A commercial accident is an accident involving a truck, delivery van, bus, or other vehicle being used to transport goods or paying passengers.
Commercial accidents are often more serious than typical auto accidents because of the large size of many commercial motor vehicles. These accidents can also be complicated to navigate because multiple parties could potentially be liable for losses.
Canopy Legal has extensive experience with these claims. Our commercial motor vehicle accident lawyers can provide help and support in their aftermath and can work with you to fight for justice.
To find out more about how our firm can help you, give us a call or contact us online today.
Types of commercial accidents
With so many commercial motor vehicles on the road, many different kinds of accidents can occur. Some of the most common include:
- Truck crashes
- Delivery van accidents including Amazon and Walmart delivery crashes
- Taxi accidents
- Bus accidents
- Construction equipment accidents
Unfortunately, commercial motor vehicles are often much larger than passenger vehicles, so the consequences of a crash can be more severe.
These vehicles can also become involved in different kinds of accidents including underride accidents where cars become trapped underneath large trucks and jackknife accidents where a tractor spins out to the side from a trailer.
Any time you are involved in a crash with a commercial vehicle, you must be aware of the unique issues these crashes raise so you can take the right legal steps to maximize compensation for any serious or fatal injuries.
Who is responsible for a commercial motor vehicle accident?
One of the challenges associated with commercial motor vehicle accidents involves determining who is to blame for the accident. That’s because it may not just be the driver.
Under vicarious liability laws in most states, drivers are considered agents of the companies that employ them. As a result, if the driver is negligent on the job, it’s viewed as the equivalent of the company itself being negligent. The employer can be held liable for the careless actions of the driver, even if the company itself has done nothing negligent at all.
While employers are liable for employees, the same is not true for independent contractors. Since an increasing number of companies, including delivery apps, do not have employees but work with independent contractors instead, it’s important to understand the relationship between the driver and the company they are delivering goods for.
Adding to the complexity, some companies purchase third-party liability insurance even for drivers who they do not employ. Uber, for example, offers third party liability coverage when drivers are actively in the process of transporting passengers or delivering items.
All of this makes it challenging to identify the appropriate insurance companies to negotiate with or defendants to pursue a claim against. Canopy Legal can help you to navigate these issues to get the justice you deserve.
How can a commercial motor vehicle accident lawyer help you?
At Canopy Legal, our firm has a solid track record of fighting for victims of commercial accidents. We can:
- Help you to determine the relationship between the driver and the company the driver was delivering for.
- Assist you in exploring all sources of insurance coverage.
- Investigate the crash cause including obtaining black box data from the vehicle, vehicle safety records, witness testimony, insight from expert witnesses, police reports, app data, and more.
- Negotiate a settlement. We’ll bring our strong negotiating skills to the table to maximize the chances of a fair out-of-court settlement. We won’t back down when insurers make lowball offers, and will build strong claims showing the extent of your loss to help you get the money you deserve without going to court when possible.
- Go to court. Our skilled litigators are prepared and ready to go to court if necessary when no fair settlement offer is reached. We understand how to present solid legal arguments and build strong cases to convince the court to rule in your favor and award the damages you deserve.
Through it all, our focus is on helping you achieve the best possible outcomes, while also keeping you informed, answering your questions, and understanding your goals for the outcome of your case.
Why trust Canopy Legal after your commercial motor vehicle accident?
Canopy Legal has experience in representing clients in commercial accident cases. Because we are a national firm, we have the resources and skilled team needed to stand up to large commercial trucking companies and big insurers and fight for our clients at every step.
Canopy Legal does not charge legal fees unless we win your case, and we always offer free consultations to help you better understand the strength of your claim and the services we offer. To find out more about how our firm can fight for you, give us a call or contact us online today.
