You are visiting this page for the same reason others have.
A commercial truck crash has caused catastrophic injuries or the death of a loved one.
We have all seen the news headlines about tractor-trailer crashes:
But now your nightmare is a headline. A heavy vehicle or tractor-trailer crash has caused harm close to home.
Unfortunately, reports like these are frequent occurrences.
When a commercial truck collides with a passenger vehicle, disaster occurs. The mismatch in vehicle size and weight creates a high likelihood of harm.
The drivers and passengers in the smaller vehicles often bear the brunt of the damage or loss of life.
You are here because you or someone you love got hurt in a horrific wreck with a semi truck, a tractor-trailer, or some other commercial vehicle. Or because a family member lost their life.
This crash has changed your life and those of people you care about.
You likely feel fear, confusion, and anger now that the initial shock has worn off. And you have many questions about what happens next and whether the law gives a remedy to semi-truck accident victims.
You don’t know who to trust.
We get it. And we can help.
Our Virginia truck accident lawyers have seen how a heavy vehicle crash shatters the lives of victims.
And we are ready to get justice for you.
Keep reading for more information on protecting your rights after a commercial vehicle crash.
We hope you use this website to understand your rights as a truck crash victim and survivor. And that you then use this information to make the best decisions for you and your family during this difficult time.
Call (804) 251-1620 or (757) 810-5614 if you are ready to speak with a top-rated semi truck accident attorney in Virginia.
Large commercial vehicles have many names:
So, let’s start with a definition of the type of heavy vehicles we are talking about.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) publishes rules for the trucking industry. These rules are called the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs)
Under the FMCSRs, a commercial truck means a self-propelled or towed vehicle that:
(1) is used on the highways in interstate commerce to transport passengers or property and
(2) has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight of at least 10,001 pounds, whichever is greater;
is designed or used to transport more than 8 passengers (including the driver) for compensation;
is designed or used to transport more than 15 passengers, including the driver, and is not used to transport passengers for compensation; or
is used in transporting material found by the Secretary of Transportation to be hazardous under section 5103 of this title and transported in a quantity requiring placarding under regulations prescribed by the Secretary under section 5103.
More than 13 million commercial trucks registered in the United States last year.
And these heavy vehicles are everywhere: on rural roads, interstate highways, and traveling day and night.
This number represents only five percent of all motor vehicles. Yet these large trucks carry more than 70 percent of America’s freight by weight.
Richmond, Hampton Roads, Roanoke, Staunton, and Northern Virginia are transportation hubs.
So it is not surprising that many trucking companies call Virginia home.
Some of the largest commercial trucking companies in Virginia include:
Several other large trucking companies have a presence on Virginia’s roads:
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) keeps truck crash data.
It publishes this data in an annual report, Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts.
In 2021, almost 6,000 large trucks were part of fatal crashes.
Further, more than 115,000 large trucks contributed to crashes causing injury (an 11 percent increase). These accidents injured roughly 172,000 people.
The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) publishes motor vehicle crash data yearly.
Last year:
Many semi truck crashes occurred in the I-81, I-64, and I-95 corridors in Virginia.
Commercial trucking is dangerous by nature.
It involves moving goods from one place to another as fast as possible. And using large vehicles to do it.
The data shows that common causes of 18-wheeler crashes include:
Speeding truck drivers: Deliveries are time-sensitive. Customers want their goods immediately. And trucking companies and drivers make more money when they move fast. These factors contribute to speeding and big rig crashes.
No.
Do not trust the trucking company or its liability insurance carrier after a semi truck accident.
There are several reasons for this.
First, the trucking industry knows that wrecks, injuries, deaths, insurance claims, and lawsuits are part of doing business. And that a lawsuit can force trucking companies and insurers to pay hundreds of thousands and even millions of dollars in damages.
Second, unlike other potential defendants in personal injury cases, trucking companies often take a direct financial hit when they must pay a settlement or court judgment to resolve a negligence lawsuit.
Many trucking companies carry insurance but often have a self-retention amount. This means the trucking company must pay the first part of the insurance claim settlement or court judgment. Sometimes, the self-insured retention amount is several hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Trucking companies and insurers have responded to these factors.
