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Mitigation Matters: Protecting Your Income as an Expediter After an Accident

When you’re an expediter, every hour your truck is parked can mean a lost load and a lost customer. Unlike other trucking jobs, expediters haul critical, time-sensitive freight, and delays ripple quickly through the supply chain. If you’ve been sidelined by an accident, the law requires you to mitigate your damages to strengthen your downtime claim. But what does that mean in practice?

What Does Mitigation Mean for Expediters?

Mitigation means taking reasonable steps to reduce your losses after an accident. For expediters, this is especially important because insurance companies often argue that drivers could have done more to get back on the road sooner. If you don’t show evidence of your efforts, your downtime claim may be undervalued or denied.

Practical Ways to Mitigate as an Expediter

• Seek Repairs Quickly – Get your truck into a shop as soon as possible. Waiting weeks before bringing it in could be used against you.
• Document Delays – Keep records of repair shop schedules, part shortages, or backlogs. This shows delays were out of your control.
• Explore Rentals – If feasible, renting equipment while yours is being repaired demonstrates you tried to keep hauling freight.
• Communicate with Brokers/Shippers – Save records of canceled loads or alternative work you attempted to secure. This supports your lost income claim.
• Track Expenses – Hotel bills, transportation costs, and cargo transfers can all be part of your claim if documented properly.

Why Mitigation Strengthens Your Claim

Insurance companies look for ways to reduce payouts. By proving that you acted responsibly and tried to minimize your losses, you protect your right to full compensation. A well-documented mitigation effort shows that your downtime wasn’t caused by inaction; it was a direct result of the accident.

Our Role in the Process

At Eckert & Associates, P.A., we know the expedited industry and how high the stakes are when your equipment is down. Our team works with you to build strong claims packages that include evidence of mitigation, financial documentation, and negotiations that keep insurers honest.

We’re Here to Protect Your Downtime

Don’t let insurers shortchange your downtime claim. Eckert & Associates, P.A. fights for expediters like you. Call 1-800-DOWNTIME or visit DowntimeClaims.com today for a free consultation.

This article is general in nature and is not intended as legal advice.