If you were in an accident and the truck driver did not have valid insurance, there are other options for pursuing compensation. Even if the driver was not insured, their employer is likely to be—the trucking industry is highly regulated, and trucking companies must have insurance.
If the trucking company’s insurance provider does not cover your damages, you may have yet more options to exercise. You may sue the truck driver, sue the trucking company, and evaluate any uninsured/underinsured (UM/UIM) coverage you have. As you can see, the post-accident pursuit of compensation can be complex. Consider hiring a Chandler truck accident lawyer to pursue money for you, as this will let you focus on you (and your recovery).
There are a few reasons why a truck driver might not have valid insurance at the time of an accident. They may have lost track of their insurance status or wilfully driven without insurance. Whatever the explanation is for the truck driver’s lack of insurance, the facts are that:
Your lawyer will weigh all available strategies for seeking the compensation you deserve.
Uninsured motorists are a significant hazard to other drivers in Arizona. When the uninsured motorist is a truck driver, the accident victim may have caught a break—if the trucker lacks insurance, there’s a significant chance their employer has it.
Your lawyer will:
Because trucks can cause devastating damage, trucking companies typically have insurance policies with high coverage limits. This means that filing an insurance claim with the trucking company’s insurance provider can be a fitting strategy for your case.
Read more: Time Limits for Filing a Truck Accident Claim
Uninsured and underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage is available to motorists in Arizona. This coverage exists for circumstances like yours—when a motorist who lacks adequate insurance hits someone.
Your truck accident lawyer will evaluate your insurance coverage. They will determine whether you have UM/UIM coverage, examine the details of that coverage, and help decide if a claim with your insurer is worth the effort.
Even if a truck driver was insured, the accident victim may be eligible to sue liable parties. When truck drivers are uninsured, they are directly exposed to a lawsuit—they have no insurance policy or provider insulating them from financial liability.
Depending on the details of your truck accident, you may be eligible to sue:
In advising you whether you should file a lawsuit, your lawyer will weigh all relevant information—from the financial value of your damages to the coverage limits on insurance policies.
Nobody has to hire a lawyer after a truck accident. That being said, after you understand the potential challenges ahead and the ways in which a lawyer can help, you may decide that working with an attorney makes all the sense in the world.
It’s helpful to be aware of the potential challenges that may lie ahead. This way, you can make an informed decision about whether to hire a truck accident lawyer.
Some of the more difficult aspects of your truck accident case may include:
Read more: How Long Do You Have to File a Claim for a Truck Accident?
An experienced lawyer can be the ideal person to succeed in your truck accident case. Some specific reasons why an attorney may be most qualified to lead your case include:
Uncoincidentally, many truck accident victims have very little time and energy to dedicate to their case. You may also be facing immense financial stress. These alone are good reasons to consider hiring a truck accident attorney to represent you.
You may be shocked by just how much your lawyer does for you. Many truck accident victims do not realize how complicated their cases are—not until they see their lawyer handling a stable of responsibilities that may include:
Your accident is the event that will prompt your case. It’s important, and your lawyer will need to determine:
Proving fault is one of the primary reasons for investigating the truck accident. Your lawyer will use all relevant evidence—witness statements, black-box data, video footage, and anything else—to prove who caused the accident.
Read more: What Evidence Will Help My Truck Accident Case?
Each person hit by a truck has different wounds, financial losses, and psychological and emotional responses. Your attorney will hear your story and investigate your damages, and they may prove the cost of your accident with:
Your attorney may also use bank statements, employment records, and other documentation to prove any professional harm stemming from your accident.
Read more: When to Hire a Truck Accident Attorney
Attorneys have repeatable methods for calculating the cost of a truck accident. From totaling the cost of medical bills to using the per-diem and multiplier methods to calculate pain and suffering, your attorney will determine the precise financial value of each of your damages.
When your attorney knows how much money you are entitled to, they can fight for a fair settlement. Whether or not they secure a fair settlement offer may depend in large part on whether insurance companies approach your claim in good faith.
You and your truck accident lawyer will have a constant dialogue throughout your case. If filing a lawsuit is a strategy worth considering, your attorney will initiate that conversation—or you can ask about it if you’d like.
There are many possible reasons to file a truck accident lawsuit, which may include:
Your lawyer will equip you with the information and perspective you need to make the right decisions for you. Whether the decision is to accept an insurance settlement or sue liable parties, trust your lawyer to position you for success.
If you choose to sue, that’s not necessarily the end of settlement talks. In fact, notice of a lawsuit may be just what liable parties need to take your case seriously.
Your attorney will be prepared to continue negotiations after filing suit, and they can secure an offer you are worthy of.
Some truck accident lawsuits end up in court. Despite presenting compelling arguments and making an effort to file a suit, a lawyer cannot force liable parties to pay the accident victim fairly. If this proves true, your attorney should proceed to trial.
Read more: Who Can Be Liable for a Truck Accident?
When you hire someone to fight for you, it helps if they truly know you. This is why capable truck accident lawyers tailor-make their strategies to fit each client and can do this by:
When you hire a lawyer, you have someone to provide legal services. The most accomplished truck accident lawyers, though, connect with their clients on a personal level. Expect personalized, authentic representation when you work with an attorney.
Read more: What to Do After a Truck Accident
Trucks far outweigh most other vehicles on the road. There is a substantial difference between being hit by a Tesla Coup or even a pickup and being struck by an industrial truck—the difference is thousands of pounds of force.
Truck collisions are known to cause severe damages, which can include:
No damage is too minor for your truck accident attorney to demand compensation for.
Read more: How Long Do You Have to File a Claim for a Truck Accident?
Arizona law generally requires Chandler personal injury attorneys to submit their claims before a filing deadline expires. Allow your lawyer the time they need to prepare your case.
If you have suffered an injury in a trucking accident with an uninsured truck driver, now is the best time to find your injury accident attorney. Consultations are generally free, so get to know prospective firms by reaching out to them.
Yes. Federal rules require motor carriers to maintain minimum liability (typically $750,000 for non-hazmat) and use the MCS-90 endorsement; your own UM/UIM coverage is another path. Together, these often backstop an “uninsured trucker” scenario.
Arizona’s A.R.S. §12-555 sets two clocks: give your insurer written notice within 3 years of the crash, then request arbitration or file suit within 3 years after that notice (policy terms apply). Don’t miss either.
Most PI/property claims: 2 years from accrual (A.R.S. §12-542). If a public entity/employee may be at fault, you must also serve a Notice of Claim within 180 days and sue within 1 year (A.R.S. §§12-821.01, 12-821).
ELD/RODS (driver-hours) kept 6 months → preserve fast.
Accident register kept 3 years → request entry/supporting docs.
Also, AZ requires an officer written crash report when injury/death/≥$2,000 damage or a citation; drivers must immediately notify police if injury/death.
Not a standalone policy. MCS-90 is a public-liability endorsement that functions like a surety—intended to satisfy judgments up to the federal minimums when no other coverage responds. It’s required form language under 49 CFR 387.15.