On the surface, a crash is a crash. But the legal architecture of a commercial truck case is fundamentally different from a passenger-car case.
Multiple Parties May Share Liability
First, the layers of liability. Beyond the driver, you may have claims against the motor carrier, the company that loaded the trailer, a maintenance contractor, a broker that arranged the load, and in some cases the manufacturer of a defective part. Each is a possible source of recovery.
Commercial Trucks Have Different Insurance Layers
Second, the layers of insurance. Federal regulations require minimum coverage for interstate motor carriers that is many times higher than passenger-car minimums. There may also be excess and umbrella policies on top.
Federal Safety Rules Can Establish Negligence
Third, the rules. Commercial drivers are subject to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, including hours-of-service limits, drug and alcohol testing, vehicle inspection requirements, and driver qualification standards. Violations of those rules become powerful evidence.
Truck Records Provide Evidence Car Cases Lack
Fourth, the evidence. Electronic logging devices, dashcam, telematics, driver qualification files, dispatch records, drug-test results, maintenance logs — none of that exists in a typical car case, and all of it can be central in a trucking case.
All of that is great for an injured plaintiff. It's also why trucking companies and their insurers fight these cases harder than any other.
