Types of Truck and Commercial Vehicle Crashes We Handle

A truck accident case is not limited to a wreck involving an 18-wheeler. Brown & Brown Attorneys represents people injured in many types of commercial vehicle crashes. We also represent families who have lost loved ones.

Cases may involve:

• Tractor-trailers and semis

• Cargo and box trucks

• Fuel tankers and hazardous material transports

• Flatbed trucks

• Delivery vans and mail trucks

• Moving vans

• Commercial buses

Tractor-trailers accounted for 58% of all large truck crash deaths in 2024. Single-unit trucks, including box trucks, flatbeds, and dump trucks, accounted for another 37%.[1]

No matter what type of commercial vehicle caused the crash, we take a thorough approach to investigating what happened and building the case.

Why Truck Cases Are Different From Ordinary Car Wreck Cases

The trucking industry is heavily regulated. Truck drivers and the companies that employ them must follow detailed federal safety rules.

These regulations cover important issues such as:

• Maximum driving hours

• Required rest periods

• Pre-trip vehicle inspections

• Driver qualifications and training

• Cargo securement

• Vehicle maintenance

• Record-keeping

Federal hours-of-service regulations allow truckers to drive for up to 11 hours under certain conditions.[1] Drivers must also keep electronic records of their time behind the wheel.

When these rules are violated, the consequences can be serious.

Handling a truck accident case requires knowing which regulations apply. It also means finding and preserving records that may prove a violation occurred.

Another important step is identifying everyone who may be responsible for the crash.

The trucking company may be responsible for the actions of a driver it put on the road. However, other parties may also share responsibility. These could include a maintenance company, cargo-loading company, truck owner, or manufacturer of a defective component.

A Roanoke truck accident lawyer can investigate these relationships and determine which parties may be liable.

Common Causes of Commercial Truck Crashes

FMCSA data show that more than 170,000 crashes involving large trucks and buses occurred nationwide in 2023. Those crashes resulted in more than 5,100 fatalities and over 87,000 injuries.[2]

Virginia also sees thousands of large truck crashes. In 2023, there were 2,847 crashes involving large trucks in the Commonwealth. Those crashes included 49 fatal crashes and 870 injury crashes.[3]

Common causes and contributing factors include:

• Driver fatigue and hours-of-service violations

• Speeding or driving too fast for road conditions

• Distracted driving

• Impaired or drunk driving

• Aggressive driving and road rage

• Following too closely

• Improper lane changes and illegal passing

• Failure to yield

• Improper backing

• Overloaded or improperly secured cargo

• Poor truck maintenance and brake failure

• Malfunctioning lights or reflectors

• Jackknife and rollover crashes

• Hit-and-run collisions

Truck crashes do not always have one simple cause.

A tired driver may also be speeding in poor weather. At the same time, the truck may have mechanical problems that the trucking company failed to address.

A thorough investigation looks at all of these factors. It also determines who may be responsible for each one.

If You Lost a Loved One in a Truck Crash

Losing a family member in a commercial truck crash is devastating. Dealing with insurance companies and legal claims while grieving can make an already difficult situation even harder.

If you are facing this situation, please accept our sincere condolences.

No settlement or verdict can bring a loved one back. However, a wrongful death recovery can help ease some of the financial burden your family faces.

Under Virginia Code § 8.01-50, surviving family members may seek compensation when a death is caused by another person’s or company’s wrongful act, neglect, or fault.

Recoverable damages in a Virginia wrongful death case can include:

• Medical expenses related to the fatal injury

• Funeral and burial costs

• Lost income and future financial support

• Loss of care, companionship, comfort, guidance, and society

• Sorrow, mental anguish, and solace of surviving beneficiaries

Brown & Brown Attorneys can review the circumstances of the crash and explain how Virginia’s wrongful death laws may apply to your family.

Insurance Coverage in Interstate Trucking Cases

Insurance coverage is another major difference between ordinary car crashes and interstate truck accidents.

Virginia’s minimum bodily injury coverage may be far below the cost of a catastrophic injury.[4] Interstate trucking companies, by contrast, are generally required to carry at least $750,000 in liability coverage under federal rules. Higher limits may apply when hazardous materials are being transported.

Many trucking companies also purchase excess insurance coverage to protect against major claims and verdicts.

This can provide additional sources of compensation for seriously injured truck accident victims and grieving families. However, having more insurance available does not mean the insurer will willingly pay the full value of a claim.

The case still needs to be properly investigated, documented, and presented.

How Trucking Companies Try to Limit What They Pay

Large trucking companies and their insurers often act quickly after a serious accident.

Some use “rapid response” or “go” teams that arrive at a crash scene within hours. These teams work for the trucking company and its insurer. Their job is to protect the company’s interests.

They may photograph the scene, inspect the truck, collect onboard data, and speak with witnesses. They may also try to get statements from injured people before those people have legal representation.

Important evidence can include the truck’s electronic control module, sometimes called its “black box.” This data may show what the truck was doing shortly before the crash.

Insurance companies may also make an early settlement offer.

When medical bills are piling up and you cannot work, that money may sound helpful. But an early offer may come before anyone knows the full extent of your injuries.

You may not yet know whether you need surgery. You may not know when you can return to work or whether your injuries will cause permanent limitations.

Once a settlement is accepted and the appropriate release is signed, you generally cannot return later and demand more money because your condition became worse.

Truck accident victims should therefore be cautious about accepting an early offer.

If a trucking company or insurance carrier contacts you, talk with an attorney before signing documents or giving a recorded statement.

Act Quickly to Protect Your Rights

If you were injured because of someone else’s negligence, do not wait too long to seek legal guidance.

Acting quickly can help protect your case because:

• Important facts may be lost

• Witnesses may become harder to locate

• Reports and documents may disappear

• Photos or video may be lost

• Electronic trucking records may need to be preserved

• Other physical evidence may be altered or destroyed

Getting legal representation early can help preserve important evidence and protect your rights.

An accident caused by someone else should not be allowed to define your future. You deserve proper medical treatment and clear legal guidance while you focus on your recovery.

Talk With a Roanoke Truck Accident Lawyer

Accident-related medical bills can add up quickly. Missing work can create even more financial pressure.

That is why your initial consultation with Brown & Brown Attorneys is completely free. You can speak with a real attorney rather than simply talking with intake staff.

Our attorneys can listen to what happened, answer your questions, and explain the next steps that may be available.

When choosing a law firm, experience matters. You should also consider the firm’s track record, its approach to client communication, and whether an attorney will actually be involved in your case.