Does My Insurance Cover Costs After an Accident with a Commercial Vehicle?

A commercial vehicle, according to the California DMV, is defined as:

“…a vehicle which is used or maintained for the transportation of persons for hire, compensation, or profit or designed, used, or maintained primarily for the transportation of property (for example, trucks and pickups).”

In other words, a commercial vehicle is one that operates strictly for business purposes. This can include big rigs, 18-wheelers, delivery vans, taxis, hotel shuttles, and even standard pickup trucks towing a trailer. A commercial vehicle can also be a regular passenger car as long as it’s being used to conduct business. Most commercial motor vehicles require matching commercial driver’s licenses that can be obtained after certain tests and training.

After an accident, it’s important to differentiate whether the other party was driving a standard passenger vehicle or a commercial vehicle. If it’s the latter, the commercial vehicle was likely driven by an employee, which brings up the issue of liability. If the commercial vehicle driver is at fault, who’s responsible for the accident: the employee, the employer, or both? It often depends, but more than likely, you’ll recover damages from the employer as they’re generally responsible for the actions of their workers.

You can usually recover a variety of damages after an accident with a commercial vehicle, including property damage, medical bills, emotional suffering, and lost income. A trusted San Jose car accident lawyer can help you differentiate who’s at fault.