Most of us have been involved, at one time or another, in some type of vehicle collision. Thankfully, the vast majority of these encounters are unpleasant but minor. Tapping someone’s bumper in a parking lot may be irritating, especially if you have to deal with your own and the other driver’s insurance company, but it does not usually result in serious injuries. On the other hand, a certain number of vehicle accidents each year result in serious damage to person and property, and these types of accidents are not simply irritating; they can be life-altering.
Of the most serious vehicle crashes, collisions between a large truck and a passenger vehicle are some of the most dangerous. According to the Federal Motor Safety Carrier Association’s 2018 report, there were 4415 fatalities in accidents involving large trucks that year, for a total fatality rate of 13.49 per million people. This was an increase of 27 percent from the 2010 figure of 10.6 in per million people in 2010. Clearly, large truck accident rates are increasing, probably due to the fact that more and more people are sharing the road with big trucks as roadways become more crowded. This means that there is simply more opportunity for passenger vehicle drivers and occupants to become involved in crashes that could put them at risk for serious bodily harm.
How Insurance Companies Negotiate Settlements With Victims
You might believe that a trucking company whose driver was clearly at fault for an accident would take seriously the role of settlement negotiation and protecting the rights of victims. In reality, most insurance companies and their attorneys are much more concerned with the “bottom line” for the company, which often means that accident victims are coaxed or coerced into poor settlement choices. Many victims find themselves without enough money from a settlement to pay their medical expenses, compensate for lost wages and support their families through the years to come.
Most people, and many attorneys, simply do not understand how to successfully navigate the complexities of a large truck accident lawsuit. Truck drivers are required by state and federal laws to maintain meticulous logs of their activities and to keep their trucks in acceptable repair, but many fall short of these guidelines. However, the victim and his or her attorney may not realize this if they are not aware of the various rules and regulations in place, or do not understand how to collect and preserve evidence that may be needed at trial. A seasoned and experienced large truck accident attorney does understand these things and is able to help the victim recover not only medical expenses but compensation for other damages as well, including pain and suffering.
If you have been the victim of a large truck accident, there is hope for you to collect the compensation to which you are entitled. Contact Barber & Associates today. We can help you negotiate a fair settlement for your large truck accident case and ensure that you have the money you need to face the obstacles that lie ahead.