If you have been involved in an accident involving a commercial truck, you may not know what your next move would be. Big rigs are on the road all the time and they are important in transporting goods from place to place all around the world.
Commercial trucks must follow regulations and rules when driving the vehicle on the road. When a violation occurs, it is easier to show that the driver of the big truck is liability and at fault. Commercial truck companies are most often well insured compared to vehicle owners. When a commercial truck is involved in an accident, more than one company might be held liable and will need to pay damages for injuries received in an accident.
Trucking Regulations
When a truck owner puts a truck on the road, they must follow a variety of both state and federal regulations in order to continue to operate on the road. These rules and regulations include
• Licensing and operator safety
• Check weight a truck can haul
• Freight safety including transporting hazardous material
• Test for driver for controlled substance use
• Monitoring rest between two shifts of driving
• Maintenance and inspection of trucks and equipment
These rules and regulations need to be documented or recorded when they are followed. This information can be useful in case of an accident and a personal injury claim is filed. Negligence of the owner or driver to document these regulations as they are updated or checked could increase the chances of the settlement going to the other party.
Another aspect to consider in regards to state and federal regulations include insurance policies that are kept on all vehicles that are on the road. In many cases, when a commercial truck is involved in an accident, the insurance company will contact the other party in hopes of reaching a settlement to avoid going to court.
Commercial trucks are required to have insurance. While this normally doesn’t keep them out of court when it comes to personal injury claims, it can show the courts that the business is trying to follow the rules and regulations on maintain their commercial vehicle.
What you Need to Do After a Commercial Truck Accident
The first thing you will want to do after an accident is get some medical attention. Don’t delay medical attention because you may regret that decision. If you are able to, take photos of the scene. If you can’t take the photos, get someone there on scene to take them for you. You will also want to gather up all the contact information of the individuals that witnessed the accident before, during, and after.
Once you get medical attention, your next move should be to contact a personal injury lawyer in Moncton, for your next few steps in obtaining compensation for your injuries.