Truck Accident Lawyers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The differences between truck accidents and passenger car accidents are significant, not to mention, sometimes deadlier. New statistics released in March of 2019 by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Commission (FMCSA) says that there were approximately 4,900 fatal accidents involving semi or commercial trucks in the United States in 2017, which is up 9% percent from 2016.

The impact of these accidents doesn’t stop there – the most recent data says that about 119,000 people were seriously injured from being involved in this sort of vehicular collision. Between fatalities and injuries, millions of dollars are spent to recover from these accidents for damages and significant life changes.

At Metzger & Kleiner – Attorneys at Law, we like to inform our clients about things they might not know about accident law. This not only helps you become more prepared for a legal case but also helps us understand your case better. Here are a few things you might not know about truck accidents in America, some of which are important factors to your legal matter if you choose to pursue a claim with a Philadelphia truck accident attorney.

Hours of Service Requirements

The FMCSC has regulations pertaining to how many hours a driver can spend behind the wheel. These regulations are meant to keep the driver and other vehicles on the road, safer. The maximum amount of time a commercial driver can spend on the road is eleven hours via “interstate” commerce. If the driver is doing “intrastate” transport, then they have different regulations to follow.

Communication With Trucking Companies After an Accident 

When a trucking company contacts you after an accident, their goal is to learn as much about your injuries and get you to incriminate yourself in some way. They want you to say that you’re feeling okay, that you’re healing up, that you aren’t missing too much work, etc. This is a tactic used by these companies to keep from paying you the compensation to which you are entitled and which you desrve. Your action is to simply avoid their calls, or tell them that you have no further information about your medical condition and that you will get back to them. Your next action is to call a Philadelphia truck accident law firm to consulkt and discuss your accident.

Drivers are Trained to Deflect 

We hate even to admit this, but truck drivers are actually trained to “not” take accountability for an accident even if it’s their fault. This reduces the amount of money they will be liable for and even places some of the blame on you. They may also offer law enforcement details that are untruthful before you can assess what has happened. Don’t be in a rush to defend yourself. We suggest you leave it to us to consider their account of what happened and dismantle their claim piece by piece. We can help you and will offer suggestions on the type of evidence that we will collect to prove they are being untruthful.

Statute of Limitations 

You know what they say about how time flies when you’re having fun, right? Well, unfortunately, the same is true about the time when you are trying to recover from a major accident. For this reason, you should be aware that you only have two years to file a semi/commercial truck accident lawsuit in Pennsylvania. This time limitation begins to run on the date of the collision. We suggest doing it sooner than later, because the data regarding your case may have a way of disappearing or getting lost; that’s another common tactic of the commercial trucking insurance industry. The sooner you call an attorney about your case, the sooner we can obtain the information from their insurance company to support your claim. Bottom line is, don’t wait.

Black Box Data

Just like commercial airlines, many commercial trucks have a data portal. These devices ensure that the truck driver is adhering to state and federal regulations and to learn more about their roles in accidents. Your Philadelphia truck accident lawyer will be able to request this data if it exists.

Truck Liability Insurance Coverage

For the independent driver who is hired by companies (basically as a contractor), the driver has maintain certain minimum insurance coverages. This coverage applies to nonhazardous materials. For those who are transporting hazardous materials such as fuel, their coverage has to meet a higher amount of coverage. These are just a sample of how drivers have to cover themselves to drive commercially. Our point in mentioning these minimum requirements is that drivers of commercial trucks can inflict significant damages on the highways.

The truth of the matter is, commercial truck accidents are complex in scope. The trucking companies lawyer up to ensure they can have the upper hand with you and will often tell you they don’t have information you may need to prove your case. Their goal is to move the case as fast as possible before you get an attorney and lead you to believe that settling is only a limited time option. The longer you wait to pursue a case, the easier it will be for them to find ways to discount your claim. They will hire their own team of investigators to find out if you are as injured as you claim to be.

These are reasons to work with a truck accident attorney in Philadelphia because they can take an aggressive stance with these companies, get the data needed to prove your case and obtain testimony from experts who know truck accident litigation.

Can we help you with a truck accident claim? The truck accident legal team at Metzger & Kleiner, Attorneys at Law, is awaiting your call today so they can learn more about your situation. Call or connect online, so we can start working on your case today.