Rental Truck Accident Lawyers

Hoosiers who are moving out of town or simply moving some bulky items frequently rely on rental trucks to get the job done. Companies like U-Haul and Penske rent out a host of vehicles to the public, ranging from cargo vans with about 250 cubic feet of storage capacity to 26-foot-long box trucks that could carry the contents of an entire home.

Rental trucks can be useful and economical, but various design flaws and deficiencies could increase the probability and severity of rental truck accidents, not least of all their size. When a rental truck, which could weigh upwards of 26,000 pounds, collides with a car, which weighs less than a fifth of that number on average, the occupants of the smaller automobile will disproportionately suffer the consequences, accounting for 72 percent of the casualties in fatal American two-vehicle truck accidents in 2021. Even the survivors of rental truck accidents could be forced to cope with punishing injuries that may be beyond their means.

While financial recovery may be available if you have been hurt by a rental truck, success is never guaranteed, which is why so many count on the truck accident attorneys at Hensley Legal Group, who have been standing up for the everyday people of Indiana for over 25 years.

You can call or text us at (317) 472-3333, chat with us online, or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation with one of our dedicated Indiana rental truck accident lawyers.

Dangers of Rental Trucks

Rental trucks provide ample space and can be reserved for as little as $19.99 per day plus mileage, a fraction of the cost of a moving service. But the very qualities that make rental trucks so appealing could also make rental truck accidents both more likely and more destructive.

Some of the chief dangers of rental trucks include:

· Restricted maneuverability – Their bigger frames make rental trucks harder to maneuver without encroaching on adjacent vehicles.

· Longer stopping times – The considerable mass of rental trucks saddles them with longer stopping times, an attribute that could catch an unsuspecting renter off guard and precipitate a crash.

· Larger blind spots – Rental trucks have notably larger blind spots, which are areas that drivers cannot see either directly or in their mirrors. Rental truck drivers need to check their blind spots regularly so as not to strike individuals and objects within them, though far too many fail to do so, sometimes with tragic results.

· Higher centers of gravity – Box trucks and cargo vans have higher centers of gravity, making them less stable and more prone to tipping or rolling over, particularly when speeding, turning abruptly, or bearing excessive weight.

· Improper loading –The trucks deployed by commercial shippers and moving companies are loaded by professionals who know how to properly distribute and secure their contents, but rental trucks are loaded by the amateurs who rent them. Consequently, their cargo may shift around while in motion, thereby throwing off a rental truck’s balance and potentially causing its driver to lose control.

· Insufficient training – Perhaps the greatest concern about rental trucks is how easily they can be accessed. Though they are unwieldy and hard to handle, a Commercial Driver’s License is not required to drive rental trucks in Indiana, just a standard driver’s license, so the customers making use of these massive vehicles may not have the skills to safely operate them.

Drawbacks of this nature could lead to major rental truck accidents, inflicting the kind of grievous bodily harm that may be impossible to manage without the assistance of knowledgeable Indiana rental truck accident attorneys.

Steps to Take After an Indiana Rental Truck Accident

A rental truck accident can be disorienting, but there are steps you can take to protect any case you might have. Once you gotten yourself and your vehicle out of the flow of traffic, you should:

· Alert the authorities – Be prepared to dial 911 if emergency personnel have not already arrived. The police report produced will be indispensable to your future claim, so don’t forget to give your version of events to the responding officer.

· Seek treatment – The shock of a rental truck accident could leave you feeling so numb that your injuries may not be immediately apparent, which is why you should seek treatment even if you are not sure you have been hurt. Any delays in medical care could hinder the healing process and allow others to cast doubt on the extent and relevance of your injuries.

· Shoot pictures and videos – A visual record of the crash scene could be invaluable in cataloging your losses and assessing liability, so use your phone to shoot pictures and videos of your surroundings, making sure to document any identifying text printed or painted on the rental truck.

· Obtain information – If you hope to pursue a case, you will need to obtain pertinent information from every driver involved, including:

o Name

o Address

o Phone number

o Email

o Driver’s license

o Insurance carrier and policy number

o Vehicle make, model, and year

o License plate

o Rental company details

Eyewitnesses might be able to independently confirm what took place, so get their names and numbers as well if you can.

· Notify your auto insurance company – Prompt notification may keep you in compliance with the terms of your auto insurance policy and let you take advantage of any benefits.

· Avoid other insurers and the rental company – The insurers for the other parties and even the rental company may want to speak with you. However, even the most innocuous comment might be used against you, so it may be best to avoid them, at least until you…

· Talk to a rental truck accident lawyer – A seasoned lawyer can answer your questions and determine the best course of action for your rental truck accident case.

How Our Indiana Rental Truck Accident Attorneys Can Help

The impact of a rental truck accident can last for months or even years to come, overwhelming you with escalating expenses while curtailing your ability to earn a living. Merely making ends meet can become challenging, much less acquiring the funds to stave off ruin.

You need attorneys with the compassion to support you during this troubling period and the wisdom to get you through it. In short, you need the Indiana rental truck accident attorneys at Hensley Legal Group.

If you decide to hire Hensley, we will launch an exhaustive investigation into your Indiana rental truck accident and everyone who may be responsible for it, taking swift action to amass the evidence necessary for your claim, such as:

· Police reports

· Tickets and dispositions

· Witness statements

· Dash cam, streetlight, and surveillance footage

· Black box data

· Phone records

· Rental agreements

· Driver histories

· Vehicular maintenance logs

· Accident reconstruction and forensic analysis

After putting together a rock-solid case against every defendant, our Indiana rental truck accident lawyers will work to reach a settlement that reflects all of your losses, including:

· Medical bills

· Lost wages

· Pain and suffering

· Mental and emotional anguish

· Diminished quality of living

· Impaired mobility

· Loss of consortium

· Punitive and wrongful death damages (if applicable)

And unlike some of our competitors, who rarely, if ever, see the inside of a courtroom, we are more than willing to proceed to trial if we do not receive a worthy offer.

No two rental truck accidents are exactly alike, but we will always strive to get you top compensation for yours.

You Won’t Have to Pay Until We Win

If you are reluctant to agree to more expenditures at this moment, you should know that our firm works on a contingency basis. This means that you won’t have to pay us anything until our Indiana rental truck accident attorneys win your case.

You have enough to worry about right now trying to restore your health. Let Hensley worry about getting you the resources to do it.

Reach Out to Our Indiana Rental Truck Accident Lawyers

Hensley Legal Group has been getting justice for the innocent victims of negligence since 1998. If your life has been derailed by someone else’s recklessness, reach out to our Indiana rental truck accident lawyers to discover how to get back on track.

You can arrange a complimentary case review with an accomplished Indiana rental truck accident attorney by calling or texting us at (317) 472-3333, chatting with us online, or filling out our contact form today.