Motorists see their share of big rigs on Pennsylvania roadways, and sometimes those large trucks become involved in serious accidents.
The occupant of the smaller vehicle in such a crash usually sustains the worst injuries. But settling a truck-car accident case may take time to sort out. What makes them so complex?
A little background
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration monitors large truck activity and collects information concerning accidents. According to FMCSA information, there were some 499,000 truck crashes in 2018, resulting in 4,415 fatalities and 107,000 injuries. The National Safety Council provides further large truck information. For example, in 2019, about a quarter of the truck-related crashes occurred on interstates while more than half of the fatal crashes happened on rural roads.
Vast resources
Trucking companies have access to a battery of attorneys focused on minimizing the financial damage a truck-car crash can cause. However, the law firm representing the victim may call in accident reconstructionists, professionals who can carefully examine the crash site for evidence left behind and clues as to the cause of the accident.
Liability may spread
Examining the evidence takes time in order to ensure that no detail is overlooked. The matter of assigning liability is also time-consuming since multiple parties could hold some level of responsibility. If, for instance, the main cause of the accident was a big rig with overloaded cargo, liability for the accident could extend among the truck driver, the trucking company and the person or company responsible for loading the truck. Injured victims have the right to expect maximum compensation for current and future medical costs and more.