Truck / 18-Wheeler Accident Lawsuit

Unlike some toxic tort cases, truck accident claims generally start the limitations clock on the date of the accident. However, important exceptions apply. The discovery rule may toll the statute of limitations when a victim could not reasonably have known the full extent of injuries at the time of the accident — such as when a traumatic brain injury's cognitive effects are not apparent for weeks or months. Claims involving government vehicles (state, county, or municipal trucks) trigger tort claim notice requirements that are dramatically shorter than the standard SOL — often 30 to 180 days from the accident. Failure to file a timely government tort claim notice can permanently bar your claim. Claims involving minors are typically tolled until the child turns 18. In wrongful death cases, the clock may run from the date of death rather than the accident, and the applicable period varies by state wrongful death statute.

Traumatic brain injury is a disruption of normal brain function caused by the violent forces generated in a truck collision. When a passenger vehicle is struck by an 80,000-pound commercial truck, the deceleration forces far exceed those in standard car crashes, dramatically increasing TBI risk and severity. TBIs range from mild concussions to severe diffuse axonal injury (DAI) — widespread tearing of neural fibers that produces prolonged coma, persistent vegetative state, or profound permanent cognitive disability. The CDC reports that motor vehicle crashes are among the leading causes of TBI-related hospitalizations and deaths, with truck collisions disproportionately represented in the severe and fatal categories.

Spinal cord injuries from truck crashes result from the extreme forces that compress, fracture, or dislocate the vertebral column, directly damaging the spinal cord. Truck collisions — particularly rear-end impacts and rollovers — are among the highest-energy events the human spine can experience. Complete spinal cord injuries result in permanent paralysis (quadriplegia from cervical injuries, paraplegia from thoracic injuries) and loss of sensation below the injury level. Incomplete injuries produce partial function and sensation deficits that may improve with rehabilitation. Crush injuries occur when the vehicle structure collapses around the occupant, trapping and compressing limbs or the torso with massive force, causing tissue death, vascular damage, and sometimes requiring amputation.

Internal organ injuries from truck accidents are caused by the extreme compressive and shear forces transferred to the abdominal and thoracic cavities during high-energy collisions. Common internal injuries include liver lacerations, splenic rupture, kidney contusions, bowel perforations, aortic tears, and cardiac contusions. These injuries may not produce obvious external symptoms immediately after the crash, making them particularly dangerous — internal bleeding can cause rapid hemodynamic collapse and death if not promptly diagnosed. Wrongful death from truck accidents occurs when internal organ injuries, traumatic brain injury, or other catastrophic trauma result in the victim's death, entitling surviving family members to pursue wrongful death claims for their losses.