New Orleans 18-Wheeler & Truck Accident Lawyer
The Port of New Orleans, the I-10 corridor, and the Industrial Canal place commercial truck traffic throughout the city every day. When a commercial truck hits a passenger car, the size and force difference can cause devastating injuries. Trucking companies may begin investigating immediately while a victim is still receiving treatment. You need someone moving quickly to preserve evidence and protect your claim.
Hit by a commercial truck? Do not wait. Electronic logs and other records may be subject to limited retention periods. Call (504) 895-3431 for a free, confidential consultation. No fee unless we win.
(504) 895-3431
Truck Cases Are Not Car Cases
A collision with a commercial truck can trigger a different legal investigation than an ordinary car accident. Potential defendants may include the driver, motor carrier, trailer owner, freight broker, maintenance contractor, or cargo loader. Federal rules may govern hours of service, vehicle maintenance, driver qualification, and drug or alcohol testing. Multiple insurance policies may also apply.
- Electronic logging device records showing driving time and duty status, plus separate engine-control or event data that may capture speed or braking
- Driver qualification files, drug and alcohol testing history, and hours-of-service logs
- Company safety records, prior violations, inspection reports, and maintenance history
- Potentially applicable primary, excess, trailer, broker, or contractor insurance
One of our first steps in a truck case is sending a preservation letter that identifies relevant electronic and documentary evidence. We then investigate the companies and individuals involved as carefully as the crash itself. Contact us to discuss immediate preservation steps.
Why Truck Accident Injuries, and Settlements, Are Larger
An 80,000-pound vehicle does not cause fender-benders. Truck crash victims suffer traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, crush injuries, and burns; too many families face a wrongful death claim instead. Because the injuries and the available insurance are both larger, trucking insurers fight these claims with defense firms on retainer. The settlement value of your case depends heavily on how completely your lawyer can prove both the company’s negligence and the lifetime cost of your injuries.
Common Causes We Prove
Fatigued drivers pushed past federal hours-of-service limits
Speeding and aggressive driving to meet delivery windows
Improperly loaded or unsecured cargo
Skipped inspections and maintenance: brakes and tires above all
Inexperienced or unqualified drivers operating vehicles that may weigh up to 80,000 pounds
Distracted or impaired driving
Free consultation, and we advance all case costs. Call (504) 895-3431 for a free, confidential consultation. No fee unless we win.
Local Roads, Local Knowledge
We know where these crashes happen because we live here: I-10 through Metairie and New Orleans East, the Huey P. Long and Crescent City Connection bridges, Highway 90 on the West Bank, Airline Highway, and the truck routes feeding the port. Since 1998, Thomas Corrington has handled Louisiana injury claims from these exact corridors, and trucking insurers know which lawyers try cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average settlement for an 18-wheeler accident?
There is no meaningful “average”, outcomes range from tens of thousands to multi-million-dollar recoveries depending on injuries, liability, and coverage. What is consistent: victims with counsel who preserve the trucking company’s own data recover dramatically more than those who accept early offers.
Who can be held liable in a truck accident?
Potentially the driver, the trucking company, the owner of the trailer, the freight broker, the cargo loader, and maintenance contractors. Naming every liable party is how full compensation gets paid, and it requires investigation most victims never see done.
The trucking company’s insurer already called me. What do I do?
Take their name and number, say nothing about your injuries, and call a lawyer. Rapid contact is a strategy: they want your statement before you know your rights or the extent of your injuries.
How long do I have to file a truck accident claim in Louisiana?
Generally two years for crashes on or after July 1, 2024, but the real deadline is evidentiary: electronic logs and camera footage can be gone in weeks. The preservation letter needs to go out now.