Accidents involving company vehicles, delivery vans, work trucks, and other commercial vehicles can involve more than one insurance policy and more than one responsible party. VanWa Legal PLLC helps injured people in Vancouver and Clark County pursue full compensation.
Serving Vancouver and Southwest Washington
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A crash involving a company vehicle is rarely as simple as a standard car accident. The driver may have been on the clock at the time, which can put their employer's liability, not just their own, on the line.
Commercial insurance policies often carry higher limits than a personal auto policy, but they also come with more resistance. Companies and their insurers move quickly to protect themselves, and key evidence like delivery logs, GPS data, and dashcam footage can disappear or get overwritten within days.
VanWa Legal PLLC represents people injured by commercial vehicles throughout Vancouver and Clark County, and we move just as quickly to preserve the evidence your claim depends on.
Cases we handle
Crashes involving package and food delivery vans, where the driver's employment status directly affects who is liable.
Crashes involving an employee driving a car owned or provided by their employer for work purposes.
Crashes involving pickups and work trucks used for a trade, service call, or job site travel.
Crashes involving mid size box trucks used for moving, delivery, or freight, often with weight and visibility factors a standard car accident does not involve.
Crashes involving utility company vehicles, often on the job at the time of the collision.
Crashes involving Uber, Lyft, or similar app based drivers, where coverage depends heavily on the driver's status in the app at the time of the crash.
Crashes involving vehicles owned by a construction company or independent contractor, which can raise questions about both the driver and the business that employs them.
Crashes involving vehicles that are part of a larger company fleet, where broader company policies and maintenance practices may come into play.
When a driver flees the scene, identifying who caused the crash becomes harder, and the case often shifts toward uninsured motorist coverage.
Who Can Be Liable
The driver behind the wheel at the time of the crash is often the first, but not always the only, liable party.
If the driver was working at the time, their employer may share liability for the crash under Washington law.
When the vehicle is owned by a company or individual other than the driver, the owner's insurance may come into play.
On job sites and delivery routes involving multiple businesses, a contractor or subcontractor may bear some responsibility.
If a mechanical failure contributed to the crash, the company responsible for maintaining the vehicle may share liability.
Improperly loaded cargo can cause or worsen a crash, which can put a separate loading company in the chain of liability.
Other drivers on the road may share fault, particularly in multi vehicle crashes involving a commercial vehicle.
Common Causes
Commercial drivers face pressures that most drivers do not, and those pressures often show up as patterns in how these crashes happen.
A commercial vehicle claim depends on evidence that a standard car accident case does not require, and much of it needs to be secured quickly before it disappears.
Insurance Coverage
Commercial vehicle claims frequently involve more coverage, and more complexity, than a standard car accident. A commercial auto policy is usually the starting point, but employer liability coverage, contractor policies, and umbrella or excess policies can all extend beyond it depending on how the crash happened and who was involved.
The at fault driver's own personal coverage may also apply in some cases, and your own underinsured motorist coverage (UIM) can help if the available commercial coverage is not enough to cover a serious injury. Policy limits matter more here than in a typical car accident claim, since commercial crashes often cause more severe injuries and higher damages, which is exactly why identifying every available policy is critical to a full recovery.
Common Injuries
The size and weight difference between a commercial vehicle and a passenger car often means more severe injuries, including:
Compensation
*The compensation available depends on the facts of your case,
What to Do After
FAQ
It depends on whether the driver was working at the time. If so, their employer may share liability along with the driver.
Got some more questions? Send us a message at contact@vanwalegal.com
Contact us
If you were hurt by a company vehicle, delivery van, or work truck, you do not have to sort out who is liable on your own. Talk to an attorney about your case at no cost, and pay nothing unless we win.
