Due to their sheer size and weight, commercial 18-wheeler trucks can cause extensive damage and injuries to whomever and whatever they collide. If you have suffered severe life-altering injuries due to the negligence of a truck driver, you may be eligible to receive compensation for your injuries. Because some drivers are independent contractors and others are contracted employees of trucking companies, determining which party’s insurance is responsible for compensating you for your injuries can be confusing. In this blog, our Myrtle Beach auto accident attorney will discuss different options available to you depending on your situation.
Commercial truck drivers, whether independent contractors or employees of trucking companies, are required to follow certain regulations regarding how many hours daily they can spend driving. If the truck driver caused the accident because of driver fatigue, it may be that they felt pressured to drive longer and faster to meet certain deadlines. In some cases, the cargo may be loaded incorrectly, which caused the truck driver to lose control. If the truck driver was driving a truck that was improperly maintained, a mechanical failure may have caused the accident. These are just some of the possible contributing factors to a trucking accident.Trucking Accidents Involving Employees of a Company
If the individual responsible for your injuries were an employee of a trucking company, you would most likely focus on the company’s insurance provider to receive compensation. Business insurance policies typically have higher limits than personal insurance policies. In a normal car accident, you may completely exhaust the limits of a personal insurance policy and only have enough to pay a fraction of your expenses. But because you can instead settle with their employer’s insurance, you are more likely to reach a final amount that can adequately compensate you for your injuries. And even in cases where the company’s policy is inadequate, you do have further options.
Trucking Accidents Involving Independent Contractors
If the individual responsible for your injuries was an independent contractor, then your option may be to settle with the individual’s insurance provider. The good news is that often, truckers are required to have a minimum amount of coverage that is higher than a normal policy for your car, SUV or regular truck. Even if this amount is not adequate to cover your medical expenses, you still have options. You can also use your under-insured policy to cover additional expenses. Please call our office to set up a consultation with our attorney to speak with us about your options.
