How do I file an accident claim with a semi truck driver’s insurance company?
If you have been in an accident with a semi truck and the truck driver was at fault, you may have a claim against the truck driver and possibly others (e.g., the trucking company, the shipper, the truck manufacturer, etc.). In nearly all cases, these parties will have insurance, although there might be insurance limits which are less than the value of your claim.
Because of the existence of insurance policy limits, it is best to explore every possible party that may bear responsibility for the accident. This takes experience and sometimes an enormous amount of digging, which is one of the best reasons to hire an attorney who is experienced in litigating semi truck accident cases.
The following is an example of a case where having multiple parties to sue would be necessary to ensure full and adequate compensation:
A semi truck rear ends a car that has stopped to turn left. The driver of the car, a 40-year-old surgeon who makes $500,000 per year, sustains a head injury that results in permanent, severe brain damage. The surgeon will never work again. The semi truck driver was texting a friend at the time of the accident and was clearly at fault, so there are no issues of causation (what caused the accident). Full and adequate compensation would include amounts for past and future medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, disability and other amounts. In this case, lost income alone could be well over $10,000,000. However, in this case, the bodily injury claim limit on the truck driver’s insurance policy is $1,000,000. The only way for the surgeon to recover adequate compensation is to find other potentially liable parties to sue.
If you have been in an accident, I would recommend that you not talk to any insurance company other than your own (and, even then, to simply report the accident). You should not discuss your injuries (or anything else) with any insurance company representative because, unfortunately, everything you say can be used against you. Instead, you should hire an attorney who will communicate with the insurance companies on your behalf.
If you would like a free consultation regarding an accident with a semi truck resulting in personal injury or wrongful death, contact me at 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or submit our law firm’s free consultation form.
Tags: Accident Insurance Claim, Semi Driver Negligence, Tractor Trailer Lawsuit
