If you or a loved one has been injured in a commercial truck crash, our Norfolk truck accident lawyers can help you seek maximum compensation for your losses and suffering. Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers provides compassionate support, exceptional service, and decades of legal experience to advocate for your recovery.
Call (757) 333-3333 or use our online form to schedule your free consultation with our team.
Why Choose Our Norfolk Truck Accident Lawyers After a Wreck
Truck accident claims in Virginia are often complex, involving multiple parties and pushy insurance companies that try to shift blame to injured individuals. At Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers, our award-winning legal team has the resources and experience needed to take on large insurance companies and secure meaningful results for our clients.
With over 235 years of combined experience in personal injury law, we have recovered tens of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts. Our legal professionals have handled cases that involve catastrophic injuries, helping deserving families pursue financial support for current and future losses and suffering.
We offer free, no-obligation case reviews to discuss the details of your case, explain your rights, and provide guidance on how you can move forward with a legal claim. If you decide to work with our attorneys, you pay nothing unless we win your case.
How Our Team Will Help
Our catastrophic injury lawyers have vast experience handling truck accident claims, and are all members of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (ATAA). We’re ready to hear your story and help ease your burden after your wreck.
While you concentrate on your physical and emotional well-being, our top-rated Norfolk, Virginia litigators provide comprehensive representation that includes the following:
- Guiding you through every step of the claims process
- Conducting an independent investigation of the truck crash to determine fault
- Collecting time-sensitive physical evidence that can strengthen your claim
- Building your case and defending against allegations of shared fault
- Negotiating a fair settlement that accurately reflects your damages
- If necessary, taking your case to trial and representing you in court
What Damage Can I Recover After a Truck Accident in Norfolk?
After a commercial truck crash, you can recover compensation for both your economic losses and the intangible impact your injuries have on your life. If someone else’s negligence led to the crash, Virginia law allows you to seek compensatory damages that are divided into these two main categories:
Economic Damages
Economic damages are tangible financial losses stemming from the accident, including the following:
- Your past and current medical bills
- Cost of ongoing and future medical treatments
- Lost wages from missed work
- Loss of future earnings capacity
- Property damage
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are the personal, subjective effects of the crash, such as:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Permanent scarring or disfigurement
- The loss of enjoyment of life
- Inconvenience
If you lost a loved one in a truck accident, our Norfolk wrongful death lawyers can help your family seek additional damages that can help protect your financial stability. Connect with us to learn more.
Accounting for the True Cost of Long-Term Injuries
Because commercial trucks are much larger and heavier than passenger cars, the force of these collisions often leads to severe, catastrophic injuries that can require lifelong medical care. Insurance providers may try to settle claims quickly, offering an amount that may cover your immediate emergency room bills but does not consider what you will need months or years down the road.
One of the most critical steps our Norfolk semitruck accident lawyers take on your behalf is partnering with specialized medical and economic professionals. We work alongside them to accurately project the lifetime future costs of your injuries, which may include ongoing rehabilitation, future surgeries, specialized prescriptions, and diminished earning capacity. By accounting for your future needs, we fight to ensure your final recovery provides the financial security you deserve.
Hear From One of Our Norfolk Neighbors
Our team is proud to serve the Norfolk community and help injured individuals and their families through some of the toughest times in their lives after a truck accident. Here’s what one of our clients shared about working with us:
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Who’s Liable for My Truck Accident Injuries?
In Virginia, anyone who is directly or indirectly responsible for a commercial truck crash can be held legally responsible for resulting damages.
Depending on how and why your accident happened, potentially liable parties in a truck wreck might include the following:
- Truck driver
- Driver of a passenger vehicle
- Bus driver
- Transportation company
- Trucking company
- Freight broker
- Cargo loader
- Truck mechanic
- Truck manufacturer
- Government agency
- Employer of a responsible party
Our truck and car accident attorneys in Norfolk will thoroughly assess your crash and work to uncover anyone who might have played a role. Then we can aggressively seek compensation from them on your behalf.
Ask the Car Crash Experts
Who'S Liable In A Commercial Truck Accident?
Personal Injury Lawyer
“If you’re hit by a commercial vehicle, it’s not just the driver who’s liable for any injuries they may have caused. The company that employs the driver at the time of the accident is also responsible for any injuries resulting from their employee’s actions.”
Real-World Case Illustration: How We Handle Truck Accident Claims
When a commercial vehicle crossed into our client’s lane, the force of the impact caused severe fractures and a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Recognizing that she would require lifelong medical and financial assistance, our team immediately filed a lawsuit to protect her future.
To build a strong case for liability against the construction company, we secured eyewitness depositions and preserved evidence at the scene. Attorney John Cooper subpoenaed the driver’s cell phone records to prove that distracted driving was involved close to the time of the wreck. We also sent our client to qualified neuropsychiatrists to properly diagnose and document her contested brain injury.
We went the extra mile to determine the true value of the claim by presenting the evidence to mock jury focus groups. With thorough trial preparation, the insurance providers offered a $5 million settlement in 15 months.
Partner
Managing Partner
How Could Virginia’s Contributory Fault Rule Affect My Truck Accident Case?
In Virginia, sharing responsibility for a truck accident can prevent you from recovering compensation for your injuries. Under the pure contributory negligence rule, if a defendant proves you were even 1% at fault for the accident, you can be completely barred from recovering damages.
At Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers, we have the experience and resources to handle complex trucking claims and take on large insurance companies. We protect your right to recovery by establishing liability and proving that you did not contribute to your injuries. Here’s how we build your case:
- Securing vital evidence: Preserving commercial black box data, driver communication logs, and physical scene details
- Locking in testimony: Tacking down independent eyewitnesses to help establish clear liability
- Building trial-ready cases: Preparing every claim with medical and forensic professionals to establish the full scope of your losses
What’s the Statute of Limitations for Virginia Truck Accident Cases?
After a truck accident in Norfolk, the Virginia statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two years.
Depending on the facts of your case, there may be certain limited circumstances where you need to file notice of your claim within 6 months. It’s important to file your personal injury or wrongful death claim before time runs out. Once the deadline expires, you will no longer have the opportunity to assert your legal rights.
Contact our Virginia truck accident lawyers for help right away.
What Trucking Laws Could Affect My Truck Accident Case?
Your truck accident claim may be affected by several federal safety regulations and unique Virginia laws that govern everything from driver rest periods to strict filing deadlines. Because commercial trucking operations cross state lines, it’s often helpful to work with an attorney who understands this legal framework and how it can impact the outcome of your case.
Federal Trucking Laws
Federal trucking laws aim to prevent driver fatigue by regulating how long truck drivers are allowed to work. They also establish driver qualifications and licensing requirements, vehicle safety and maintenance standards, and cargo loading compliance rules. Key federal trucking laws include:
- Hours of Service (HOS): To combat driver exhaustion, the FMCSA enforces strict time limits. Truck drivers can generally drive up to 11 hours and must take a 30-minute break every eight hours of cumulative driving. Most modern trucks track these hours using electronic logging devices (ELDs).
- Licensing and health: Operating a semi-truck or big rig requires a commercial driver’s license (CDL). Drivers must also maintain a valid medical examiner’s certificate and participate in mandatory drug and alcohol testing.
- Vehicle safety: Trucking companies are legally required to perform annual inspections and ensure drivers conduct daily “walk-around” checks. Also, on federal interstates, the gross vehicle weight is typically capped at 80,000 pounds.
Virginia State Trucking Laws
Virginia also has state trucking laws designed to improve safety and protect road users from potential risks. Important state trucking laws in Virginia include:
- Road and lane usage: Tractor-trailers are often capped at 45 miles per hour (mph) on certain highways. Trucks are prohibited from using the far-left lane on highways with more than two lanes and must stay in the right lane when traveling 15 mph below the speed limit.
- Truck weight and dimensions: The standard weight limit is 80,000 pounds, with a maximum height of 13 feet, 6 inches, and a width of 8 feet, 6 inches.
- CDL age requirements: Under Virginia law, CDL drivers can be 18 years old to drive a commercial vehicle within the state. However, truck drivers must be 21 to operate interstate or to transport hazardous materials.
Interstate Accidents in Virginia
Truck accidents on major Hampton Roads interstates can be much more complex than collisions on local city streets. Because commercial trucks travel at higher speeds on highways like I-64, I-264, and I-664, the force of an interstate crash often causes catastrophic injuries and long-term care requirements that affect a person’s health and future.
Additionally, interstate accidents frequently involve out-of-state trucking corporations and multiple vehicles, which can complicate the legal process. At Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers, we understand the nuances of interstate claims. We can track down out-of-state defendants, preserve highway dashcam footage, and aggressively fight for the full compensation your family is entitled to receive.
What Causes Most Truck Accidents in Norfolk, VA?
Despite all of these rules and regulations, truck accidents are still incredibly common across the Commonwealth of Virginia. Most of these accidents happen when truckers and trucking companies are negligent and ignore safety rules.
Some of the most common contributing factors to Norfolk truck accidents include:
- Distracted driving
- Fatigued driving
- Drugs and alcohol
- Speeding
- Illegal passing
- Unsafe turns
- Sharp turns
- Merging errors
- Braking errors
- Driver inexperience or unfamiliarity with local roads
- Tailgating
- Improper cargo loads
- Negligent vehicle maintenance
Sometimes factors outside of a driver’s control can cause or contribute to a truck wreck. These might include vehicle defects, faulty truck equipment, hazardous weather conditions, road defects, and the recklessness of other motorists on the road.
We Handle All Types of Truck Accident Cases in Norfolk
No two truck accidents are the same, so working with a personal injury lawyer in Norfolk with extensive experience handling different types of truck accident cases is important.
At Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers, we have decades of experience representing clients in a wide range of truck accident cases, including:
- Jackknife truck accidents
- Overload truck accidents
- Blind spot truck accidents
- Driver intoxication truck accidents
- Lost load truck accidents
- Underride truck accidents
- Override truck accidents
- Rollover truck accidents
- Side impact truck accidents
- Bad weather truck accidents
- Fatal truck accidents
We understand how each of these types of truck accidents is different and which strategies will be most beneficial in a fight for compensation. Contact our truck accident attorneys in Norfolk, VA, to use our experience navigating the complexities of different types of truck accidents to your advantage.
Set Up a Free Consultation With Our Seasoned Norfolk Truck Accident Lawyers
If a truck accident has affected you or your family, our team of skilled Norfolk truck accident attorneys is ready to help. We’ll handle every step of your case, including the investigation and communication with the trucking company and insurers, so you can focus on what matters most—your health.
Your injury, our fight. Call (757) 333-3333 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with The Car Crash Experts. We can meet at our Norfolk client meeting location or come to you at your home or in the hospital.
