Collisions are an unfortunate reality on Utah’s roads, affecting countless lives and leaving a trail of injuries and financial turmoil in their wake. Although car and truck accidents involve motor vehicles and can injure victims, there are significant differences in their impact, laws, and resulting compensation. If you have been injured in a truck accident, having a skilled attorney on your side is essential. An experienced truck accident attorney who understands these critical differences can help you navigate the legal process and fight for the compensation you need to heal and recover.
The dependable attorneys at Feller & Wendt have several years of experience helping truck accident victims like you get back on their feet after their accident. We have a proven history of recovering the maximum compensation available for our clients and have a near 100% success rate for achieving favorable outcomes in our cases. We understand no two truck accidents or victims are precisely alike and tailor our approach to every case to ensure your needs are met through every stage of the legal process.
What Are the Differences Between Truck and Car Accident Claims?
Understanding the fundamental divergences between truck and car accident claims may be critical for recovering the compensation you deserve after your accident. A few vital differences include the following:
Truck Accidents Can Cause More Damages
Trucks can inflict more significant injuries than cars because they can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. Meanwhile, typical passenger vehicles typically weigh 4,000 pounds or less. Truck accidents can cause catastrophic injuries and may have life-altering impacts. Because more substantial injuries are often sustained in a truck accident, this usually means more is at stake when fighting for the victim’s compensation.
Multiple Parties May Be At-Fault for a Truck Accident
In a car accident, victims typically pursue only a claim against the driver responsible for the collision. In a truck accident claim, the truck driver may not be the only party who contributed to your crash. You may also be able to take legal action against the trucking company, the truck maintenance company, or the cargo loader, among others. This means that truck accidents are usually more complex than cases only involving passenger vehicles.
Truck Drivers Must Abide by Specific Rules
Truck drivers not only have to abide by standard traffic safety laws, but they are also subject to truck-specific state and federal rules. For example, truck drivers are limited in the time they can drive by the hours-of-service rule and are considered too impaired to drive with a BAC of only 0.04 percent instead of the usual legal limit of 0.08 percent. Violations of these and other rules may indicate the driver or trucking company acted negligently and can be held liable for your injuries.
Trucking Companies Must Abide by Specific Rules
Trucking companies are often to blame for the thousands of collisions that occur on our roadways each year. Trucking companies often fail to properly qualify, train, or supervise their truck drivers. Trucking companies have a duty to put safe truck drivers on the road but all too often they fail to make sure that their truck drivers have a clean, safe driving record or that they don’t have a history of using drugs, driving too many hours, or failing to conduct safety inspections prior to each trip. Even if they do hire safe drivers, trucking companies often fail to properly train and supervise their drivers to make sure they are not doing unsafe things such as speeding, driving too many hours, driving unsafe equipment or driving with unsafe loads. When trucking companies allow their drivers to violate basic safety rules and regulations they can be held liable for the damages their drivers cause to your property and you.
You Must Act Quickly to Pursue Justice for a Truck Accident
Although personal injury victims in Utah typically have four years to file a claim for compensation, it may be in your best interests to act quickly if you sustained injuries in a truck accident. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration requires trucking companies to keep up with records for at least six months. After six months, it may prove much more difficult for an attorney investigating your case to access vital evidence, making it essential to contact an attorney as soon as possible.
Partner With an Experienced Truck Accident Attorney at Feller & Wendt
If you have been injured in a truck accident, you do not need to navigate the complex legal system alone. At Feller & Wendt, our attorneys are committed to providing you with personalized service as we fight for justice on your behalf. We understand the challenges of recovering from a truck accident and will take the stress of litigation off your shoulders as we handle every detail of your claim.
To schedule a free consultation and learn more about how our seasoned attorneys can help you, call us today at (801) 499-5060 or complete our contact form.
