A commercial vehicle accident is a serious situation. If you’ve been hit by a tractor-trailer and are facing weeks, months, or years of recovery, you may be wondering how your family will be taken care of. What most people don’t realize is that an accident doesn’t just impact the victim. When an accident victim has people relying on them, they need to know that the compensation they recover will enable them to continue caring for those they love.
Key Highlights:
- Truck accidents are typically more severe than accidents that only involve smaller passenger vehicles.
- Victims may be entitled to compensation for their damages, including lost wages, medical bills, and the cost of domestic services.
- There may be multiple at-fault parties for just one truck accident, opening up multiple lines of compensation.
Breaking Down the Severity of Truck Accidents
Truck accidents tend to be much more severe than collisions involving two smaller motor vehicles. Commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) like 18-wheelers, tractor-trailers, semi-trucks, and delivery trucks can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds when fully loaded—as much as 20 times more than the typical passenger vehicle.
The difference in size and weight between big trucks and smaller motor vehicles is one of the main reasons that these types of crashes are so severe. The speed, angle, and direction at which an accident occurs can also influence how serious any resulting injuries are.
Certain types of collisions are also more likely to occur when a big truck is involved, including:
- Underride accidents
- Blindspot accidents
- Jackknife accidents
- Wide turn (squeeze play) accidents
Any time that a car, SUV, minivan, or pickup truck is trapped underneath a CMV or between a CMV and another object, there is the potential for serious, life-altering injuries to occur. In the worst-case scenario, someone can die. And in the vast majority of cases, it’s the occupants of the smaller vehicle that fare worse—not the truck driver. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), 72% of all truck accident fatalities are occupants of passenger vehicles, and 11% are non-occupants.
The Impact of Truck Accidents on Victims and Their Families
You’re hurt, and now you’re not able to do the things you once did. If you’re no longer able to:
- Work,
- Work in the same capacity as you once did,
- Care for your children or loved ones,
- Perform domestic tasks (like cooking and cleaning),
- Run errands,
- Or engage in any of your past responsibilities,
then you know that you and your family need help. Families of truck accident survivors and victims face intense uncertainty and upheaval in their lives. Suddenly they can no longer rely on the financial, emotional, or physical support of their loved one.
You and your family deserve care and support in the aftermath of a serious truck accident.
How To Take Care of Your Family After a Big Truck Crash
Filing a truck accident claim is one of the most effective ways to help take care of your family after you’ve been injured in a CMV collision. The compensation that you recover through this type of legal action can be used in meaningful ways to support both your own recovery and the loss that your family has experienced.
For example, compensation can:
- Replace lost wages and benefits
- Cover related medical bills (including those for past, current, and future care)
- Secure access to needed domestic services (such as childcare or cleaning)
- And more
Taking the first step to legal action can be scary. But failing to seek justice can be just as scary (if not more) in the long term.
As an accident victim, you are owed full and fair compensation for everything that you’ve been through. When you file an accident claim, you are performing 3 important tasks:
- Seeking compensation for your accident-related damages and losses.
- Holding the at-fault parties accountable for any actions that contributed to the crash.
- Ensuring that your family has access to the help and support they need.
By taking action, you are not only standing up for yourself—you are also standing up for your family’s needs and the safety of everyone else on the road.
Who Will Pay for My Truck Accident Injuries and Damages?
Liability in truck accident cases is exceptionally complex. Unlike in collisions involving two smaller passenger vehicles, there are often multiple at-fault parties who share fault for big truck crashes. This means that when you are trying to make sure that you and your family are cared for after an accident, you will be dealing with multiple liable parties, multiple insurance companies, and multiple injury claims.
Possible at-fault parties for truck collisions can include:
- The truck driver
- The motor carrier (the commercial vehicle operator/trucking company)
- Certain vendors
- Owner of the cargo
- Cargo loaders
- Vehicle manufacturer
- Auto part manufacturer
Each of the above entities will have their own insurance company behind them.
Discuss You and Your Family’s Needs for Free
You deserve access to comprehensive, easy-to-understand legal information. At Stapp Law, LLC, we provide completely free case evaluations to truck accident victims and their families.
If you’ve been injured anywhere in Pennsylvania, we are here for you. Contact us today to learn more about your legal options and how a Williamsport truck accident lawyer can support your journey to recovery.
