Many people believe that truck accidents are just like car accidents in terms of filing personal injury law claims, but the truth is that a semi-truck or commercial truck accident involves different regulations and policies that require an experienced lawyer to understand and work through.

Since 1973, our truck accident attorneys in Newport News have helped countless Virginia clients recover damages for their personal injuries, including injuries sustained from truck accidents. As a family-owned law firm, Huffman & Huffman Brothers-in-Law cares about your well-being first and prioritizes your health throughout our legal proceedings.

Contact us online or at (757) 599-6050 to reach a caring lawyer. We don’t win until you do.

Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Newport News

Truck crashes often result from the negligence of truck drivers, trucking companies, or other parties in the trucking industry. When negligence causes a collision, injured victims have the right to file a personal injury claim to seek compensation for their losses.

Driver error is the most common cause of commercial truck accidents, which can include:

• Distracted driving
• Driving while fatigued
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Speeding or driving too fast for conditions
• Tailgating and aggressive driving
• Failing to check blind spots or improper passing
• Conducting inadequate pre-trip inspections
• Having insufficient visibility equipment

Companies can also contribute to accidents through negligent hiring or retention of drivers, improper safety and maintenance, and more. Sometimes, crashes result from third-party cargo loading crews, repair companies, and more.

Do You Need a Lawyer for a Truck Accident?

If you’ve been in a truck accident, it’s natural to wonder whether you can handle the claim yourself. The reality is that truck accidents are vastly different from crashes involving only passenger vehicles, and trying to navigate the situation alone can put your recovery at risk. Here are a few of the reasons why hiring a lawyer is so important in these cases:

Larger Insurance Policies

Commercial trucking companies carry policies worth far more than typical car insurance, sometimes millions of dollars. This means that insurance companies often fight even harder to avoid responsibility by minimizing payouts, denying claims, or assigning blame to the victim. Virginia’s strict contributory negligence rule makes this especially risky, since even a small share of fault can bar a victim from recovering anything.

Severe Injuries and Medical Costs

Truck accidents often cause catastrophic injuries due to the size and weight of large commercial vehicles. Injuries can include spinal cord trauma, brain injuries, burns, amputations, permanent scarring, and psychological trauma. Serious injuries often mean extensive medical treatment, long recovery times, and permanent disability, which makes recovering a fair settlement all the more critical.

Complex Federal and State Regulations

Truck drivers and companies must follow federal and state rules, including licensing, logbooks, truck maintenance, and inspections. Knowing these regulations and how to uncover evidence of violations that contributed to the accident are often key to a successful claim.

Multi-Party Claims

Truck accidents often involve more than just the driver. Trucking companies, cargo loaders, repair shops, and other parties can share responsibility. Identifying all potentially liable parties is important because each may contribute to the accident, and missing a responsible party could limit the compensation available to cover medical bills, lost wages, and other damages.

Why Choose Huffman & Huffman for Your Truck Accident Case?

Huffman & Huffman brings decades of experience and deep local knowledge to truck accident representation in Newport News and across Virginia. Our family-owned firm has proudly served tens of thousands of families in the community since 1973, building a track record of trust, results, and personalized service.

With over 150 years of combined legal experience, our attorneys have successfully represented injured victims against major trucking companies and their insurers, recovering millions in compensation. We understand Virginia law, the local courts, and the complexities of commercial truck cases, giving our clients a clear advantage when pursuing their claims.

When you work with Huffman & Huffman, you gain a dedicated legal team committed to protecting your rights, navigating insurance challenges, and fighting for the full compensation you deserve. Contact us today to put our experience to work for you.

Types of Truck Accident Cases We Handle

At Huffman & Huffman, our truck accident attorneys are familiar with all sorts of crashes and incidents involving commercial vehicles, including:

• Jackknifes: When hard braking or sudden swerving causes a truck’s trailer to swing out and fold at the hinge, creating a jackknife shape as the vehicle skids.
• Rear-end collisions: Large trucks need significantly more stopping distance than passenger vehicles, and inattentive drivers can cause devastating rear-end crashes when they cannot brake in time.
• Underrides: These dangerous accidents occur when smaller vehicles become trapped under commercial truck trailers, often resulting in catastrophic injuries, especially when required underride guards are missing.
• Cargo-related crashes: Poorly secured, overloaded, or improperly balanced cargo can fall onto roadways or make trucks difficult to control, causing serious accidents.

What Types of Compensation Can We Help You Pursue for Your Truck Accident Injuries?

Truck accident victims may recover various types of compensation through a personal injury claim or wrongful death claim.

