What are the important differences between a truck accident and a car accident in Shepherdsville or anywhere in Mount Washington, Shelbyville, Taylorsville, Radcliff, Elizabethtown, Jeffersontown, or Louisville, Kentucky? We all know car accidents unfortunately happen every day. The good news is the cars we drive have been designed to be much safer in both the actual frame of a vehicle and the safety restraints and airbags inside them. These advancements have helped reduce the number of injuries and the severity of injuries resulting in many low-speed car crashes.
However, engineering solutions for the substantial differences in weight and resulting forces when a passenger vehicle is hit by a commercial vehicle, semi-truck, or tractor-trailer is an impossible challenge.
The important differences between a truck accident and a car accident begin with the intensity of the impact itself. A typical commercial truck weighs as much as twenty times more than a family car. Even if the truck isn’t moving or at a slow speed, it remains stationary or continues to move when it encounters a lesser-weight vehicle. It doesn’t “give” or move with the accident’s impact, as is the case when vehicles of similar weight collide. The weight of the truck also makes it much harder to bring to a stop.
The G-forces and other aspects of the impact remain with the smaller vehicle. They will ultimately be experienced by the bodies of those traveling in a car, motorcycle, or other vehicle. The unfortunate result can be serious and sometimes fatal injury for the occupants of the smaller motor vehicle.
Another of the important differences between a truck accident and a car accident is the extent of available insurance to cover any resulting personal injury or wrongful death claims. A commercial truck can actually have several layers of insurance. It is not unusual for three or more insurance companies to be associated with any commercial vehicle that is responsible for a motor vehicle accident.
This is why working with an experienced personal injury attorney is vital if you have been involved in a truck accident, let alone any motor vehicle accident. The good news is there are several layers of insurance for any commercial vehicle. This ensures necessary funds are available to cover all the past, present, and future medical expenses of those hurt by the truck, as well as compensation for lost wages, physical therapy, and fair compensation for having to experience and recover from injury.
When a person loses their life in a truck accident, a wrongful death action must be brought against the owners of the truck and all associated insurance carriers. There is no sum of money that can replace the loss of a loved one. A wrongful death lawsuit seeks just compensation for the loss of time, companionship, and connection with one’s spouse, as well as the guidance and emotional and financial support they would have provided to any children.
Most of the important differences between a truck accident and a car accident may seem obvious on the surface. However, the legal implications of a personal injury matter or wrongful death action are much more legally and financially complex. This is why working with an experienced injury attorney from the Law Offices of John Schmidt & Associates, PLLC, is so important.
We invite you to contact us via e-mail, schedule an appointment or call us today at (502) 509-1490 to get the important advice and counsel required to protect your personal injury claim and achieve full and fair compensation for having to endure and recover from your injuries.
