Any accident involving a motor vehicle can result in catastrophic injuries. However, the consequences of commercial vehicle accidents are usually far more devastating compared to non-commercial vehicle accidents. Also, any Houston accident attorney will tell you that the personal injury claims resulting from commercial vehicle accidents are also more complicated than claims involving non-commercial vehicles.
What makes commercial vehicle accidents so different from non-commercial vehicle accidents? Let’s take a look.
Commercial Vehicle Accidents May Result in More Serious Injuries
Any Houston accident attorney who has handled catastrophic injury claims will tell you that a significant percentage of their clients are victims of commercial vehicle accidents. It is not hard to understand once you look at the numbers.
A semi-truck with a fully loaded trailer can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds. The average car, on the other hand, only weighs about 4,000 pounds. This is why the risk of catastrophic and fatal injuries is extremely high in commercial vehicle accidents.
Determining Liability in Commercial Vehicle Accidents is More Difficult
Ask any experienced Houston accident attorney and they will tell you that the liability issues stemming from a commercial vehicle accident can be complicated, as there are multiple parties involved and one or more of them can be held liable depending on the circumstances under which the accident happened.
Parties that can be potentially held liable for a commercial vehicle accident include:
· The driver
· The commercial vehicle company
· The company that manufactured the truck (if the accident happened due to a faulty part or a mechanical defect)
· The shipper or cargo loader (if the accident happened because of poorly secured cargo)
Commercial Vehicles Have Expensive Insurance Policies
The average commercial vehicle insurance policy is significantly more expensive than the average non-commercial vehicle insurance policy – primarily due to two factors.
· Commercial vehicles are more expensive than non-commercial vehicles.
· Commercial vehicles tend to carry cargo, which can be very expensive, very hazardous, or both.
What it means is that if a commercial vehicle company is found to be at fault for an accident, they might have to pay hundreds of thousands or even millions in damages. This is why they tend to hire the best lawyers and use all sorts of tactics to bully the victims into accepting a lowball offer or blame the victims for the accident to reduce their liability.
This is also the reason why victims of commercial vehicle accidents should hire a skilled and resourceful Houston accident attorney who can stand up to these companies, establish their culpability, and recover damages without getting intimidated by their tactics.
Experienced Houston Accident Attorney to Represent Victims of Commercial Vehicle Accidents
If you or someone in your family has been injured in a commercial vehicle accident, attorney Dana G. Kirk can help you. One of the top 100 civil litigators in the country today, Dana G. Kirk has been fighting for the rights of injury victims for over 40 years.
Attorney Dana G. Kirk has the legal knowledge, trial experience, and resources needed to take on commercial vehicle companies, hold them accountable for their negligence, and recover compensation for the tangible and intangible losses you suffered due to the accident. Complete this online contact form for a free review of your case.
