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A car accident is already stressful enough. Between the trauma of the collision, getting treatment for injuries, and repairing your vehicle, it is enough to make anyone feel anxious. Things get even more hectic if your car accident is with a semi-truck. Besides just the sheer size of a semi, there are various different rules and regulations if an auto accident is with a semi truck instead of a standard vehicle. Below are some of the main differences between a standard auto accident and an accident involving a semi truck.
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Semi Trucks Have Giant Insurance Policies
A combination of the size of the truck and the cost of the goods they haul mean semi trucks have insurance policies that dwarf the policies of a standard automobile. In some cases, a semi trucks insurance policy can be up to 50 times more than a standard policy, making them worth millions of dollars. Since the policy is so large, with any accident a semi is involved in an insurance provider will put their best adjusters on the case to try to get out of any liability. They also have been known to throw money at the problem early, offering a seemingly large amount of money early in the process to avoid paying the true cost of the case.
Semi Truck Accidents Cause More Severe Injuries
A semi truck can weigh 80,000 pounds. When that amount of mass collides with a much smaller car, the results can be devastating. The injuries are usually much more severe in a semi truck accident than in a standard car accident. That can mean longer hospital stays and more treatment, which can increase the cost of medical bills and the compensation for damages.
Accidents Can Result in Damaged Property
If a semi truck is sent out of control after an accident, the resulting damage can be catastrophic. Anything that is in its path can get leveled or severely damaged, including any buildings or other property. The size of the semi truck means that damages to property is much more common than in a standard accident.
There are Unique Regulations for Semi Trucks
Trucks are usually traveling between several states on any given run. To account for this, commercial trucks are required to register with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Department of Transportation. This can lead to hundreds of additional regulations and can complicate what should be a standard auto accident claim.
Requires a Lawyer With Semi Truck Accident Experience
Since semi truck accidents are so much more different to deal with than a standard auto accident, it is essential to find an attorney with experience with semi truck accident cases. Without this experience, you could have an attorney who does not get the necessary compensation after the accident or is unaware of rules and regulations surrounding semi trucks. Make sure to ask any attorney you meet with if they have experience getting cash compensation for damages stemming from a semi truck accident.
Semi Truck Accident Attorney in San Diego at Elliott Kanter
The team at Elliott Kanter law firm has experience dealing with the fallout from an accident with a semi truck, working to get our clients the compensation for damages they deserve. If you live in San Diego and get in a car accident with a semi, contact our law firm today. We can schedule a free consultation to hear the details of your case and discuss possible compensation. To learn more, give us a call.
