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Despite being involved in a tow truck accidents, tow trucks that are kept in good working order and driven by responsible drivers, are essential to our society and provide a great service to keep roads safe and traffic moving.
Just think about all the broken down cars on the freeways and side streets, and all the cars that are illegally parked, or cars that block traffic or fire lanes.
All of these examples listed above create major problems here in California, but without tow trucks we would all be very frustrated dealing with these cars.
Even though we need tow trucks, they can be a liability when you get a bad driver or bad owner that doesn’t keep his vehicles safe, and in turn the tow truck actually causes an accident.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a tow truck accident you can contact The Law Offices of Daniel Kim for a FREE consultation and to get answers.
Accidents can happen anywhere for any reason, from a red light accident to being rear-ended, so you always need to be aware.
Why Contact The Law Offices of Daniel Kim
Once you are involved in a tow truck accident that includes injuries, you’ll quickly realize how unfair the system can be and that the other insurance company isn’t really worried about you at all.
Getting hit by a tow truck driver usually ends up to be a dramatic situation where your car is totaled and you start spending your free time at doctor appointments to deal with your injuries.
Daniel Kim and his legal team have years of experience dealing with tow truck accidents, and we can represent the victim regardless if you are the tow truck driver or if you were hit by a tow truck.
The insurance companies (especially the larger ones) love to settle claims quickly by offering the injured party so ridiculously low settlement in hopes of you being desperate and taking the check.
Daniel Kim is a very aggressive injury lawyer who won’t be intimidated by the insurance companies, and Daniel isn’t interested in taking a quick settlement offer just so he can get a fast payday.
The Law Offices of Daniel Kim have over 1000 positive reviews on Yelp, Google and Facebook from past clients that wanted to share their story.
Contact us today for a FREE consultation and get immediate answers to whatever questions you have.
Facts about Daniel Kim
- You can contact us 7 days a week, 365 days a year
- We have a 99% client satisfaction rating
- We will help get you proper medical treatment
- We have an A+ rating on the BBB
Types of Tow Truck Accidents
As you know, tow trucks are pretty big vehicles and they are awkward in shape and size.
They are heavier and harder to maneuver when they are actually towing another vehicle, which makes tow trucks susceptible to causing another car accident.
Of course a tow truck driver can help avoid an accident by just driving safe and following all the traffic laws, but some accidents can’t be avoided.
Issues that commonly cause a tow truck driver to crash –
Improper Truck Maintenance – Reality is tow trucks have an important job to help keep people and our roads safe. Just imagine the 405 freeway in rush hour if a broken down car couldn’t get a tow truck driver to come save them (tow them away). Tow trucks need to be properly maintained and go through regular safety checks and inspections. Bad brakes, bald tires, or other equipment that isn’t working properly can cause a serious safety issue.
Driver Error / Negligence – Just the power and size of a tow truck makes the vehicle dangerous to drive, but when you add that with driver error or carelessness then you have a real problem. Serious injuries or even wrongful death can happen in tow truck accidents that happen due to a mistake by the driver.
Distracted Driving – tow truck drivers all always on their cellphones, or talking to dispatch on their radio, or maybe they are texting or looking at GPS for directions. All of these situations can cause the driver to become distracted and make a mistake that causes another accident.
Towed Vehicle Comes Loose – this is always a bad situation when the vehicle being towed comes loose from the tow truck itself. This quickly turns into an unpredictable situation because the car that gets loose has no driver or occupants and it’s like a weapon suddenly on the road. This doesn’t happen very often thank god, but when it does it puts other drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists in a ton of danger.
Types of Tow Trucks On The Roads
In general tow trucks are managed by either private business enterprises or by a governmental agency that is involved with operating roads and local highways in California.
A lot of private tow truck companies offer services for towing regular cars and trucks, but they also offer services for managing larger vehicles like tractor-trailers and school bus, etc.
The most common types of tow trucks you’ll see are listed below –
Flatbed Trucks – in this case a hydraulically powered tow truck bed is used to arrange the broken-down vehicle on the back of the tow truck. Very common type of tow truck all over Southern California.
Chain / Hook Trucks – this type of tow truck involves chains that are hooked around a vehicle frame or axle and then the vehicle is pulled up with the use of a hydraulic pulley. With this set up the rear axle is left on the ground, so the tires touch the street making for an easy way to tow a car.
Wheel-Lift Trucks – in this instance a vehicle will be pulled onto the tow very similar to how a hook/chain tow truck operates. The one big difference is that they use a metal device that is placed under the front or rear wheels to prevent the bumper from getting messed up during towing.
Integrated Trucks (hybrid) – these lighter and smaller trucks are commonly used to tow illegally parked cars or to just repossess a car in the middle of the night.
How Are Tow Truck Drivers Hired
Like any business, it is very important for a tow truck company to hire safe drivers and help keep the roads safe while servicing the public.
Tow truck operators need to be careful about who they hire and what an employee has done in the past, especially what their driving record might look like.
A tow truck company needs to research a driver’s history, criminal record, and double check their eligibility to be insured as a driver.
Drivers that work for any tow truck company must be insured on the company policy.
There are instances where a commercial tow truck operator hires tow truck drivers that didn’t complete training (or none at all), had a criminal driving record or substance abuse problem, and sometimes then the owner can be found at fault for the accident.
In addition, tow truck operators are also supposed to inspect and maintain their vehicles on a regular basis to help prevent accidents.
Common Injuries From Tow Truck Accidents
Injuries from tow truck accidents are usually similar to those injuries from other truck accidents like moving trucks, UPS trucks, etc.
Tow trucks are almost always bigger and heavier than the cars that you and I drive, cars like a Honda, Nissan, Prius, etc.
Tow trucks pose a real threat to drivers in normal cars that are forced to share the roads here in California.
If you have been injured in a tow truck accident then the first thing you Need to do is seek medical treatment, don’t postpone this.
Delaying the start medical treatment will slow your recovery process when it comes to your health, and once we file a lawsuit for you it’s critical that you can show you had proper medical treatment.
The insurance companies love to deny claims, and if you didn’t get proper medical care then you are just giving the opposing insurance company a reason to deny or minimize your claim.
Occasionally somebody will get hit by a tow truck driver and walk away with a small injury like a broken and or something, but usually the outcome is much worse.
These are the common injuries we see in tow truck accidents –
- Wrongful Death
- Broken Bones
- Whiplash
- Facial Lacerations
- Concussion
- Spine Injury
- Neck and Back
- Traumatic Brain Injury
Are Tow Truck Drivers Insured
Tow truck companies must have a specialized tow truck insurance program in place in order to protect themselves and their business from the financial risks they deal with as a business owner.
Owning and operating a tow truck company involves a lot of financial risk so it’s crucial for the tow company to have proper insurance to cover themselves in case of accidents.
Not all tow truck companies, or operators are the same and the insurance policy that works for one tow company with 10 trucks in Newport Beach might not be ideal for a tow truck company in Huntington Beach.
Below is some basic info on what common commercial tow truck insurance coverages:
Auto Liability Insurance – the most common type of auto insurance, a very broad coverageMedical Payments – a policy to help pay for any costs related to injuries suffered by others due to an accident caused by your drivers or you.
Physical Damage – a coverage to help cover costs related to the repairs or replacement of your tow truck if it’s damaged
On-Hook Towing – helps to pay for damages to vehicles you are towing
UI / UM – uninsured and underinsured motorist will help cover your costs if you are hit by a driver who has no coverage at all, or if their coverage amount isn’t adequate enough to cover your damages/injuries.
