Lawsuits?

There are much bigger things to worry about, statistics wise. It's like joining the army and your main concern is what flavor of toothpaste will be provided.

 

Everyone will be named in a suit, including you, even if you wind up behind bars.

 

As a company driver, the answer is "not likely."

Companies assume the risk when they hire you, that's why you're on their insurance. Even guys involved in accidents where they were texting and driving, the company still pays.

A buddy of mine has 4 trucks and had a driver who was texting and slammed into the back of a car at a toll booth. Nobody died, but one of the passengers was injured. The driver was clearly seen on the toll booth camera texting. The people sued my buddies insurance for $1,000,000 and won in 1 court appearing. Open and close case.

The driver did lose his job (but is somehow driving again, if you can believe it), and my buddies insurance went WAY up, but all my buddy had to do was pay his deductible and the insurance covered the rest. Nothing happened to the actual driver, aside from getting fired as I previously mentioned. Now I said "not likely" because there is a chance that the lawsuit exceeds the value of the insurance.

I was also in an accident YEARS ago. I was "at fault" in the collision and it was with another semi truck. Both trucks were totaled out and the other driver sued my company for $80k for "injuries" (he had a bruise on his hip that required him to miss 5 days of work). I didn't have to pay anything out of pocket, but I did have to appear in court.

Every company is insured for a minimum of $1,000,000. If you are negligent and hit a bus full of kids, for example, and the lawsuit exceeds the limit of the insurance, then it's possible for them to come after you personally, but that doesn't happen often and it's really only possible if it was proven you were being negligent.

 

DOT minimum is $750K though most brokers would go for one million as the cost difference is not huge.

Hazmat min 1 million table two items, with HM permits and table one items 5 million.