Chesapeake Truck Accident Lawyer

Chesapeake sees heavy truck traffic on I-64, I-464, Battlefield Boulevard, Military Highway, and Greenbrier Parkway. These routes run close to neighborhoods and shopping centers, and truck collisions here tend to cause serious injuries.

If you've been hurt, you're probably juggling doctor visits, pain management, and questions about how to pay your bills while you're out of work. The trucking company already has a team reviewing the crash and protecting their interests. You need someone in your corner too.

Smith Law Center has represented truck crash victims across Virginia for over 75 years, including in Chesapeake. Our attorneys handle cases involving rollovers, jackknifes, underride crashes, and collisions on I-64, I-464, Battlefield Boulevard, and Military Highway.

Insurance adjusters may reach out soon with questions or paperwork. Get legal advice first. A Chesapeake truck accident lawyer can evaluate your case and explain your options under Virginia law. Call (757) 244-7000 or reach out online.

What Does the Legal Process Look Like for Truck Crash Victims?

Nancy Harris came to us after a truck crossed into her lane on Route 17. She had been on her way to meet a friend when the collision left her with a traumatic brain injury and months of rehabilitation ahead. Founder Stephen M. Smith worked with her directly through the case.

"Stephen was compassionate," Nancy says. "He did everything possible to see that my welfare was looked after. I will be forever grateful that he understood what looked okay was not okay."

Watch Nancy Tell Her Story

How Our Chesapeake Truck Crash Lawyers Can Help You

Truck accident cases involve federal regulations, multiple insurance policies, and companies with deep pockets and experienced defense teams. You need Chesapeake trucking accident lawyers who know how to hold them accountable.

Determining Fault

Was the driver violating federal rest rules? Did the company push impossible delivery schedules? Did the shipping warehouse overload the trailer? Did a repair shop skip required brake checks? We investigate to find out who's responsible.

Getting You Compensated

Your medical bills, lost wages, future treatment needs, and the toll this has taken on your life all factor into what you should receive. Settlement or trial, the goal is full compensation for what you've been through.

Protecting Your Rights

You'll face pressure to give statements, sign releases, or accept quick settlements. Having legal representation means someone handles those requests while you recover.

Research from Martindale-Nolo found that over 90% of people who hired lawyers got settlements or awards, compared to only about 50% of people who tried handling their claims alone.

A Word About Giving a Recorded Statement

An insurance adjuster from the trucking company will likely call soon and ask you to give a recorded statement about the crash. Don't agree to one until you've spoken with an attorney.

These recordings serve one purpose: to lock you into a version of events before you've seen the police report, received a full medical diagnosis, or consulted a Chesapeake truck accident lawyer. Adjusters ask carefully worded questions designed to shift blame onto you.

Virginia follows a harsh rule called contributory negligence. If you're found even 1% at fault, you recover nothing. One offhand comment in a recorded statement can jeopardize your entire claim.

You are not required to provide a recorded statement. Talk to a Chesapeake truck accident attorney before answering their questions.

Why Truck Crashes Happen on Chesapeake Roads

With major interstates and busy local highways crisscrossing the city, Chesapeake sees commercial trucks at all hours. The mix of freight haulers, daily commuters, and residential traffic creates conditions where crashes happen regularly.

The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles reports there were 5,785 crashes involving commercial motor vehicles statewide in just one year, accounting for 4.5% of all traffic crashes. Chesapeake sees its share.

Common causes include:

Improper Loading

Tractor-trailers haul thousands of pounds of cargo. When that freight isn't balanced or secured properly, it can shift mid-transit. This destabilizes the entire rig, especially during turns or sudden braking. Jackknife crashes occur when the trailer swings sideways from the cab, blocking lanes and leaving other drivers nowhere to go.

Fatigued Drivers

Federal regulations cap driving time at 11 consecutive hours and require 10 hours off between shifts. Some drivers skip these rules to hit delivery windows or boost their pay. Others take drowsiness-inducing medications or simply push through exhaustion.

Inclement Weather

Rain reduces visibility and makes pavement slick. Fog conceals vehicles until they're feet away. Snow and ice multiply stopping distances. Trucks already require far more room to brake than passenger cars. Poor weather compounds the problem. Drivers who fail to adjust speed or who continue driving in unsafe conditions can be held liable.

Blind Spots

Large trucks have sizable zones where the driver cannot see surrounding vehicles. These blind spots sit directly in front of the cab, run along both sides of the trailer, and extend behind the rear doors. Mirrors reduce the problem but don't eliminate it. Lane changes or turns made without thorough checks lead to serious collisions.

Distracted Driving

Long hours on the road create plenty of opportunities for distraction:

• Texting or phone calls
• Eating or drinking behind the wheel
• Adjusting GPS or dispatch equipment
• Changing radio stations
• Conversations with passengers
• Watching activity on the roadside
• Mental drift during monotonous stretches

At 65 mph, a few seconds of inattention covers the length of a football field.

Drunk Driving

Virginia sets the legal limit for commercial drivers at 0.04% blood alcohol content, half the threshold for regular motorists. Truckers who drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs risk criminal charges and civil liability for any injuries they cause.

Tailgating

A fully loaded truck needs significantly more distance to stop than a passenger vehicle. Drivers who follow too closely leave no margin for error if traffic halts suddenly or debris appears in the road. Tailgating leads to rear-end crashes, jackknifes, rollovers, and chain-reaction pileups.

Trucking Companies Act Fast. So Do We.

Trucking companies send investigators to crash scenes within hours to collect evidence that protects their bottom line. Smith Law Center moves just as quickly to preserve evidence and build your case before anything disappears.

Contact us at (757) 244-7000 to speak with a Chesapeake truck accident lawyer.