Economic Damages

Economic damages compensate for measurable financial losses. These include:

• Medical expenses for emergency care, hospitalization, surgery, rehabilitation, ongoing treatment, and future medical needs.
• Lost wages cover income you’ve already missed due to your injuries, while loss of earning capacity addresses reduced ability to work in the future.
• Property damage compensation covers vehicle repairs or replacement and damage to other personal property.

Non-economic Damages

Non-economic damages address intangible losses that don’t have specific price tags, such as:

• Physical pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Disfigurement and permanent disability

Punitive damages may be available in cases involving egregious negligence or intentional misconduct, though Virginia law limits these damages.

What to Do After a Truck Accident in Newport News

Taking the right steps after a truck accident protects your health and strengthens your legal claim.

• Seek medical attention immediately: Even if you feel fine, get checked by a doctor. Medical documentation establishes the connection between the accident and your injuries.
• Document the scene: Take photos of all vehicles, any visible injuries, skid marks, debris, and the surrounding area. This evidence can be critical in proving liability and the extent of damages.
• Report the truck accident to the police: Obtain a copy of the official accident report. Police reports provide valuable, unbiased documentation for your claim.
• Collect witness information: Get names and contact information for anyone who saw the accident. Witness statements can support your version of events.
• Contact an experienced truck accident attorney: Early legal involvement allows your attorney to begin investigating while the evidence is fresh and protects you from insurance company tactics.
• Avoid discussing the accident on social media: Insurance companies monitor social media accounts for posts they can use to challenge your claim.
• Follow all medical advice and attend appointments: Skipping treatment or appointments gives insurers grounds to argue your injuries aren’t serious.

Newport News Truck Accident Lawyer: FAQs

How many truck accidents happen each year in the United States?

There are about half a million commercial truck accidents across the United States each year. Tens of thousands of drivers caught in these crashes suffer serious injuries, and another 5,000 or so lose their lives. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has created numerous regulations to help prevent truck accidents, but there is clearly much more work to be done.

Does where my truck accident happened matter?

Yes, the location of your truck accident could be important for how your injury claim progresses later. Many truck accidents happen on freeways because semi-trucks typically only travel from a shipping depot to a commercial property like a retail store receiving a shipment of products. Taking side streets should be kept to a minimum to avoid busy intersections and pedestrians. Therefore, if you were hit by a big rig but weren’t on the highway, for example, then it could impact how we investigate the incident.

What is the statute of limitations for truck accident claims in Virginia?

Virginia law generally requires personal injury claims to be filed within two years from the accident date. Wrongful death claims must typically be filed within two years of the death. Missing these deadlines usually bars you from recovering compensation.

Will my truck accident claim take a while to settle?

Ideally, your truck accident claim will reach a settlement and not need to go to court. No one likes going to court because it is time-consuming and adds expenses for both sides of a case. But if your case looks like it will settle, how long will that take? The answer varies noticeably from one case to another due to varying factors like questions of liability, the extent of the damages, etc. If we had to estimate, though, then we could say that a straightforward truck accident claim can still take 6 to 12 months to settle.

Do commercial trucks really have “black box” devices?

You might have heard that commercial trucks have “black boxes” that record important travel data, much like the same device in an airplane. This is not always true, though. Only some semi-trucks must be equipped with black boxes. However, if the truck that hit you did have a black box recorder, then our experienced attorneys will know how to access its data, which can show how quickly the truck was traveling, when the truck driver was last on break, and other important information that can be used as evidence.

Can I sue the trucking company, too?

The truck driver who hit you might not be the only party that is liable for your damages and losses. If the trucker’s employer has done anything negligent to contribute to the crash, then you might be able to file against the company’s insurance policy, too. For example, if the company knowingly hired a truck driver who does not have a valid commercial driver’s license (CDL), then the company could be partially liable for any crashes that the driver causes. Furthermore, if the driver is an employee and not an independent contractor, then strict employer liability rules could benefit your case.

Do you have a truck accident lawyer near me?

Yes, Huffman & Huffman serves Newport News and the surrounding areas from our local office at 12284 Warwick Boulevard, #2A, Newport News, Virginia, 23606. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with our experienced truck accident attorneys.

Get Help From Our Newport News Truck Accident Lawyers

While the thought of filing a truck accident claim may seem daunting right now, our Newport News truck accident attorneys are ready to make everything simpler for you. We have years of experience handling cases much like yours and going up against nationwide truck insurance companies. Let us help you uncover the path to compensation without adding more stress and responsibilities to yourself.

Trust us to help you recover quickly from your injuries. Call us today or contact us online for a free consultation.