Johnson City Truck Accident Lawyer

Who may be responsible besides the truck driver?

A truck crash can involve more people than the two drivers. Depending on the facts, responsibility may extend to the motor carrier, the vehicle owner, a company that loaded the cargo, a maintenance provider, or another company involved in the trip. Being connected to the truck does not make a company responsible by itself. Each relationship and each party’s conduct has to be examined, and Tennessee divides fault among everyone who contributed.

Driver logs, vehicle data, and other evidence to preserve

These are the records we look for in a truck case. Not every truck or company will have every item.

• Electronic logging device records and other hours-of-service records
• Dispatch records, bills of lading, and trip documents
• Maintenance, repair, and inspection records
• Driver qualification records
• Engine or safety system data, where the truck has it
• Photos and video of the scene and the vehicles
• Statements from witnesses

Some of these records are kept only for a limited time or can be overwritten in ordinary operations, so we send preservation requests early.

Hours-of-service rules and electronic logging devices

Federal rules limit how long many property-carrying truck drivers can drive (49 C.F.R. §§ 395.1 and 395.3).

• Up to 11 hours of driving after 10 consecutive hours off duty
• No driving after the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty
• A 30-minute break after 8 cumulative hours of driving
• No driving after 60 hours on duty in 7 days, or 70 hours in 8 days, depending on the carrier’s schedule
• A qualifying 34-hour off-duty period can restart the weekly count

Exceptions exist for short-haul operations, adverse driving conditions, and sleeper-berth arrangements, so these rules do not apply the same way to every truck. Most drivers who must keep duty-status records use an electronic logging device, and carriers must keep that data for six months, according to FMCSA guidance.

Commercial insurance and available coverage

Federal rules set minimum financial responsibility for many commercial carriers (49 C.F.R. § 387.9). For-hire interstate carriers hauling general freight in vehicles of 10,001 pounds or more must carry at least $750,000. Certain hazardous-material operations require $1,000,000 or $5,000,000. These are minimum requirements, not a measure of what a case is worth, and the coverage actually available depends on the carrier, the operation, and the policies.

Tennessee deadlines, comparative fault, and damages

Tennessee’s one-year filing deadline applies to most truck cases (Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-104). A qualifying criminal prosecution of the driver can extend the period to two years against the driver, but it does not automatically extend the deadline for the carrier or other companies. Deadlines depend on the facts, so talk with a Tennessee attorney promptly.

Fault is divided among everyone responsible, and you can recover only if your share is less than 50 percent. Noneconomic damages are generally capped at $750,000, or $1,000,000 for defined catastrophic injuries, and the statute lists exceptions, including certain cases involving impairment or the intentional falsification or destruction of records (§ 29-39-102).

Our car accident page explains these rules in more detail, and families who lost someone in a truck crash can read about wrongful death claims.

Questions about your situation? Request a free case review.