What Injuries Occur in Collisions with Trucks?

An 80,000-pound tractor-trailer generates forces that passenger vehicles aren't built to absorb. The weight disparity makes these crashes among the most physically devastating on the road.

The injuries our law firm often sees are:

• Head trauma. Concussions and traumatic brain injuries result from direct impact or from the violent whipping motion of the collision itself. Symptoms may include memory problems, difficulty concentrating, mood changes, and in severe cases, permanent cognitive impairment.
• Broken bones. Fractures to the arms, legs, ribs, pelvis, and spine occur frequently. Many require surgical repair with plates, rods, or screws, followed by months of physical therapy.
• Internal organ damage. Blunt force can rupture organs and cause internal bleeding that isn't visible externally. These injuries sometimes take hours to produce symptoms but can be fatal without prompt treatment.
• Lacerations. Shattered glass and crumpled metal cause deep cuts that may require stitches, reconstructive surgery, or skin grafts.
• Burns. Ruptured fuel tanks and post-collision fires can trap occupants and cause severe burns and permanent scarring.
• Spinal cord injuries. Damage to the spinal cord can result in partial or total paralysis, loss of sensation, and lifelong mobility limitations.

Get checked by a doctor right away, even if you think you're fine. Some injuries don't show up for hours or even days. Getting medical care immediately after a truck crash creates a record connecting your injuries to the accident.

"Most truck crash clients aren't calling us over paperwork. They're out of work, in pain, and unsure how it all happened. We track down what the company doesn't show upfront, and we document how the injury affects everything they do."

— Stephen M. Smith | Founder, The Smith Law Center

Traumatic Brain Injuries from Truck Accidents: What You Need to Know

Attorney David Holt joins the Cases 4 Causes podcast to discuss traumatic brain injury cases, including those resulting from truck accidents.

Listen to Season 2, Episode 11 here.

Who Is at Fault for Your Truck Accident?

Truck crashes rarely come down to one person making one mistake. Multiple parties may share responsibility depending on what went wrong.

Those who might be held liable include:

• The truck driver;
• The trucking company that hired, trained, or supervised the driver;
• Cargo loaders or shipping companies;
• The manufacturer of the truck or its parts; or
• Third-party maintenance providers.

Identifying everyone involved takes investigation. Electronic logging data, inspection records, hiring files, and maintenance logs can reveal negligence that isn't obvious at the scene. A Chesapeake semi-truck accident attorney can review your case and figure out who should answer for your injuries.

How Does Contributory Negligence Affect Truck Accident Cases in Chesapeake?

Virginia applies one of the strictest fault rules in the country. Under pure contributory negligence, any share of blame assigned to you, even 1%, bars you from recovering compensation entirely.

Insurance adjusters know this and look for anything they can use against you. A minor lane change without signaling. A few miles per hour over the limit. A split-second glance at your phone. If they can argue you contributed to the crash in any way, they'll try to deny your claim completely.

This rule makes legal representation critical. Our Chesapeake trucking accident lawyers gather evidence establishing that the truck driver, trucking company, or other parties caused the collision. We counter attempts to shift blame onto you and protect your right to compensation under Virginia law.

Compensation You May Recover in a Chesapeake Truck Accident Lawsuit

Virginia law allows injured people to seek compensation for financial losses and personal suffering when a truck crash results from someone else's negligence.

Economic Damages

Economic damages cover the measurable costs tied to your injuries:

• Ambulance rides and emergency room care;
• Surgery, hospital stays, and follow-up appointments;
• Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and rehabilitation;
• Prescription medications and medical equipment;
• Lost wages during recovery;
• Reduced earning capacity if your injuries limit the work you can do;
• Vehicle repair or replacement; and
• Home modifications like ramps or accessible bathrooms.

Smaller expenses count too. Mileage to medical appointments, hired help around the house during recovery, and other documented costs can be included.

Noneconomic Damages

Some losses don't come with invoices but can and should be included in a claim:

• Physical pain from your injuries and ongoing treatment;
• Emotional distress, including anxiety, depression, or PTSD;
• Lost ability to participate in hobbies, sports, or social activities; and
• Strain on relationships with your spouse, children, or other family members.

Virginia does not cap non-economic damages in truck accident injury cases.

Wrongful Death Claims

If you lost a family member in a truck crash, Virginia law allows certain relatives to file a wrongful death claim. Recoverable losses include:

• Funeral and burial expenses,
• Medical bills incurred before death,
• Income the deceased would have provided, and
• Loss of companionship, guidance, and support.

Punitive Damages

When conduct is especially reckless, such as drunk driving or knowingly operating a truck with failed brakes, a court may award punitive damages. These are meant to punish wrongdoing and deter others. Virginia caps punitive damages at $350,000.

Time Limits

Virginia gives you two years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit. Miss that deadline and the court will dismiss your case regardless of its merits. Wrongful death claims follow the same two-year window, starting from the date of death.

We've Won Millions for Truck Crash Victims Across Virginia

No attorney can guarantee a specific result. But when your injuries are serious and your future is uncertain, you want a firm that has delivered for clients in similar situations.

• Smith Law Center has recovered over $1 billion for clients nationwide, including:
  $10 million+ record setting jury verdict for a woman who suffered a traumatic brain injury after a collision with a Werner Trucking Company vehicle. 
• $5.2 million verdict for a teacher hurt in a six-car pileup on I-95. A leaking tractor-trailer caused the chain reaction. The Virginia Supreme Court upheld the verdict on appeal.
• $2.5 million settlement for a chiropractor struck by a truck's side mirror while cycling. The impact caused a serious head injury. We secured compensation covering his medical treatment and lost income.

These results reflect how we prepare and how hard we push for the people we represent.