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Money on the table.

Downtime Claims for the Owner Operator- Don’t Leave Money on the Table After an Accident

Trucking Owner Operators: Don't Leave Money On The Table After an Accident

You’re properly parked at a rest stop and WHAM! Some new driver takes out the front of your cab while trying to park his rig.  With a sick feeling in your stomach, you know you’re going to be down for quite a while and it’s gong to cost you a lot of money.

Everything starts out fine.  The new driver has insurance and admits he’s at fault. His insurance company even agrees to pay for your repairs after some negotiation.  Your truck goes in the shop and 3 weeks later, you’re back on the road.  But what about your lost income while the truck was down?  Do you get compensated for that?

While some insurance companies and adverse parties will pay a fair amount of downtime, many won’t.  By following a few simple steps, you will have a better chance of collecting downtime and out of pocket expenses.

  1. Keep a diary (chronology) of everything you do related to the accident and everyone you speak with from the day you’re hit until your equipment is rolling again.
  2. Document all communication with the adverse party or their insurance company in writing through emails.
  3. Stay in constant contact with the repair shop and document the reason for delays.
  4. Keep your losses as small as possible by borrowing or renting other equipment while your equipment is down.
  5. If you can’t rent other equipment, prove why (specialized equipment, motor carrier won’t allow, etc.).

 

The information provided on this site is general in nature and is not legal advice. The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely on advertisements. One of our goals is to assist you in making that decision by assuring that you know more about the law and the nature of legal issues which are of concern to you. Before you decide, ask us to send you free written information about our qualifications and experience.