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Hit by a Semi Truck? Find Out What Your Case Is Worth in 60 Seconds.
Trucking companies have investigators at the scene within hours and insurers trained to settle cheap. Answer 6 quick questions and get a free case review from an experienced truck accident attorney — before critical evidence is overwritten.

Truck black-box and dash-cam data is routinely overwritten within 30 days of a crash.
Free case review · About 60 seconds
Check your case now — it's free.
Six quick questions tell us whether an attorney in your area is accepting cases like yours. No cost, no obligation, and no pressure.
- 1Tell us what happened — when, what truck, and how you were hurt.
- 2We match you with an independent, licensed truck accident attorney in your state.
- 3Speak with the attorney for free. Hire them only if you want to.
🔒 Your answers go only to the attorney reviewing your case. Never sold to third parties.
When did the truck accident happen?
Why timing matters
Evidence is being lost right now — a preservation letter stops the clock.
Almost every piece of evidence that proves a trucking company was negligent belongs to the trucking company. Federal rules let them delete much of it within months. Enter your crash date to see which windows are still open.
How much evidence have you already lost?
Evidence clock- Truck dash cam & in-cab video30dMost fleet systems overwrite on a rolling 30-day loop unless a preservation letter is sent.
- Business / traffic camera footage90dNearby businesses and DOT cameras typically keep footage 30–90 days.
- Driver vehicle inspection reports90dCarriers must keep pre/post-trip inspection reports only 3 months (49 CFR 396.11).
- ELD hours-of-service logs (FMCSA 6-month retention)182dCarriers must retain ELD records 6 months (49 CFR 395.8(k)); afterward they can lawfully be deleted.
- Shortest state filing deadline (1 year)365dSome states and all government-owned-truck claims have deadlines as short as one year — or less for notice of claim.
A preservation (spoliation) letter from an attorney legally obligates the trucking company to keep this evidence. It costs you nothing to have one sent.
Preserve My Evidence — Free Review →Does this sound like you?
You May Have a Case Worth Pursuing
You don't need to already know the legal terms — you just need to recognize your situation. If any of this is true for you, it's worth 60 seconds to find out where you stand.
By the numbers
Why Truck Claims Are Not Car Claims
Federal maximum gross weight of a loaded semi — 20× a passenger car. Injuries are rarely minor.
Source: FMCSA
Required liability insurance for interstate carriers hauling general freight; most carry millions more.
Source: 49 CFR 387.9
People killed in large-truck crashes in the U.S. annually — most of them occupants of passenger vehicles.
Source: IIHS / NHTSA
State statutes of limitations for injury claims — and as little as 60 days' notice for government-owned trucks.
Source: State law
Don't sign the first offer — or give a recorded statement.
Trucking insurers call fast, sound friendly, and are trained to lock you into minimizing statements before your injuries are even diagnosed. Once you sign a release, the claim is over for good.
You are not required to give the other side's insurer a recorded statement. Decline politely, and have any offer reviewed for free before you respond.
Why specialization matters
Why You Need a Truck Accident Attorney — Not Just Any Lawyer
A collision with a semi truck, 18-wheeler, big rig, or other commercial motor vehicle is not just a big car accident. It's a different legal case entirely — governed by federal FMCSA regulations, defended by specialized trucking insurers, and won or lost on evidence that exists for only weeks.
- Federal regulations create liability. Hours of Service limits, electronic logging device (ELD) records, CDL and drug-testing rules, cargo securement standards, and maintenance requirements under 49 CFR give an experienced truck crash lawyer dozens of ways to prove negligence a general practitioner would miss.
- Multiple parties may owe you compensation. The driver, the motor carrier, the cargo loading company, a maintenance contractor, a freight broker, and even the truck or tire manufacturer can share liability — each with separate insurance.
- The evidence clock is running. Black box (ECM) data, dash cam footage, driver logbooks, and inspection records are controlled by the trucking company. A spoliation letter from your attorney legally requires their preservation before it is overwritten.
- The stakes are higher. Truck accident settlements routinely reach six and seven figures for serious injuries — and trucking insurers deploy adjusters and defense counsel accordingly.
The evidence they controlCase types
Truck Accident Types We Help With
Every crash type leaves its own evidence trail and points to different liable parties. Select how your crash happened to learn how these cases are proven.
Jackknife Truck Accidents
Injured in a jackknife truck accident? Learn what causes a semi truck to jackknife, who is liable, and how a truck accident attorney can help.
Learn more →
Underride Truck Accidents
Underride crashes are among the deadliest truck accidents.
Learn more →
Truck Rollover Accidents
Semi truck rollover accidents crush vehicles and spill cargo across highways.
