Lafayette, CO Truck Accident Lawyer

Attorney Representing Victims of Semi-Truck and Commercial Vehicle Crashes in Lafayette, CO

A crash with a semi-truck or other large commercial vehicle is rarely like an ordinary car accident. The size and weight of these vehicles often mean more severe injuries, more property damage, and a more complicated claims process.

Truck accident cases can raise issues that do not come up in a typical car accident claim. For example, you may be dealing with more than one responsible party. Other cases turn on whether a driver exceeded federal hours-of-service limits, or where and why a crash happened along a busy freight route. Fault and filing deadlines under Colorado law can also affect the value of a claim.

Hoggatt Law Office, P.C. can help with each of these issues. Whether you are still recovering from the crash or already dealing with an insurance company or trucking company's legal team, our Lafayette truck accident lawyers will put their decades of legal experience to work.

Why Are Truck Accidents Different From Other Car Accidents?

Commercial trucks can weigh tens of thousands of pounds more than a typical passenger vehicle. That means the physics of a crash are very different. A collision that might cause minor damage between two cars can cause catastrophic injury when a fully loaded semi-truck is involved.

Truck accident cases also often involve more than one potentially responsible party. These cases might involve fault from the driver or the trucking company. Sometimes a cargo loading company or vehicle maintenance provider faces liability. This can make truck accident claims more complex than a typical personal injury case, and it often takes a careful investigation to identify everyone who may share responsibility.

Where Do Truck Accidents Happen in Lafayette?

Freight and delivery trucks regularly pass through Lafayette on their way to and from the Denver metro area, using routes like Highway 7 and the Northwest Parkway to connect with the interstate system. Because these roads carry a mix of commercial trucks, commuter traffic, and local drivers, the risk of a serious crash increases at busy intersections and merge points. Understanding where and why these crashes tend to happen can be useful both for avoiding a collision and for building a strong claim after one occurs.

Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Lafayette

Truck accidents can happen for many of the same reasons as other vehicle crashes, but a few causes are especially common in commercial trucking, including:

• Driver fatigue, particularly on long-haul routes with tight delivery schedules
• Improperly loaded or secured cargo, which can shift and affect a truck's balance
• Poor vehicle maintenance, including brake failure or tire blowouts
• Distracted driving or failure to see smaller vehicles in blind spots
• Speeding to make up time on a delivery schedule

Among these, truck driver fatigue, a well-documented risk in the industry, is a factor that federal regulations specifically address.

Truck Drivers' Hours and Federal Regulations

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, or FMCSA, sets hours-of-service rules that limit how long a commercial truck driver may drive without rest. Under these rules, a driver generally may not drive after 14 consecutive hours of coming on duty. Within that same period, a driver may not drive more than 11 hours. They also have to take at least 10 consecutive hours off duty before starting a new shift, and must generally take a 30-minute break after eight cumulative hours of driving without at least a 30-minute interruption.

Additionally, drivers are limited to 60 hours on duty in any seven consecutive days, or 70 hours in any eight consecutive days, depending on the carrier's schedule. Most trucking companies are also required to use electronic logging devices to record a driver's hours. This can serve as important evidence in a truck accident claim if a driver exceeded these limits.

Hiring an Experienced Truck Accident Attorney for Your Claim

Truck accident cases require a different level of investigation than a typical car accident claim, since evidence like driver logs, maintenance records, and cargo manifests can disappear or be altered if not requested quickly. Hoggatt Law Office, P.C. has a proven record of case results representing clients throughout Lafayette and the surrounding area. We handle truck accident cases on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay no upfront fees, and we only get paid if we recover compensation for you. Clients who have worked with our firm have left more than 250 five-star reviews describing their experience with our team.

Talk to Our Lafayette Truck Accident Attorneys for a Free Consultation

If you were injured in a crash involving a commercial truck in Lafayette, Hoggatt Law Office, P.C. can review the details of your case and help you understand your options. Contact our Lafayette, CO truck accident lawyers or call 970-225-2190 to schedule a free consultation.