18-wheelers are among the most dangerous vehicles on the road. Therefore, those who operate 18-wheelers are expected to undergo more training than those who operate other types of vehicles. Unfortunately, some drivers are negligent and some companies also fail to adequately train their drivers and fail to verify that they have the required licenses to operate 18-wheelers. However, if you are going to go up against a trucking company, you'll probably need help from an 18-wheeler accident lawyer.

Why You Must Win Your Truck Accident Case

It's very important to win an accident case involving an 18-wheeler. When you are involved in a normal car accident, you can usually file a claim with your auto insurance provider and you will at least be able to pay for your medical bills in this way. But 18-wheeler accidents usually cause much more serious injuries. The damages might exceed the policy limit of your auto insurance policy.

You Can Receive a Higher Settlement

Commercial truck insurance tends to have much higher policy limits. Therefore, you'll want to file a claim with the truck insurance provider. You might assume that it's obvious that the operator of the 18-wheeler caused your accident, but trucking companies usually deny responsibility and a commercial vehicle liability insurance provider will do everything possible to avoid paying out a large settlement to protect their bottom line.

Truck Accident Liability Cases are Complex

The commercial trucking company will do everything they can to cover up evidence that the truck driver was responsible for the accident. They may arrive at the scene and try to remove evidence that they were negligent. 

If you hire an 18-wheeler accident attorney, they will act immediately to preserve evidence. An attorney can file a motion with the court to preserve evidence such as the black box found inside the commercial truck. If the company does not preserve the evidence, and your case goes to trial, the jury will be instructed to assume that the evidence was destroyed to cover up evidence of negligence.

The Company Might Be Liable for Failing to Train the Driver

Your attorney might also uncover that the trucking company did not adequately train the trucker. A trucking company is already considered to be vicariously liable for any accidents caused by their drivers. If the company also was negligent when training the driver or if they hired a driver who did not have the appropriate license, you might even be able to pursue punitive damages.