The Worst of Both Worlds: Multi-Vehicle Accidents Involving Commercial Trucks

Both multi-vehicle and commercial truck accidents can be very complex concerning determining the cause, who’s liable, and whose insurance carrier will pay which party how much. Further,  these accidents frequently cause severe and fatal injuries, and you have a situation where an unrepresented accident victim has practically no chance of getting fair injury compensation.

If you or someone in your family is injured or killed in a Kentucky truck accident, Satterley & Kelley PLLC attorneys can help you handle legal matters with confidence. Call our Louisville office at 855-385-9532 today.

What are Legal Issues After a Truck Accident Affecting Multiple Vehicles?

Legal implications vary on the facts and circumstances of the accident. Generally, they can include:

• Liability and Fault Determination: Establishing liability is crucial in a multi-vehicle accident. Our investigation may involve examining all the drivers’ actions. Factors such as traffic violations, negligence, and obeying traffic laws would be considered
• Commercial Trucking Laws and Regulations: Commercial trucks are subject to federal and state laws and regulations. Violations, such as hours-of-service, inadequate maintenance, or overloading, will impact liability
• Insurance Coverage: Commercial trucks typically have higher insurance coverage than passenger vehicles due to the potential for more severe accidents. There may be many insurance companies representing the different vehicles involved
• Injuries and Damages: Injuries in multi-vehicle accidents can be severe, leading to extensive medical expenses and long-term disabilities. An investigation will include assessing the extent of your injuries, property loss, and other damages to determine fair compensation
• Potential Multiple Lawsuits: In a multi-vehicle accident, various parties may file lawsuits against each other. This could include drivers, passengers, and even pedestrians involved in the accident. Different parties involved with the commercial truck may sue each other to deflect potential liability
• Government Entities: Government entities may be involved, including the State Police, especially if poor road conditions or inadequate signage contributed to the accident. If a government entity may be liable, there are specific procedures and deadlines to pursue legal action against them
• Evidence Collection and Preservation: Timely collection and preservation of evidence, including accident reports, witness statements, surveillance footage, and data from the commercial truck’s electronic control module, are critical in building a solid legal case. These efforts become more complicated as each party seeks evidence to support their claims or defenses
• Negotiation or Litigation: Legal proceedings may involve negotiation with insurance companies or litigation if a fair settlement cannot be reached. Our goal is for you to obtain compensation for pain, suffering, medical bills, property damage, lost wages, and other damages
• Settlement or Trial: In most cases, parties will settle before a trial is complete.  The complexity of these cases and the cost of litigation encourage parties to resolve their differences. Depending on the number of defendants, several may provide you with compensation

No matter how complicated or difficult your case may be, Satterley & Kelley, PLLC attorneys will put in the work and fight for the best outcome possible for your claim.

What are Insurance Issues in These Accidents?

A multi-car accident with a commercial truck can lead to many insurance issues due to the complexity of determining fault, the number of parties involved, and the extent of damages. Here are some of the more common insurance issues, which will vary on the facts, the coverages involved, and how the carriers may handle them:

• Determining Fault: Insurance companies need to determine the percentage of fault for each driver and other parties involved. This process often includes a detailed investigation, witness statements, and expert analysis
• Multiple Claims: There will likely be several insurance claims involving numerous vehicles involved in a crash. Coordinating and processing these claims can be a time-consuming and complex task, especially when liability is disputed
• Insurance Coverage Limits: Insurance policies are contracts where the company provides coverage, and the insured pays premiums in exchange. Part of the contract is the carrier will only pay so much (the limit) if the insured is liable. If a party involved has insufficient coverage to compensate others for their damages fully, it can lead to disputes and complications
• Uninsured or Underinsured Motorists: In multi-car accidents, there’s a higher likelihood one of the drivers will be uninsured or underinsured. This can complicate the process of seeking compensation, and you may need to rely on your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage
• Medical Payments Coverage: Determining how medical expenses will be covered by whom is a critical part of the process. If you are severely, permanently injured, your medical expenses will be substantial, and you may need years of treatment and rehabilitation services
• Subrogation: This is the process where an insurance company may seek reimbursement for claims they paid from the at-fault party’s insurance. Not only may multiple injured parties engage in litigation, their insurance companies may sue each other, seeking to have their costs covered
• Coordinating Benefits: There may be coordination of benefits issues when multiple insurance policies and carriers are involved. Determining which policy takes precedence and how they work together can be complicated

One of the main benefits of retaining a Satterley & Kelley, PLLC, attorney after an injury is that we, not you, deal with all these issues. We handle all the insurance companies, your claims against them, and will work on the legal issues involved.

Your attorney will get their hands dirty with whatever issues the insurance companies come up with while you focus on recovery and your family. These aren’t your problems because we will handle them.

Speak To a Kentucky Truck Accident Lawyer Today

If you have been injured in a collision involving a commercial truck or vehicle, we are a law firm you can trust. Put boots on the ground with help from Satterley & Kelley PLLC.

To schedule a free initial consultation at our Louisville office, call us at 855-385-9532 or complete our contact form today.