What makes tractor-trailer accident claims different from other personal injury claims?
Truck accident claims and standard personal injury claims are both filed in the same civil court system, but that is where the similarities end. Truck accidents are unique because they implicate both federal and state laws and regulations. The body of law that governs the commercial trucking industry is in place to protect the public from the 80,000+ pound tractor-trailers that move goods throughout our country. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations is a complicated grouping of statutory authority that both truck drivers and trucking companies must remain compliant with at all times. Failure to remain compliant with these regulations will result in revocation of a commercial trucking company's 'operating authority'.
Many injury lawyers struggle with understanding the ins and outs of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. This creates a serious problem when victims depend upon the attorney to competently prosecute injury claims involving a tractor-trailer. Missouri lawyer Stephen Schultz is a member of numerous legal organizations that specialize in litigating truck accident claims. It is critical to have an intimate understanding of each of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations in order to maximize financial recovery for the victim.
A comprehension of the technical aspects of a commercial motor vehicle is also important. Tractor-trailers are sophisticated machines with on-board computers and 'black-boxes' similar to that of a commercial airplane. The data contained in the black box is wasted unless the lawyer has the expertise to decipher and apply the information to the claim. The compressed air braking system of a commercial truck can also become relevant to the injury claim if the brakes were found to be 'out of adjustment.'
If you have been injured in a commercial 18-wheeler accident, take time to select a lawyer with experience and expertise in this area of injury law. Ask your lawyer about his understanding of the differences between truck accident and car accident claims. If he or she responds that there are no differences, you should move on to someone else without hesitation.