If you were hit by a truck driver in Haverford or anywhere on the Main Line, our lawyers can help you with your case. We have ample experience holding truckers and trucking companies accountable for the accidents they cause, and we can fight for you.
We do not accept low damages, and we fight to negotiate higher settlements for our clients to cover their full damages: medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. If needed, we can even take these trucking companies and their insurance companies to court and fight your case at trial.
For a free case review, call The Reiff Law Firm’s truck accident attorneys at (215) 709-6940.
What to Do After a Truck Accident in Haverford
In the immediate aftermath of your crash, take the following steps:
- Clear the road and get to safety.
- Call 911 and report the accident.
- Request an ambulance.
- Get all medical care you need and go to the hospital if necessary.
- Exchange contact and insurance info with the other driver.
- Make sure to get the name and contact info for the driver’s employer.
- Get witness contact info.
On top of that, note any info you can about the cars (license plate numbers, make, model), road conditions (wet, snowy), lighting (dark, bright), traffic control devices (stop signs, traffic lights), etc.
After that, call a lawyer. Get our truck accident attorneys on your side as soon as you can after the crash to avoid saying things that might hurt your case, talking to insurance without help, or even unintentionally accepting a settlement that could end your case.
Do You Sue the Trucker or the Trucking Company for Accidents?
To answer this question, there are a few things to consider:
Limitations on Lawsuits
To start with, you can only sue someone who is at fault. That means if another driver caused the crash, you would sue them instead.
Limited Tort vs. Full Tort Insurance
On top of that, insurance rules in Pennsylvania sometimes prevent people with “limited tort” insurance from suing. If you have “serious injuries” or a “full tort” insurance policy, this is not an issue.
Suing a Trucker
The truck driver can be sued if they caused the crash by violating traffic laws or otherwise driving unsafely. Many truckers drive tired, consume drugs or alcohol to stay alert, or even crash from everyday violations like speeding or running a red light.
Suing a Trucking Company in Place of Its Driver
If the trucker was an employee, then you can sue the trucking company if the crash happened within the scope of the driver’s employment. As long as they were on the clock and responsible for the crash, their employer can be responsible.
If the driver was an independent contractor or independent owner operator, responsibility might end with them.
Suing a Trucking Company Directly
Trucking companies are often responsible for these areas of operation, so any mistakes or negligence there could cause the crash and make the trucking company responsible:
- Negligent hiring and retention of drivers the trucking company should have known would be dangerous
- Negligent maintenance or upkeep of their vehicles
- Dangerous violations of trucking regulations, e.g., forcing drivers to drive beyond hours of service limits
- Hiring drivers whose health conditions violated licensing requirements
- Overloading trucks
- Keeping trucks in service beyond safe hours or limits.
FAQs for Truck Accident Claims in Haverford
What Does My Insurance Cover?
In the immediate aftermath of a truck accident, you might want to use your insurance coverage to help you. Every driver in Pennsylvania is required to have at least $5,000 of medical payment coverage on their policy, and many people opt for even higher “no-fault” coverage.
These and other optional policies might help you, but we can still potentially seek damages from the at-fault trucker and trucking company.
What Does the Trucker/Trucking Company’s Insurance Cover?
The at-fault driver – and potentially the trucking company they work for – should pay for the bulk of your damages. Their insurance is likely high enough to cover your damages in full, as commercial companies tend to carry higher insurance than everyday drivers.
How Do I Get Evidence in the Trucking Company’s Possession?
The trucking company might have plenty of evidence that would be helpful to your case:
- Their driver’s hour logs
- Truck maintenance logs
- Records of past violations and accidents involving this driver
- The truck’s “black box” data recording the speed at the time of the crash and other data.
Our lawyers can demand this evidence as part of your case and require the defense to turn it over during discovery.
When Do I File My Claim?
Truck accident cases typically need to be filed within 2 years of the accident under the statute of limitations for personal injury in Pennsylvania.
How Much is My Case Worth?
The damages you can claim in your case depend on the harms you actually suffered. These amounts are different for everyone, even if they have very similar cases.
Because of this, we need to assess your actual medical records, lost wages, pain and suffering, and vehicle damage to obtain a value for your specific case.
Do I Have to Sue or Can I Handle it Through Insurance?
In many cases, insurance companies refuse to cover accidents in full. The trucking company might also have legal teams in place to try to end cases quickly. This often means we cannot negotiate a fair settlement against these parties, and the only way you will see full compensation is to take the case to court.
We are experienced litigators with decades of trial experience, and we are not afraid to take insurance companies and trucking companies to court for compensation.
Call Our Experienced Truck Accident Lawyers in Haverford for Help Today
Do not hesitate to call our truck accident lawyers at The Reiff Law Firm right away at (215) 709-6940.
