Trucking and Semi-Truck Accidents

Lawsuit and Settlement Lawyers

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), in 2020, approximately 415,000 road accidents involved large vehicles and trucks, averaging about 1,130 incidents daily. More than 100,000 of these accidents resulted in injuries, and there were 3,864 fatal crashes.

Our tractor-trailer accident lawyers fight to recover compensation for people who suffered injury from a collision with a big rig truck.

Why Choose Our Law Firm to Represent You in Your Large Truck Accident Claim

Our law firm has decades of experience taking on large corporations, like big trucking and transportation companies. We have been handling truck accident claims throughout the country since 1955, and have earned a reputation as one of the most successful personal injury law firms in the nation. Our litigation efforts have helped to secure more than $80 billion dollars in total jury verdicts and settlements.

Contact our law firm today for a free, confidential consultation with no obligation by calling (850) 971-6785. Alternatively, you can request a free, private evaluation by filling out the Free Evaluation Form on this page, and your inquiry will be promptly reviewed at no cost.

News Updates & Reports for Semi-Truck and Tractor-Trailer Accidents

Our trucking accident lawyers want to keep you apprised of the latest information regarding collisions with these large vehicles, so we keep this page updated with articles and reports from authoritative sources.

November 17, 2023: Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts

Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts (LTBCF) is an annual report that provides detailed statistics on crashes involving large trucks and buses, including those that are fatal, cause injuries, or result in property damage only. (Source: Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration (Source: FMCSA)

March 2, 2022: NHTSA Releases 2020 Traffic Crash Data

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration published its 2020 annual traffic crash data, revealing that 38,824 people died in traffic crashes across the country. This figure represents the highest number of fatalities since 2007. Fatalities in large-truck crashes decreased by 1.3%. (Source: NHTSA)

March 21, 2016: Driver Exits Burning Semi-Truck and Falls to His Death

A 52-year-old semi-truck driver died when the truck’s gasoline tank ruptured and ignited after a collision. It is believed the driver exited through the passenger side window to escape the fire and fell to his death over the concrete barrier wall. (Source: CDC)

How Much Compensation Can You Get for Your Semi-Truck Accident?

Every big rig accident is different, and so the financial compensation for a claim, lawsuit, or settlement varies from case to case. The sheer mass of a tractor-trailer truck can produce serious injuries in a collision. The type and extent of your injuries and related damages dictate this compensation.

In a personal injury situation, the types of damages you could recover from a big truck accident include:

• Physical pain and suffering
• Mental pain and suffering
• Medical expenses
• Lost wages

Can You File a Wrongful Death Claim in a Semi-Trailer Accident?

If you lost a loved one due to injuries they sustained in a semi-truck, we are sorry for your loss. Please know you may be entitled to file a wrongful death claim to recover damages like:

• Medical costs
• Funeral expenses
• Emotional distress
• Loss of support
• Loss of future estate

Our wrongful death lawyers can guide you through this process with compassion and dignity. We will take this burden off your shoulders so you can focus on your family and yourself during this difficult time.

What Causes Most Big Rig Truck Collisions?

Many factors can cause a truck accident, making these types of claims especially complicated. The following are some common causes:

• Driver fatigue
• Improper driver training and experience
• Use of drugs and alcohol by the driver
• Unsafe equipment
• Improper maintenance
• Incorrect size, weight and loading
• Lack of following the federal trucking laws and regulations
• Road and environmental conditions
• Speed and improperly adjusted brakes
• Cell phone usage and texting
• Improper reactions to a situation

A trucking accident attorney will know how to determine the cause of your semi-truck wreck and which parties might be liable for your injuries.

What Is a Commercial Motor Carrier?

A commercial motor carrier is an individual who drives a vehicle across state lines when the vehicle:

• Weighs 10,001 pounds or more
• Has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more
• Is designed or used to transport 16 or more passengers (including the driver) not for compensation
• Is designed or used to transport 9 or more passengers (including the driver) for compensation; or
• Is transporting hazardous materials in a quantity requiring placards

Which Federal Laws Govern Tractor-Trailer Drivers?

Trucking companies must adhere to federal laws to ensure the safety of their drivers, other motorists, and pedestrians.

