Insurance Tactics After a Semi-Truck Crash After a tractor-trailer crash, an injured person usually hears from an insurance company long before any court is involved. Trucking companies and their insurers tend to act quickly, and the steps they take early can shape the claim. Understanding these practices is one reason people talk with a truck accident attorney before giving statements or signing documents. Federal insurance minimums for trucking companies Minimum lev
What FMCSA and NHTSA Data Show About Truck Accidents
Truck Accident Statistics From FMCSA and NHTSA Data 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 one is tied to its data year. A truck accident lawyer may cite figures like these for background, but statistics describe patterns across many crashes, not what happe
ELD Records and ECM Black Box Data in Semi-Truck Crash Cases
ECM Black Box Data and ELD Records in Tractor-Trailer Crash Claims When a tractor-trailer crash causes serious injuries, the most precise record of the last seconds before impact is often stored inside the truck itself. People call it the black box, but that label covers several different systems. For a truck accident lawyer, knowing which device keeps which data shapes the first evidence requests in a case. What the black box means on a commercial truck Most heavy tr
What to Know About Underride and Jackknife Truck Crashes
What to Know About Underride and Jackknife Truck Crashes Underride and jackknife crashes are two kinds of tractor-trailer collisions that frequently cause severe injuries. In an underride crash, a smaller vehicle slides partly or fully under a trailer or truck body. A jackknife occurs when the tractor and trailer fold toward each other, often blocking several lanes. Each raises its own evidence questions for an 18-wheeler accident lawyer. How underride happens The Ins
Choosing an 18-Wheeler Accident Lawyer: Questions to Ask Picking a truck accident lawyer differs from picking a lawyer for a minor car crash. Tractor-trailer claims often involve federal safety regulations, electronic evidence and several insurance policies, and the trucking company frequently has lawyers and investigators working on the crash from the first days. The questions below can make a consultation more useful. Confirm the license and disciplinary record Befo
How Uninsured Motorist Coverage, PIP and MedPay Work After a Car Accident
Which Insurance Pays After an Auto Accident? Uninsured Motorist, PIP and MedPay More than one insurance policy can apply after a car crash. The at-fault driver's liability coverage is usually the first source people think of, but personal injury protection (PIP), MedPay and uninsured motorist (UM) coverage can matter just as much. An auto accident lawyer will usually ask for the declarations page of every policy that might apply, since coverage often decides how much of a l
Who Can Be Held Responsible for an 18-Wheeler Crash? 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. Identifying every responsible party is an early job for a truck accident lawyer, because each responsible party may have separate insurance. Claims against the drive
What NHTSA Data Show About Car Crashes National crash data shows how many people are killed on American roads each year and which driver behaviors are involved. The figures below come from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and each one is tied to its data year. An auto accident lawyer might use numbers like these for context, but statistics describe patterns across many crashes rather than what happened in any one of them. Overall traffic fatali