Commercial trucking companies send investigators to the scene within hours. You need someone on your side just as fast.
A collision with a fully loaded 18-wheeler is rarely a fender bender — the size and weight difference alone often means catastrophic injury. But the legal side is different too. Commercial carriers are regulated under federal trucking law, carry insurance policies far larger than a typical driver's, and have claims teams and investigators who can be at the scene within hours, working to limit the company's exposure before you've even left the hospital.
Truck accident liability often extends past the driver. Depending on the facts of the crash, responsible parties can include:
Commercial trucks carry electronic logging devices and black box data that record speed, braking, and hours driven — and some of it can be legally overwritten or destroyed within days unless a preservation letter is sent immediately. This is one of the biggest reasons not to wait before contacting a lawyer after a serious truck accident.
Federal hours-of-service rules exist for a reason. Violations are common and often show up clearly in electronic logs.
Unsecured or unbalanced loads can cause rollovers, jackknifing, and spilled cargo accidents.
Brake failure and tire blowouts are among the most common preventable causes of serious truck accidents.
The same risks that cause passenger vehicle accidents apply at highway speed in an 80,000-pound vehicle.
Commercial trucking companies are regulated by federal law, carry much larger insurance policies, and send their own investigators to the scene quickly. These cases often involve multiple liable parties.
Electronic logging device data, the truck's black box, driver logs, maintenance records, and dashcam footage can all be critical, and some of it can be erased within days if not legally preserved.
Depending on the facts, liability can extend beyond the driver to the trucking company, a cargo loading company, a maintenance contractor, or the truck or parts manufacturer.
If you or someone you love has been hurt, don't guess at what your claim is worth. Get a straight answer.