Truck Accidents
Truck crashes are not car crashes with bigger vehicles. Federal trucking rules, driver logs, maintenance records, and multiple insurance companies all shape the case, and the window to preserve evidence is short.
Why these cases differ
Commercial trucks and their drivers operate under Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations covering hours of service, driver logs, vehicle inspections, and maintenance schedules. A violation of those rules can be evidence of negligence. Building that case means requesting driver logs, inspection reports, and maintenance records before a trucking company or its insurer has a reason to lose them.
Multiple parties
A single crash can involve the driver, the trucking company, a leasing or owner-operator entity, and a separate maintenance contractor, each with its own insurance policy. Commercial trucking policies generally carry higher limits than a standard auto policy, which is part of why these claims draw more scrutiny and more lawyers on the other side.
Common causes
Driver fatigue from long hours on the road is a recurring factor in truck crashes, along with following too closely given a loaded truck's stopping distance. Trucking companies are also required to maintain brakes, tires, and trailers to federal standards, and a documented maintenance failure can be central to a claim.
Act fast
Electronic logging device data, dashcam footage, and inspection records are often retained only for a set period before a company can overwrite or discard them. A written preservation request sent early can be the difference between having that evidence and not. The firm works on a contingency basis for injury claims, so there is no upfront cost to get that request out.
How we help
The first call should turn a confusing legal issue into a clearer next step.
Hours-of-service logs, dispatch records, and driver qualification files to establish who was responsible and what rules may have been broken.
Brake, tire, and trailer service records that can show whether a mechanical failure played a role.
Sorting out which policies apply when a driver, motor carrier, and owner may each carry separate coverage.
Treatment records and bills tied to the crash, gathered as care continues so nothing is missed later.
“Ted Smith is the best in the area! I can't say enough good things. The whole office cares about their clients and make sure your case is taken care of swiftly and done perfectly.”
Questions
Truck accidents generally involve federal safety regulations, commercial insurance policies with higher limits, and more than one potentially responsible party, such as the driver, the trucking company, and a maintenance contractor. That combination usually means more records to gather and more insurers involved than a typical two-car crash.
Driver logs, electronic logging device data, dashcam or trailer camera footage, and maintenance or inspection records are all time-sensitive. Sending a preservation letter early helps prevent that evidence from being lost or routinely discarded.
Depending on the facts, responsibility can fall on the driver, the trucking or motor carrier company, an owner-operator or leasing entity, or a separate maintenance provider. Sorting out which insurance policies apply is often part of the early work on the case.
Personal injury cases, including truck accident claims, are handled on a contingency basis, meaning there is no fee unless the case results in a recovery. Consultations for personal injury matters are free.
It is common for a trucking company's insurer to reach out quickly, sometimes before you have had a chance to gather your own records. Speaking with an attorney before giving a recorded statement or accepting an early settlement offer can help protect the claim.
Consultations for personal injury and SSD/SSDI are free. Call or text the Killeen office and the team will get back to you, usually within one business day.
