Rental truck companies like Penske, which assist with moving large items or lots of cargo at once, have become a more economical option than hiring professional movers. Instead of paying several hundred dollars for people to move your items, you can get a Penske truck and pay your friends in pizza to help you move. However, this means that less experienced drivers drive much larger trucks, adding additional dangers that a well-versed Grand Rapids truck accident lawyer may be able to help with.
Penske truck claims can become complicated quickly due to several parties involved, including personal insurance, insurance through the company, and the third party’s insurance. If you have sustained significant losses and injuries in an accident involving a Penske truck, it may be a good idea to contact our experienced Grand Rapids personal injury lawyer with White Law PLLC.
Causes of Penske Truck Accidents
Several things can cause a Penske truck accident, like any other accident. Some of these are things the truck driver can control, and some are up to the other driver, weather conditions, or the mechanics responsible for maintaining the trucks. These can include:
- Poor or improper maintenance
- Imbalanced loading of the truck
- Driver inexperience
- Poor weather or road conditions
- Driver inattention
Information provided by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) shows that, during the 24 months prior to March 2024, regulators inspected several thousand Penske vehicles as well as driver incidents. During that timeframe, there were 423 reportable crashes, many resulting in injuries. Some of these incidents even led to fatalities.
Penske Truck Maintenance
All vehicles require regular maintenance to stay safely operable, and Penske trucks are no different. If they are not appropriately maintained, this can result in mechanical failures, including brake failure. Poorly functioning brakes can result in an accident by rear-ending or a load shifting due to uneven or sudden attempts to stop.
Improper Loading of the truck
When loading your items into a truck, you must be careful to ensure that things will not easily shift and that big furniture is appropriately tied down. Failure to do so could cause the truck’s trailer to shift dramatically. This shift may cause a rollover accident, resulting in serious injury and damage to the loaded items.
Driver Inexperience and Inattention
Penske trucks are mostly rented. If you are renting a truck, you likely don’t have a large vehicle you drive enough to be comfortable with. This means that Penske truck drivers are often unfamiliar with maneuvering a large truck through roads, traffic, and driveways. This inexperience makes it much more likely that you will lose control of the truck or misjudge its size and maneuverability.
Inattention is something that strikes even the most focused driver. Most of the time, it turns out okay without any significant consequences. In a Penske truck, though, an extra second to notice the stopped car ahead of you can result in an accident.
Weather and Road Conditions
Poor weather and road conditions are something that we all endure and aren’t typically in our control, aside from maybe taking a different route. In the instance of a Penske rental truck, lack of experience makes this more of a challenge and more likely to cause an accident. If the truck driver does not cause an accident, avoiding it may be more difficult.
Your Fight Is Our Fight
Next Steps After Your Penske Truck Accident Case
Being in a collision can be a disorienting experience whether you are the at-fault driver or not. Immediately following the accident, other than calling a penske truck accident lawyer in Grand Rapids, MI, a few things can support your compensation recovery.
Calling 911 does a couple of things. First, it ensures that everyone can get medical evaluation and treatment on the scene if necessary. You should always accept medical assessment when offered to you because refusing it can hurt you in the long run. Second, calling 911 means that police will show up to investigate the scene and write a formal police report that can be helpful for documentation later.
Exchanging information is essential to follow up with any claims, or your attorney can reach out if needed. Taking pictures is another way to document the accident and your injuries. Pictures can also be helpful when taken throughout the healing process of your injuries.
We’re not just lawyers. We’re passionate advocates who will ensure that your voice is heard and your rights are protected.
Insurance Claims in a Penske Truck Accident
Determining which insurance to claim through can become a complicated task. Most people renting a truck carry their own car insurance that they can opt to use. Renters will often choose to utilize the insurance provided by the rental company.
Something that many people are unaware of is that their insurance or insurance through credit cards may not cover their rental truck. Many of those policies have a weight limit, which is frequently exceeded by these rental vehicles. While credit card policies may cover a rental car, you will always want to check with your insurance company to see if a moving truck is covered.
Always check the complete details given to you when purchasing the additional insurance from the company leasing the truck to you. While they cover many fundamental concerns, they may not include accidents or issues due to improperly loaded cargo. This is something many people don’t realize isn’t covered.
Review Your Leasing and Insurance Agreement with Your Penske Truck Accident Attorney
The insurance agreements and waivers can be confusing sometimes. Many times, people don’t have the coverage they think they do. If you have been in a Penske truck accident, you should talk with your Penske truck accident attorney in Grand Rapids, MI, for any clarification.
We understand that you may be going through a difficult situation and we are ready to help however we can.
Call Your Grand Rapids Penske Truck Accident Attorney for a Free Consultation Today
If you have been injured in an accident involving a Penske truck, it is a valuable use of your time to contact our Grand Rapids Penske truck accident attorney. No one should have to pay the price for someone else’s negligence. We may not be able to get your damaged property back or take back your injuries, but we can offer some peace of mind while you recover.
At White Law, we offer a free case consultation. Contact us today for our 20 years and 30,000 cases worth of experience advocating for you and what you deserve. We understand the stress that comes with an accident and will work diligently on your behalf while you take time to rest and recover.
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