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If you have been seriously injured in a truck accident, recovering your losses will include steps that differ from filing an insurance claim after a car crash. Truck accidents differ from car crashes in several important ways, and as a result, it is important to hire an experienced Fort Myers accident attorney who can help you seek the financial compensation you deserve.

Truck Accidents Involve More Potential Issues

Due to the size and complexity of 18-wheelers, tankers, flatbeds and other large commercial trucks, truck accidents tend to involve more potential issues than car crashes. For example, the following are all potential causes of truck accidents that generally are not factors in collisions between passenger vehicles:

• Decoupling 
• Inability to stop safely due to excessive weight
• Jackknifing
• Loose, shifting or unpressurized cargo
• Trailer rollovers

Additionally, certain issues that occasionally are associated with car crashes are involved in almost all truck accidents. This includes issues such as brake failures, tire blowouts, ride-overs and ride-unders, hiring unskilled and unqualified drivers, and companies forcing their drivers to spend too many hours behind the wheel.

Truck Accidents Involve Different Types of Claims

In most cases, recovering financial compensation for a car crash involves dealing with auto insurance companies. Truck accidents involve different types of claims.

When a truck driver causes an accident, recovering compensation typically involves filing a claim against the truck driver’s employer. If a truck defect is to blame, the truck manufacturer may be liable. When an accident results from an issue with a truck’s cargo, the trucking company, the shipping company, the shipping broker and various other entities can all potentially hold financial responsibility for the crash.

Truck Accidents Are More Likely to Cause Substantial Losses

Many car crash victims suffer life-altering injuries, and we do not want to discount or downplay the consequences that car crashes can cause. Still, statistically, truck accidents are far more likely to leave victims facing substantial losses.

This is due to the sheer weight of large commercial trucks. While a typical car weighs around 4,000 pounds, commercial trucks can have gross vehicle weight ratings (GVRWs) of up to 80,000 pounds. When a truck collides with a car that is one-twentieth (1/20) of its weight, the forces involved can easily crush the car and lead to catastrophic injuries for the car’s occupants. As a result, while a collision between two cars might only result in minor property damage and injuries, a similar accident involving a large commercial truck could easily have life-changing consequences.

Get Help from an Experienced Fort Myers Accident Attorney at Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. Today

If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a truck accident and need to know more about filing a claim, we encourage you to get in touch. Fort Myers accident attorney Randall L. Spivey has decades of experience helping victims and their families recover the compensation to which they are entitled. To schedule an appointment with Attorney Spivey as soon as possible, call 888-477-4839 or tell us how we can contact you online now.