In the never-ending journey for fleet efficiency, fleet managers should not ignore the costs of accident investigation and defense of claims. Companies that operate regional or national fleets can achieve considerable efficiencies and economies of scale by consolidating their defense of claims and lawsuits into a national counsel model in which a designated team of in-house and outside lawyers (as opposed to different lawyers in each state) manage and execute the defense of all motor vehicle accident claims and lawsuits. This approach can provide for more consistent application of defense strategies, improve communication between the company and its outside counsel, reduce the amount of time spent searching for and collecting relevant information in each case, and reduce the amount of time spent educating outside counsel about the company’s fleet polices and procedures.

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