Truck & Semi-Truck Accident Attorneys
Injured by a Semi-Truck? We go to trial. Carriers know it.
18-wheelers carry federal regulations, million-dollar insurance policies, and defense teams hired before you reach the hospital. We know every move they make — because our founding partner spent years on their side.
Black box data can be overwritten in 30 days — call now to preserve evidence.
Our Truck Accident Record
What Sets These Cases Apart
Truck accident cases are not car accident cases
Most personal injury attorneys handle car crashes. Semi-truck accidents are governed by an entirely different body of federal law — and they require a fundamentally different approach to investigation, liability, and damages.
Federal Law Applies Nationwide
FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) regulations govern every commercial truck regardless of which state the crash occurred in. We know every rule — and every violation that becomes evidence.
Up to Six Liable Parties
Unlike a car accident with one at-fault driver, a semi-truck crash can expose the driver, the trucking company, the freight broker, the cargo loader, the maintenance provider, and the manufacturer — all at once.
$750K–$5M Insurance Minimums
Federal law requires commercial carriers to carry between $750,000 and $5M in liability coverage — far exceeding the $25,000 minimum on personal vehicles. This means real compensation is available when we fight for it.
Evidence Disappears Fast
ECM black box data, ELD electronic driver logs, and carrier inspection records can be legally overwritten or destroyed within 30–180 days. The first 24 hours after an accident are critical — and we move in hours, not weeks.
Common Causes
What causes most semi-truck accidents
Understanding the cause of your accident is the first step toward proving liability. Most commercial truck crashes trace back to one of six root causes — all of which leave a paper trail we know how to find.
Driver Fatigue & Hours of Service Violations
FMCSA limits commercial drivers to 11 hours of driving within a 14-hour window. Carriers under delivery pressure routinely falsify ELD logs to push drivers beyond legal limits. Fatigue is involved in an estimated 13% of all fatal truck crashes.
Distracted Driving
Phone use, CB radio, GPS, and in-cab entertainment systems are primary distractions. At 65 mph, a 5-second distraction means the truck travels the length of a football field without a driver watching the road.
Brake Failure & Poor Maintenance
FMCSA requires carriers to perform pre-trip and post-trip vehicle inspections. Deferred brake maintenance, worn tires, and faulty coupling systems are leading mechanical causes. Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports (DVIRs) reveal when problems were known but ignored.
Overloaded or Improperly Secured Cargo
Federal weight limits exist because overloaded trucks have longer stopping distances and a higher rollover risk. Cargo that shifts during transit can cause a jackknife or loss of control. Liability extends to the shipping company if they loaded the freight.
Speeding & Aggressive Driving
Delivery deadlines and per-mile pay structures create pressure to speed. A fully loaded 18-wheeler at highway speed requires up to 525 feet to stop — nearly twice that of a passenger car. The ECM records speed at the moment of impact.
Impaired Driving
FMCSA mandates drug and alcohol testing before hire, post-accident, and randomly throughout employment. Carriers who fail to test drivers or hide positive results face punitive damages. The FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse tracks violations nationwide.
Who Is Responsible
Multiple parties may owe you compensation
Truck accident attorneys identify every party whose negligence contributed to the crash — not just the driver. Each additional defendant brings additional insurance coverage and a stronger position at the negotiating table.
The Truck Driver
Directly liable for negligent acts — speeding, fatigue, distraction, or impaired driving. Their personal driving record, MVR history, and drug test results all become part of the case file.
Always investigatedThe Trucking Company
Liable under vicarious liability for employee drivers, and directly liable for negligent hiring, negligent supervision, or pressuring drivers to violate Hours of Service rules. This is where the largest policy limits live.
Primary recovery targetThe Freight Broker
Brokers who hire carriers without verifying their safety record can be held liable. Courts in several states have expanded broker liability significantly in recent years — this is an often-overlooked source of coverage.
Growing legal theoryThe Cargo / Loading Company
If improperly secured or overloaded cargo caused or contributed to the accident, the shipper or third-party loading company shares liability. Weigh station records and cargo manifests become critical evidence.
Cargo shift & rollover casesThe Vehicle / Parts Manufacturer
Defective brakes, tires, or coupling systems shift liability to the manufacturer under product liability theory. This is independent of driver or carrier negligence and opens a separate avenue of recovery.
Brake & tire failure casesThe Maintenance Provider
Third-party mechanics and fleet maintenance companies who performed substandard work on the vehicle can be held liable for injuries resulting from that negligence. Maintenance logs and service records are subpoenaed immediately.
Mechanical failure casesEvidence & Investigation
The first 30 days are everything
Commercial trucks generate more documented evidence than any other vehicle — and carriers know it. Their team starts destroying what hurts them within hours of the crash. We file a litigation hold letter before they can.
From intake to on-the-ground investigation — we move before the carrier's team can sanitize the record.
Records speed, throttle, brakes, and RPM in the 30 seconds before impact. The single most powerful — and most vulnerable — piece of evidence.
Every minute of duty time, logged. HoS violations and unlogged driving show up in the raw data — and hold up in court.
