Determining legal liability after a truck accident is complex: more complex than with a car accident. Residents of West Virginia who were injured in a truck accident will want to know what are the factors that make this process complicated. The first is that most truck crashes end in severe injuries and even death, which makes a case more complex. Trucks are heavy, they take longer to brake to a stop and they cause a greater impact as a result.
Truckers follow federal regulations, and knowledge of these is essential in order to prove that a trucker was negligent. There are regulations, for example, that limit the number of hours truckers can drive. Truckers also have their speed and other data recorded by a black box. This data may conflict with any evidence that victims want to put forward as proving negligence.
Many truckers operate a company vehicle, while others are owner-operators of their own trucks. This will complicate the question of who is responsible for a crash. It may even be that the company that loaded the truck’s cargo is at fault. Lastly, any claim filed against a trucking company is bound to face strong opposition both from the company and its insurance provider. Victims may be pressured into agreeing to a low out-of-court settlement.
Victims may be more likely to get the compensation they deserve if they remain calm after an accident, record what happened, file a police report and see a lawyer. A personal injury lawyer may bring in investigators to obtain proof of truck driver negligence, which could include black box data, in-cab camera footage and the electronic work log. Medical experts may determine the extent of victims’ injuries. All of this may help in determining a reasonable amount for a settlement.