Learn more →
Rear-End Truck Accidents
Rear-ended by a semi truck? A loaded 18-wheeler needs 40% more stopping distance than a car.
Learn more →
Blind Spot (No-Zone) Truck Accidents
Semi trucks have huge blind spots on all four sides.
Learn more →
Truck Tire Blowout Accidents
Truck tire blowouts hurl 100-pound tread across highways and send 18-wheelers out of control.
Learn more →
…Or Find Your Case by Type of Truck
The vehicle that hit you shapes the whole case — a semi truck, delivery van, dump truck, tanker, garbage truck, or flatbed each has different drivers, federal rules, and liable companies. See all truck types →
Delivery Truck Accidents
Hurt by an Amazon, FedEx, UPS or DSP delivery truck? Learn who is liable when a contractor employs the driver, and get a free case review from a truck accident attorney.
Learn more →
Box Truck Accidents
Injured by a box truck, moving truck, or U-Haul or Penske rental? Learn about rental-company liability, untrained drivers, and rollovers.
Learn more →
Dump Truck Accidents
Injured by a construction dump truck? Learn about blind spots, backing crashes, spilled loads, and the many parties who may be liable.
Learn more →
Tanker Truck Accidents
Injured by a fuel or chemical tanker truck? Learn how liquid-surge rollovers, hazmat spills, and FMCSA rules affect your claim.
Learn more →
Garbage Truck Accidents
Hit by a garbage or sanitation truck? Learn about blind spots, backing crashes, government-claim deadlines, and your rights.
Learn more →
Flatbed Truck Accidents
Hurt by a flatbed truck or fallen cargo? Learn about load-securement rules, shifting freight, oversized loads, and who is liable.
Learn more →
What Compensation Can a Truck Accident Lawyer Recover?
A truck accident claim seeks damages across three categories. Economic damages cover every dollar the crash costs you: emergency care, surgery, rehabilitation, future medical treatment, lost wages, and diminished earning capacity. Non-economic damages compensate pain and suffering, emotional distress, disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium for a spouse. Punitive damages punish egregious conduct — falsified driver logs, ignored out-of-service orders, carriers that pressured drivers past legal hours.
Because interstate carriers must hold at least $750,000 in liability coverage — and most hold millions with umbrella policies — full compensation is realistic in truck cases in a way it often isn't with a minimally insured car driver. The variable in your claim is the quality of the liability evidence, which is why early attorney involvement matters. Truck accident settlement amounts · How a truck accident lawsuit works · Who can be held liable
How it works
Three Steps to a Free Case Review
Answer 6 quick questions
Tell us when the accident happened, the vehicle involved, your injuries, and fault status. It takes about a minute.
We match your case
Your case is matched with an independent, licensed truck accident attorney accepting cases in your state.
Speak with the attorney — free
They'll evaluate your claim and explain your options. If you proceed, everything is handled on contingency — no fee unless you win.
No cost. No obligation.Before you talk to the insurer
Whatever They Offer First — It's Rarely Enough
or more, commonly cited
Trucking insurers are trained to settle fast and cheap — often before you've finished treatment or learned the full extent of your injuries. Insurance industry data has long shown that represented claimants recover substantially more than unrepresented ones, with commonly cited studies putting the difference at three times or more, even after attorney fees. A free case review costs nothing and creates no obligation to accept anything.
Based on commonly cited insurance industry research on represented vs. unrepresented claims. Individual results vary and are not guaranteed.
The stakes are real
What Juries Have Awarded in Truck Accident Cases
When trucking companies cut corners, juries respond. These are publicly reported verdicts from recent U.S. truck accident trials — a window into what these cases can be worth when the evidence is preserved and the case is fought properly.
A Florida jury returned a $1 billion verdict against two trucking companies in 2021 after an 18-year-old student was killed when a semi — on cruise control at 70 mph — plowed into stopped traffic. The truck's own data recorder showed the driver didn't brake until one second before impact.
Nassau County, FL (2021) · Reported by News4Jax
A St. Louis jury awarded $462 million in 2024 against trailer manufacturer Wabash National after two men were killed in a rear underride crash. Jurors heard that a stronger rear impact guard would have prevented the deaths. The verdict is under appeal.
St. Louis, MO (2024) · Reported by Trucking Dive
These are publicly reported jury verdicts from unrelated cases, cited from news coverage — they are not results obtained by attorneys in our network, and they are not typical. Verdicts may be reduced, settled, or reversed on appeal. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee any outcome in your case.
Truck Accident Guides & Resources
What to Do After a Truck Accident
The first hours after a semi truck accident decide your claim.
