It’s easy to assume that the smaller vehicle suffers the most damage when a truck and a car collide in Michigan. Trucks are bigger, more powerful and harder to control in an emergency. That doesn’t mean that they are always at fault, but if they are, industry-related factors will complicate an insurance claim.
Control of commercial trucks
Trucks are more difficult to maneuver and take longer to stop than a car. If the driver of a car brakes suddenly in front of a truck and the driver can’t stop in time, a liability claim may get complicated.
Multiple potential sources of negligence
Trucking companies typically own the commercial trucks, purchase the vehicles from a manufacturer and coordinate with a third-party company to load the cargo into the truck. All of these participants may need investigating when there is an accident to determine if it is the driver’s fault, a manufacturer’s defect or an improper loading error. The multiple players make this a much more time-consuming process than filing an insurance claim involving a two-car crash.
Different driving regulations
Truck drivers have an additional driving regulation to follow that doesn’t apply to passenger cars. A federal law regulates a trucker’s driving time, and a device in the truck electronically records it. If you’re filing an insurance claim against a particular driver, you’ll need to request a record of the recordings from the parent company.
Powerhouse insurance companies
The trucker’s insurance company may try to prevent you access to essential records regarding the truck’s maintenance schedule, the driver’s recordings, and the driver’s history. It will spend considerable resources to disprove any insurance claim of negligence.
Accidents between passenger cars and trucks frequently result in severe injuries to the car’s occupants. If you are unhappy with the offered insurance settlement, you can file a lawsuit and request a jury trial.
