Most people have been involved in an auto accident at some point in their driving lives. Often, in a simple fender-bender, the drivers simply exchange phone numbers and insurance information. While that may be sufficient in certain cases, it is insufficient in an accident involving commercial vehicles.
Generally, in a two-party crash between private persons, the only parties involved are the drivers and each driver’s insurance company. In addition, assigning liability is equally simplified because it usually lies exclusively between the drivers.
However, if one or more of the vehicles is a commercial vehicle, many other factors enter the equation. The number of parties involved is no longer limited to the drivers and their insurance companies, but now include the person or entity that hired the commercial driver as well as the insurer of that party. Because the commercial vehicle is often a large vehicle transporting heavy cargo, the potential damages are often larger than the average accident. Additionally, certain laws apply to commercial operation of vehicles that do not apply to private drivers. Finally, a professional driver may be held to a higher standard of care in operating a vehicle.
The take-away from this is that accidents involving commercial vehicles are much more complex than garden-variety, private-party automobile collisions. If you are involved in such an accident, the Prescott Law Group is here to address the peculiarities and complexities inherent in a commercial vehicle accident. Call (928) 445-1909 to make sure that your case is properly handled by talented professionals.
More Information:
- “3 Ways Truck Crashes Can Differ From Car Crashes” – FindLaw.com (Aditi Mukherji), March 31, 2014
- “Commercial Vehicle Accident” – LegalInfo.com
- “Driver vs. Company Liability in Commercial Truck Accidents” – AllLaw.com (Amir Tikriti)