Read the guide →
Truck Accident Settlements
What is the average truck accident settlement? Learn what drives settlement value — injury severity, liability evidence, insurance limits — with realistic ranges.
Read the guide →
Who Is Liable in a Truck Accident?
Truck accident liability goes far beyond the driver: motor carriers, cargo loaders, maintenance providers, brokers, and manufacturers may all owe compensation.
Read the guide →
How Much Does a Truck Accident Lawyer Cost?
Truck accident lawyers charge no upfront fees.
Read the guide →
Truck Accident Statute of Limitations
Miss the statute of limitations and your truck accident claim is gone forever.
Read the guide →
How a Truck Accident Lawsuit Works
From free consultation to settlement or trial — the step-by-step process of a truck accident lawsuit, what happens at each stage, and how long it takes.
Read the guide →
Do I Need a Truck Accident Lawyer?
Do you really need a lawyer after a truck accident — even a minor one? Learn when to hire, what a truck accident lawyer does, and how to choose the best one.
Read the guide →
Truck Accident Attorney FAQ
Do I need a lawyer for a truck accident?
If you were injured, missed work, or the trucking company's insurer has contacted you, it's worth a free review — almost always when a commercial truck was involved. Truck claims run on federal FMCSA rules, involve multiple liable companies, and are defended by specialized insurers. Even a seemingly minor crash can be worth checking, because truck injuries often worsen over days.
How much does a truck accident attorney cost?
Nothing upfront. Truck accident lawyers work on contingency — typically around one-third of the recovery pre-suit, up to about 40% if the case is litigated — and advance all case costs. If you don't win, you owe no attorney fee. Case reviews through this site are always free.
Should I accept the insurance company's first offer?
Almost never. Trucking insurers are trained to settle fast and cheap, often before your injuries are fully diagnosed. Once you sign a release the claim is over for good. Have any offer reviewed first — it costs nothing, and represented claimants have historically recovered substantially more, even after fees.
Should I give a recorded statement to the trucking company's insurer?
Decline politely and refer them to an attorney. Adjusters call fast, sound friendly, and are trained to lock you into minimizing statements before your injuries are even diagnosed. You are not required to give the other side's insurer a recorded statement, and doing so almost always helps them, not you.
Who is at fault in a truck accident — the driver or the trucking company?
Often both, plus others. Under respondeat superior the motor carrier is liable for its driver's on-the-job negligence, and directly liable for negligent hiring, training, or maintenance. A cargo loader, maintenance contractor, freight broker, or parts manufacturer can also share fault — each with separate insurance.
Can I still recover if I was partially at fault?
In most states, yes. Comparative negligence reduces your recovery by your percentage of fault rather than eliminating it. Only a few strict contributory-negligence states bar recovery outright. Insurers exaggerate victim fault precisely because of this math, so don't accept their assessment without a review.
How is a truck accident claim different from a car accident claim?
Truck claims involve federal FMCSA regulations, multiple liable parties, far larger insurance policies (federal minimum $750,000), and time-sensitive evidence like the black box (ECM), ELD logs, and driver logbooks that only legal process can preserve.
How much is my truck accident case worth?
Value depends on injury severity, the strength of the liability evidence, and available insurance. Serious-injury truck cases commonly settle for six to seven figures because carriers hold large policies. A free case review is the fastest way to get a realistic range for your specific situation.
How long does a truck accident lawsuit take?
Cases with clear liability can resolve in roughly 6–12 months after you reach maximum medical improvement. Disputed or catastrophic cases that require full discovery typically take one to three years. The large majority settle before trial — rushing to settle early usually means leaving money on the table.
What is the black box, ELD, or EDR data — and why does it matter?
These are the truck's electronic records. The ECM (engine control module, or 'black box') and EDR capture speed, braking, and throttle before impact; the ELD tracks the driver's Hours of Service. This data can prove fatigue or unsafe driving — but the carrier controls it and it can be overwritten within weeks unless a spoliation letter preserves it.
How long do I have to file a truck accident lawsuit?
The statute of limitations ranges from one to four years depending on your state and claim type, and government-owned trucks often require a formal notice of claim within just 60 days to a year. But critical evidence like ELD data and camera footage can lawfully disappear within weeks — the practical deadline is much earlier than the legal one.
Do you help Spanish-speaking accident victims?
Yes. Our entire site and case review are available in Spanish, and we can connect you with attorneys and staff who speak Spanish. Sí — hablamos español.
Is AskTruckAccidentAttorney.com a law firm?
No. We are a free service that connects injured people with independent, licensed truck accident attorneys in their area. There is no charge to you, and no obligation after your case review. No attorney-client relationship is formed by using this site.