Trucking accidents are defined as vehicle collisions involving tractor trailers, 18-wheelers, semi-trucks and other commercial vehicles. These large trucks are more prevalent on highways than ever before. Dealing with these types of accidents are a lot more troublesome than a “regular” car accident.

Truck Accident Injuries are much more Serious

Getting into an automobile accident is terrifying no matter the size of the vehicle. It is easy to determine the outcome between a semi-truck and an average car. According to the <https://www.iihs.org/topics/fatality-statistics/detail/large-trucks >Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, a total of 4,136 people died in large truck crashes in 2018, and 67% of those deaths were occupants of cars and other passenger vehicles.



You do not have to be a physicist to understand the law of force. These large trucks weigh 20 to 30 times more than an average car, and their size and weight naturally put them at a higher risk of causing accidents.

Trucks Carry More Insurance

Your personal car is insured according to your state’s coverage requirements, and the cost depends on your personal information and driving history. When you are talking about an 18-wheeler, it gets a little more complicated.

For semi-trucks, the coverage depends on many factors. One depending on whether they’re an owner-operator or if they’re leasing from a carrier. The price of their coverage depends on what they haul, how much their truck is worth, how far they drive, their age, their CLD experience and their credit history.



The insurance policies for large trucks are worth millions of dollars, and they don’t pay out easily. Don’t take on these big insurance companies on your own! Barfoot & Schoettker have an expert team of attorneys determined to pursue justice on your behalf.

Truck Accidents Have Greater Compensation

Because of the level of severity of trucking accidents, there is a higher compensation for victims. Like car accidents, truck accident victims have the right to be compensated for medical care, nursing home costs, rehabilitation, domestic services, and loss of earning capability.

Truck Drivers Follow Strict Guidelines

All personal vehicles follow state and local traffic ordinances, but semi-trucks have federal regulations to follow as well as having a commercial driver’s license. These trucks travel almost exclusively on highways and interstates, and must register with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Department of Transportation.

The guidelines established from these organizations regulate many aspects of truckers day-to-day activities including limits to driving time, mandated rest periods, required inspections and vehicle maintenance, and strict documentation rules.

There is More Evidence in Truck Accidents

When you get into a “regular” car accident, the lawyers involved will collect evidence after the crash including witness statements, photographs, security camera footage, police reports and more. However, when a commercial truck is involved, there is a whole other realm of evidence that needs to be secured.



• Driver’s Evidence includes the driver’s qualifications and training files, documentation of driving time, inspection records, and post-collision drug and alcohol screening results.
• Vehicle Evidence includes maintenance and inspection history and GPS tracking data.
• Cargo Evidence includes weight tickets, trip envelopes, dispatch instructions, delivery documents and bills of lading.
  

Just like Truck and Car Accidents, Lawyers are Not Equal!

If you have an injury caused by a truck accident and you’re looking for the right legal team to support you, contact Barfoot & Schoettker for your free consultation today. We practice personal injury law the way it should be practiced. We take pride in being good lawyers who help people.