When it comes to an auto accident, Hudson Valley residents want to ensure that they take the proper steps following it to make sure that they are protected. When you get into an accident with another passenger vehicle, the recourse is relatively straightforward. However, there are some differences if you are in an accident with a tractor trailer. It is important to know what these differences are so that you take the proper action to protect yourself.

Making Sure That All Accident-Related Evidence is Properly Collected

A tractor trailer is generally a commercial vehicle. This means that the driver is usually driving it for a business. This is different than a passenger vehicle that is generally driven by the owner and no company is involved. When you are in an accident with a commercial vehicle like a tractor trailer, there is generally more evidence that is examined to determine fault and other elements of the accident. The investigator will do all of the usual investigation that occurs after a vehicle accident, but the following will also be assessed in most cases: evidence on the driver, such as their qualifications and drug and alcohol screening, vehicle evidence, such as inspection and maintenance history and cargo evidence, such as bills of lading and weight tickets.

You want to make sure that this is done properly and that all necessary evidence is collected and properly analyzed. The investigator will also put some focus on the timeline. Since a commercial vehicle is involved, the investigation process generally happens faster so be prepared for this. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations set the guidelines concerning how long driver documentation is kept. So, if you plant to contact an attorney after this type of accident, you must do this within six months so that they can obtain this information. Ideally, you will do so immediately so that there is no risk of this information going away and not being accessible.

Know the Differences in Liability With Commercial vs. Passenger Vehicles

The overall relationships tend to be more complex and there can be more than two parties involved in this type of accident. When you get into an accident with a tractor trailer, you are not only dealing with the person who was driving it, but also the company that they work for in most cases. The company likely has their own legal team, so it is a good idea to have a lawyer on your side too to make sure that everything is being done as it should.

You can see that an accident with a tractor trailer is a bit different than an accident with a passenger vehicle. Now that you have more information, you can ensure that you take the right steps should you ever experience an accident with a tractor trailer.