Most people think accidents are similar for all types of vehicles, but unfortunately, they are mistaken. The truth is, accidents differ with specific vehicle types. Consequently, the legal processes for seeking compensation for different types of vehicle accidents also have several distinctions. Let us look at some of the differences between truck and car accidents:
The Level of Severity
Truck accidents are often more severe than car accidents. Individuals involved in truck accidents end up hurt more brutally than those individuals involved in car accidents. Additionally, truck accidents result in long-term impacts on the victims and have high chances of leading to permanent conditions like broken limbs.
Compensation Processes
After one is involved in either a car or truck accident, the legal compensation process is the main difference between a truck and car accident. For instance, when a semi-truck is involved in an accident, the lawsuit is directed to the trucking company. In case you are involved in a truck accident, accident attorneys in Houston recommend that you contact a truck accident lawyer in Houston to help you determine what level of compensation you deserve. It is also crucial that you identify an attorney with a lot of experience. The truck attorney you choose should also be knowledgeable about the laws governing truck accidents and trucks’ size. The attorneys should know the amount you deserve to receive when you are involved in an 18-wheeler truck accident and the amount you should receive if you are involved in a semi-truck accident. Also, get in touch with car accident lawyers in case you’re involved in a car accident.
The Causes of the Accident
The cause of the accident also creates a difference between car and truck accidents. While system technicalities can cause truck accidents, most of the time, car accidents result from human faults such as overspeeding, phone distractions, and even inappropriate braking and stopping. A truck’s size can itself be a cause of a truck accident when a truck is unable to turn properly or has trouble stopping. Some equipment in the truck also easily fails and can cause a truck accident. A manufacturer’s negligence can also cause a truck accident. However, injury attorneys are better placed to determine the cause of an accident involving either a truck or a car. These attorneys can use safety records from the trucking company, trucking logs, driver records, driving licenses, and years of experience to determine an accident’s exact cause. Further, the process of determining the exact cause of the accident is more lengthy and tedious for trucks than it is for cars.
Insurance Services
Trucks have more complex insurance needs. It is easy for you to acquire personal car insurance for your car based on your state’s coverage specifications. Such aspects as your years of driving experience and personal records influence the amount of money you will be charged for your car insurance. However, for trucks, the insurance needs are more complex and require more liability. The insurance needs are different for truck owners who operate their own trucks and truck owners who lease their trucks. The costs of insuring trucks are also higher than the costs of insuring cars. Aspects like; a truck’s age, the truck’s credit history, and what the truck hauls determine the costs of insuring it. Also, note that a truck’s CLD experience and its mileage coverage also influence the type of insurance a truck needs. Such variations also cause differences in the amount of money to be paid for insurance.
Case Complexities
Cases involving truck accidents are more complex than those involving car accidents. For instance, truck accidents tend to involve the trucking company, the driver, and at times the insurance company. The damages caused by trucks are also greater than the damages caused by cars. The damages have to be assessed in terms of their economic impacts, punitive effects, and non-economic impacts, which are different for both types of vehicles and consequently range in their determination complexities. Determining these particular effects is highly complicated for trucks but quite easy for cars.
You should beware that car and truck accidents differ significantly as much as sometimes the impacts on the accident victims are the same. Remember, the filing requirements for accidents involving both types of vehicles are also similar. There are also aspects of auto-negligence which influence the complexities of the cases involving truck and car accidents. The more reason you need experienced personal injury attorneys to help you with the legal processes involving either type of vehicle accident. Different attorneys specifically handle truck and car accidents, so when the need arises, choose accordingly.
