How Long a Tractor-Trailer Crash Claim Takes, Stage by Stage
The Timeline of a Semi-Truck Crash Claim A truck accident claim moves through stages that can take months or years. Some deadlines belong to the trucking company, such as how long it has to keep certain records, while others belong to the injured person, such as the statute of limitations. A truck accident lawyer can explain where a particular claim stands in this sequence, although every claim is different. The first days Emergency care comes first, and the records c
Truck Accident Statistics From FMCSA and NHTSA Data
What FMCSA and NHTSA Data Show About Truck Accidents Federal crash data gives a national picture of how often large trucks are involved in serious crashes. The figures below come from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and each is labeled with its year. A tractor-trailer crash lawyer might use figures like these for context, but statistics describe patterns across many crashes, not what hap
How Fault Works in Rear-End and T-Bone Car Crashes
How Fault Works in Rear-End and T-Bone Car Accidents Rear-end crashes and T-bone collisions are two crash types that come up often in injury claims. The label describes how the vehicles met, but it does not decide who was at fault. A car accident attorney looking at either type of crash usually begins with the sequence of events, from the speed of each car to the signals that controlled the intersection. Why rear-end crashes happen Many state traffic laws bar drivers
Insurance Tactics After a Tractor-Trailer Crash After a tractor-trailer crash, the injured person usually deals with an insurance company long before any courtroom. Trucking companies and their insurers often move quickly, and the steps they take early can shape the claim. Knowing these practices is one reason people consult an 18-wheeler accident lawyer before giving a statement or signing anything. How much insurance a trucking company must carry The Federal Motor C
What a Truck Accident Lawyer Checks in a Driver's Logs
How Hours of Service Violations Can Shape a Truck Accident Claim When a semi-truck crash happens near the end of a long shift, an early question is whether the driver was within the federal hours-of-service limits. Fatigue leaves little physical trace at a crash scene, so the answer usually comes from records rather than the roadway. A tractor-trailer crash lawyer looking at one of these claims will usually compare the driver's logs with every other record of the trip. H
Underride and Jackknife Crashes: How They Happen and Who May Be Responsible
Underride and Jackknife Crashes: Causes and Evidence Underride and jackknife crashes are two tractor-trailer crash types that often cause severe injuries. An underride crash happens when a smaller vehicle slides partly or completely beneath a trailer or truck body. A jackknife occurs when the tractor and trailer fold toward each other, often blocking several lanes. Each one raises distinct evidence questions for a truck accident attorney. Why underride crashes are so dan
ECM Black Box Data and ELD Records After a Truck Accident
ELD Records and ECM Black Box Data After a Truck Accident After a serious tractor-trailer crash, the most detailed account of the final seconds before impact often sits inside the truck itself. Most people call it the black box, but that label covers several different systems. For a truck accident attorney, knowing which device keeps which data shapes the first evidence requests in a claim. What the black box means on a commercial truck Most heavy trucks carry an engi
Insurance Adjusters, Total Losses and Diminished Value
What to Expect From the Insurance Adjuster After a Car Crash After a car crash, most people deal with an insurance adjuster long before they think about a lawsuit. The adjuster's job is to evaluate the claim for the insurance company, and some common practices can lower what a claim is worth if they go unnoticed. Understanding these practices is one reason people consult a car accident attorney before they sign anything. Early calls from the adjuster An adjuster for t