What Are the Differences Between Car and Trucking Accidents?

Accidents involving trucks tend to be more catastrophic than accidents involving cars. But, of course, one only needs to consider the size of a tractor-trailer or 18-wheeler to know this is true.

If you or your loved one was involved in an accident involving a large truck, you might be wondering about the legal differences for this type of case compared to one involving only cars.

Here’s what you need to know about the differences between truck and car accidents.

It’s more time-consuming and costly to investigate an accident involving a truck.

The average auto accident tends to be caused by human error, such as a driver failing to stop at a stop sign or changing lanes without checking their blind spot. However, equipment failure often plays a role in accidents involving trucks.

Does this mean that the driver shouldn’t be implicated in the accident? Not necessarily, as the driver is always expected to conduct inspections on their vehicle before taking a trip. However, sometimes a trucking company may have been negligent in maintaining the vehicle.

As you can imagine, it takes a lot of time and resources to investigate such accidents, as the reasons they occurred may be complex.

It’s difficult to determine damages in accidents involving trucks.

A person injured from a trucking accident is typically compensated to the point that will place them back in the financial and physical position they were before the accident. For example, the victim has a right to be compensated for their medical care and rehabilitation costs. However, they also may be paid for domestic services, loss of earnings, and loss of potential earnings.

There are other damages to consider as well, such as pain and suffering and the diminishment of relationships.

Granted, these damages are often collected for accidents involving any type of vehicle. But, as we mentioned before, trucking accidents often have catastrophic results. After all, a fully loaded 18-wheeler can weigh more than 80,000 pounds. Moreover, because of the size and weight of the semis, truckers are required to carry insurance with larger-than-normal liability limits.

Truck drivers must have proper qualifications and training to carry certain loads.

Perhaps the accident was caused by a truck driver who did not have the proper qualifications or license to carry a specific load. This means that the trucking company could be held liable for the accident as well as the driver. Unfortunately, this leads to a more complicated and time-consuming case.

Woods Law KC Can Help

Are you looking for an injury attorney in KC with experience with large truck accident cases? Schedule a consultation at Woods Law KC.

The trucking industry is heavily regulated, so a lot of paperwork is involved in truck injury cases. However, the staff of Woods Law KC is here to help if you have been injured or lost a loved one in a crash caused by a large truck. Reach out today by filling out the contact form on our website.

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