Hours of Operation

Commercial motor carrier drivers are permitted to drive up to 11-hour a day with a 14-hour work day limit. Their maximum average work week is 70 hours; however, those who reach the maximum 70 hours of driving within a week can resume driving if they rest for 34 consecutive hours. Drivers are required to take a 30-minute break during the first eight hours of a shift.

Drug Testing

Drivers are tested for the following drugs pre-employment and after most trucking accidents that involve bodily injury or death: marijuana, cocaine, opiates, amphetamines, methamphetamines, and phencyclidine.

Give our law firm a call today at (850) 971-6785 for a complimentary, confidential consultation with no obligation. You can also submit the Free Evaluation Form on this page for a private evaluation, and your inquiry will be reviewed immediately and free of charge.

How Do I Choose a Truck Accident Lawyer?

First, determine whether the attorneys you are considering focus their practice on handling motor carrier cases and whether they have a record of successfully litigating these types of cases. Many attorneys claim to have this expertise but simply try to settle cases quickly and do not desire to go to trial. Insurance companies generally know who these attorneys are and will try to offer less than a fair settlement value.

Our firm is always prepared and willing to go to trial if the case cannot settle for a proper amount under the law. We do it multiple times every year and have for more than 65 years.

We have been named “One of America’s Most Winning Law Firms” by the National Law Journal, and are listed in Best Lawyers in America; Super Lawyers, and Trial Lawyers Hall of Fame.

What Does It Cost to Hire a Truck Accident Attorney?

We provide an absolutely free confidential consultation, and if we are fortunate enough for you to hire us, we never will charge you any fees or costs unless you first recover. This type of fee is known as a contingency fee.

How Long Will it Take to Resolve My Claim?

Truck accident cases can vary in length from a few weeks to years before they are settled or get paid as a result of a jury trial. Each situation is different. We will need to review the facts of your individual case, and then begin an investigation of all the circumstances before we can provide you a good estimate.

Generally, however, you need to be prepared for the process to take one year in simple cases to 3-4 years in complex cases. Wrongful death cases generally take longer than personal injuries cases. A good estimate is 2 – 5 years depending upon the complexity.

How Long Do I Have to Bring a Truck Accident Lawsuit

You have a limited amount of time in which to file a lawsuit against those responsible for your truck accident injuries. This window of time is dictated by the laws in your state called “statutes of limitations.” Our semi-tractor-trailer accident lawyers can tell you more about the statues of limitations in your state.

Example: In Pensacola, Florida, you would have a four-year limitation period to file a lawsuit if the accident resulted in physical injuries, but a two-year limitation period for truck accidents resulting in death. If the accident was caused by a governmental entity, some claims procedures must be filed six months before a lawsuit is filed, and also there is a maximum limitation period of three years.

Trucking and Semi-Truck Accident Free Case Review

Factors That Influence How Much Time You Have to File a Big Rig Accident Lawsuit

The following factors determine how much time you have to file a truck accident lawsuit:

• Where the truck collision occurred
• The type of injury sustained
• Whether the opposing side is an individual, company or governmental entity
• When you became aware, or should have become aware, of the injury

Strongly consider seeking legal advice when you become aware of a potential injury after an accident, even if you decide not to hire a lawyer. We will provide you a confidential and free consult, even if you decide not to hire us. This way you at least can determine your rights, and how long you have to pursue those rights.

Three Factors That Affect Trucking Accident Claims

Claims and lawsuits involving big rig accidents take into account several factors: (1) the opposing side performed a negligent, reckless or intentional act; (2) the act was a legal cause of the injury sustained or death; and (3) the extent of the damages caused.

• The opposing side performed a negligent, reckless or intentional act
• The act was a legal cause of the injury sustained or death
• The extent of the damages caused

Negligence is the failure of a person to use reasonable care, which is the care that a reasonably careful person would use under the same circumstances. Legal cause (also known as proximate cause) occurs when the negligent act produces or contributes substantially to producing the injury or death. The third element is damages–the extent of the harm you suffered because of the negligence.

Our Semi-Truck Accident Attorneys Will Fight to Bring You Justice

Call our law firm today for a free, no-obligation, and confidential consultation at (850) 971-6785. You also can request a free private and confidential evaluation by submitting the Free Evaluation Form on this page, and your inquiry will be immediately reviewed free of charge.