Although renting moving trucks allows people to move properties more cost-effectively than hiring a full-service moving company, many people renting moving vans don’t have the experience or skill to operate these vehicles safely. If you got hurt in an accident involving a rented moving truck in Alabama, who can you hold responsible for your crash-related injuries and losses?
How Moving Truck Accidents Happen in Alabama
Some of the most common causes of moving truck accidents in Alabama include:
- Lack of experience driving a large vehicle
- Unfamiliarity with roads and traffic patterns in new areas
- Negligent or reckless behaviors, such as speeding and tailgating
- Improper cargo loading, including failing to balance or secure loads
- Mechanical defects due to negligent manufacturing or poor maintenance
- Adverse road or weather conditions, such as heavy traffic or dense fog
What Your Next Steps Should Be After a Crash with a Moving Van
You should take the following steps if you get into an accident with a rental moving truck or van:
- Report the accident to law enforcement and request a copy of the police crash report.
- Seek medical attention immediately to get checked for crash injuries.
- Follow your doctor’s treatment plan and instructions. Do not delay or neglect treatment.
- Keep copies of any bills, invoices, or receipts of your financial losses, such as vehicle repairs, medical treatment, and lost income.
- Notify your auto insurance provider about the accident per your policy agreement.
- Contact a rental truck accident lawyer promptly to learn more about your legal options.
How Our Lawyers Can Help You Seek the Justice You Deserve
Pursuing compensation after a moving van accident is often much more challenging than doing so after a typical car wreck.
First, 49 U.S.C. §30106, also known as the Federal Car Rental Liability Act, establishes that rental car companies are generally not liable for damages resulting from the use of their vehicles. That means if a person rents a moving van and gets into an accident, the rental company is not automatically liable for any resulting injuries or property damage.
However, there is an exception to this rule in the Graves Amendment. This federal law provides that a rental car company can be liable for damages in crashes involving its vehicles if the company’s wrongful behavior was a contributing factor. For instance, if you can show that a moving van accident occurred because of a mechanical defect that the rental company could have prevented with proper maintenance, you could have grounds to hold the company liable.
Liability for a car accident involving a rental moving van will ultimately depend on the specific circumstances of the accident. For instance, if the driver of the moving van was at fault, they could be liable for your losses, and you might be able to seek compensation from their rental insurance policy or their personal auto insurance. If another driver was at fault, that driver’s insurance company could be liable for your losses.
If all of this sounds complicated, it’s because it often is. The attorneys at Morris, King & Hodge, P.C., can help you if you were injured in a:
- U-Haul truck accident
- Budget rental van accident
- Enterprise moving truck accident
- Penske moving van accident
- Ryder truck accident
- Hertz moving truck accident
- United Van Lines truck accident
- Allied Van Lines truck accident
- Any other collision involving a rented van
We want to help you cut through the noise, identify all possible sources of compensation for your losses, deal with confusing commercial insurance policies, and demand a fair recovery on your behalf.
Contact Our Alabama Moving Truck Accident Law Firm Today
If you were hurt in an accident caused by the driver of a rented van, turn to the Alabama injury lawyers at Morris, King & Hodge, P.C., for help. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your case with our firm’s experienced moving truck accident attorneys.
