Hurt By a Negligent Truck Driver? You Have Rights.
In 2023, crashes involving large trucks killed 5,472 people nationwide — about 15 people a day. Seven out of every ten of those killed were occupants of the other vehicle, not the truck.
At any given time, nearly two million tractor-trailers are on our nation's highways. A loaded tractor-trailer can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds — a serious threat to any other vehicle or pedestrian it collides with. A commercial driver may be held accountable for an accident if he or she:
- Failed to follow federal trucking regulations issued by the FMCSA
- Skipped necessary or routine maintenance on the truck
- Was not properly trained or licensed to drive a commercial vehicle
- Was driving while fatigued or under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Failed to properly secure cargo, or overloaded the truck
Understanding Federal Trucking Regulations
Commercial truck drivers are subject to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) rules governing how many hours they may work, how often they must inspect their vehicle, and what licensing they must carry. Fatigued driving is one of the most common causes of 18-wheeler accidents, which is why the FMCSA limits drivers to 70 hours per week, requires a 30-minute break every 8 hours, and caps driving time at 11 hours following 10 consecutive hours off duty — with a hard 14-hour on-duty window. Log entries are sometimes altered to hide hours-of-service violations; it's something we know to look for.
Simms & Associates Is Ready to Fight for You
We regularly handle serious injury cases involving commercial vehicles, and we commit the resources necessary to maximize the recovery in every case we take on.
Talk to an attorney who's been on both sides.
Free consultation, available 24/7. There's no cost or obligation to find out where you stand.