What Are the Differences Between Truck Accidents and Car Accidents?

The severity of a victim’s injuries and the number of involved parties are some of the differences between car accidents and truck accidents. These differences can be significant when filing a personal injury claim or lawsuit. For someone suffering an injury from a motor vehicle crash that was the other driver’s fault, the type of vehicle involved can also play a major role in determining which party is negligent.

The weight and size of a truck that hits your car can result in injuries that may linger or negatively affect your quality of life well into the future. If a smaller car hits you, however, your injuries might be less serious, giving you a better chance at a full recovery.

Situations Victims May Face After a Truck Accident

After a truck hits your car and leaves you with injuries, you could be facing several complications going forward. Truck accidents tend to be more complex than car accidents for various reasons. Some are listed below.

Greater Severity of Injuries

Trucks carrying a full load of cargo have more weight and force behind them than a sedan. This extra force can result in a greater level of life-altering injuries for you, such as a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or crushing injuries.

Certainly, a truck accident does not always result in a more severe level of injuries than a car accident. But the odds are higher that when the heavy truck hits your car, you could be facing a longer hospital stay because of your injuries. This situation may give you a greater chance of receiving a larger-than-average settlement amount.

Potential for Multiple Negligent Parties

In a car accident injury claim, the negligent party almost always will be the other driver. However, in a truck accident injury claim, it is possible that a few entities may be negligent in a crash. The truck driver may have violated traffic laws, making them liable. Additionally, the truck owner may have failed to repair the truck properly, and this failure led to the crash. The people who loaded the trailer’s cargo may have failed to secure it, causing the trailer’s weight to shift, which could have also led to a crash.

Your truck crash injury attorney can help you figure out which parties should be liable for your injuries in your case and request compensation from each one.

Proper Licensing for Truck Drivers

Truck drivers must carry a commercial driver’s license (CDL) to operate a truck, as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) explains. Having a CDL means the driver passed training to operate the truck as safely as possible.

Should the truck driver who hit you not have a CDL, this is a clear sign of negligence. Your attorneys may be able to file a claim against the truck driver for their error and the trucking company for not ensuring the driver had the proper credentials.

Situations Victims May Face After a Car Accident

When another car’s driver hits and injures you, the complexities of the case are often less than a truck accident with injuries. You may see a reduced level of injuries, too. However, such car crash cases still can result in a challenging personal injury claim or lawsuit, meaning you may want to hire a personal injury attorney.

Potential for Encountering an Uninsured Motorist

Because of the legal requirements trucking companies and truck drivers must follow, a truck driver who hits you almost certainly will have insurance. If a sedan hits you, though, you may encounter a driver who is not carrying insurance. The Insurance Information Institute (III) estimates about one in eight American drivers do not have insurance.

If a driver without insurance hits you, you will have to rely on the uninsured motorist coverage on your own policy when filing a personal injury claim. It may feel odd to bring a claim against your own insurance company, but your attorney can walk you through the process.

Less Information About the Crash

A truck driver may have a video camera installed that recorded the crash. The truck may have the ability to record telemetry data as the truck moves, and this data may provide clues about how the crash occurred. Your attorney can use this information to show why the truck driver is at fault for your injuries.

A typical passenger car will rarely have video cameras or the ability to measure telemetry data, meaning your attorney must rely on police reports and witness accounts to piece together how the crash happened. In many truck accident cases, a lawyer contacts the truck company to demand that it preserve evidence that could help their client’s case.

Morelli Law Firm Can Represent You After Any Kind of Injury Accident Situation

Whether you need a car accident attorney or a truck crash attorney, Morelli Law Firm’s team is ready to represent you. Our attorneys fully understand the differences between truck and car accidents. We will tailor our representation to match the situation you are facing in either type of crash.

For a free case review regarding your injury accident, contact our team at (212) 751-9800 today.