Welcome to PritzkerOlsen, P.A.

Truck Accident Law
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

The following information on truck accident law and regulations of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is provided by Pritzker | Olsen, P.A., a premier personal injury law firm.  The firm has a national reputation and has been interviewed by the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and other publications.  In recognition of their achievements, Fred Pritzker, Elliot Olsen and Eric Hageman have been named "Super Lawyers” by Law & Politics magazine (numerous years, including 2008). To contact the firm, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm's online consultation form.

What are the Truck Accident Laws and Regulations?

Semi Truck AccidentThe trucking industry is regulated by both federal and state governments.  Below, we have listed a few of the areas regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA):

    1. Hours of service (the amount of time a driver can drive).  The amount of driving and off-duty time is required to be recorded in the driver’s log.  A good truck accident lawyer will analyze the driver’s log to determine if the truck driver violated FMCSA hours-of-service regulations.  The argument would be that the accident was caused by driver fatigue.
    2. Truck driver drug and alcohol use. FMCSA regulations require motor carriers to implement a successful controlled-substances-use-and-alcohol-misuse program.  This requirement is meant to prevent truck accidents caused by drunk truck drivers and drivers who are taking drugs.
    3. Truck size (length and width) and the weight of a load.  These can have an impact on the occurrence and severity of an accident.
    4. Truck parts and accessories, including tires, brakes, etc.  FMCSA also has detailed requirements regarding parts and accessories necessary for safe operation.  If our law firm is retained by you, we will look at whether the accident was caused, even in part, by improperly maintained equipment, the lack of safety equipment or any other equipment-related question, which would include problems with tires, lights, axles, coupling devices and towing equipment, brakes, engines and other equipment.

Federal regulations require commercial trucks to carry certain levels of insurance coverage, depending on the nature of the materials hauled. These regulations protect victims of large truck crashes from truck owners who may not have the financial resources to pay damages out-of-pocket.

Also of legal significance is that truck drivers are required by federal law to maintain a driver's log.  This driver’s log is admissible evidence for a truck accident lawsuit.  If you retain our law firm to represent you, one of the first things we will do is take the legal measures necessary to obtain a copy of the driver’s log.

Contact an experienced truck accident lawyer at our law firm if you have been in a commercial truck accident.  We will work to gather any evidence of a violation of a trucking regulation and obtain just compensation for your injuries.  Please call 1-888-377-8900 (toll-free), email Fred and Rich or submit the free case consultation form.

      


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News - Accident Lawyers

Truck Accident Lawyer

Attorney Fred Pritzker has obtained another large recovery in a car-truck accident case. Our law firm represented the family of a man killed by a truck wheel that had come off of the truck, rolled off a bridge and killed the driver of a car that was traveling on the road below. A confidentiality agreement prevents us from discussing the case in detail, but we welcome you to contact Fred Pritzker (toll-free 1-888-377-8900) for more information about this case and other trucking accident claims our law firm has handled. For more information, see our truck accident FAQ.

 

Yamaha Rhino Lawsuits Update

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School Bus Accident in Minneapolis Injures Elderly Man

May 26, 2008 -- A Minneapolis school bus hit an 81-year-old man who was walking in a crosswalk with a walk sign and a green light. The school bus was...

 

Yamaha Rhino Lawsuit

NBC affiliate KSBY interviewed Fred Pritzker regarding Yamaha Rhino rollover accidents. There has been a Yamaha Rhino recall. Read more Yamaha Rhino accident information and about a Rhino rollover suit.

 

Traumatic Brain Injury

Attorneys Fred Pritzker and Elliot Olsen spoke at the annual Minnesota Association for Justice Brain Injury Seminar.

 

Heartland Express Lawsuit

A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against the trucking company on behalf of the family of a passenger in a car that was allegedly struck by the semi truck.

 

Car Hit by A Truck? Need a Lawyer?

If your bicycle, motorcycle or car has been hit by a commercial truck, you need a lawyer with experience obtaining multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts for accident victims and their families.

 

Waste Management Lawsuit

Our law firm has successfully handled cases of injury and death against Waste Management, Inc., a national trash collection company.

 

FedEx Accident Lawsuit

One recent accident involved a FedEx truck allegedly colliding with an SUV in an intersection. According to police reports, the accident caused the truck to roll over, killing a pedestrian in the adjacent crosswalk

 

Schneider National Lawsuit

In a recent fatal van-truck accident, a woman was killed when a tractor trailer allegedly rear-ended her van while it was stopped at a red light

 

UPS Lawsuit and Van or Truck Accident

In a recent truck-pedestrian accident, an elderly woman was allegedly hit by a UPS truck while walking her dog

 

J.B. Hunt Transport Lawsuit and Semi Truck Accident Claim

In a recent car-truck accident, a tractor-trailer allegedly rear-ended a car, allegedly causing a multi-vehicle accident. One passenger suffered head trauma and traumatic brain injury (TBI).

 

More Semi-Truck-Car Accident Information

 

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