Why the classification matters. Federal safety regulations attach to commercial vehicles by weight and use. The federal $750,000 liability floor applies to most interstate for-hire carriers with vehicles rated at 10,001 pounds or more. Lighter delivery vans and local fleets fall under different rules, and their coverage can be a commercial policy, an employer's policy, or a contract driver's personal policy.
The employer question. When a driver is working at the time of a crash, the employer generally answers for the driver's negligence, and the employer's insurance is usually the policy that matters. Sometimes the driver is an independent contractor, or the tractor and trailer belong to different companies — which is why identifying the company (or companies) behind the vehicle is the first step in any commercial vehicle claim.
The records advantage. Commercial vehicles generate records passenger cars don't: driver logs, onboard data, dispatch and delivery records, inspection and maintenance files. Preserved early, they answer most questions about how a crash happened.
Arizona's rules still govern. Two years to file most injury claims, 180 days for a notice of claim when a public vehicle is involved, pure comparative negligence, and your own UM/UIM coverage as a possible part of the recovery.
- truck and commercial vehicle claims
- hit by a company or delivery truck
- what a truck accident lawyer does
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