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How Trucking Companies and Insurers Handle Truck Accident Claims After a tractor-trailer crash, the injured person usually deals with an insurance company long before any courtroom. Trucking companies and their insurers tend to act quickly, and their early steps can shape the claim. Knowing what to expect is one reason people contact a truck accident lawyer before giving statements or signing documents. How much insurance a trucking company must carry Minimum levels o

How Hours of Service Violations Can Shape a Tractor-Trailer Crash Claim After a tractor-trailer crash on a long-haul route, an early question is whether the driver had stayed inside the federal hours-of-service limits. Fatigue rarely leaves skid marks, which is why the answer tends to come from records instead of the road itself. A truck accident attorney reviewing one of these cases will usually compare the driver's logs with every other record of the trip. What the fed

Liability in Tractor-Trailer Crash Claims Explained Unlike many car crashes, a semi-truck crash often involves several potentially responsible parties. The driver, the trucking company, the owner of the trailer, the company that loaded the cargo and the manufacturer of a defective part can each play a role. Sorting out legal responsibility is one of the first tasks for a tractor-trailer crash lawyer, because each party may carry its own insurance. The driver's conduct

Underride and Jackknife Crashes in Truck Accident Claims Underride and jackknife crashes are two tractor-trailer crash types that often cause severe injuries. In an underride crash, a smaller vehicle slides partly or fully under a trailer or truck body. In a jackknife, the tractor and trailer fold toward each other, often across several lanes. Each raises its own evidence questions for an 18-wheeler accident lawyer. What makes underride crashes deadly The Insurance In

Choosing an Auto Accident Attorney: Questions to Ask Hiring an auto accident lawyer goes better with a few clear questions. Some crashes involve one insurer and a modest property claim, while others involve serious injuries, several policies and disputed fault. The questions below can make a first consultation more useful, whatever the size of the claim. Confirm the license and record Before the first meeting, check the basics. Every state bar or licensing agency offe

What FMCSA and NHTSA Data Show About Large Truck Crashes Federal crash data gives a national picture of how often large trucks are involved in serious crashes. The figures below come from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and each is labeled with its year. A truck accident lawyer might use figures like these for context, but statistics describe patterns across many crashes rather than what

Insurance Adjusters, Total Losses and Diminished Value Most people deal with an insurance adjuster long before a lawsuit is even a question. An adjuster evaluates the claim on behalf of the insurance company, and some common practices can reduce the value of a claim if they go unnoticed. Knowing what to expect is one reason people talk with a car accident lawyer before signing anything. What the adjuster may ask for The other driver's insurer may call within days and

Who Can Be Held Responsible for a Truck Accident? A crash involving a tractor-trailer often has more than one responsible party. The driver, the trucking company, the trailer owner, the shipper that loaded the freight and the maker of a failed part may all play a role. Sorting out legal responsibility is one of the first tasks for a tractor-trailer crash lawyer, because each responsible party may have separate insurance. Claims against the driver The starting point is