Truck accidents are often disastrous, and many drivers feel as though there are a few ways to avoid them because they are typically the truck driver’s fault. Most drivers also fall to the false assumption that resolving a truck accident is like resolving a normal vehicle collision. Unfortunately, that couldn’t be any further from the truth, and it’s usually a long and frustrating process for everyone involved.
The good news is when you understand exactly what derails truck accidents, you can create realistic expectations for your own collision resolution.
The Trucker Will Likely Have an Attorney Before You Can Report the Crash
Truck drivers, even when they are protected through their employer, will often have commercial truck insurance to cover possible liability damages. They can purchase commercial truck insurance through most major vehicle insurance providers, including big names like progressive. In fact, progressive issued an average monthly cost for covering commercial trucks, and it ranges between $795 to a little over $900 per month and per trucker.
For them, this is a business expense. It protects them the same way that a restaurant or retail establishment maintaining liability insurance would expect protection. But truckers often know that insurance coverage isn’t enough. They will usually have their own attorney working the claim before you have time to call your insurance provider and inform them of the collision.
Injuries Will Come Under Close Scrutiny
It’s not just your present injuries that will come under scrutiny, but all of your past medical history too. One of the most common mistakes and a truck accident is to give full authorization on a medical release form. This happens because these forms are usually very generic, and doctors provide little help to patients in understanding exactly what they are doing. If you sign a medical release form without setting any parameters, then you’re giving that insurance company access to all of your medical history.
That means they can drag up a knee surgery from a sports injury in your early 20s and claim that it contributed to your injuries in this crash. The technical term for a medical release form is a HIPAA privacy form, and you can set parameters on what information gets released. On a HIPAA privacy form, you should restrict those dates regarding your medical history two only the dates relevant to the crash and any medical treatment you received for crash injuries.
Working to Control the Clock Is a Huge Issue
If an insurance company is rushing the resolution of a claim, it’s likely because they want to set a limit on exactly how much they’re paying out. For example, if they offer you a quick settlement, it may be because they don’t want you to continue accruing medical expenses and may do everything possible to avoid paying for “future” medical expenses.
What may need to happen is that your truck accident attorney may need to closely control how fast the case is moving. Truck insurance companies and freight companies will often try to close out these cases as quickly as possible in order to pay out as little as possible. But if you’re still receiving medical treatment even if it’s just physical therapy, you need to have a full assessment of your medical debt. You don’t want the case to close only to realize that you still have hundreds or thousands to pay related to an accident that an insurance company should have covered.
Identifying the Responsible Party Is a Challenge – Contacting Them Is Even More Difficult
Truck accidents come with a particular challenge in that the responsible party may be the employer, the driver, or someone else entirely, such as parts or vehicle manufacturer. While it can be a struggle to identify who is responsible for the accident or who is the at-fault party, it may be more difficult to reach out to them.
How a Nevada Truck Crash Attorney Can Help
Even when you’re facing issues such as who is responsible and how you can contact the right party, an attorney can help. Most Henderson truck accident attorneys understand that the high influx of truckers through the area makes Henderson residents even more likely to become victims of truck collisions.
One way to help take control over these particular issues in truck collision resolution is to work with the local Henderson Truck accident attorney. At Christian Morris Trial Attorneys, we aim to provide victims with resources and support so they can have a frustration-free resolution experience.
