When you get into an accident with a commercial vehicle, things can get pretty complicated. In most cases, tractor-trailer accidents often cause more severe injuries and have a higher fatality rate. Not to mention, the truck driver and the trucking company will have separate liability insurance coverage, while other individuals and businesses may have liability in the truck accident.
With that said, you should know that various insurance companies will be responsible for providing compensation for such situations. In addition, if you ever get into an accident with a commercial vehicle or if your commercial vehicle gets into an accident, you must contact a worker's comp lawyer to get fairly compensated for the damage.
Who Gets Into More Accidents? Cars or Trucks?
Since there are more cars on the road in Alabama, there are more car accidents than truck accidents in the area. Based on the Alabama Department of Transportation data, there were 153, 510 passengers involved in accidents in 2018. To add to that, there were 115,784 pickups and SUVS accidents as well.
These accidents accounted for 91 percent of all the vehicles involved in car accidents of that year. And in the same year, there were about 10,982 truck accidents, covering only 3.7 percent of all vehicle accidents.
What are the Main Differences of These Accidents?
- Truck Accidents Involve More Severe Injuries: A passenger car weighs around 2,000 to 4,000 pounds. And by contrast, a semi-truck would weigh about 30,000 pounds when empty and a whole lot more when it's loaded. With that said, when these big vehicles get into a collision, those involved in the accident may experience severe or fatal injuries.
- Truck Accidents are More Expensive: Since those involved may be dealing with severe injuries, medical bills would be more costly, especially since most injuries are disabling and could prevent one from working after the accident. Additionally, trucks cause more property damage as well.
- There are More Liable Parties: When dealing with truck accidents, truck drivers are usually partly liable for an accident. Also, the trucking company will be responsible for the driver in some cases as well.
- Different Types of Evidence Involved: Some types of evidence in truck accidents aren't available in car accident cases. This evidence involves the truck driver's logs, toll receipts, maintenance logs, trucking company records, and more.
Who Can Be Sued?
You must hire an attorney to help you with your case if you ever get involved in a road accident. Whether you're from a trucking company or you have a car, getting legal assistance is crucial.
If you're wondering who can be sued in the trucking company, you could sue the truck driver, trucking company, trucking manufacturer, maintenance workers, and cargo loaders. As for car accidents, you can sue the other driver, vehicle manufacturers, and local governments.
The Bottom Line: Work With a Credible Lawyer for Your Case
For many people, vehicle accidents may seem like a pretty straightforward case. However, with the damages and injuries involved, it's far more complicated than you may think. With that said, you must work with a credible lawyer to ensure that you're properly compensated for the damages you received and that the other party, depending on the issue, is held liable.
How Can We Help You?
If you're looking for a personal injury and worker's compensation lawyer, you've come to the right place.
Swiney & Bellenger are reputable and passionate attorneys at law who know how to get the compensations their clients deserve. Call us at (205) 588-4652 to schedule a free initial consultation with our team!