How do truck accident claims differ from car accident claims?
Truck Accidents - June 4, 2025
The main difference between truck and car accident claims is the involvement of a third party, the truck driver’s employer. Not only do you, the victim, have to contend with the trucker’s insurance company, but the trucking company’s as well.
There are a few other complications that make settling a truck accident claim more difficult, many of which stem from the fact that there are usually multiple parties involved. Not every personal injury attorney has the experience and resources to pursue a multi-faceted truck accident case to a successful conclusion for the victim, so it’s important to be represented by a professional Chicago truck accident lawyer.
Truck accidents yield catastrophic injuries and high-value medical damages
A commercial semi-truck can weigh up to 80,000 pounds when fully loaded; your much-smaller passenger vehicle weighs perhaps 4,000 pounds. The sheer difference in weight, size, and inertia means that when a truck slams into a car or SUV, the impact is much greater on the occupants of that vehicle than for the driver in the truck’s cab.
The cost of treating multiple broken bones, internal organ damage, or spinal cord damage is immense; many truck accident victims suffer multiple injuries and may need months to recover. In addition to the immediate medical needs, victims may need a longer stay in a hospital or nursing home as they heal. Medical damages alone can easily reach the high six figures.
Insurance companies balk at paying large claims without solid evidence of their client’s negligence. The input of medical experts can help substantiate your lawyer’s case for your medical damages.
Commercial truck drivers must adhere to federal standards of operation
Anyone driving on Illinois roads must follow posted signage, traffic laws, and other rules of the road to ensure the safety of others. Truckers, though, have specific federal standards they must comply with, per the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). These include maximum hours of service, responsibility for ensuring the vehicle is safe to travel, and the holding proper training and licensure.
Often, truck accidents happen because the trucker failed to comply with FMCSA regulations. This negligence could involve distracted driving, driving under the influence, failure to properly inspect the truck for safety, speeding, or driving longer than permitted by law (likely meaning the driver is too tired to properly control the vehicle).
Your lawyer’s understanding of FMCSA regulations and how violating them led to your crash can make a difference in the outcome of your claim.
The difference an experienced truck accident attorney makes
Not all Chicago law firms have the resources and experience necessary to successfully settle complicated truck accident claims. These cases often take longer to litigate, which means that your attorney must have the financial means necessary to pursue the case to a fair conclusion.
The testimony of expert witnesses, like medical experts who affirm the care necessary for your injuries and transportation experts who explain how the driver’s actions violated FMCSA regulations, which thus constituted negligence, are essential to building a strong case. Objective evidence, like physical damage to both vehicles, your medical records, and electronic data from both vehicles’ event data recorders, plays a big role, too—but only if your attorney has the knowledge and capability to present it properly.
We do. Our firm’s record of truck accident case victories speaks for itself. We’ve won difficult, complicated truck accident claims, and we take on powerful transportation carriers and insurance companies every day.
Injured in a semi-truck crash? Let us fight for you
Have you or someone you love been hurt in a semi-truck crash? These accidents often cause life-altering injuries and can involve multiple liable parties. Navigating the legal process alone can be overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it by yourself.
Call Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates at (800) 985-1819 for a free consultation. Our skilled truck accident attorneys have the experience and resources to help you pursue maximum compensation.
