Portsmouth Truck Accident Lawyer

Trucks move through every part of Portsmouth—past schools, shipyards, and residential neighborhoods. These vehicles share narrow roads with commuters, cyclists, and pedestrians. When a commercial driver takes shortcuts with safety, the damage ripples far beyond the point of impact.

Smith Law Center represents those injured in truck crashes across Virginia, including clients in Portsmouth. Our work includes cases involving collisions at tight turns, jackknife wrecks near tunnels, and sideswipes along city routes.

Call (757) 244-7000 or message us online for a free consultation with a Portsmouth truck accident lawyer.

Where Truck Crashes Happen in Portsmouth

Commercial trucks travel across Portsmouth daily, often through congested areas not designed for long trailers or wide turns.

Frequent crash points include:

• MLK Expressway,
• Midtown Tunnel,
• Naval Shipyard access roads,
• Portside intersections, and
• Residential delivery zones.

These collisions often stem from:

• Squeeze injuries at right turns,
• Red-light violations,
• Rear-end crashes in tunnel queues,
• Overshooting blind corners, and
• Inattention near cyclists and pedestrians,

The Virginia DMV reported over 5,700 crashes involving commercial vehicles in 2023, many of which occurred in unsafe driving conditions in tight urban settings.

Common Injuries We See In Portsmouth Tractor Trailer Accidents

Our Portsmouth truck accident lawyers have filed lawsuits on behalf of truck accident victims who have sustained a broad range of catastrophic injuries, such as:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI);
• Spinal cord injuries, such as herniated discs or whiplash;
• Organ damage and internal bleeding;
• Open and closed head wound injuries;
• Paraplegia or quadriplegia;
• Scarring and disfigurement;
• Broken bones; and
• Loss of limbs.

In a truck accident, occupants of standard passenger car vehicles are typically more vulnerable to severe injury than the truck driver due to the differences in size and weight between the vehicles. 

Truck crashes can be a significant cause of brain and spinal cord injuries since commercial trucks can weigh up to 80,000 lbs. They nearly always overpower and destroy smaller cars, SUVs, and motorcycles in any collision.

The costs and severity of such injuries require the services of skilled attorneys who have a high degree of knowledge regarding medical issues, highway safety regulations, insurance claims, and the physics of truck collisions. The Smith Law Center is one of the most highly regarded law firms in the nation when it comes to brain injuries resulting from big rig accidents.

Attorney David Holt on the Cases 4 Causes Podcast

Want to know what happens after a truck crash claim is filed? Listen to Season 2, Episode 4 as Portsmouth 18-wheeler accident lawyer David Holt explains how timelines affect settlement value, which records matter most, and how commercial drivers are held accountable.

Recorded Statements: Why You Should Think Twice

After a truck crash, an insurance representative may contact you and ask for a recorded statement. It might sound routine, but these conversations are rarely neutral.

Recorded statements often aim to:

• Lock victims into an early version of events,
• Minimize driver fault, and
• Use language that suggests shared responsibility.

Virginia follows a contributory negligence system, which blocks recovery if you're found even slightly at fault. Words taken out of context in a recorded statement can be used to shift attention away from the driver or trucking company.

You are not required to give a statement without legal counsel. Speaking too soon could affect your ability to recover damages, even if liability seems obvious.

What Compensation Can Be Recovered?

Virginia law allows those injured in truck crashes to recover both financial costs and personal losses resulting from the collision.

Financial recovery may include:

• Hospitalization and ambulance costs,
• Treatment from specialists or surgeons,
• Physical therapy and rehabilitation,
• Medication and medical devices,
• Lost wages or business disruption,
• Reduced ability to earn future income,
• Vehicle repair or replacement, and
• Home accommodations for mobility.

Personal losses may include:

• Physical pain,
• Emotional trauma,
• Loss of independence or normal routine, and
• Strained family relationships due to injury.

Virginia imposes no cap on non-financial damages in trucking injury cases.

Proven Truck Crash Results from Smith Law Center

For over 70 years, we've represented people injured by unsafe drivers, poor maintenance, and failed safety checks. Our team has delivered favorable results at every level of the court system, including the Virginia Supreme Court.

Notable Case Outcomes

• $5.2 million verdict upheld by the Virginia Supreme Court. A teacher was injured in a six-car crash after a leaking tractor-trailer caused a chain reaction on I-95.
• $2.5 million settlement for a cyclist. A truck's mirror struck a chiropractor while riding his bike, leading to a serious head injury.
• $10 million jury award. A woman sustained a traumatic brain injury due to a commercial truck crash.

A Martindale-Nolo survey found that individuals represented by experienced law firms in truck crash cases recovered far more compensation than those who acted alone.

Watch Nancy's Experience

In this short video, Nancy Harris shares how a truck collision on Route 17 left her with a traumatic brain injury and how the Smith Law Center helped her move forward.

"Stephen was compassionate. 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."

— Nancy Harris

Many trucking companies review internal reports, dispatch logs, and inspection records the same day a crash occurs. Their goal? Start shaping the case before the injured person has reviewed their medical documents.

Smith Law Center tracks down inspection failures, black box recordings, witness statements, and trucking history reports before they're lost or altered. We prepare each case based on records, not assumptions.

Call (757) 244-7000 to speak with someone who has handled trucking cases in Portsmouth.

Trucking Laws That Affect Crash Investigations

Portsmouth truck crash claims may be governed by both Virginia law and their federal counterparts set by the FMCSA. These policies affect:

• Maximum drive time before mandatory rest;
• Standards for brake condition, tire wear, and vehicle lighting;
• Training requirements for commercial drivers;
• Random drug and alcohol testing; and
• Rules about cargo size, weight, and securement.

Every truck crash involves a paper trail. We request inspection logs, black box data, and GPS records before they disappear or get altered.

"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

Which Parties Can Be Sued in a Portsmouth Trucking Accident Lawsuit?

Depending on the case, various parties could be held responsible for the injuries and losses associated with a truck accident. Accountable parties who can be sued in a truck accident lawsuit might include: 

• Truck drivers,
• Trucking companies,
• Cargo or shipping companies,
• Manufacturers of trucks or truck parts, or
• Truck maintenance and repair shops.

Multiple parties could be involved in a single accident case. Thus, truck accident investigations can be more complicated than those involving commuter cars and non-commercial passenger vehicles. A qualified trucking accident attorney in Portsmouth can review your case to determine all liable parties. 

Contact an Experienced Portsmouth Truck Accident Attorney

After a truck collision, it's not unusual for companies to send in claims teams, safety officers, and investigators within hours. Their goal: get ahead of what happened—with or without your side of the story.

At The Smith Law Center, our attorneys have been assisting injured clients in recovering what they are owed since 1949. Our team has decades of combined legal experience in truck accident cases, with an in-depth knowledge of brain and spine injuries that can occur in such crashes. 

If you or a loved one were injured in a truck crash, call (757) 244-7000 or contact us here to start a conversation with a legal team experienced in commercial vehicle litigation throughout Virginia, including right here in Portsmouth. We are on hand to guide you through the process from start to finish.