Vermont Truck Accident Lawyer

Vermont Truck Accident Attorneys

Tractor-trailer and Car Accident cases are patently different. If you’ve been injured in a crash with a tractor-trailer, it is critically important to find a trustworthy Vermont truck accident lawyer.

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Are you looking to hire a skilled VT truck accident lawyer? Sabbeth Law is here to help. We know the ins and outs of trucking accident litigation. Years of specialized training and working with some of the best truck accident lawyers in the country have allowed us to handle trucking cases in ways that many firms can’t match. 

We are true Vermont truck crash lawyers, and we bring the experience and knowledge you need to maximize compensation in a truck accident case.

Tractor-trailer and car accident cases are patently different. If you’ve been injured in a crash with a tractor-trailer, it is critically important to find a true truck accident attorney.

•  We Take the Fight to the Insurance Companies. We don’t play games when it comes to dealing with insurance companies, and we won’t let them push you around.
•  Millions of dollars recovered from serious trucking accidents. We understand how devastating injuries from a truck accident are, and we’ll ensure you’re fairly compensated.
•  We’ll Take the Case to Trial if Necessary. The truck accident attorneys are Sabbeth Law are trial-tested and won’t hesitate to go to Court.
•  Our Team Will Review Your Case For Free. You don’t have to pay out of pocket to hire us – and you only pay when we get you compensation.
•  Our Team Has Extensive Experience with Truck Accidents. We are board certified and we are always contuining training and education.

Sabbeth Law is committed to helping victims of serious truck accidents recover what they are owed. Let’s talk today.

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Immediate Actions After a Truck Accident

The moments following a truck accident are critical for both your health and your legal rights. Taking the right steps immediately after a collision can significantly strengthen your truck accident claim and protect your ability to recover compensation.

Step 1: Ensure Safety and Call 911. Move to a safe location if possible, away from traffic and potential hazards. Call 911 immediately to report the accident and request medical assistance. Even if you feel uninjured, adrenaline can mask symptoms of serious conditions.

Step 2: Seek Medical Attention. Your priority should always be getting medical care, even if you don’t believe you’re seriously injured. Many truck accident injuries, including traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries, may not present symptoms immediately but can have life-altering consequences. A medical examination creates documentation linking your injuries to the accident.

Step 3: Document the Accident Scene. Once you’re safe and have received initial medical care, document everything possible at the accident scene. Take photographs of vehicle damage from multiple angles, road conditions, skid marks, debris patterns, traffic signs, weather conditions, and any visible injuries. Capture the truck’s company name, DOT number, and license plate. The more photographic evidence you gather, the stronger your case becomes.

Step 4: Exchange Information Carefully. Collect information from all parties involved, including names, contact details, driver’s license numbers, insurance information, and commercial driver’s license details for the truck driver. Get the trucking company’s name and contact information. However, avoid discussing fault or making statements about how the accident occurred. These conversations can be used against you later by insurance companies seeking to minimize your truck accident claim.

Step 5: Gather Witness Information. Request contact information from anyone who saw the accident occur. Witness statements can provide objective accounts that support your version of events and counter claims made by trucking companies or their insurers. Ask witnesses if they captured any video footage on their phones.

Step 6: Contact Law Enforcement. Ensure an official police report is filed. This report becomes crucial evidence when building your case. Provide factual information about what happened, but avoid speculating about causes or admitting fault. Request the report number and information about how to obtain a copy.

Step 7: Notify Your Insurance Company. Report the accident to your insurance company promptly, as your policy likely requires timely notification. However, be cautious about providing detailed recorded statements without first consulting a truck accident attorney. Insurance companies—both yours and the trucking company’s—will look for ways to reduce their liability and payout amounts.

Step 8: Preserve Evidence. Keep all documentation related to the accident, including medical records, bills, prescription receipts, repair estimates, and any correspondence with insurance companies. Don’t repair your vehicle until it has been inspected and photographed. This evidence is essential for calculating damages.

Step 9: Avoid Speaking with Insurance Adjusters Alone. The trucking company’s insurance adjusters may contact you quickly, often within hours of the accident. They may seem friendly and concerned, but their goal is to minimize the company’s liability. Politely decline to give recorded statements or sign any documents without first consulting with a truck accident attorney who can protect your interests.

