How Is a Truck Accident Case Different from a Car Accident Case?

• August 5 2025
• |   Car Accidents

The jarring impact of a motor vehicle accident can be life-changing. The path to recovery can be long, filled with medical appointments, physical therapy, and emotional stress. While any crash is traumatic, when the other vehicle involved is a massive commercial truck, the repercussions are profoundly different and infinitely more complex than a typical car-on-car collision.

The road to justice is not the same, and knowing what to expect can help you protect your rights during a vulnerable time.

Here are the key ways a truck accident case is different from a car accident case:

1. The Catastrophic Nature of the Injuries

The most immediate and devastating difference lies in the simple physics of the collision. A fully loaded commercial truck can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, while the average passenger car weighs around 4,000 pounds. When these two forces collide, the occupants of the smaller vehicle almost always bear the brunt of the impact.

This disparity in size and weight means that injuries sustained in truck accidents are often catastrophic and life-altering. They commonly include:

• Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)
• Spinal Cord Injuries, often leading to paralysis
• Severe burns
• Multiple broken bones and crushing injuries
• Internal organ damage
• Amputations

The severity of these injuries results in extraordinarily high medical bills, the need for long-term or lifelong care, and a permanent loss of earning capacity. The stakes are simply higher, which changes every aspect of the legal process that follows.

2. A Complex Web of Liable Parties

In a typical car accident, liability usually rests with one or two drivers. In a truck accident, the investigation often reveals a tangled web of potentially responsible parties. The truck driver may have been negligent, but they are rarely the only party at fault.

Other potentially liable parties can include:

• The Trucking Company: Did they fail to properly screen the driver? Did they provide adequate training? Did they pressure the driver to violate safety regulations, such as driving longer than legally allowed to meet a deadline?
• The Truck’s Owner: In some cases, the truck is owned by a separate entity from the trucking company that employs the driver.
• The Cargo Shipper or Loader: If the truck’s cargo was improperly loaded, unbalanced, or not secured correctly, it could shift during transit and cause the driver to lose control.
• The Maintenance Company: If a third-party mechanic or company was responsible for the truck’s upkeep and failed to properly maintain critical components like brakes, tires, or steering, they could be held liable.
• The Truck or Parts Manufacturer: If the accident was caused by a defective part, such as a tire blowout or brake failure, the manufacturer could be at fault.

Identifying every responsible party is a complex task, but it is essential. Each of these entities has its own insurance policy, and holding them all accountable is often necessary to secure the full and fair compensation needed to cover the immense costs of a catastrophic injury.

3. A Labyrinth of Federal and State Regulations

Unlike the driver of a passenger car, truck drivers and trucking companies must adhere to a strict and extensive set of safety regulations established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and Nevada state law. These rules govern nearly every aspect of the trucking industry and are designed to prevent accidents.

These regulations include:

• Hours of Service (HOS) Rules: These rules strictly limit how many hours a driver can be on the road without taking a mandatory rest break. Driver fatigue is a leading cause of truck accidents.
• Maintenance and Inspection Protocols: Trucks must be regularly inspected and maintained, with detailed logs kept as proof.
• Hiring and Training Standards: Trucking companies must perform background checks and ensure their drivers are properly qualified and trained.
• Drug and Alcohol Testing: Drivers are subject to strict and regular testing for substance use.
• Weight and Cargo Securement Rules: There are precise rules for how much a truck can carry and how the cargo must be secured.

A violation of any of these regulations can serve as powerful evidence of negligence. Proving such a violation, however, requires a deep understanding of these complex laws and a thorough investigation into company records and logs.

4. An Aggressive and Immediate Corporate Response

Because the financial exposure for a trucking company and its insurer is so massive, they do not wait to act. Large trucking companies often have “rapid response teams” of investigators, adjusters, and lawyers on standby. This team can be dispatched to an accident scene within hours.

Their goal is singular: to protect their company’s interests. They gather evidence, take photos, interview witnesses, and may even try to get a recorded statement from you while you are still in shock or on medication. They are building their defense case before you have even had a chance to process what happened. This creates an immediate and significant power imbalance, putting the injured victim at a severe disadvantage from the very beginning.

5. Different and Time-Sensitive Evidence

A successful truck accident case relies on preserving and analyzing evidence that simply doesn’t exist in a car accident. This critical evidence is in the hands of the trucking company, and it can disappear quickly if steps aren’t taken to protect it.

Key evidence includes:

• The “Black Box” (Electronic Logging Device – ELD): This device records data on the truck’s speed, braking, GPS location, and the driver’s hours of service.
• Driver Qualification File: This includes the driver’s employment history, driving record, and training certifications.
• Maintenance and Repair Records: These logs show the truck’s service history and can reveal neglected safety issues.
• Post-Accident Drug and Alcohol Test Results: These are mandatory after most serious accidents.
• Dispatch Instructions and Bills of Lading: These documents can show if the driver was under pressure to meet an unrealistic deadline.

An experienced legal team knows to immediately send a spoliation letter to the trucking company, which is a formal legal demand to preserve all of this evidence. Without this crucial step, a company could legally—or illegally—destroy the very information needed to prove your case.

When the Fight Is Bigger Than Just an Accident, We Are Here to Help

A commercial truck accident claim is not something anyone should do alone. The case is not just about the collision; it’s about standing up to powerful corporations and their insurance companies, who will do everything they can to minimize their financial responsibility. This is where the true difference lies—not just in the accident, but in the fight that follows.

At Leverty & Associates Law, we understand that this fight requires more than just personal injury experience. It requires an intimate knowledge of insurance law and the unfair tactics insurers use to deny or devalue legitimate claims. Our firm’s foundation is built on this specific proficiency. We know how insurance companies operate, and we are dedicated to counteracting their strategies to protect our clients’ rights.

With over 100 years of combined experience and more than $150 million recovered for our clients, our team of Reno truck accident lawyers has the compassion, dedication, and legal skill to guide you through this difficult time. If you or a loved one suffered injuries in a truck accident and are facing a battle with an insurance company, we are here to be your advocates.

For a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your case, please call our Reno office at (775) 322-6636.