Vehicle accidents are not all the same. From their nature to magnitude to impact, multiple factors set one type of vehicle accident apart from the other. However, they can broadly be divided into two categories – truck accidents and other vehicle accidents.
Wondering what differentiates truck accidents from other vehicle accidents? Let’s discuss it!
Truck Accidents vs. Other Vehicle Accidents – The Key Differences
Knowing what makes truck accidents different from other vehicle crashes and collisions is essential to filing the right claim in the event of an accident. So, let’s talk about them…
● Truck Accidents Can Happen in More Ways
Passenger vehicle accidents are typically head-on, sideswipe, and rear-end collisions. But trucking accidents can happen in several other ways, too. Some of the crashes that are unique to trucks include:
- Underride Accidents – when a smaller automobile crashes into a truck from the back or side or slides underneath it.
- Override Accidents – when a truck slides over a vehicle.
- Jack-Knife Accidents – when a truck fails to stop upon sudden/ emergency braking due to the forward momentum and instead swings sidewise.
- Overloaded Cargo Accidents – when the cargo breaks away due to overloading and crashes into other vehicles on the road.
● Truck Accidents Cause More Damage
Though it isn’t necessarily the case always, truck accidents tend to be of a bigger magnitude and cause more damage. And it’s not difficult to understand why. Trucks are huge and can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. Passenger vehicles, on the other hand, are (most often than not) less than 4,000 pounds. Not only do trucks collide with much greater force, but their huge size also increases the risk of underride accidents.
For these reasons, truck accidents are generally more disastrous and are more likely to cause catastrophic injuries or death than other vehicle accidents. Trucking accidents also usually result in significant property damage.
● Liability for Truck Accidents May Lie On More Than One Parties
When there’s a collision between two cars, the drivers are (mostly) liable for the damages. But in truck accidents, the driver isn’t always the one to bear the liability. It can be someone else or more than one person or entity, depending on the cause and nature of the accident. People/entities that may be held liable in truck accidents include:
- Driver
- The employer (wherever applicable)
- Truck operator (if it’s different from the driver’s employer)
- Truck manufacturer
- The company or team that loaded cargo
- Other vehicle drivers (who were involved in the accident)
● Truck Accident Claims Require More Evidence
Proving negligence in truck accidents is more difficult than in other vehicle accidents. You need to provide more evidence to prove the accident wasn’t your fault or negligence and to get the judge’s verdict in your favor when a lawsuit is filed. These may include driver logs, black box data, employment records, and reports from accident reconstruction specialists, in addition to the usual evidence required for all types of automobile accidents; police reports, statements of eyewitnesses, medical records, photographs or video recordings, etc.
Seeking Compensation for a Truck Accident? Hire a Nevada Personal Injury Lawyer for a Successful Settlement
Just because you were in a truck accident doesn’t mean you’re entitled to financial compensation for your damages. As the plaintiff, it is upon you to prove that the accident occurred due to the truck driver’s negligence or reckless driving, which, as discussed above, requires more evidence and hence, can be harder than it is in other vehicle accidents. You could really do with having an experienced truck accident lawyer by your side. Dial 1-800-870-8910 to hire one of Nevada’s best auto accident attorneys today.
1-800-870-8910