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The statement regarding up to 3.5X compensation references a third-party Insurance Research Council study comparing settlements of claimants who retained attorneys versus those who did not.

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Award-Winning commercial vehicle Accident Lawyers

Work with proven advocates dedicated to maximizing your settlement or verdict.

Awards shown reflect recognitions of independent attorneys or law firms with whom Westwise Group LLC may associate with. These are not awards solely of Westwise Group. For award details, please refer to the granting organization.

We help with a wide range of commercial vehicle accidents

Tractor-trailer collisions

80,000-lb rigs devastate passenger cars. It may be needed to mine FMCSA logs, black-box data, and brake records to prove negligence and unlock the carrier’s multi-million-dollar policy.

Delivery vans & box trucks

Amazon, UPS, and FedEx drivers cause blind-spot impacts and rollovers. Route tracking and scanner data can pin liability on the company quickly.

Tanker truck accidents

Tankers hauling fuel or chemicals demand special licenses and create unique risks for other drivers.

Bus & passenger carrier crashes

City buses, tour coaches, and shuttles carry hefty insurance. On-board cameras and telematics can help prove fatigue, distraction, or unsafe scheduling.

Service-fleet collisions

Garbage, telecom, and power-company trucks strike with massive force. Fleet maintenance logs and municipal contracts can help secure full recovery.

Construction vehicle accidents

Dump trucks, cement mixers, and boom trucks tip or spill loads in work zones. Contractor safety records reveal corners cut and multiple parties to sue.

Common types of commercial vehicle accident

Jackknife accidents

A jackknife occurs when a truck’s trailer swings toward the cab, forming an L-shape after sudden braking or on slick roads. The trailer can sweep across several lanes and smash multiple cars.

Rollover crashes

Top-heavy trucks and delivery vans can tip during sharp turns, high winds, or when cargo shifts. A rolling vehicle may crush nearby cars or scatter debris that triggers pile-ups. We analyze police reports, black-box data, and weight tickets to show whether speed, load imbalance, or poor maintenance caused the rollover.

Underride collisions

An underride happens when a smaller car slides beneath a truck’s trailer, shearing off the roof and causing severe or fatal injuries. Missing underride guards, weak tail-lights, or sudden stops are common factors. We use crash-scene photos and federal safety-rule checks to hold trucking firms accountable.

Wide-turn accidents

Trucks swing wide and trap cars or cyclists in blind spots. GPS logs and surveillance video prove failure to signal or check mirrors.

Unsecured load & cargo spills

Improperly strapped or overloaded cargo shifts, topples trucks, or scatters debris. Load manifests and tie-down specs pinpoint negligent drivers, loaders, or carriers.

Multi-vehicle accidents

Multi-vehicle accidents (chain-reaction pile-ups) involve three or more vehicles, often starting with one crash that triggers others on busy roads or highways. Figuring out who is at fault can be difficult since multiple drivers may share blame. A multi-vehicle accident attorney can analyze the crash, determine each party’s liability, and help ensure injured victims pursue all possible compensation.

Questions and Answers

What should I do after a commercial vehicle accident?

The moments after a crash with a commercial vehicle can be overwhelming, but taking the right steps is crucial for your safety and claim. Here’s what to do. Ensure safety and call 911. Check yourself and others for injuries. Safety is the top priority. If anyone is hurt, call for medical help immediately. Also, report the accident to the police. A police report will be an important piece of evidence later on. Stay at the scene and gather information. Exchange contact and insurance details with the commercial driver. Jot down the company name, license plate, and if it’s a truck, the DOT number from the trailer. If there are witnesses, get their names and phone numbers as well. Document the accident. Take photos or videos of the scene, vehicle damage, skid marks, and any visible injuries. If it’s a delivery van or truck, photos of logos or cargo spillage can be useful. This documentation can serve as evidence of what happened and how severe the impact was. Avoid admissions of fault. Be polite and cooperative with the responding officers, but do not apologize or admit blame for the crash (even casually). Stick to the facts when describing what happened. Anything you say could be used by insurance companies later to reduce or deny your claim. Notify your insurance company. Report the accident to your own auto insurance as soon as you can. Provide the basic facts, but it’s okay to decline giving a detailed statement until you’ve spoken to a lawyer. Similarly, you are not obligated to give a recorded statement to the trucking company’s insurer without legal advice. Seek medical attention. Even if you feel “okay,” get a thorough medical evaluation as soon as possible. Crashes involving large vehicles can cause internal injuries or whiplash that might not show symptoms right away. Getting prompt treatment not only protects your health but also creates medical records linking your injuries to the accident. Consult a commercial vehicle accident lawyer. These cases can be very complex. A lawyer experienced in truck and commercial vehicle accidents will guide you through the process, deal with the trucking or delivery company and their insurers, and fight for the compensation you deserve. Most offer free consultations, so it costs nothing upfront to get professional advice. By following these steps, you’ll safeguard your well-being and strengthen your injury claim from the start. We know it’s hard to think clearly after a serious crash, but taking these actions can make a big difference later on.

