Truck Accidents: The Long Haul

Can you imagine 10,000 pounds or greater coming towards you at over 60 miles per hour? That’s exactly what survivors of 18-wheeler accidents have felt.

Damages from this type of accident range from fatalities, financial hardship, and stressful legal processes that may end unfairly. Nothing can prepare a family for this sort of tragedy and once they find themselves in this situation, they aren’t always aware that there may be more than one legal road to take.

The Odds Against You: 18- Wheeler Truck Coverage

Annually, American roads are home to 400,000 truck accidents, 150,000 injuries, and 5,000 deaths… that’s roughly 34,000 accidents a month! Due to the impending chance of a collision, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has set hefty monetary coverage on 18-wheelers.

Under federal law, all travel/shipping trucks carry a $750,000 liability coverage.  In Texas, trucking companies are required to bear an extra $250,000, bringing their total liability coverage to $1 million.

So, what do all of these numbers mean?

Although trucking companies have a lot of elbow room, they are less likely to accept initial responsibility for a plaintiff’s physical injury because of the fact that the extent of said injury is unknown. Some try to find a way around the system and attempt filing a property damage claim so they can later charge the company for the treatment of their injury. In this case, the trucking company does not have to claim liability for a person’s injuries because:

    • The plaintiff’s “injuries” may have healed therefore, they lack tangible evidence of physical damage.
    • They didn’t claim initial responsibility for injuries.

For this reason, many victims are unable to successfully represent themselves and undergo much more stress and disappointment than if they had the expert assistance of a truck injury lawyer.

Every Driver Needs a Co-Pilot

If you’ve decided to file a personal injury claim, it’s almost vital that you do not represent yourself. Seek legal representation from an experienced attorney who will not only successfully prove substantial physical evidence, but will also demonstrate why the trucking company should be held accountable for the accident.

Another benefit of partnering with a lawyer is the possibility of a medical witness’ testimony, which entails the severity of your injury, in medical terms, to further prove your right to compensation. The legal ride is anything but a cruise, and you certainly don’t want to be alone during a complex juncture.

Were you or a loved one involved in an 18-wheeler collision? Call The Byrd Law Firm at (713) 864-3000 for the legal representation you deserve!