Hit by a company truck? The company may have to pay.
When someone crashes while driving for work, the business behind them, and its commercial insurance, can be responsible too. That usually means more coverage than a personal car policy. Talal Perez Ghosheh finds out who owned the vehicle and goes after every policy.
Every fleet vehicle is a different case
Not every truck is an 18-wheeler. Most company vehicle crashes involve vans, box trucks and pickups, and each has its own rules and insurance.
Delivery vans
Package and parcel vans that stop, start and double-park all day.
Box trucks
Rental, moving and freight box trucks, often driven by people with little training.
Work trucks
Contractor, utility, landscaping and construction vehicles on the job.
Company pickups & cars
Sales reps, technicians and employees driving for work.
Driver's policy vs. company policy
If the driver was working, there may be two sources of payment, not one.
Driver only
- Personal auto policy
- Georgia minimum can be as low as $25,000 per person
- Driver may argue they weren't at fault
Driver + company
- Commercial auto policy, often with much higher limits
- Possible umbrella or excess coverage
- Company can be responsible for an employee driving for work
- Claims for careless hiring, training or vehicle upkeep may also apply
How to tell it was a company vehicle
- A business name, logo or phone number on the doors or back
- A "USDOT" number or fleet number painted on the side
- Ladder racks, tool boxes, cargo or a uniform on the driver
- A rental or leasing company sticker
- The driver says they were "on a route," "making a delivery" or "heading to a job"
Take photos of all of it, if you can do it safely. Then call us. We do the rest.
Talal Perez Ghosheh
Georgia personal injury lawyer since 2009 and founder of GHOSHEH LAW FIRM LLC, with an office in Lawrenceville. You work directly with the lawyer, in English or Spanish.
Read our Google reviews →Questions we hear
The driver said it was his own truck. Is the company still responsible?
Maybe. What matters is whether the driver was working for the company at the time, not just who owns the vehicle. We look at the facts: the route, the job, the time of day.
The van had a rental company logo. Who pays?
Usually the company that rented it and the driver's insurance, not the rental company itself. Federal law generally protects rental companies from liability just for owning the vehicle. Rental trucks used for business still often carry commercial coverage.
How long do I have to file?
In Georgia, generally two years from the crash for personal injury. If the vehicle belonged to a city, county or the state, a written notice is due much sooner.
What does it cost?
Nothing up front. Contingency fee: no attorney fee unless we recover money for you.
Hit by a company vehicle?
Free case review with Talal Perez Ghosheh. English or Spanish.