Car vs. Truck: Why Truck Accidents Are Different

If you are involved in a truck accident, you may be wondering whether a car accident attorney can handle it, or whether you need a lawyer who specializes in truck accidents. To understand why a truck accident attorney is needed, you need to know why truck actions are different.

Did You Know?

The major difference between car and truck accidents is that truck accidents cause more damage, injuries, and fatalities than car accidents – and truck companies are sophisticated at defending their drivers.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s 2016 Guide, there were 29,989 fatal crashes and 3,649 of those fatal crashes involved a truck. Additionally, there were over 6 million car crashes and nearly half a million involved one large truck.  In Wisconsin, there were 88 fatalities due to truck crashes in 2014.

The amount of large trucks registered on the roadway has more than doubled since 1975 to over 10 million. These large trucks weigh between 10,000 to over 80,000 pounds are more likely to cause fatalities or life altering injuries than automobiles.

When it comes to accidents, truck companies act fast

Truck companies have attorneys on retainer who are called immediately to the accident site to organize and investigate. The information the Attorney gathers and documents is not usually produced because the truck company argues it is protected by the “attorney-client privilege.” This leads to the withholding of evidence which can harm your chances of winning your case.

Did You Know?

There are numerous federal regulations governing the maintenance and operation of trucks as well as the hiring training and supervision of truck drivers. This federal law is extensive and requires a truck accident attorney who has knowledge in this area.

Trucks have advanced computer or GPS systems with the ability to track where on the roadway at a certain time the truck was. This offers valuable information such as the speed of the truck at the time of the accident, the length of time the truck driver has operated their vehicle, and other evidence violation of federal laws. Many personal injury attorneys don’t know this and don’t understand the importance of obtaining such documentation.

Our truck accident attorneys know what it takes to win truck accident cases.

At Welcenbach Law Offices, one of our first steps is to send a spoliation letter to the truck company and their insurance company advising them to preserve all evidence including any logbooks, black box data, GPS data, fuel receipts, drug test, the way station inspections, truck inspections, employee files, brake and maintenance inspection records, and all other electronic evidence.  If the truck company fails to preserve this evidence, the court can sanction them- including striking any ability to defend the case or to enter a judgment against them for all damages.

We also hire private investigators and experts to help recreate the accident scene to determine if and how the truck company was negligent. 

If you’ve been involved in a truck accident, call the attorneys who specialize in truck accident cases. Call Welcenbach Law Offices. We understand the laws specific to truck drivers and what it takes to win truck accident cases.