Step 10: Consult with a Vermont Truck Accident Attorney. Contact an experienced truck accident attorney as soon as possible after the collision. Vermont law gives you three years to file a claim, but waiting reduces your chances of recovering crucial evidence. Trucking companies often dispatch accident reconstruction teams immediately to gather evidence favorable to their defense. Having your own legal representation levels the playing field and ensures critical evidence like driver logs, electronic data, and maintenance records are preserved before they disappear.

Filing a Lawsuit for Truck Accident Injuries

Most of us have driven by an accident involving a semi-truck and at least one other vehicle at some point in our lives. Few people, however, realize how often these types of accidents actually occur.

In fact, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) estimates that there were more than 450,000 truck accidents in 2017 alone, 344,000 of which resulted in injury. Many of these accidents occurred in Vermont and New Hampshire, where, unfortunately, collisions involving commercial vehicles are on the rise.

The injuries sustained in truck accidents tend to be serious, often resulting in disfigurement, disability, and chronic pain, which can be incredibly frustrating for those whose accidents were the result of someone else’s negligence.

Fortunately, these individuals are not left without legal recourse but can seek damages from the at-fault party in court. If you or a loved one were injured in a truck accident, it is essential to speak with an experienced truck accident lawyer who can explain your legal options.

Types of Commercial Trucks Involved in Accidents

Many people automatically think of semi-trucks when they hear “commercial vehicle.” While semi-trucks are perhaps the most common type on the road, several other vehicles fall into this category:

• Semi-trucks can weigh upwards of 80,000 pounds, making them difficult to stop and prone to rollovers due to their high center of gravity.
• Flatbed trucks have open trailers usually utilized for transporting unusual cargo, such as lumber or construction equipment. These vehicles are particularly dangerous when cargo isn’t properly secured.
• Dump trucks transport loose materials like dirt, sand, gravel, and trash. Due to their top-heavy nature, they’re much more likely to roll over than other commercial vehicles.
• Tanker trucks are specifically designed to carry and transport liquids, many of which are hazardous or flammable. Their liquid contents can shift during transit, causing drivers to lose control.

The type of accident involving a truck is primarily dictated by the specific type of truck in question. Tanker trucks are often involved in rollover accidents because their liquid contents shift during transit. The cargo carried by tanker trucks is often flammable, putting these trucks at higher risk of explosion after colliding with another vehicle.

Flatbed trucks tend to be involved in fewer collisions than other commercial vehicles but are much more likely to have cargo come loose during a collision. If a driver fails to abide by federal loading procedures, the cargo could come loose during transit, creating extreme danger for anyone driving behind the truck.

Semi-trucks, which carry the heaviest cargo and are the most common type of commercial vehicle, are difficult to stop if correct braking procedures aren’t used or if brakes are improperly maintained. For this reason, semi-trucks are often involved in intersection accidents and rear-end collisions.

Common Truck Accident Causes

Truck accidents, like any car accident, occur for several different reasons. However, certain actions crop up repeatedly in truck accident reports:

Driving while distracted or fatigued remains one of the leading causes. Federal hours-of-service regulations exist specifically to prevent driver fatigue, yet violations occur frequently when drivers or companies prioritize deadlines over safety.

Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol impairs judgment and reaction time. Commercial drivers are held to stricter standards than passenger vehicle drivers, but impaired driving still contributes to many serious accidents.

Aggressive driving behaviors including speeding, swerving, tailgating, and making abrupt lane changes create dangerous situations. Given the size and weight of commercial trucks, these behaviors dramatically increase accident severity.

Tire blowouts caused by lack of maintenance or manufacturer defects can cause drivers to lose control. Federal regulations require regular inspections, but some companies cut corners to save money.

Mechanical failure due to design or manufacturing defects, or failure to properly maintain vehicles, contributes to many truck accidents. Braking system failures are particularly dangerous given the extended stopping distances required for loaded trucks.

The federal government has instituted regulations to reduce truck accidents nationwide. The FMCSA requires drivers to comply with hours-of-service limits and take mandatory breaks to prevent fatigued driving. Federal regulators require trucking companies to abide by vehicle and cargo weight limits.

Trucking companies and drivers must follow strict procedures when loading and unloading cargo and conduct regular safety inspections, make careful repairs, and perform regular maintenance.

Evidence Collection and Unique Sources

Building a strong truck accident claim requires gathering comprehensive evidence from multiple sources. Unlike standard car accidents, truck accidents involve detailed documentation that can prove crucial to your case.

