Ideally, you will be able to successfully avoid any kind of collision when driving. Even low-speed crashes involving a vehicle the same size as your own could lead to major injuries or serious damage to the vehicles involved.
When you experience a crash with a much larger commercial vehicle, the possibility of noteworthy injury or substantial property damage is higher because of the weight and size of the commercial vehicle. As someone with a personal vehicle, you have to pay for insurance coverage, but your policy likely consists of primarily liability coverage. It won’t cover your losses when a commercial vehicle causes a crash.
Where can you turn for support after a collision caused by a commercial vehicle, like an 18-wheeler?
A commercial insurance policy
The bigger a truck is and the more dangerous the cargo it has in the trailer, the more likely it is to have a sizable commercial insurance policy covering the vehicle, its load and any damage it causes. The Federal Motor Carrier safety administration requires a minimum of $750,000 of coverage for any commercial vehicle that weighs more than 10,001 pounds.
If a vehicle has dangerous cargo, the amount of insurance may be substantially higher than that. Those hurt in a crash involving a commercial vehicle can typically count on that larger insurance policy to cover most, if not all, of their expenses.
A personal injury lawsuit
In a situation where a truck driver did something illegal or their employer did something negligent, like failing to replace brakes that had already failed on the road, the people affected by a commercial vehicle collision may have grounds for a lawsuit against the driver or the company that employs them. ‘
In a situation with multiple people hurt and major losses, a lawsuit may be necessary to supplement what insurance will cover. Both the process of going to civil court to seek compensation and the claim negotiation process for a commercial vehicle crash can be difficult to manage.
Especially for those recovering from a recent injury or assisting injured loved ones, having a professional handle the claim can make a big difference in their daily lives. It can also improve their chances of getting an appropriate amount of compensation. Understanding what options you have following a commercial vehicle crash will help you limit the financial losses you suffer.
