If you have been hit by a semi truck you likely have injuries and damages to your vehicle and are wondering if you can sue for damages. The short answer is yes, you can sue the semi truck’s insurance carrier and driver IF the semi truck driver was at fault for the crash.
Full Answer
With most car accidents, the driver responsible for the accident is liable and their insurance company will pay out a settlement. When there is a semi-truck accident, however, there are several entities and people that may be liable for the accident. These people may include:
In addition to the increased risk of serious injury, the higher insurance limits are another major factor in semi truck accident settlements being much higher on average than car on car accident settlements.
The reality is that many truck accident cases require you to file a lawsuit to obtain compensation. An attorney will be able to answer most of this for you in a free initial consultation. As noted earlier, all semi trucks in the United States follow FMCSA regulations.
Large semi trucks with huge amounts of cargo results are generally extremely heavy and can cause serious, lifelong injuries and death.
If the truck driver's negligence caused the accident, they, or the company they work for, are responsible for the damages. However, most truck drivers and the companies they work for have commercial liability insurance, so insurance companies will almost always be the entity that actually pays for damages.
Report the incident to the police. Nearly every vehicle accident in California needs to be reported to the police and the DMV. Responding police officers will be able to ensure the safety of the scene, preserve evidence, and conduct an investigation to determine liability in the incident.
A negligent truck driver may have caused your accident, but they are not always at fault, which is why it is essential to look at all parties and factors in a collision to determine who is responsible for the victim's damages.
Driver WeightD20-Date of Last Accident, Suspension or Conviction. D21-Violations Charged. D22-Related Factors - Driver Level. D13-Driver Weight. D3-Vehicle Number.
When a large heavy truck collides with a passenger car, large momentum of the truck is transferred to car and small momentum of car is transferred to car and small momentum of car is transferred to truck. So, the occupants of the car are more likely to hurt than the truck driver.
You Typically Don't Have to Sue for a Truck Accident Case In a truck accident case, you can seek compensation for damages like: Hospital and doctor bills. Prescription medications. Ambulance fees.
If you get hit by an 18 wheeler, the first thing you should do is make sure you are in a safe location and won’t be hit again.
While semi truck accident cases can often be resolved out-of-court through a settlement, in some situations, you may need to go to trial to secure maximum compensation.
If you’ve been in a motor vehicle crash with a big rig, you should contact a semi truck accident lawyer as soon as possible.
After a truck accident in Michigan, several different parties could potentially be liable. These could include:
The Michigan no-fault insurance law requires drivers to have policies that will cover them in an accident. That means that you would first seek compensation through your own auto policy before bringing a claim against someone else. However, you may also have a case against another liable party if you are seriously injured.
Some truck companies may try to escape liability by misclassifying an employee as an independent contractor. If they succeed, they could avoid being held liable for injuries caused by the driver in a truck accident. However, a good injury lawyer can gather evidence to refute this deceptive defense.
Trucking companies may be liable when their employees cause an accident that hurts you while they are on the job. But you’ll need to show that their acts were either within the scope of employment or that a legal doctrine called respondeat superior applies. Let’s look at these in more depth:
After a trucking accident, many types of compensation may be available. But the type and amounts will depend on the facts of your case. Compensation could cover:
If you’ve been injured in a Michigan truck accident, contact Christensen Law now. Our legal team is ready to relieve your stress and guide you through the process of seeking answers and getting justice. We offer consultations for free and are ready to talk when you are. Contact us today to learn more.
If you’re lucky enough to walk away from a tractor-trailer accident with minor injuries, you can expect a settlement amount ranging from $3,000 to $10,000 from the at-fault driver’s insurer.
Truck drivers who violate traffic laws or trucking regulations are negligent . This means they did something wrong or failed to act as a reasonable driver would.
If you are alert and able to move around, what you do at the scene of the trucking accident can impact the success of your insurance claim. Here are the steps you should take after the crash.
Proving negligence in a truck accident case may hinge on crucial information about the truck driver and the driver’s regulatory compliance.