With so many vehicles on the road throughout the United States, numerous accidents can occur. However, because not all of the vehicles are the same size or the same weight, the damage incurred is not always the same. For example, an accident between two cars can be devastating enough and often causes severe injuries or worse. If a truck is involved in an accident, however, the damage to people, to other vehicles, and even to buildings can be much more devastating and destructive. In fact, the impact of a truck hitting a building can totally destroy the building, down to the foundation.
If a truck hits a car (or some other vehicle that is smaller than the truck), the result can be serious injury or fatality to the people who were in the car at the time of the accident. If the car’s occupants were injured, the dollar amount of damages suffered by those people may be extremely high.
A matter of liability
Commercial truck accidents have unique issues with regard to liability. The injured person may sue the truck driver for causing the accident through negligence; and the injured person may also sue the truck driver’s employer. This can be important because the trucking company typically has more money than the truck driver or the employer has and the injured person may be awarded full compensation.
It is also important to remember that, according to state and federal laws, the trucking industry is strictly regulated. There are rules about how much rest truck drivers must get for every hour they are behind the wheel. If the injured person can prove that the truck driver has violated those safety rules, it’s easier to establish negligence. A knowledgeable Texas lawyer can build the case and may be able to prove that the truck driver’s negligent behavior caused catastrophic damage.
Far-reaching consequences
Accidents with trucks can cause physical, emotional, financial, and mental damage. One result may be traumatic brain injury, which not only makes the person suffer physically but mentally as well. It can affect how the person thinks and their ability to make decisions. At the very least, the injured person deserves full compensation to be able to move on.