CDL records, MVR history, prior employment, drug testing, medical certs. Gaps in this file reveal negligent hiring.
Pre/post-trip reports filed by drivers. Known defects left unrepaired are direct evidence of carrier negligence.
Federal scoring on crash history, HoS, maintenance, and driver fitness. A pattern of violations builds the case for punitive damages.
Compensation You Can Recover
The full recovery you deserve. Don't let them minimize it.
Commercial vehicle cases produce the largest personal injury settlements — bigger policies, severe injuries, and punitive damages when carriers break federal law.
Economic Damages
Non-Economic Damages
Punitive Damages
When carriers break federal law, courts punish them
When trucking companies willfully break FMCSA safety rules — falsified logs, ignored inspections, knowingly dangerous drivers — courts can award punitive damages on top of compensatory recovery.
2–5× the total award in egregious cases.
Our Process
How we investigate and win truck accident cases
Every truck accident case at CVL follows the same disciplined investigation sequence — because carriers have teams working against you from day one. We match them step for step, and then we exceed them.
Same-Day Intake & Hold Letter
We serve the carrier a litigation hold letter within hours — legally obligating them to preserve all records, logs, and vehicle data.
Subpoena ECM, ELD & DVIRs
Black box data, electronic driver logs, and inspection reports are subpoenaed before retention periods expire. We've secured data other firms missed.
Retain Expert Witnesses
We bring in accident reconstruction specialists, FMCSA compliance experts, and life-care planners to quantify every element of your damages.
Identify All Liable Parties
We trace the full liability chain — driver, carrier, broker, shipper — and pursue every party with coverage. General PI firms routinely miss defendants that dramatically increase recovery.
Trial-Ready From Day One
Carriers know which firms fold at the first offer. We build every case as if it goes to trial — and that reputation produces settlements other attorneys never get. When they won't pay, we go to the jury.
Michael R. Collins
Founding Partner · Miami, FL
Lead Attorney — Truck Accident Cases
18 years fighting carriers.
He used to be on their side.
Michael R. Collins spent five years as an insurance defense attorney before founding CVL. During that time, he watched carriers systematically underpay legitimate claims, falsify inspection records, and exploit victims who had no idea how the system worked.
In 2006, he switched sides and has never looked back. Today, he leads every significant truck accident case at the firm — from same-day evidence preservation to trial. His inside knowledge of carrier defense strategy is the reason CVL consistently outperforms much larger firms.
Education
J.D., University of Florida Levin College of Law
Bar Admissions
FL, GA · S.D. FL · N.D. GA (Federal)
Recognition
Super Lawyers 2018–2025 · Avvo 10.0
Experience
18 Years · Exclusively Commercial Vehicle Law
"I spent 5 years learning exactly how carriers build their defenses. Now I use that knowledge to dismantle them."
Truck Accident Results
Recent Truck & Semi-Truck Verdicts
Truck AccidentSemi-Truck Rear-End Collision on I-95
Client suffered permanent spinal injuries. The carrier offered $85,000. We took the case to trial and won 49× the original offer.
- Full lifetime medical care funded
- Lost wages & future earnings recovered
Truck AccidentTanker Truck Hours-of-Service Violation
FMCSA driver logs showed the operator had been on duty for 19 straight hours. We settled four months before the trial date.
- Carrier admitted log falsification
- Lifetime medical-care trust funded
Fleet LiabilityCorporate Fleet Negligent-Hiring Verdict
Driver had three prior DUIs the company never checked. The jury awarded punitive damages for systematic negligent hiring.
- Punitive damages awarded by jury
- Carrier forced to reform hiring policy
Disclaimer: Past results do not guarantee similar outcomes in future cases. Every case is unique and evaluated on its own facts. Amounts shown reflect gross recovery before deduction of attorney fees and costs.
Client Testimonials
What Truck Accident Victims Say
Real cases. Real clients. Real outcomes — from people who faced the same carriers, insurers, and lowball offers you may be facing right now.
The carrier's insurer called me two days after the crash with a settlement offer. I almost signed. CVL took one look at the black box data and found the truck was doing 74 in a 55 zone. We recovered 11 times what they offered me.
My husband was killed by a fatigued truck driver. The company claimed the logs were clean. CVL pulled the ELD raw data and proved the driver had been on the road 19 hours straight. That evidence changed everything — and gave our family justice.
I had a general personal injury attorney at first. He told me I should take the settlement. I switched to CVL after a friend's recommendation — they identified the trucking company had falsified maintenance records. We went to trial and won three times more.
Awards & Recognition
Disclaimer: Testimonials reflect the personal experience of individual clients and do not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of any future legal matter. Some client names and photos may have been changed to protect privacy.
Ready When You Are
Talk to a truck accident attorney today.
Free, confidential, and available 24/7. We respond within one hour during business hours — and we'll tell you honestly whether you have a case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about truck accident cases
Don't see your question? Reach out — consultations are always free, always confidential, and available 24/7.
Evidence Disappears Within 30 Days
Your case starts with a free call — 24/7.
No fees unless we win. No pressure. Just honest answers about your case from a licensed truck accident attorney.