How to Minimize the Financial Burden of a Truck Accident: Practical Solutions for Victims?

The truth is that any auto accident can come with a heavy financial burden. Now, think about a whole 30-ton truck involved in an accident. The danger goes higher, and the incident’s effect can be detrimental. How much it may cost for a truck accident will depend on factors like;

• The size of the truck involved in an accident
• Whether or not there were injured persons or fatalities
• The extent of truck damage
• The primary cause of the accident

According to OSHA, the average accident caused by vehicles can cost an employer approximately 16,500 USD. Let’s discover how you can minimize the financial burden of a truck accident. But, before that, what direct and indirect charges may be involved in an auto accident?

The Direct and Indirect Accident Charges

The insured or direct charges for accidents often refer to the costs incurred under workers’ compensation insurance. In this case, the company pays the insurance to cover such costs. The insured charges will vary based on the extent or nature of the injury or sickness but will likely range around 1,000- 20,000 USD. 

Furthermore, you may have to consult a truck accident lawyer to help you better understand your present situation. The attorney for the auto accident will also discuss the options for filing the accident’s claim.

Furthermore, paying for the truck and cargo damages, hospital care, and insurance may not be everything involved. You can also expect to cater for the indirect (uninsured) costs that may be five or ten times more than direct costs. The indirect costs involve elements like;

• Time loss
• Loss of employee productivity.
• Property loss
• Arising needs to hire, train, and replace workers.
• The need to repair the company’s damaged reputation
• Loss of time and productivity- other staff members and managers go out to help the victim or handle the accident case.
• Extra charges are incurred in repairing or replacing the damaged tools, materials, or property.
• Cost of having to pay for the full or part of the injured victim’s wages, or even compensation despite taking a break from work
• OSHA-related penalties.

Ways to Minimize the Financial Burden of a Truck Accident

1. Seek the Intervention of a Truck Accident Lawyer

A truck accident can be damaging. During such an incident, it’s common for people who weren’t in the truck also to get involved in severe injuries. Such types of vehicle crashes can be more disastrous than you could imagine. The truck driver and the company involved can be owed lots of cash for the damages. 

In such a scenario, it’s essential to always consult and stay in touch with a highly experienced and skilled truck accident lawyer for a willful discussion. Doing this will help you know the options available to file the claim.

The truck accident attorney is always ready to step in the accident victim’s shoes. They are armed to help them secure the total compensation they deserve to cater for costs, such as;

• Medical expenses
• Property damage and repair
• Emotional trauma

You can easily attain the maximum compensation through auto accident lawyers:

• Full legal representation
• Skillful negotiation with the insurance and truck companies
• Court representation, when necessary.

One of the fundamental reasons people seek the help of a lawyer for a truck accident is negotiation. Remember that, in such accident scenarios; insurance companies will find all means to pay less for the accident claim.

Unfortunately, most injury victims don’t know how to negotiate or fight for their legal rights when engaging insurance companies. Thus, the only best way to receive the claim you deserve is to let the expert auto accident lawyer negotiate on your behalf. 

They know best how to communicate with insurance companies depending on your accident case. Hence, the truck accident attorney will get down to all the insurance policy details- They’ll account for all your damages and work to settle for the fair amount that covers the accident’s damages.

2. Prevent the Truck Accident

Preventing a truck accident from happening can minimize the financial burden of the accident. The reality is that; you cannot completely control your driver’s mistakes or other unforeseen events like weather changes. However, you can set your vehicles in the best condition possible, and prepare your drivers to operate safely.

For instance, as a company, you can implement the driver safety program and ensure you do the following;

• Engage all the drivers
• Use appropriate tools to evaluate performance by drivers and also identify risk points
• Offer continuous and personalized driver coaching
• Incorporate telematic programs to help boost safe driving and reduce accident management
• Have clear, well-written, and accessible driving policies and procedures

Some of the essential driver policies should include the following;

• Drivers must always wear their seatbelts
• Hands should always stay on the steering wheel
• Phones must always be kept away while driving. 

Besides, procedures for the appropriate maintenance of company vehicles should be set in place. Ensure regular scheduled inspections and truck servicing to maintain the vehicles in road-safe condition.

The enforcement of driver safety programs can minimize the risk of accidents dramatically and maintain safe truck driving on the roads. The written policy codes and procedures help keep drivers in check at all times, ensuring they stick to safe driving standards.

3. Effect an Occupational Medicine Program

Effecting an occupational medicine program is one of the neglected company procedures, yet very crucial. In case of a truck accident, the program benefits the injured driver to receive the immediate treatment they require.

The occupational medicine service provider is often highly equipped to handle all work-related injuries, including auto accidents. Hence, they will develop readily-available and personalized treatment plans that help in ensuring that the injured employee recovers faster. 

The sooner the injured worker recovers and gets back to work, the lesser financial burdens befall the employer. They manage to save on extra costs for;

• Healthcare bills
• Income reimbursement
• Lost productivity, amongst other indirect costs.

Relying on the company’s occupational medicine program offers convenience for employees. In scenarios where injured parties require physiotherapies and follow-up treatments, it becomes easier to access the services. 

Having different specialists connected to the facility helps offer a reliable treatment regimen to reduce the financial burden for the company and truck operators. Besides, incorporating the occupational medicine service provider can benefit your company and ease the burden of various work processes- The medicine provider can prepare the company’s truck fleet before any incident.

Therefore, in case a truck crash occurs, you’ll have a routine set in place to handle such incidents. The health service providers can establish effective communication between the trucking, the injured employee, and the relevant third-party authorities to help ease the burden.

Bottom Line

Today, it’s evident that the fleet industry experiences a more-than-average rate of truck accidents, with most of these incidents incorporating fatalities. Because of their heavy weight, trucks can potentially cause more damage than standard vehicles- The effects can be detrimental.

Amidst the truck damage, hospital bills, loss of productivity, damaged truck company’s reputation, and more, truck-related accidents can cost thousands, and even more, if the accident leads to fatalities. 

Insurance companies may cater to some of the costs. But, the indirect charges will cost the company more. While you may not entirely eliminate the accidents’ financial impact, you can still minimize the heavy burden. 

The essential thing to do in the first place is to prevent truck accidents by implementing relevant driver safety programs. Besides, companies should implement a highly beneficial occupational medicine program that helps handle all work-related injuries.

Most importantly, it helps to stay in touch with an experienced truck accident lawyer. Such experts know the strategies and evidence to develop a strong case for accident victims to receive the best outcome possible.