The police report completed by officers responding to the accident provides an official account of the scene, including initial fault determinations and citations issued. This report serves as a foundational piece of evidence in most truck accident claims.

Driver log books reveal hours-of-service violations and can demonstrate whether a driver was fatigued at the time of the accident. These logs record miles driven, hours worked, rest breaks taken, and shipping details. Trucking companies are required to maintain these records, though some drivers falsify entries to meet unrealistic deadlines.

Data obtained from in-vehicle technologies acts as the truck’s “hard drive,” showing exactly how long and for what distance the driver was operating the truck. This electronic logging device (ELD) data captures speed, braking patterns, location information, and hours of operation. This objective data often contradicts driver statements and provides irrefutable evidence of violations.

Medical records demonstrating the severity of injuries are essential for calculating appropriate compensation. Photographs, bills, doctor’s notes, and treatment records document both the immediate impact and long-term consequences of your injuries.

Video recordings from traffic cameras, dashboard cameras, or witness cell phones can capture the accident itself, providing the most compelling evidence of how the collision occurred.

Drug or alcohol test results conducted at the accident scene can prove impairment. Federal regulations require testing after certain types of accidents, and these results can establish clear liability.

Commercial motor vehicle examination results are often conducted when evidence of negligence exists. These comprehensive inspections can reveal maintenance failures, equipment violations, or other factors that contributed to the accident.

Witness statements from people who saw the crash occur provide independent verification of events. Multiple witness accounts that align strengthen your truck accident claim considerably.

Injury Types and Medical Consequences

Truck accidents result in some of the most severe injuries seen in motor vehicle collisions. The massive size and weight disparity between commercial trucks and passenger vehicles means occupants of smaller vehicles absorb tremendous force during impact.

Traumatic brain injuries occur frequently in truck accidents, ranging from concussions to severe brain damage requiring lifelong care. These injuries may not be immediately apparent at the accident scene but can cause cognitive impairment, personality changes, memory loss, and reduced quality of life. The long-term costs associated with traumatic brain injuries often exceed initial estimates, making it essential to work with a Vermont Brain Injury Attorney who understands how to calculate future damages.

Spinal cord injuries can result in partial or complete paralysis, dramatically altering every aspect of a victim’s life. These catastrophic injuries require extensive medical treatment, rehabilitation, home modifications, and ongoing care. Victims may lose the ability to work, care for themselves, or engage in activities they previously enjoyed.

Broken bones and fractures are extremely common in truck accidents. While some fractures heal with treatment, others result in permanent limitations, chronic pain, or the need for multiple surgeries. Compound fractures, where bone pierces through skin, carry additional risks of infection and complications.

Internal organ damage from blunt force trauma can be life-threatening. The liver, spleen, kidneys, and other organs may be damaged in the collision, requiring emergency surgery and extended hospitalization. Some internal injuries cause delayed symptoms, which is why immediate medical evaluation after a truck accident is critical.

Burn injuries occur when trucks carrying flammable cargo explode or catch fire after a collision. Tanker trucks transporting gasoline, chemicals, or other hazardous materials create this additional risk. Severe burns require treatment, skin grafts, and often result in permanent scarring and disfigurement.

Beyond physical injuries, victims often experience significant emotional distress following truck accidents. Post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and fear of driving are common psychological consequences. These mental health impacts deserve recognition and compensation as part of your truck accident claim.

Common injuries also include whiplash, soft tissue damage, lacerations, and crush injuries. Even injuries that seem minor initially can develop into chronic conditions requiring ongoing treatment.

Specific Crash Types and Causes

Understanding the specific type of truck accident that occurred helps establish liability and build your case. Different crash types indicate different potential causes and liable parties.

Rollover accidents happen when a truck tips onto its side or roof. These accidents frequently involve tanker trucks with shifting liquid cargo or trucks navigating curves at excessive speeds. Dump trucks with elevated beds are also prone to rollovers. Rollovers often block multiple lanes of traffic and can involve several vehicles.

Jackknife accidents occur when a truck’s trailer swings out to form a 90-degree angle with the cab, resembling a folding knife. These accidents typically result from sudden braking on slippery roads or when brakes are improperly maintained. Jackknifed trucks can sweep across multiple lanes, striking numerous vehicles.

