- Injuries are more severe. Commercial trucks are much larger and heavier than passenger vehicles. Therefore, it stands to reason that truck accidents are more likely to cause traumatic brain injuries and other serious injuries. Severe injuries may require long-term medical care, so medical costs can get astronomical.
- Different types of evidence. In car accident cases, there are limited types of evidence, including photos of the accident scene, police reports and witness statements. Truck accidents, on the other hand, often involve much more evidence, like maintenance reports, truck driver hours-of-service logs and truck company hiring records.
- More liable parties. In car accident cases, the motorist is generally the only at-fault party. In truck accident cases, however, there are often multiple liable parties. Besides the truck driver, the trucking company, truck manufacturer and cargo loading teams may also be held liable.
- Cargo is an additional hazard. As a truck accident lawyer in Salt Lake City, UT can confirm, the cargo commercial trucks carry can be hazardous on its own. If the cargo is not loaded properly, it can fall off and make an accident more severe.
How Truck Accidents Differ from Car Accidents
Some people still assume that truck accidents and car accidents are similar in nature. However, they could not be more different from each other. Here are some of the ways truck accidents differ from car accidents.