Mile Marker 54 – Kelsea Eckert on Crash Claims, Downtime Pay, and Avoiding Insurance Traps

This episode is dedicated to helping truckers who are involved in a crash learn how to protect themselves, handle the claims process, and get back to business faster. We sit down with Kelsea Eckert, attorney with Downtime Claims, a firm focused on recovering compensation when a crash was not the trucker’s fault, including lost revenue from downtime, not just repairs.

Kelsea breaks down why many truckers leave money on the table after an accident, how to prove liability and damages, and what to watch for when an insurance company tries to wrap everything up with a quick check and a release. If you are an owner operator or small fleet, this conversation is a practical guide to protecting your income when the unexpected happens.

Kelsea discusses:

-Why downtime claims exist, what “made whole” really means, and why lost income should be part of the claim, not an afterthought

-The essentials after a crash, including dash cam footage, a police report, photos and witness info, and a printed checklist kept in the truck

-How to document damages correctly, get a legitimate repair estimate, avoid pressure to use a specific shop, and plan for supplements and diminished value

-The biggest claim mistakes to avoid, including filing with your own insurance when you do not have to, and signing any release before everything is fully resolved

What’s next?

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