Underride accidents are among the most deadly truck accident types. These occur when a smaller vehicle slides underneath a truck’s trailer, often shearing off the top of the passenger vehicle. Federal regulations require underride guards, but not all trucks have adequate protection, and guards can fail during collisions.

Rear-end collisions frequently involve trucks that cannot stop in time due to their extended braking distances. Loaded tractor-trailers travel 20 to 40 percent farther than passenger cars after beginning the braking process. This disparity increases on wet or slippery roads or when brakes are poorly maintained.

Blind spot accidents happen when truck drivers fail to see vehicles in their substantial blind spots before changing lanes or merging. Trucks have much larger blind spots than passenger vehicles, requiring careful mirror checking and awareness. Drivers who fail to check blind spots before maneuvering can cause devastating side-impact collisions.

Wide turn accidents occur when trucks need to swing wide to complete turns, potentially striking vehicles alongside them. Right turns are particularly dangerous, as trucks may initially move left before turning right, confusing other drivers about their intentions.

Tire blowout accidents can cause drivers to lose control suddenly. Regular maintenance and inspection should catch deteriorating tires before they fail, but some trucking companies neglect these safety measures. Federal regulations also specify how drivers should respond to tire blowouts, but failure to follow proper procedures can turn a blowout into a serious accident.

Pursuing Truck Accident Claims in Vermont

Victims of commercial truck accidents in Vermont must act decisively to protect their legal rights. Vermont’s statute of limitations gives injured parties just three years from the accident date to file a truck accident claim.

Documentation is crucial. Collect police reports, medical records, witness statements, and photograph all injuries and property damage immediately after the accident. This evidence forms the foundation of your case.

Vermont’s modified comparative negligence rule allows recovery when you’re less than 51 percent responsible for the accident. However, your compensation decreases proportionally to your fault percentage.

Commercial truck accidents typically involve multiple insurance companies, each with their own adjusters and legal teams. These professionals work to minimize payouts, not maximize your recovery.

Initial settlement offers rarely reflect the true value of truck accident claims. An experienced Vermont truck accident attorney can accurately calculate long-term damages, including ongoing medical expenses, lost earning capacity, and non-economic damages like pain and emotional distress.

Who Is Liable for a Truck Accident?

Recognizing that most truck accidents can be attributed to specific causes, federal regulators began imposing rules on truck companies and their drivers. These regulations cover a wide range of activities, including mandatory break times, driver qualifications, vehicle weight limits, proper loading procedures, safety inspections, and conducting proper maintenance.

Failing to comply with federal regulations can have serious consequences for anyone on the road at the same time as a negligent driver or a driver employed by a negligent trucking company. Fortunately, trucking companies and motorists whose failure to abide by these rules can be linked to a collision can be held liable for resulting injuries.

It’s common for more than one party to be found responsible for an accident. Potentially liable parties include:

The truck driver if negligence is found to have contributed to an accident, including violations of hours-of-service rules, distracted driving, or operating while impaired.

The trucking company if it failed to use reasonable care during the hiring and training process, set unrealistic deadlines that encouraged violations, or did not ensure drivers were complying with federal driving time limits.

The truck’s owner if it did not take steps to ensure vehicles underwent regular maintenance, inspections, or repairs as required by federal regulations.

The cargo loading crew if negligence led to cargo coming loose during transit or if they failed to follow proper securing procedures.

The cargo manufacturer if it did not notify the transportation company about the substance’s hazardous nature or provide proper handling instructions.

Vehicle part manufacturers who used defective designs, failed to use proper materials during production, or failed to properly test parts prior to shipment.

Negligent mechanics who failed to properly inspect vehicles or conduct careful repairs, allowing dangerous conditions to exist.

When one or more of these individuals or entities contributed to a crash, all parties could be required to share responsibility for the accident. If a truck driver fell asleep while driving, he or she could be held partially liable for resulting damages, while that individual’s employer could also be required to compensate the injured party if the driver was fatigued because of unrealistic deadlines.

Injured parties are not automatically barred from recovery if they contributed to their own accident. Vermont adheres to comparative negligence, under which a plaintiff can still recover damages for an accident even if he or she contributed to it in some way, as long as that individual was not more at fault for the collision than the defendants.

Plaintiffs who contribute to their own accidents will have any damages award reduced by their degree of contribution to the accident.

