A crash with an 80,000-pound tractor-trailer is not a car accident with a bigger vehicle. Federal regulations govern the driver and company, the evidence lives in electronic logs and onboard systems, and a defense team is often working the scene before you leave the hospital. Our firm concentrates on commercial vehicle cases and moves just as fast.
Why Truck Cases Are Different
- Federal rules apply. The FMCSA regulates hours of service, maintenance, inspections, and driver qualification — violations are powerful evidence of negligence.
- The evidence is electronic and perishable. ELD driving logs, engine data, dashcams, and dispatch records can be overwritten in weeks; our first step is a preservation demand to the carrier.
- Multiple defendants. Driver, carrier, owner, broker, shipper, maintenance contractor — see our post on suing multiple parties. More defendants can mean more available coverage, including the MCS-90 endorsement.
- The stakes are documented. Large-truck crash injury patterns in IIHS and NHTSA data are severe — which is exactly why carriers defend these cases hard.
How These Claims Work
Our overview of truck accident claims and lawsuits walks through the sequence: preservation, investigation (including DOT-recordable accident history and defect issues like tire failures), liability workup, damages documentation for injuries up to paralysis and catastrophic injury, then negotiation or trial in the Pennsylvania courts. We also handle tractor-trailer cases, delivery vehicles (FedEx and similar), and garbage trucks.
Frequently Asked Questions
The trucking company’s insurer called me the day after the crash. Should I talk to them?
Give them nothing beyond basic identification and refer them to your lawyer. Rapid-response defense teams exist to lock in your statement before you know your injuries. Politeness costs cases.
What if the trucker got a ticket — is my case automatic?
A citation helps but doesn’t finish the job; the insurer will still fight causation and damages. Conversely, no ticket doesn’t sink the case — the electronic evidence often says more than the police report.
How is a truck case worth more than a car case?
It isn’t automatically — value follows injuries and liability. But commercial policies carry far higher limits than personal auto policies, which changes what full compensation can realistically include. Every case turns on its facts.
How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in Pennsylvania?
Generally two years from the date of injury under Pennsylvania law, but important exceptions exist — shorter notice deadlines for claims against government entities (including SEPTA and the City), and different rules for minors and late-discovered injuries. Treat two years as the outer marker and get specific advice about your dates early.
What does it cost to hire your firm?
Injury cases are handled on a contingency fee: you pay no attorney’s fee unless we recover compensation for you. The percentage and how case costs (filing fees, records, experts) are handled are spelled out in a written fee agreement before you sign anything, and the initial consultation is free.
Hit by a commercial vehicle? Call (215) 464-4600 or contact us online for a free, confidential consultation. We handle injury cases on a contingency fee: no attorney’s fee unless we recover compensation for you, with case costs explained in the written fee agreement before you sign.