When commercial vehicles collide with smaller, four-wheeled vehicles, the outcome is often devastating for the smaller vehicle and its occupants. The higher the speed of the vehicles at the time of the crash, the more likely the smaller vehicle is to be unsafe to drive and its occupants are to require significant medical intervention.
If you were to get into a crash with a regular vehicle like your own, you would understand the basic process of making an insurance claim. However, it can be far more confusing when the vehicle that caused the crash is a big commercial truck.
What kind of compensation can you expect after a collision involving a commercial vehicle?
There should be substantial insurance coverage
Every vehicle needs to have some degree of liability insurance coverage, and commercial trucks required many times more coverage than your average passenger vehicle. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration requires a minimum of $750,000 worth of liability coverage for vehicles that way at least 10,001 pounds, and lighter vehicles need at least $300,000 in insurance.
Commercial vehicles transporting people or dangerous materials may have multi-million dollar policies. That means that even when someone dies or the crash results in injuries that permanently end someone’s career, the insurance available can still potentially cover all of the costs.
What costs can you claim?
Obviously, the compensation you seek after a commercial vehicle crash will include your property damage costs and medical expenses. Current medical bills as well as likely future care costs can be part of the claim. So can an impact that someone’s injuries have had on their wages.
A permanent injury that will force someone to stop working entirely or change professions might mean that the injured person can request compensation from the insurance company for those lost wages and their future lost earning potential. The impact of someone’s injuries on their ability to provide for their family and do work around the house can also sometimes contribute to the total cost of a claim, as can the cost to make a house accessible for someone with significant injuries.
It can be difficult to even make sense of the insurance coverage rules, let alone try to estimate future costs after a crash. Many people need professional help to handle the unique challenges of negotiating and insurance claim after a commercial vehicle collision. Learning more about your rights and help you hold the appropriate party accountable when a commercial vehicle crash changes your life.