Filing Truck Accident Lawsuits

Although specific commercial vehicle regulations exist, filing this type of claim is actually more difficult than filing suit against the owner of a standard passenger vehicle. The reality is that filing truck accident claims is notorious for being a complex process.

This is largely because, unlike collisions between two motorists, truck accidents usually involve the liability of multiple parties. Both drivers and trucking companies that fail to comply with state and federal regulations can be held liable for truck accidents linked to their violations.

However, even if federal guidelines were not violated, an injured party could still recover damages from multiple individuals and entities as outlined above.

While any one of these entities or individuals could face truck accident liability, it’s common for more than one party to be held liable for a portion of an injured party’s losses.

Challenges When Filing a Truck Accident Claim

Because there are so many potentially liable parties in truck accident cases, injured plaintiffs often deal with multiple insurers and large companies, all well-funded with aggressive and often ruthless legal teams. Insurance companies employ teams of adjusters and attorneys whose primary goal is minimizing payouts, not ensuring fair compensation for victims.

These hurdles can be overcome if plaintiffs have strong evidence at their disposal. The comprehensive evidence discussed earlier—including police reports, log books, photographs, data from in-vehicle technologies, drug or alcohol test results, video recordings, witness statements, medical records, and commercial motor vehicle examination results—becomes essential when facing well-resourced opponents.

While all evidence is important to the success of a truck accident claim, a truck driver’s log book and electronic records are often most helpful in demonstrating fault. They contain information related not only to the number of miles and hours driven every day but also details about shipments, including cargo numbers, route information, and rest break compliance.

Trucking companies often resist providing this evidence, requiring legal action to compel disclosure. Insurance companies may also attempt to obtain your recorded statements before you’ve consulted with legal counsel, hoping you’ll say something that damages your claim. This is why involving truck accident lawyers early in the process is essential.

Damages and Compensation in Truck Accidents

Truck accident victims are entitled to seek compensation for all losses resulting from the collision. Understanding the full scope of available damages ensures you don’t settle for less than you deserve.

Economic damages compensate for financial losses with specific dollar amounts attached. Medical expenses include emergency treatment, hospitalization, surgery, medications, physical therapy, rehabilitation, and all future medical care related to your injuries. Don’t forget to include costs for medical equipment, home modifications, and in-home care services if your injuries require them.

Lost wages cover income you couldn’t earn while recovering from your injuries. This includes salary, hourly wages, overtime, bonuses, and benefits. If your injuries prevent you from returning to your previous employment, you can seek compensation for lost earning capacity—the difference between what you would have earned over your lifetime and what you can now earn given your limitations.

Property damage compensation covers repairs or replacement value for your vehicle and any personal belongings damaged in the accident.

Non-economic damages compensate for losses that don’t have specific price tags but significantly impact your life. Pain and suffering covers the physical pain and discomfort you’ve endured and will continue to experience. Emotional distress includes anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other psychological impacts of the accident.

Loss of enjoyment of life compensates you when injuries prevent you from participating in activities and hobbies you previously enjoyed. Loss of consortium compensates family members for the loss of companionship, affection, and support when a loved one is seriously injured.

Disfigurement and scarring damages recognize the psychological impact and reduced quality of life from permanent visible injuries.

Punitive damages may be available in cases involving particularly egregious conduct, such as drunk driving or willful disregard for safety regulations. These damages are designed to punish wrongdoers and deter similar conduct in the future. Vermont law allows punitive damages in appropriate circumstances.

Calculating the true value of a truck accident claim requires understanding both current and future impacts. An experienced truck accident attorney works with medical experts, economists, and other professionals to accurately project lifetime costs and losses.

Insurance companies typically make initial settlement offers that seem substantial but actually fall far short of covering long-term needs. Once you accept a settlement, you generally cannot seek additional compensation later, even if your medical condition worsens or unexpected complications arise. This makes it critical to fully understand your prognosis and future needs before agreeing to any settlement.

Understanding Settlement Agreements

In some cases, trucking companies are willing to enter into negotiations and come to a settlement agreement with injured parties. While this can save everyone involved significant time, money, and heartache, it’s not always possible, especially when the truck driver or employer is unwilling to admit any degree of fault in causing the accident.

Settlement negotiations involve back-and-forth discussions between your truck accident attorney and the insurance companies representing liable parties. Your attorney presents evidence demonstrating liability and damages, while insurance adjusters attempt to minimize both.

