Why Truck Accident Accountability Depends on Legal Skill

Accidents involving big rig trucks are not like other motor vehicle accidents on Ohio roads. The size alone of most commercial trucks, from panel vans on up to semitractor trailers, means crashes involving them tend to cause greater damage to physical property and more serious injury to unlucky victims. Fatalities are all too common.

In addition to the weight factor, other elements contribute to making semi truck accidents different from most car accidents. For example, there is the issue of regulation. Drivers of semis, especially the long-haul vehicles, face a veritable sea of rules. And where the burden of regulation might be considered too high, compliance may yield to recklessness or negligence. How can an average driver possibly know if violations have occurred?

Anyone who has become embroiled in even a minor fender bender knows that resolving things through insurance companies can be a major headache. When an 18-wheeler is involved the stakes are even higher and the insurance companies are more accustomed to digging in their heels. Trucking companies may have all the coverage they are required to carry, but that just gives the insurer more incentive to fight to pay out the minimum.

Also, the insurer likely will get one of its investigators onto the case as quickly as possible and key evidence that might serve the interests of the victims of a crash could wind up going missing.

Another element that is easy to forget is that while an accident on the road might involve two individuals in two vehicles, the list of potentially liable parties in a trucking accident is usually long and complicated. In addition to the driver, there may be separate owners for the tractor or the trailer. In many cases, the trucking company might seek to avoid liability by painting the driver as an independent contractor, rather than an employee.

If you’ve read to this point you will appreciate that tractor-trailer accidents are a horse of a different color compared to others. You will also appreciate that successfully pursuing full compensation for victims is something that requires the help of attorneys with demonstrated experience and skill. If you have questions, you should not hesitate to call the Ohio truck accident lawyers with KNR at 1-800-HURT-NOW for a consultation.