved one suffered from a truck accident, please consider contacting the services of a Virginia Beach truck accident lawyer today. At East Coast Trial Lawyers, we work closely with clients to fight for compensation for lost wages, expensive medical bills, and pain and suffering. If you are interested in speaking to one of our lawyers, contact us online or call us at 757-352-2237. With an office located in Virginia Beach, we proudly serve clients throughout North Carolina and Virginia, including the areas of Chesapeake, Eastern Shores, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Suffolk.