How do I know if I have a commercial vehicle accident case?

You may have a commercial vehicle accident injury claim if certain conditions are met. Generally, consider the following details. You suffered injuries or losses. To file a personal injury claim, you must have actual damages. This usually means physical injuries that required medical treatment. It can also include significant financial losses like medical bills, vehicle damage, or time off work. Minor accidents with no injuries (or only property damage) typically don’t lead to a personal injury case worth pursuing. Another party was clearly at fault. There must be evidence that the commercial vehicle driver (or another party) was negligent and caused the accident. Negligence could be a truck driver speeding, a delivery driver running a red light, or even a bus driver distracted by a phone. If someone else’s careless or reckless actions led to the crash and your injuries, that’s a key element of a claim. Causation is clear. It should be demonstrable that your injuries were caused by the accident. For example, medical records should link your injuries to the crash, and the timing of symptoms needs to align with the incident. This isn’t usually an issue if you sought medical care shortly after the accident, but it’s an important part of any case. The at-fault party has insurance or assets. Typically, to recover compensation, the party responsible needs to have the ability to pay—usually through an insurance policy. The good news is that commercial drivers are almost always covered by commercial insurance policies (often with high coverage limits), or their employer is. However, if the driver was an independent contractor with minimal coverage or the company denies responsibility, it can complicate things. You may still have options like making an uninsured/underinsured motorist claim on your own policy if available (more on that below). Every case is unique, and even if you’re unsure about one of these factors, you might still have a claim. If you’re on the fence, it’s wise to give us a call. We can evaluate the specifics (police report, medical records, circumstances of the crash) and advise if pursuing a claim is worthwhile. Start your call for free – there’s no obligation, and it will help you understand your options.

Who can be held liable for my commercial vehicle accident?

Commercial vehicle accidents often involve more than just two drivers. Depending on the situation, several parties may share liability (financial responsibility) for your accident. The commercial driver. If the truck or van driver was negligent (speeding, fatigued, distracted, etc.), they can be held liable for the crash. Commercial drivers are held to high safety standards, especially truckers who must follow federal regulations on driving hours, vehicle maintenance, and more. A violation of these rules that contributes to an accident is strong evidence of negligence. The trucking company or employer. In most cases, if the driver was working at the time of the accident, their employer can be held accountable as well. This is called respondeat superior, meaning an employer is responsible for employees’ actions on the job. For example, if you were hit by a delivery van or a company fleet vehicle, the business’s insurance would likely cover the damages. Employers can also be directly negligent if they hired an unqualified driver, failed to train them properly, or pressured them to meet unrealistic deadlines (leading to unsafe driving). Vehicle or parts manufacturers. Sometimes an accident is caused by a mechanical failure—brakes giving out, a tire blowout, or a faulty steering mechanism. If a defective part contributed to the crash, the manufacturer or a maintenance contractor could be partly liable under product liability laws. In a commercial context, this might involve going after a truck manufacturer or parts supplier if, say, a design flaw in a tractor-trailer’s braking system caused the collision. Cargo loaders or contractors. Especially for large trucks or cargo carriers, the way the trailer is loaded is critical. If a third-party loading company improperly secured the load or overloaded the truck, and that led to a loss of control (such as a rollover or jackknife), that company could be held liable for the accident. Other third parties. Every crash is different. Sometimes another driver on the road (not the commercial vehicle) might have set off the chain of events—for instance, cutting off a truck and causing it to swerve into you. In that case, that third-party driver could share blame. Or, if poor road design or construction played a role (say, lack of warning signs in a construction zone), a government entity might be partly responsible. These situations are less common, but a thorough investigation by an attorney will explore all possibilities. Identifying all potential defendants is crucial in a commercial vehicle accident case. These claims can be complicated, and insurance companies often try to point fingers at each other to avoid paying. An experienced commercial vehicle accident lawyer will investigate every angle—examining driver logs, maintenance records, delivery schedules, and more—to make sure all negligent parties are held accountable. This thorough approach increases your chances of securing the full compensation you deserve.

What types of compensation can I recover after a commercial vehicle accident?