Indeed, the 24/7 truck crash response team is a measure taken by the trucking and insurance industries to protect profits.
These response teams have claim adjusters, insurance defense attorneys, private investigators, and accident reconstruction experts ready to go to the accident scene within hours. Members of the crash response team may take photographs and videos and ask witnesses for statements.
The goal of this response team is to control the truck accident scene and information from witnesses to minimize payouts to crash victims and their surviving family members.
You can fight against tactics and protect your legal rights.
The easiest way to do so is to hire a knowledgeable and experienced truck accident attorney after a crash with an 18-wheeler, big rig, or semi truck.
Here are ways a Virginia truck crash lawyer can help you and your family:
You may be worried about paying for a truck crash attorney.
Don’t be.
Our law firm (and every truck accident law firm we know of) handles these cases on a contingency fee basis.
You only pay a fee if you recover a monetary award.
Further, most truck accident lawyers advance litigation costs.
This means you do not have to pay upfront for expert witnesses, medical records, disability letters from doctors, or mediation fees.
Instead, you reimburse your attorney when the case settles or you get a verdict.
You deserve the best legal representation possible after a tractor-trailer accident.
But finding the best truck accident lawyer for you can be tough.
Not all truck crash attorneys are equal.
You need an attorney familiar with the nuances of truck accident claims. There is a significant difference between car accident and truck crash cases.
For example, truck accident claims involve more data to analyze and special knowledge of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.
These federal regulations can help you prove negligence when the truck driver or the trucking company fails to follow the rules for:
You also want an attorney you get along with and trust and who will answer your questions with compassion.
We recommend researching online and asking friends, family members, and attorneys in other practice areas to find the best Virginia truck accident lawyer for you.
Then, schedule a consultation with two or three lawyers specializing in commercial motor vehicle cases.
Your truck accident attorney should have experience winning cases like yours with similar injuries, trucking industry defendants, and insurance companies.
Our goal in every truck accident case is to get every penny possible to help with your future needs and make the most of the rest of your life.
You may recover two types of personal injury damages in a big rig accident case: economic and non-economic.
You should seek economic damages (also called compensatory damages) from defendants, such as:
Non-economic damages available to victims in trucking accident lawsuits include:
Along with economic and non-economic damages, you may recover punitive damages if the trucking defendant’s acts were reckless, malicious, intentional, or fraudulent.
Determining how much your truck accident case is worth depends on multiple factors.
Large truck accident settlements and verdicts are possible because many big rig crashes cause severe injuries and even death. Further, many trucking companies carry significant insurance coverage to pay claims and judgments.
But there is no guarantee that you will recover a vast sum.
Some trailer-tractor accident claims settle for large amounts. In contrast, other truck crash claims pay small amounts, particularly if the defendant has a contributory negligence defense.
Contact a truck accident lawyer to discuss how to recover more money in your case.
Trucking injury cases may settle out of court or require a trial by jury.
Make sure you hire a truck accident attorney who is not afraid to go to trial, as this makes it more likely you will get a fair settlement, and you may need a trial attorney.
Of those that settle, some truck accident cases resolve in months, while others take years.
Several factors affect how long it takes to settle a truck accident lawsuit, including:
Our truck accident lawyers will do whatever it takes to get a good result for you. Sometimes this means settlement, while other times, it means trial by jury.
The personal injury statute of limitations for car accident cases also applies to truck accident cases.
You have two years from the date of the truck crash to file a lawsuit.
But don’t wait to call a truck accident lawyer.
Your attorney will need time to find all potential defendants before suing.
Yes.
We offer free consultations to all victims and survivors of commercial truck accidents, including injured truck drivers. Indeed, many tractor-trailer accidents involve two large commercial vehicles. This is one reason truck driving is one of the most dangerous jobs in America.
Call, email, or complete the online evaluation form to speak with a skilled truck accident attorney today.
Our law firm gets results for victims injured in these types of large truck accidents:
We want you and your family to receive fair treatment after a truck accident – from the truck driver, the trucking company, the driver’s employer, and the insurance company.
And we will aggressively pursue your rights, no matter the other party’s size.
We investigate, research, and develop a case theory that will allow us to win at trial.
Call now to start.
Our personal injury law firm is ready to win for you.