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18-WHEELERS · SEMIS · TRACTOR-TRAILERS

Trucking Accidents

OVERVIEW

Eighteen-wheelers, semi-trucks, and tractor-trailers cause catastrophic injuries because of their sheer mass, blind spots, and the speeds at which they operate on interstates. A fully loaded commercial truck weighs up to twenty times more than a passenger vehicle — physics alone dictates the severity of these crashes. Trucking cases are also fundamentally different from ordinary car accidents because they are governed by federal regulation, involve corporate defendants, and turn on evidence that disappears within days if not preserved.

01

Common Causes

  • Driver fatigue and hours-of-service violations
  • Distracted driving and mobile-device use
  • Improperly loaded or unsecured cargo
  • Defective brakes, tires, or trailer couplings
  • Inadequate driver training or qualification
  • Pressure from carriers to meet unrealistic delivery schedules
02

Who Can Be Held Liable

  • The driver
  • The motor carrier (employer)
  • The truck or trailer owner
  • The cargo shipper or loader
  • Maintenance and repair contractors
  • Component or equipment manufacturers
03

Evidence We Preserve

  • Electronic logging device (ELD) and hours-of-service records
  • Engine control module ("black box") data
  • Driver qualification files and training records
  • Pre-trip and post-trip inspection reports
  • Bills of lading and dispatch logs
  • Dashcam, traffic-camera, and weigh-station video

Statutes of Limitation

Every state imposes a strict deadline to file suit. In some states, claims must be filed within one or two years of the injury or death. Once that deadline passes, the case is gone forever. Federal claims and claims against government entities can have even shorter notice requirements — sometimes as little as ninety days. Do not assume you have time.

Why Acting Quickly Matters

Critical evidence disappears in days, not weeks. Black-box data is overwritten. Surveillance footage is recycled. Witnesses move. Defendants and their insurers begin building their case the moment an incident occurs. The injured family deserves a litigation team moving just as fast.

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