Tractor-Trailer Accidents
When you are in an accident with a tractor-trailer, the damage can be significantly more than an accident with another passenger vehicle at the same speeds. There are a few factors that contribute to this difference, beginning with the obvious size differential. If you have been in an accident with a tractor-trailer, you are already very aware of this fact, but there may be other things that you have not been made aware of yet. Read more below about what makes a tractor-trailer accident different from an accident with a normal passenger vehicle, and contact the team at Friedland & Associates immediately to discuss your legal options for compensation.
What Makes A Tractor-Trailer Accident Different?
Size Difference
From the start, the first and most obvious difference between a passenger vehicle, even a larger passenger truck, and a tractor trailer is the size. This size difference makes any collision far more severe, and what would be considered a minor bump between two cars can be life-altering and possibly fatal when a semi-truck or 18-wheeler is involved.
Damages
Because of the difference in size, a tractor-trailer poses a much larger risk in an accident to cause severe damage, and even be fatal in what would otherwise be a fender-bender. Since a tractor-trailer cab is higher off the ground, being rear-ended by one can complete crush a car, and being sideswiped can total your car even if you were both driving at a crawl.
Injuries
When a car sustains an impact from such a large vehicle, the risk of injuries or death is obviously significantly higher for the driver and passengers of the smaller vehicle. At the same time, the driver of the tractor-trailer may walk away completely unharmed if the speeds were low enough and the truck cab absorbed the majority of the impact.
Insurance Policies
Tractor-trailers have significantly larger insurance policies than an average passenger policy, because of the nature of the job, the value of the cargo transported, and the increased danger to other drivers that these large vehicles pose. When you are dealing with a commercial insurance policy claim, you will notice quickly that there is a lot more information and communication required, much of which can be very confusing.
Regulations
Since a trucker’s job requires them to be on the road constantly, with dangerous loads in tow, there are many federal regulations in place that drivers must follow. These regulations are created to make truckers and other drivers safe at all times, but can also cause additional confusion when you are filing a claim against the insurance company. Truckers are required to keep logs of their travels, are weight-limited depending on their license and vehicle, and more.
Documentation
As a result of complicated insurance policies and extensive regulations imposed on truckers, it is no surprise that there is an enormous amount of documentation available when you are trying to file a claim, negotiate a settlement, or take a personal injury case to trial to recover the damages you are owed. While this documentation can be a great asset in a trial, it also complicates the process significantly.
Contact Us Today
If you have been in an accident with a tractor-trailer in Fort Lauderdale, contact us today. We are very experienced in dealing with the additional bureaucracy of the commercial insurance claims process, and will represent your interests through negotiations and in court to be sure you get the damages you deserve. Our history of personal injury victories will be a great asset to you during this time of your life.
