How Are Truck Accidents Different from Other Auto Accidents?

Being injured in a truck or automobile accident can be stressful for everyone involved. Because of the size and weight of commercial trucks and the cargo they carry and the damage they can cause in a crash, large truck accidents can be devastating. Though they can both involve difficult processes, automobile accidents and large truck accidents are different for several reasons.

Cargo

As you might expect, the cargo that a large truck carries is different than the contents of a passenger car and can therefore create a different kind of accident with different injuries and/or damages sustained. Large trucks are often traveling for commercial purposes, potentially carrying hundreds of pounds of materials or products. A fully loaded 18-wheeler can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. The average weight of a normal passenger vehicle is about 4,000 pounds. When the two vehicles collide, it’s going to be much harder on the passenger car than on the truck.

Large trucks that are zoned for federal use can be carrying oversized cargo like raw materials or wind turbine blades, which can contribute to more devastating accidents with passenger vehicles, whose only “cargo” is occupants or smaller loads.

The bigger loads that these trucks carry can cause dangerous conditions for nearby motorists and may lead to more severe accidents. The injuries and property damage sustained in these accidents tend to be more serious, which can impact the level of compensation you might expect.

Level of Damage

Because large trucks are so much bigger than passenger vehicles, they can cause a greater degree of damage. Not only can their cargo pose a significant threat to other vehicles, but large trucks require more room to make turns and to slow down, so their operation can be potentially hazardous in certain conditions.

Trucks can cause serious accidents, including:

• Jackknife accidents
• Head-on collisions
• Rollover accidents
• T-bone collisions
• Turning accidents
• Sideswipe accidents
• Pedestrian collisions

They can also cause severe injury, including:

• Broken bones
• Spinal cord damage
• Paralysis
• Severe burns
• Contusions
• Lacerations
• Traumatic brain injury
• Decapitation
• Amputation
• Internal bleeding
• Internal organ damage
• Neck trauma

This higher degree of risk for serious accidents and injuries is what sets large truck accidents apart from accidents involving only passenger vehicles.

Liability

Large trucks are often commercially or federally owned. When determining liability, there are several parties that may be at fault, rather than the two or three parties that may be considered liable in an automobile accident.

• The driver of the large truck may be considered liable.
• The driver of an automobile may be considered liable.
• If an accident was caused by improperly loaded cargo, the company responsible for loading the cargo may be considered liable.
• If an accident was caused by malfunctioning equipment on a large truck, the company responsible for the maintenance of the equipment may be considered liable.
• If the accident was the result of driver fatigue, the trucking company could be held responsible if they required the driver to work longer than the federally regulated hours of service in order to get a load delivered at a particular time.

To best determine who is at fault in your large truck accident, contact one of the truck accident attorneys at Hach & Rose, LLP today.

Compensation

The damages from a large truck accident can potentially be quite serious, which could increase the level of compensation you might expect for injuries or property damage caused by such an accident. While an automobile accident may entitle you to compensation that covers injuries and property damage caused by another passenger vehicle, an accident with a large truck can leave you with more serious injuries.

Compensation is typically awarded for economic and noneconomic damages. The compensation you receive depends on the nature of property damage, physical injury, emotional trauma, or other costs you sustained in a large truck accident. Though the available damages are largely the same for all types of accidents, a truck accident is likely to cause more severe injuries that may result in enormous hospital bills, extended periods off work, and other expenses that are higher than those usually associated with auto accidents.

New York Large Truck Accident Attorneys

If you or someone you love has been injured in a large truck accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses. The New York truck accident attorneys at Hach & Rose, LLP are well equipped to help guide you through the process of building a compelling case. From contacting insurance companies and other involved parties to gathering evidence and planning legal strategies, our team of top-rated lawyers is prepared to give you the same high-quality legal care we’ve been providing to clients since our firm’s beginning.

If you’re ready to take the next step in claiming the compensation to which you’re entitled, call Hach & Rose, LLP today at (212) 779-0057. We’ll connect you with an attorney who can help you decide the best next steps in your large truck accident case. Don’t let a lack of legal know-how or financial means deter you from pursuing the restitution to which you’re entitled. Let your journey towards justice begin today.