Truck & Bus Accidents - Know Your Rights and Compensation Options |
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Landon Prescott
ArticlesGratuits.com
March 31, 2006
Truck and bus accidents are far too common on today's congested roadways. Professional truck drivers and bus drivers are usually required to posses a commercial drivers license (CDL). Even though they have this special license, truck and bus drivers can still have accidents. If you find yourself as the victim of an accident caused by a truck or bus you need to watch out for your best interest.
Commercial insurance companies typically insure these professional drivers. These commercial insurance companies generally provide higher coverage rates than the automobile insurance that you or I may purchase as an individual policyholder. Commercial insurance companies are in the business of either not paying out claims or paying out the minimum amount.
Accidents caused by trucks and busses are more and more common as drivers are forced to work more and more hours. This results in having many fatigued drivers on the road whose awareness is not always what it should be. There is also the issue of the drivers being required to adhere to strict schedules and this results in the driver being in a hurry and often speeding. Whatever the cause of the accident the insurance companies will likely try to make a quick and cheap offer to you because they know that if you get a lawyer you will be able to recoup more financial compensation.
If you are a passenger on a bus that is involved in an accident you have rights. The insurance companies have no incentive to make you aware of all the rights that you are entitled to. A qualified and competent lawyer can help get you what you deserve as the passenger of a bus accident.
There are very specific laws implemented by both state and federal authorities regarding commercial drivers. Tractor-trailer drivers are required to keep logs of how long they have been driving and are not allowed to drive for more than a certain number of hours at a time. Truck and bus drivers are also required to do thorough inspections on their vehicles on a regular basis. At times, drivers will overlook their inspections and tractor-trailer drivers have been known to carry falsified logs in order to meet their delivery deadlines.
As the victim in a truck or bus accident you not only have to fight the insurance company, but also you have to fight with the driver's employer. The employer does not want their driver to be proven at fault in the accident, because that will dramatically increase their insurance rates for all of their drivers. These employers know this and will do anything that they can to keep from paying you the compensation that you deserve.
You need a lawyer on your side, because you can be sure that the employer and the employer's insurance company will have a lawyer working for them. A lawyer can help you sift through the mountain of paperwork that may be thrown at you in case of an accident. A lawyer will also be aware of the specific laws that apply to truck and bus drivers and how those laws can work to your advantage in an accident. A qualified lawyer will make sure that you receive the appropriate compensation for medical bills, automobile damages, and lost time from work among other things. A good lawyer can also employ experts and accident reconstruction technology to show a jury how the accident took place. A lawyer will use all of the tools at his or her disposal to make sure you win your case and often times are able to settle out of court, while still getting your the best compensation package in your accident case.
About the author or the publisher Landon Prescott writes on topics related to insurance and health. Michael H. Silvers, A Law Corporation has offices in Los Angeles, California. Car Accident Attorneys with the kind of experience you will need if you are in a traffic accident are hard to find. The law offices of Michael H. Silvers have handled over 10,000 accident cases, in the State of California, with a success rate of 98.6%. http://www.michaelhsilvers.com/
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