Collisions between motor vehicles may lead to injury, sometimes death. Expensive property damage is also likely, and people may need to either purchase a new vehicle or invest thousands of dollars to repair the damage caused by the crash. If the vehicles involved in the wreck are a passenger vehicle and a commercial truck, the possibility of severe damage to the smaller vehicle is virtually inevitable. Semi-truck collisions are also notorious for causing catastrophic injuries or claiming the lives of the people in smaller vehicles.
The long-term financial consequences of a semi-truck crash may far exceed the typical consequences of a collision between vehicles of roughly the same size. What options for support and financial assistance will the people affected by a crash caused by an 18-wheeler typically have available to them?
The option of an insurance claim
Semi-trucks require insurance just like passenger vehicles. Provided that the truck weighs 10,001 pounds or more, they typically require far more insurance than a passenger vehicle. Most commercial trucks will have to have at least $750,000 in liability insurance coverage. Depending on the contents of the vehicle, it could potentially have even more insurance than that.
However, people cannot expect the simple, straightforward insurance claim promised by the average car insurance commercial. Commercial transportation companies and their insurance providers are often aggressive negotiators when attempting to settle a claim after a crash. Especially if someone faces lifelong symptoms from an injury or must adjust to the loss of a loved one, they may need help maximizing the offer this insurance company will make for the claim.
The possibility of a lawsuit
There may be scenarios where businesses refuse to cooperate with those affected by a crash or where there is potentially a third party with partial responsibility for a semi-truck collision. Certain situations may necessitate civil litigation if the people affected by a crash hope to secure appropriate compensation given their losses.
Some individuals are reticent to go to court and may fail to avail themselves of the full protections to which they theoretically have access after a collision caused by an 18-wheeler. Those who have been affected by a commercial collision may need to recover years of lost or reduced income and major medical expenses. Recognizing the challenges ahead can help those affected by a semi-truck collision pursue appropriate compensation based on their losses with the assistance of a legal professional.