In 2020, online purchases in the United States surged from previous years. While this means more convenience, it also has the byproduct of many more trucks on the road to get these goods to their destinations. An increase in trucks means an increase in truck accidents as not all of these new drivers are good at what they do or even qualified to do the job.

The Differences Between Truck and Car Accident Claims

Truck accidents are somewhat different from car accidents. Of course, negligence is the basis for any truck accident lawsuit, but there are two additional elements that require an attorney who knows this area of the law:

• Whether the truck driver violated federal regulations as part of the accident
• Whether you could sue the trucking company for the injuries caused by their employee

The focus is not just on what the truck driver did but also whether they followed laws such as:

• Taking rests at the required intervals
• Not driving with an overweight truck
• Following maintenance requirements for the truck
• Obtaining the necessary licenses and training

Evidence for Your Truck Accident Claim

It is for these reasons that truck accidents require even more investigation than a car crash. There is additional evidence that could be used to support your claim that you need to get your hands on before it is lost. This includes:

• Data from the truck’s black box
• Driving records for the operator
• Maintenance records for the truck
• The operation log that would show whether the driver rested properly

This is why hiring an attorney right after your truck accident is vital. If you do not act to quickly gather the evidence, the trucking company may conveniently lose it or write over the black box data. Never underestimate what a defendant could do to protect themselves, especially when the number of “nuclear verdicts” against trucking companies is on the rise.

Sometimes, it is not the trucker who is to blame, but rather it is a malfunction in the truck itself. When this happens, you can file a product liability lawsuit against the company that made the truck or the part that failed. It is important to understand exactly what went wrong and caused the crash.

The possible large liability of the trucking company means that they will have defense attorneys working hard to protect their own interests. This is why you need an attorney of your own to fight for top dollar for your claim. Truck accident injuries are usually more serious than those suffered in a car accident because of the size of the truck, and you deserve to be fully compensated for what you have suffered.

Contact a Downey Truck Accident Attorney

Call the Downey personal injury attorneys at The JLF Firm at (888) 341-3071 or email us to schedule your no-risk initial consultation. As you can see, time is of the essence when it comes to your legal rights because the trucking company will work to start protecting itself immediately.

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