Restoring Hope. Demanding Accountability.

Types of Truck Crashes We Handle

When 80,000-pound giant machines share the road with family cars, disasters can happen. Our Pittsburgh truck accident team has battled corporate trucking interests across every type of commercial vehicle crash in Western Pennsylvania, from the Parkway to our rural highways up and down Western Pennsylvania.

Commercial vehicle crashes we take on:

• Semi-truck and big rig collisions

• Flatbed and freight hauler accidents

• Tanker truck chemical spill crashes

• Construction equipment vehicle incidents

• Delivery van and box truck crashes

• Garbage and sanitation truck collisions

• School bus and transit accidents

• Overturned truck and cargo spill incidents

• Multi-truck pileups on major highways

• Commercial vehicle brake failure crashes

• Interstate truck accidents on I-79, I-70, and Pennsylvania Turnpike

• Loading dock and warehouse vehicle incidents

Truck Accident Injuries We See in Pittsburgh

The physics are simple: when an 18-wheeler hits a car, passengers absorb a tremendous force that can shatter lives instantly. These aren't typical fender-benders. They are catastrophic events requiring immediate emergency response and long-term specialized care.

Brain and Neurological Trauma

Traumatic brain injuries represent some of the most serious consequences of truck crashes. The violent impact can cause concussions, brain hemorrhaging, and permanent cognitive impairment that affects memory, speech, and decision-making abilities. Victims may require extensive neurological rehabilitation and often face personality changes that impact their relationships and ability to work.

Spinal Cord and Paralysis Injuries

The tremendous force of truck collisions frequently damages the spinal cord, resulting in partial or complete paralysis. Cervical spine injuries in the neck area can cause quadriplegia, while lower spinal damage may lead to paraplegia. These injuries typically require immediate surgical intervention, long-term physical therapy, and significant home modifications to accommodate wheelchairs and mobility equipment.

Severe Fractures and Orthopedic Injuries

Multiple bone fractures are common when cars are crushed by commercial trucks. Victims often suffer compound fractures of arms, legs, ribs, and pelvis that require multiple surgeries, metal implants, and months of rehabilitation. Complex fractures may result in permanent mobility limitations and chronic pain that persists long after bones heal.

Internal Organ Damage and Burns

The violent nature of truck crashes can cause internal bleeding, organ damage, and life-threatening complications that may not be immediately apparent. Additionally, fuel fires and chemical spills from damaged trucks can cause severe burns requiring skin grafts and reconstructive surgery. These injuries often involve extended hospital stays and multiple surgical procedures.

Amputation and Limb Loss

When vehicles are severely crushed in truck accidents, traumatic amputations may occur at the scene, or surgical amputation may become necessary due to extensive damage. Victims face the challenge of adapting to prosthetic devices, learning new ways to perform daily tasks, and dealing with the psychological impact of permanent disability.

Psychological and Emotional Trauma

Beyond physical injuries, truck accident survivors frequently develop post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression. The psychological impact of surviving such a violent event can be as debilitating as physical injuries, requiring ongoing counseling and mental health treatment. Many victims experience survivor's guilt, especially in accidents that claim the lives of passengers or other drivers.

What to Do After a Truck Crash in Pittsburgh

Taking the right steps immediately after a truck accident protects both your health and your legal claim. Commercial truck accidents involve multiple parties and complex investigations, making proper documentation vital for pursuing compensation.

Critical steps after your truck accident:

• Ensure everyone's safety: Move to safety if possible and call 911 immediately. Request both police and medical attention even for seemingly minor injuries.

• Document everything: Take photos of truck damage, your vehicle, the accident scene, road conditions, and any visible injuries. Get the truck driver's CDL information and trucking company details.

• Gather witness information: Commercial truck accidents often have multiple witnesses. Collect contact information from anyone who saw the crash happen.

• Seek medical treatment: Adrenaline can mask serious injuries. Get examined by medical professionals to create a record of your condition immediately after the accident.

• Preserve evidence: Don't sign any documents from the trucking company or their insurance representatives without legal representation.

• Contact experienced attorneys: Truck accident cases involve federal and state regulations, as well as multiple defendants with multiple insurance companies. Get legal help before the trucking company's investigation team starts working against you.

High-Risk Truck Accident Locations in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh's unique geography and heavy commercial traffic create dangerous conditions for truck accidents. Our accident attorneys have handled serious injury cases throughout the region for decades and know how location factors affect truck accident investigations.

Where truck crashes commonly occur:

• Interstate 376 (Parkway East and West)

  • Heavy truck traffic combines with steep grades and tight curves, causing jackknife accidents and multi-vehicle crashes during congestion periods.

• Interstate 279 (Parkway North)

  • Commercial vehicles face challenging merging situations and aggressive traffic, leading to serious rear-end collisions and sideswipe accidents.

• Route 28 Along the Allegheny River

  • This major trucking route sees frequent crashes due to narrow lanes, sharp curves, and limited visibility around bends.

• Fort Pitt Tunnels and Liberty Tunnels

  • Sudden braking and merging create dangerous conditions for fully loaded trucks, often resulting in chain-reaction crashes.

• Strip District and Lawrenceville

  • Heavy commercial delivery traffic in tight urban streets leads to pedestrian accidents and collisions with smaller vehicles.

• South Hills Interchanges

  • Complex highway interchanges create confusion for truck drivers unfamiliar with local routes, causing serious intersection accidents.

Pennsylvania Truck Accident Laws

Pennsylvania has specific laws governing commercial trucks and the companies that operate them. These regulations create opportunities for legal action when violations cause accidents that injure innocent people.

Federal Trucking Regulations

Commercial trucks must follow strict federal regulations, including hours of service limits, mandatory rest periods, weight restrictions, and regular safety inspections. When trucking companies violate these rules, they can be held liable for resulting accidents.

Pennsylvania's Modified Comparative Fault System   

You can recover compensation even if you're partially at fault for the accident, as long as you're less than 51% responsible. Your compensation gets reduced by your percentage of fault.

Statute of Limitations

You have two years from your truck accident date to file a personal injury lawsuit against the truck driver or trucking company in Pennsylvania courts.

Insurance Requirements

Commercial trucks must carry much higher insurance coverage than regular vehicles, often $750,000 to $1 million or more, depending on truck size and cargo type.

Compensation Available After Truck Accidents

Our legal team fights for complete financial recovery to address both your immediate needs and long-term consequences from truck accident injuries.

Contact us for an evaluation of your specific truck accident case.