What Federal Laws Impact Personal Injury Claims in Trucking Accidents?
Learn how federal trucking laws and safety regulations impact injury claims after a semi-truck or commercial vehicle accident, and how rule violations can affect your case.
If you were injured in a crash involving a semi-truck or other commercial vehicle, your claim is very different from a standard car accident case. That’s because trucking companies and commercial drivers must follow a long list of federal and state safety regulations. Violations of these rules contribute to many common causes of truck accidents, and they also provide important evidence to strengthen your personal injury claim.
Below, we break down some of the key federal trucking regulations, why they exist, and how they can affect the outcome of your case. While this is just a list a federal rules, the State of Minnesota also has its own statutes governing motor carriers and commercial vehicle inspections, and the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) imposes even further requirements.
Are there limits on how long a truck driver can be on the road?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) limits how long truck drivers can drive without rest. These limits are called “hours of service” (HOS) rules. Key requirements include:
- 11-Hour Driving Limit: A driver can drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive off-duty hours.
- 14-Hour Window: Drivers may not drive beyond the 14th hour after coming on duty.
- 30-Minute Break Rule: Drivers must take a break after 8 cumulative hours of driving.
- 60/70-Hour Limit: Drivers cannot exceed 60 hours in 7 days or 70 hours in 8 days.
Fatigue is a major cause of trucking crashes. If electronic logging device (ELD) data shows a driver exceeded hours-of-service limits, that violation is powerful evidence of negligence.
Can a truck be driven if it has mechanical problems?
Federal regulations mandate regular inspections, repairs, and maintenance of commercial trucks, including:
- Pre-trip and post-trip inspections
- Annual inspections
- Required brake, tire, and lighting maintenance
- Recordkeeping requirements for all of the above
Mechanical failure (bad brakes, worn tires, lighting issues) is a common cause of truck crashes. If a trucking company skipped maintenance or ignored defects, they may be liable on a “negligence per se” basis.
What if the driver was not qualified to drive a commercial truck?
Truck drivers must meet strict qualification rules, including:
- Holding a valid Commercial Driver’s License (CDL)
- Passing a medical examination
- Maintaining a safe driving record
- Completing required training
- Employers must maintain a Driver Qualification File (DQF) for each driver.
If a driver was unqualified, untrained, medically unfit, or had a history of safety violations, the trucking company may face claims for negligent hiring, supervision, or retention.
What if the truck driver had been drinking or used drugs?
Trucking companies must conduct mandatory drug and alcohol testing, including:
- Pre-employment testing
- Random testing
- Post-accident testing
- Reasonable suspicion testing
Failure to conduct proper testing, or allowing a driver with a positive test to keep driving, can support a claim that the company was negligent by putting unsafe drivers on the road.
What if the truck was overloaded or improperly loaded?
Federal rules regulate truck weight and handling of cargo, including:
- Maximum truck weight limits
- Proper cargo tie-downs
- Special rules for hazardous materials
- How loads must be balanced and distributed
Improperly loaded or overloaded trucks are more likely to roll over, jackknife, or lose cargo. Violations here can show clear negligence.
Are there specific rules for transporting hazardous materials?
Drivers transporting hazardous materials must follow strict requirements related to:
- Placards and labeling
- Route planning
- Specialized training
- Shipping papers
- Emergency procedures
Collisions involving hazardous materials can cause explosions, fires, chemical exposure, and widespread damage. These cases often involve additional federal violations and higher damages.
Will the trucking company have a record of how the accident happened?
Commercial truck drivers must use electronic logging devices to record driving time, rest breaks, and duty status. ELD data provides an objective record that can show:
- Whether the driver was on the road too long
- The vehicle’s speed
- Hard braking events
- Sudden stops
- Potential falsification of logs
This data can help reconstruct what happened before the crash.
How do the company’s records come into play?
Trucking companies must maintain detailed records showing compliance with the above regulations, which can show if they followed the law or if they cut corners. If records are missing, incomplete, or falsified, that can be used against the company in your personal injury case.
How do federal and state laws affect my personal injury claim?
Violations of FMCSA and similar state regulations can:
- Establish negligence
- Increase settlement value
- Open the door to punitive damages
- Expand the number of liable parties, which could include not only the driver and trucking company, but contractors, maintenance providers, loading companies, and manufacturers.
- Make your case more complex: trucking cases require a more detailed investigation, preservation of electronic and mechanical data, and compliance analysis of federal and state regulations
Having an attorney who understands Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration rules and how these accidents happen can make a substantial difference in the outcome of your claim. The attorneys at Sieben & Cotter have extensive expertise with FMCSA and semi-truck injury cases. If you are interested in a free, comprehensive case review, call Sieben & Cotter at 651-455-1555 to arrange your consultation, or send a request for more information.