U-Haul is a company that most of us have heard of, and many of us have even patronized at some point in our lives to move house for ourselves, or friends and family. They’ve become almost ubiquitous in our lives without us really thinking about it. Renting one of their trucks is generally easy and painless. However, people can rent trucks of any size without training or certification. This can be a serious issue on our roadways when these moving vehicles get involved in serious truck accidents.
Below, our colleagues from Blaszkow Legal, PLLC discuss important aspects of U-Haul accidents and what to know about them.
When car accidents occur involving a U-Haul moving van or truck, you (the injured party) cannot act as if it is a normal, run-of-the-mill car accident. You really can’t, because of the many ways that a U-Haul accident is so much different than a regular car crash.
If you have been hurt in a collision involving a U-Haul vehicle, you have to make sure that you document everything, because it can sometimes be difficult to track down the correct insurance in these cases. U-Haul itself is insured through:
RepWest Insurance Company
PO Box 24463
Phoenix, AZ 85074
Claims Telephone: 1-833-228-0632
However, these crashes aren’t as simple as filing a claim through the U-Haul insurance, because many people elect not to insure the moving van! This is permitted, because they can use their own insurance, but their insurance may not be sufficient.
Furthermore, you may have to file a lawsuit in your case. Your case isn’t necessarily against U-Haul, but rather against the driver! ALWAYS call the police/911 after a motor vehicle collision—that way they can document the scene and obtain the pertinent information you will need.
In order to further protect yourself, always get the U-Haul operator’s state-issued driver’s license. This means a picture of the license itself (not just an insurance card!). Always get pictures of the vehicle registration as well as the license plate, too. Most U-Haul vehicles (but not all) are registered in Arizona. Make sure that you look at any rental agreements or documents that are available, although the driver may not have that information handy.
If you have been hurt in a U-Haul-involved accident, you need to contact an experienced car crash attorney right away. The longer you wait, the harder you make the investigation. It is always a burden to prove the case and prove who was at fault for the crash. Remember that U-Haul insurance often becomes secondary when the vehicle is rented by a person who is moving. While that truck is in that person’s control and possession, their own car insurance is often providing the coverage, and the longer you wait to make the appropriate notifications, the more it can delay your case.
The longer you wait to talk to an attorney, the higher the chance that evidence can be lost and not preserved. Call a dedicated truck, car, or motorcycle accident lawyer so that they can begin fighting for you. The insurance companies have a legion of lawyers working to minimize your case—shouldn’t you have someone on your side, working for you?