Truck Accident Settlement Calculator

Three reasons: (1) catastrophic injuries - semis weigh 20–30x more than cars, causing severe trauma; (2) federal minimum insurance - FMCSA requires $750K (non-hazmat) to $5M (hazmat) commercial liability coverage, vs $25–50K state minimums for cars; (3) multiple defendants - driver, trucking company, cargo loader, manufacturer, and maintenance contractor can all be liable. Average settlements run $500K–$3M, median around $400K.

Often multiple parties: (1) the driver, (2) the trucking company (vicarious liability + negligent hiring/training), (3) the cargo loader (if shifting cargo caused the crash), (4) the truck/parts manufacturer (defects), (5) the maintenance contractor, and (6) the broker/shipper in some cases. Each defendant has separate insurance coverage, multiplying potential recovery.

Electronic logging device (ELD) data - federal law requires 11-hour driving limits and rest periods. Black-box data, dashcam footage, post-crash drug/alcohol tests (federally mandated), driver qualification file, maintenance records, cargo loading documents, and FMCSA inspection history. Evidence must be preserved immediately via "spoliation letter" - trucking companies routinely destroy logs after 6 months.

Truck cases involve federal regulations (FMCSA, Title 49 CFR), commercial insurance, multi-defendant litigation, and specialized accident reconstruction. General PI attorneys often lack the expertise. Specialized firms typically recover 3–5x more than general practitioners. Contingency fees standard at 33–40%, often higher (40%) due to case complexity.

Truck settlements are usually far larger than car cases, commonly ranging from $100,000 into the millions, because commercial policies are big and injuries are severe. The federal minimum liability coverage alone is $750,000 for general freight and up to $5 million for hazmat carriers.

Yes. Beyond the driver, the motor carrier is usually liable through vicarious liability and often through negligent hiring, training, supervision, or maintenance. The cargo loader, the truck or parts manufacturer, and a maintenance contractor can be additional defendants, each with separate coverage.

A spoliation (evidence-preservation) letter is a formal legal notice sent to the trucking company demanding it preserve key evidence, such as electronic logging device (ELD) data, the black box (ECM), dashcam footage, and driver records. Carriers routinely overwrite this data within weeks, so the letter should go out immediately.