Truck accidents vs. two-car crashes

A single crash involving a large commercial truck can injury multiple people, cause massive amounts of damage, and back up traffic for several hours.

Truck crashes are especially dangerous on high-speed roadways where:

• Jackknife crashes are likely to occur.
• Dangerous pileups can occur, due to slippery road conditions or sudden traffic jams.
• Rollovers can occur, due to improper cargo loading and poor handling of curves.

If you or a loved one was involved in a crash with a large commercial truck, it's critical that you take legal action. That's why it's important to understand who you're up against when pursuing a truck accident claim.

What's different about truck & car accidents?

Large truck accidents aren't like two-car crashes. Here's why:

• Trucking companies have more money: Trucking companies are responsible for transporting most of the commercial goods consumed by Americans. For that reason, they have deep pockets. They can afford to pay their own team of investigators and attorneys to help them cover up any wrongdoing on their parts. Most individual passenger car drivers don't have the same resources.
• Insurance companies have more to lose: A single truck accident can cost insurance companies millions of dollars. Since there is so much at stake, insurance companies will aggressively try to shift the blame to you or trick you into accepting a small settlement. If an insurance company attempts to contact you, don't speak to them without consulting with an attorney first.
• There are often more parties involved: Jackknife crashes, rollovers, and highway pileups tend to injure multiple people. The more insurance companies involved in a claim against a trucking company, the more complex your case will be. Furthermore, the truck cab, trailer, and cargo is often insured separately.
• Injuries tend to be more severe: If you're able to walk away from a truck accident with a few scrapes and bruises, consider yourself lucky. Many people involved in large truck crashes sustain serious and life-threatening injuries.
• Truck crashes are often fatal: According to state crash data from the NHTSA, 52 people died in truck crashes in West Virginia during 2018, as well as 182 in Ohio, and 142 in Pennsylvania.

Why should I hire a truck accident lawyer?

You should never attempt to handle your truck accident claim on your own. The insurance companies who represent trucking companies take advantage of people who don't know their rights. If you don't have a strong claim against the trucking company, your claim could be denied.

If the insurance companies are generous enough, they may offer you a small settlement. A settlement offered by an insurance company will likely not cover the full extent of your damages.

An experienced attorney at Recht Law Offices can place an accurate value on your claim and fight to help you obtain every penny owed to you. We serve clients in West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania and offer free case evaluation.

Contact us online or call 877-321-RECHT to find out how we can help you.