It’s easy to assume that personal injury cases are all handled the same way. After all, your injuries occurred due to an accident with someone driving a sports car or an 18-wheeler, you’re still hurt. However, cases involving trucks and trucking companies can proceed differently than the typical car accident lawsuit.
Different Regulations Apply to the Trucking Industry
Truck drivers are governed by several federal and state laws that do not apply to drivers of regular cars. For example, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulation Act (FMCSRA) dictates how many hours a truck driver can be behind the wheel every day.
These regulations also require background checks, periodic driver evaluations and other strict standards. If a trucker or a trucking company violates the FMCSRA, this violation could provide a basis for establishing liability in your personal injury lawsuit.
Accident Severity
Commercial trucks and 18-wheelers can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. That’s 20 times heavier than the average car. All that weight makes trucks hard to stop, and it means trucks deliver much more force during a collision. This often causes severe injuries and even death to drivers of ordinary vehicles during a wreck.
It takes a very skilled Texas personal injury attorney to handle claims involving catastrophic injuries and fatalities stemming from truck wrecks.
Determining Liability in a Truck Accident
Several parties could be liable in a truck accident claim, including the driver, the trucking company, the manufacturer of a faulty truck part, the retailer that sold the part, and others. To determine who should bear responsibility, you’ll need a comprehensive accident investigation. This requires an attorney who is known to work with excellent investigators.
Multiple Insurance Policies
Every one of the potentially liable parties may have their own insurance company, which means you’ll need to fight against several entities at once. Frequently, there will be one policy covering the truck itself, another policy covering the goods in the trailer and a different policy covering the driver, for example. When multiple insurance companies get involved, only a very skilled and tenacious attorney will be able to take them on and protect the injured person’s rights.
Talk to a Dallas Truck Accident Attorney Today
If you were injured or lost a loved one in a Texas truck accident, you deserve attorneys who are prepared to handle the complexities of your claim. You deserve Ted B. Lyon & Associates. Call 877-Ted-Lyon / 877-833-5966 or send us a message to schedule a free consultation with one of our Dallas truck wreck lawyers.
