Philadelphia Truck Accident Lawyer
A collision with a tractor-trailer is not just a bigger car accident. It is a different kind of case, with more evidence, more insurers and more at stake.
Truck crashes are different, and so is the work
A fully loaded tractor-trailer can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds. When one collides with a passenger car on I-95, the Pennsylvania Turnpike or the truck routes that feed the port and the region's warehouses, the people in the smaller vehicle take the worst of it.
These cases are also more complicated than an ordinary crash. Commercial carriers are governed by federal and state safety rules, they carry larger insurance policies, and they often send their own investigators to the scene quickly. The driver may be only one of several parties whose decisions contributed to the wreck.
Patterson Injury Lawyers represents people injured in crashes with tractor-trailers, box trucks, delivery vans, dump trucks and other commercial vehicles throughout Philadelphia and the surrounding counties. We move quickly to preserve evidence, identify every responsible party and deal with the carrier's insurers on your behalf. The consultation is free, there are no upfront fees, and there is no fee unless we recover for you. For crashes that involve only passenger vehicles, see our car accident page.
Common truck accident injuries
Because of the size and weight involved, truck crashes tend to cause more severe injuries than other collisions.
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Multiple fractures and crush injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Severe burns
- Amputations
- Injuries that need surgery and long-term rehabilitation
- Fatal injuries
More than one party may be responsible
In a car accident, the claim is usually against one driver. In a truck accident, responsibility is often shared, and each party may have its own insurer and its own lawyers.
- The driver: speeding, distraction, fatigue or impairment.
- The trucking company: hiring, training and supervision, or schedules that push drivers past safe limits.
- Maintenance providers: worn brakes, bad tires, broken lights or skipped inspections.
- Cargo loaders and shippers: loads that are too heavy, unbalanced or not secured.
Part of our job is to work out who did what, and to pursue each party whose conduct contributed to your injuries.
Evidence that can disappear
Trucking cases are built on records that the carrier controls. Some of them are kept only for a limited time unless someone demands that they be preserved.
- Driver logs and hours-of-service records
- Electronic logging device and "black box" data showing speed, braking and hours driven
- Dashcam and onboard camera footage
- Inspection, repair and maintenance records
- The driver's qualification file and drug and alcohol testing results
- Dispatch records, bills of lading and load documents
We send preservation letters that put the carrier on notice to keep this evidence. The sooner you call, the more of it can be saved. If you lost a family member in a truck crash, our wrongful death page explains how those claims work.
Every case is different. This page is general information, not legal advice.
How we help after a truck accident
- Step 1
Free consultation
We listen to what happened, answer your questions and explain how a claim against a commercial carrier works. It costs nothing.
- Step 2
We preserve evidence and investigate
We demand that the carrier keep its logs, data and records, then review them alongside the police report, the scene and your medical records.
- Step 3
We take on the carrier's insurers
We present the claim against every responsible party and negotiate from the evidence. If the insurers will not be fair, we are prepared to litigate.
Truck accident questions
Short answers to what people ask us most. For anything else, call us any time.
Commercial trucks are subject to federal and state safety regulations, carriers usually carry larger insurance policies, and several parties may share responsibility. There is also far more evidence to collect, such as driver logs and electronic data, and some of it must be preserved quickly.
Depending on the facts, responsible parties may include the truck driver, the trucking company, a maintenance provider, the company that loaded the cargo, or others. We investigate to identify each party whose conduct contributed to the crash.
Many commercial trucks record information such as speed, braking and hours of operation. That data can help show what the truck was doing in the moments before a crash. It is controlled by the carrier, so we ask that it be preserved as early as possible.
Be polite, but do not give a recorded statement or sign anything before you get legal advice. Insurers for commercial carriers begin building their defense right away. Call us at (215) 383-9959 and let us handle those conversations.
As soon as you can. Some trucking records are kept only for a limited time, and legal deadlines apply to injury claims in Pennsylvania. Early action helps protect both the evidence and your rights.
There are no upfront fees or out-of-pocket costs. The consultation is free, and we are paid only if we recover compensation for you.
Related practice areas
Injured? Don't wait.
Call (215) 383-9959, 24/7. The consultation is free, and there is no fee unless we recover for you.