If you file a commercial vehicle accident claim, you can seek compensation (known legally as “damages”) for several types of losses. Our goal is to make sure you are financially whole and compensated for both your economic and non-economic losses. Common forms of compensation include the following. Medical expenses: This covers all medical care related to your injuries. It includes emergency room visits, hospital stays, surgeries, doctor appointments, medication, physical therapy, and any future medical treatment you might need. Don’t forget about costs for medical devices, rehabilitation equipment, or even home modifications (like installing a wheelchair ramp) if your injuries result in a long-term disability. Lost wages and earning capacity: If your injuries forced you to miss work, you can claim the income you lost during your recovery. If you suffered a long-term or permanent injury that limits your ability to work or earn what you did before (often an issue in serious truck accidents), you can also seek compensation for reduced earning capacity. This ensures you’re covered not just for past lost income but for future losses as well. Pain and suffering: These are non-economic damages meant to compensate you for the physical pain and emotional distress caused by the accident. Commercial vehicle accidents can be traumatic — you might be dealing with chronic pain, anxiety, flashbacks, or even conditions like PTSD after a particularly horrific crash. While it’s hard to put a dollar value on these experiences, the law does allow recovery for pain, suffering, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment of life. Generally, the more severe and long-lasting your suffering, the higher this portion of compensation may be. Property damage. You are entitled to repairs or the replacement value for your vehicle if it was damaged. Crashes with large commercial vehicles (like an 18-wheeler plowing into your car) often result in total losses, meaning your car is wrecked beyond repair – you should receive the pre-accident market value for it. Property damage compensation also covers any other personal property damaged in the wreck (for example, if you had valuable cargo of your own, or even a phone or laptop in the vehicle that got destroyed). Additionally, you can claim the cost of a rental car or other transportation expenses while your vehicle is being repaired or replaced. Other losses. In some cases, you might pursue compensation for things like scarring or disfigurement (for example, if you suffered burns or deep lacerations), permanent physical disability (such as paralysis or loss of limb), or loss of consortium for your spouse (if the injuries have negatively affected your marriage or partnership). In rare situations where the at-fault party’s behavior was egregiously reckless or intentional – imagine a trucking company knowingly sending out a driver who is intoxicated or a truck with faulty brakes – punitive damages might be awarded to punish and deter such conduct. Punitive damages are not available in every case, but where applicable, they can significantly increase the value of your claim. Every case is unique, and the exact types and amount of compensation will depend on the specifics of your accident and injuries. A skilled attorney will fully assess your truck accident compensation claim to include all possible damages – even ones you might not realize you’re entitled to – so that you pursue everything you deserve.

How long do I have to file a commercial vehicle accident claim?

Bottom line is that It’s best to consult with a commercial vehicle accident lawyer as soon as possible after the accident. Your attorney will know the statute of limitations in your state and any other timing nuances that apply. They’ll ensure all paperwork is filed within deadlines. By getting started early, you also make it easier to gather fresh evidence and witness statements, strengthening your case while you still have the legal time to pursue it. The time limit to file a lawsuit after a commercial vehicle accident is governed by each state’s statute of limitations for personal injury cases. In most U.S. states, you typically have between one and four years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. For example, many states set a two-year deadline for injury claims (which would include truck and bus accidents). However, this can vary significantly. Some states might give you only one year, while others allow three or even four years. It’s important to know the rule in your state or any state that might have jurisdiction over your case. Missing the deadline is a serious issue. If you try to file a lawsuit after the statute of limitations has expired, your case will almost certainly be dismissed by the court, and you’ll lose the chance to recover compensation. This is why it’s crucial to be aware of the timeline and act within it. Also, be aware of special situations that can shorten the timeline. For instance, if your claim is against a government entity, the process is different. Say you were injured in a crash with a city bus or a government-owned vehicle – you may need to file a formal notice of claim within a few months of the accident (the exact timeframe varies by jurisdiction, often 60 to 180 days) to preserve your right to sue later. These government claims have their own set of rules and shorter deadlines, so it’s vital not to delay if a public agency might be involved in your case. On the other hand, certain circumstances can extend the effective deadline. Many states have a “discovery rule” that might apply if an injury wasn’t discovered right away. For example, if you had a hidden injury from the accident that you only discovered months later, the clock might start when you discovered (or should have discovered) the injury, rather than the date of the crash. This is less common in vehicle accident cases (since most injuries are immediately apparent), but it’s worth noting. In summary, a simple claim might resolve in a matter of months, whereas a complex lawsuit could take a year or two (or more) to fully conclude. Most car accident cases are settled out of court, but the negotiation and legal process require patience. Your attorney can give you a better timeline based on the specifics of your case and will work to resolve it as efficiently as possible while still maximizing your compensation.

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