What to Do if a Penske Truck Hits You?

Penske trucks are large vehicles often driven as rentals by people who need to use them infrequently. As a result, if you are in an accident with a Penske truck, it is vital that you know how to pursue full and fair compensation for your losses. At White Law PLLC, our Okemos Penske truck accident lawyer can help you recover any losses owed to you after such an accident.

Why Are Penske Trucks Likely to Cause Accidents?

Penske Transportation is a large organization with several services, including logistics and transportation handled in-house by their employees, rental vehicles that others can use, and professional motorsports. When you are in an accident with these trucks, who is operating them and why can determine who you can seek compensation from, and that is not always easy to determine. Our attorneys can help you navigate these situations.

• The person works for Penske. If the truck driver is an employee of Penske, the company may be directly responsible for the accident the driver causes.
• The person rented the truck from Penske. In this situation, you will need to seek compensation from the driver’s liability insurance and any supplemental insurance they have.
• A third party leases the truck. Some businesses lease the trucks for their ongoing needs. In this situation, the driver and the company could be responsible.

Because of the complexities in these situations, knowing how to seek compensation is challenging. More so, Penske is a large organization. They have powerful insurance adjusters and attorneys working to reduce any compensation paid out to you.

What Should You Do After a Penske Truck Accident?

In the ideal situation, you stopped, called the police, and went to the emergency room for the medical care you need. This allows you to document what occurred. It also helps to set the foundation for seeking compensation owed to you.

What happens next is dependent on who is at fault in the accident. In situations where the Penske truck is responsible for the accident, you can seek compensation from that party, whether it is through them directly or their insurance company. Typically, you will need to calculate your losses and file a claim with the appropriate insurance company.

There are additional steps to take to ensure you receive the full compensation you are owed in a case like this, and our truck accident attorneys can help you with this process. We work to ensure that every person receives individualized legal representation based on the details of their case. The services we offer in a truck accident case like this include:

Determining Fault in the Accident

The first step is to determine who is at fault for the incident and ensure that all of the evidence available documents this. This often means understanding if any company is also responsible or if the owner of the Penske rental is also responsible. Often, there is more than one party responsible for the losses that occur.

Calculate the Losses You Incurred from the Accident

Extensive investigations will show what your losses are after a Penske truck accident. This should include economic losses such as lost time at work, medical bills, and property damage. Most people also qualify for noneconomic losses, which could include pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and ongoing damage to your quality of life.

Seek Out a Full Claim with the Responsible Party

With this information, we will then seek compensation from all of those responsible in the form of a detailed claim. Our attorneys work very closely with you to ensure you do not have to answer any questions that put your case at risk. We also minimize the risk that you will be victimized again by the insurance company.

Negotiate the Best Possible Compensation in Your Case

The details of your Penske truck accident will determine how much your case is worth. Our goal is to negotiate the highest level of compensation for you, which means outlining every detail possible to make it clear the insurance company needs to pay you what you are owed. Expect us to fight for full compensation.

Go to Court When Needed

There are times when one or more parties responsible for an accident may not settle fairly. In those situations, our truck accident lawyers will pursue a lawsuit against the responsible parties in an effort to recover your losses. We do not stop fighting for you when we believe you are owed compensation in your case.

Does Penske Have a Responsibility to Keep You Safe?

Penske trucks are often rentals, which means they allow people who may have no experience with operating a truck to get behind the wheel as needed. This can create an increased risk to others on the roadways. Yet, proving that they have the right to keep you safe is more challenging.

Depending on the type of truck and the leasing scenario, you can expect there to be various instances in which the truck driver or company leasing the vehicle is responsible solely. There were other times when the Penske vehicle owners did not properly maintain the vehicle, which led to injuries. With our exhaustive research and evidence development process, we will learn what the truth is in your situation.

For vehicles owned and operated by Penske itself, many have safety features that allow for the drivers to be monitored. In these situations, it may be possible to use some of that information as evidence to help support your claims against drivers who are negligent. Remember that these truck drivers may be required to meet federal safety standards as well.

Expand Your Understanding of Your Rights After a Penske Truck Accident

If you are the victim of a Penske truck accident, our highly experienced attorneys are ready to fight for you. As a nationally recognized legal firm that has recovered billions in compensation for our clients over our extensive careers, we are ready to fight for you as well. Contact our Michigan Penske truck accident attorney at White Law PLLC now for a free consultation by calling our office.