The timing of settlement discussions matters significantly. Settling too early, before you’ve reached maximum medical improvement, risks accepting compensation that doesn’t cover future needs. Your attorney should advise you to wait until your medical condition has stabilized and doctors can provide reliable prognoses about future treatment needs and limitations.

Settlement agreements typically include a release of liability, meaning you cannot pursue additional compensation from the settling party later. This finality makes it essential to ensure the settlement truly covers all your losses. If multiple parties are liable, you may settle with some while continuing litigation against others.

In situations where settlement isn’t possible—when liable parties refuse to offer fair compensation—filing a legal claim against the at-fault party is often the only way plaintiffs can collect compensation for medical bills, lost wages, property damage, pain and suffering, and emotional distress.

Litigation can be a complex process, requiring collection of extensive evidence from uncooperative trucking companies, compliance with numerous legal rules and procedures, and actual courtroom presentation of the case.

How Car Accidents and Vermont Truck Accidents Differ

A tractor-trailer can weigh 80,000 pounds—or 40 tons—even more in exceptional cases. Due to the force involved in a truck crash, these collisions often have tragic results. What are the implications of driving around 80,000 pounds on a steel chassis? Several factors make truck accidents fundamentally different from car accidents.

Tractor-trailers that are not properly maintained, handled, and driven can present extreme danger on the road. Numerous critical regulations govern practices and standards in the trucking business, including maintenance regulations, equipment requirements (including lighting), driver conduct, and driver workload.

Truck and car accidents differ for several reasons:

Severity of crashes is dramatically higher in truck accidents due to the size and weight disparity between commercial trucks and passenger vehicles. The force generated during impact is exponentially greater, leading to more serious injuries and higher fatality rates.

Insurance companies are a major difference. Truck accidents often involve multiple insurance policies and multiple liable parties, creating complexity not present in typical car accidents. You may be dealing with the trucking company’s insurer, the truck owner’s insurer, the cargo company’s insurer, and others simultaneously.

More stringent regulations govern truckers and trucking companies compared to passenger vehicle operators. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations establish specific requirements for everything from driver qualifications to vehicle maintenance to hours of service. Violations of these regulations can establish liability.

Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) requirements mean truck drivers are held to higher standards than passenger vehicle drivers. This creates further implications after a crash, as CDL drivers face more severe consequences for violations and may have additional training obligations that, if not met, establish negligence.

Litigating tractor-trailer collision cases requires a focused approach. As discussed above, many critical rules and regulations govern what tractor-trailer drivers and their employers must follow to ensure reasonable safety for the public.

An attorney experienced in handling typical car crashes is likely not equipped to handle a serious trucking accident case. It’s critical to find truck accident lawyers with extensive experience handling these types of cases specifically, and you can find them at Sabbeth Law.

Truck Accident Statistics

While the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently reported that overall highway fatality numbers are down, this positive trend unfortunately does not extend to large trucks.

According to the NHTSA, collisions involving large trucks have increased by almost ten percent in recent years to 450,000 police-reported crashes per year. Unfortunately, the majority of those collisions, approximately 344,000, resulted in injury to at least one party, while 4,237 involved a fatality.

These statistics represent an overall increase from prior years, with deaths involving tractor-trailer combinations going up nearly six percent and fatalities resulting from single-unit straight trucks increasing by 18.7 percent.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), most fatalities in large truck crashes involve passenger vehicle occupants. In 2017, 17 percent of the 4,102 truck accident-related deaths that occurred were truck occupants, 68 percent were passengers, and 14 percent were motorcyclists, pedestrians, and bicyclists.

The higher risk of injury for drivers of smaller vehicles can be attributed to several factors, including the much larger size of commercial vehicles, which often weigh between 20 and 30 times as much as passenger cars. Similarly, commercial vehicles are taller and have greater ground clearance, making it much more likely that a smaller vehicle will become lodged underneath the larger one in a collision.

Because trucks are so much larger than standard vehicles, they’re also more challenging to stop. The IIHS estimates that loaded tractor-trailers travel 20 to 40 percent farther than passenger cars after beginning the braking process. This discrepancy in stopping distance is even higher on wet and slippery roads, when a truck has poorly maintained brakes, or if the driver is not braking based on the different types of trucking brakes (such as air brakes or hydraulic brakes).

