If you have an accident with an 18-wheeler truck in a state where you do not live, you may have the option of filing a lawsuit against the truck driver and trucking company in the state where you live, the state where the accident happened, or another location. Our semi truck accident lawyers handle cases like this throughout the United States. Contact our law firm for a free consultation with an attorney.
Your question involves venue, a legal term for the court where a lawsuit can be filed. Venue is an important issue because states have different laws that may be applicable and, moreover, the juries in some jurisdictions do not award accident victims enough money to fairly compensate them. If you live in one state and have an accident with an 18-wheeler commercial truck in another state, you may have the right to sue the truck driver and a trucking company. Where you file that lawsuit should be decided by a lawyer because the amount you obtain in a settlement or trial verdict is affected by that decision.
Generally, any of the following can be the venue of a lawsuit against an at fault truck driver, trucking company and other legally responsible parties:
- The state where the accident occurred;
- Where the accident victim resides;
- If the accident victim was a passenger, where the driver of that vehicle resides;
- Where the at-fault semi truck driver resides;
- The state in which the trucking company is located.
In addition to determining the best place to sue, your truck accident lawyer will need to decide if the lawsuit should be filed in state or federal court.
If you hire me to represent you, I will thoroughly analyze your 18-wheeler accident case to determine the best state in which to file your lawsuit.
18-Wheeler Accidents
- 2 18-Wheeler Accidents Kill One, Injure 3.
- The driver of a car was pinned by a semi-truck in Hudson, Wisconsin and seriously injured. He was transported to the hospital.
- A Michigan family lost 3 loved ones in a semi-truck crash.
- A Redwood Falls, MN, man was killed in a collision with a semitrailer.
Answer by: Attorney Eric Hageman