When, Where, and Why Most Truck Accidents Occur

Like any other type of car crash, truck accidents can occur just about anywhere and at any time. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), these collisions tend to take place most often at certain times and in specific places:

In rural areas and on interstate highways, where trucks travel at higher speeds and there may be limited medical resources nearby. In urban areas and on weekdays, between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., driver fatigue is most likely to be a factor.

Collisions between passenger vehicles and large trucks also usually occur for one of several different causes, including truck driver fatigue (often part of drivers doctoring their logbooks), driving while under the influence, speeding, making improper lane changes, and driving aggressively.

Driving while distracted has become an increasingly common cause as electronic devices proliferate. Tire blowouts resulting from lack of proper maintenance and failure to follow standards for reacting to a tire blowout create dangerous situations. Mechanical failure caused by a defect in a vehicle part or general lack of maintenance contributes to many accidents. Improperly secured cargo can shift during transit, causing drivers to lose control.

Too often we see failure to comply with Federal Regulation 392.14 requiring tractor-trailer drivers to exercise “extreme caution” when driving in dangerous conditions, such as rain or snow. This regulation exists specifically because trucks require longer stopping distances and are more difficult to control in adverse weather.

Determining the cause of a truck accident can be difficult, as these collisions often involve multiple defendants and serious injuries. Having access to certain evidence makes the process of proving fault much simpler.

All of this evidence can prove crucial in proving who caused a truck accident and helping victims recover compensation for their losses. Certain types of evidence tend to be particularly probative, including the trucking company’s logbooks, as these provide helpful information including the number of miles traveled by the truck driver on the day in question, all relevant shipping and cargo document numbers, tables that track each driver’s route in one-hour increments, notes about when a driver was on duty, driving, off duty, or taking a mandatory rest break, and information about when and where a driver took rest breaks.

This information can play a critical part in demonstrating negligence, so if you were hurt in a truck accident, consulting with a lawyer who has the experience and resources to help you begin compiling evidence and building a case is important.

Contact an Experienced Vermont Truck Accident Attorney

If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident, speaking with an experienced truck accident attorney as soon as possible is crucial. The legal team at Sabbeth Law has extensive experience handling truck accidents and fighting for the rights of our clients.

Our truck accident lawyers have the knowledge and resources necessary to thoroughly investigate your case and gather all relevant evidence to support your truck accident claim. We will work tirelessly to ensure you receive full and fair compensation for your injuries and losses.

Don’t wait any longer. Contact us today for a free consultation. We are dedicated to helping those who have been wrongfully injured in truck accidents, and we will fight diligently to get you the justice and compensation you deserve.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do truck accidents differ from regular car accidents in Vermont?

Truck accidents often involve much larger vehicles—such as semi-trailers, flatbeds, dump trucks, and tankers—which have unique operational risks like rollover potential, longer braking distances, and severe injuries. These cases also typically involve regulations and multiple liable parties, making them more complex than standard car crash claims.

Who might be held responsible in a Vermont truck accident lawsuit?

Potentially liable parties include the truck driver (for negligence or regulatory violations), the trucking company or vehicle owner (for hiring, training, or maintenance failures), cargo loaders or manufacturers (if improper loading or equipment defects contributed to the crash), and mechanics or inspection firms responsible for repairs or safety checks. Establishing liability often requires investigating multiple sources, including driver logs, maintenance records, and federal compliance documentation.

What causes are most frequent in Vermont truck accidents?

Common factors include driver fatigue or distracted driving, speeding, unsafe lane changes, or tailgating, mechanical failures or tire blowouts due to poor maintenance, improperly secured or shifting cargo, and violations of federal trucking regulations, such as hours-of-service rules or vehicle inspection mandates.

How is fault determined, and what’s the deadline for filing in Vermont?

Vermont applies a comparative negligence system, allowing recovery if you are less than 51 percent at fault—though any awarded damages are reduced proportionally. Most truck accident claims must be filed within three years of the crash. Acting quickly helps ensure essential evidence—like driver logs, in-cab data, and other key documentation—is preserved.

Why work with a Vermont truck accident attorney?

A skilled Vermont truck accident attorney brings crucial advantages, such as expertise in gathering complex evidence like driver logbooks, telematics, and regulatory compliance records. Experience negotiating with multiple insurance companies and well-funded trucking companies. The ability to assess long-term damages accurately, including medical care, lost earning capacity, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. Readiness to take cases to trial when insurance companies undervalue claims, backed by experienced courtroom representation.