Truck accident
Truck Accident Attorneys in Mesa, Arizona
The firms in this guide
- Skousen, Gulbrandsen & Patience, PLC Call Skousen, Gulbrandsen & Patience, PLC: (480) 833-8800
- Rasmussen Injury Law Call Rasmussen Injury Law: (480) 637-5757
- Feller & Wendt, LLC Call Feller & Wendt, LLC: (480) 702-2277
- Smith Alston Darner & Lee, Attorneys at Law Call Smith Alston Darner & Lee, Attorneys at Law: (602) 892-5000
- Bleaman Law Firm, P.C. Call Bleaman Law Firm, P.C.: (520) 887-8100
1. Skousen, Gulbrandsen & Patience, PLC
Practice Focus: Truck accidents, 18-wheeler collisions, semi-truck crashes, tractor-trailer accidents, commercial vehicle accidents, wrongful death, catastrophic injuries, personal injury litigation
Case Types Handled: Rear-end collisions with trucks, rollover accidents, jackknife accidents, underride accidents, head-on truck collisions, cargo accidents, driver fatigue accidents, drunk driving truck accidents, distracted driving accidents, equipment failure accidents, tire failure accidents, brake failure accidents
Legal Services: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulation compliance analysis, hours of service violation investigation, driver log examination, black box data retrieval, maintenance record investigation, evidence collection and preservation, accident reconstruction expert coordination, insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, wrongful death claims, catastrophic injury claims
Background: Firm founded in 1961 with over 60 years serving the East Valley community. Attorneys include Richard M. Gulbrandsen, Richard M. Gulbrandsen Jr., William J. Gulbrandsen, Chris S. Patience, Steve H. Patience, Austin W. Patience, John E. Skousen, Michael J. Skousen, and Ryan M. Skousen. The firm has recovered millions of dollars for injured clients throughout Arizona, including over $10 million for a family in a trucking accident case. Proud members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Licensed in Arizona with services available in English and Spanish.
Location: 414 East Southern Avenue, Mesa, AZ 85204
Contact: (480) 833-8800 | https://www.sgplaw.com
Consultation: Free consultation, contingency fee arrangement (No Recovery, No Fee)
2. Rasmussen Injury Law
Practice Focus: Truck accidents, semi-truck collisions, 18-wheeler crashes, commercial vehicle accidents, car accidents, motorcycle accidents, wrongful death, pedestrian accidents, bus accidents
Case Types Handled: Trucking accidents at high-risk intersections (US-60 and Higley Road, Dobson Road and University Drive, Loop 202 corridors), driver negligence accidents, improper maintenance accidents, overloaded cargo accidents, unbalanced cargo accidents, safety regulation violation accidents
Legal Services: Federal and state trucking regulation compliance investigation, driver log and black box data collection, GPS records analysis, maintenance documentation review, accident reconstruction expert collaboration, insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, evidence gathering and preservation, medical referral coordination
Background: The firm handles complex truck accident cases throughout Arizona with a focus on Mesa and the East Valley. Attorneys have multiple years of experience handling trucking accident litigation. The firm offers in-person, phone, and video conference appointments, as well as house calls. Licensed in Arizona. The firm emphasizes thorough investigation to identify all liable parties including drivers, trucking companies, manufacturers, and cargo loaders.
Location: 2222 S Dobson Road, Mesa, AZ 85202 (serving Mesa area)
Contact: (480) 637-5757 | Toll Free: (866) 637-5757 | https://rilfirm.com
Consultation: Free consultation, contingency fee arrangement (no fee unless compensation is obtained)
3. Feller & Wendt, LLC
Practice Focus: Truck accidents, 18-wheeler collisions, semi-truck crashes, big rig accidents, car accidents, motorcycle accidents, wrongful death, personal injury
Case Types Handled: Rollover accidents, lane blocking accidents, head-on collisions, underride accidents, cargo accidents, jackknife accidents, rear-end collisions, driver error accidents, trucking company negligence accidents, defective equipment accidents, improper cargo loading accidents
Legal Services: Trucking company negligence investigation, defective equipment analysis, improper cargo loading investigation, insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, evidence gathering, damage assessment, medical expense documentation, lost wage claims
Background: Feller & Wendt, LLC is a veteran-owned personal injury law firm serving Utah, Idaho, and Arizona. The firm has helped clients recover millions of dollars in compensation for truck accident injuries. Attorneys include Adam Wendt. Licensed in Arizona. The firm maintains offices in Mesa and Phoenix, Arizona. Recognized for client communication and case results.
Location: 2222 S Dobson Road #500, Mesa, AZ 85202
Contact: (480) 702-2277 | https://www.fellerwendt.com
Consultation: Free consultation, contingency fee arrangement
4. Smith Alston Darner & Lee, Attorneys at Law
Practice Focus: Truck accidents, big rig collisions, 18-wheeler accidents, tractor-trailer crashes, commercial truck accidents, personal injury, wrongful death
Case Types Handled: Big rig accidents, 18-wheeler collisions, tractor-trailer crashes, commercial truck accidents, driver negligence accidents, trucking company liability claims, cargo loader negligence accidents, defective equipment accidents, maintenance failure accidents
Legal Services: Trucking company liability investigation, driver negligence claims, cargo loader liability claims, defective equipment analysis, maintenance provider liability investigation, insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, medical expense recovery, lost wage claims, pain and suffering claims, property damage claims
Background: The firm brings over 60 years of combined legal experience in personal injury and accident cases throughout Arizona. Attorneys handle truck accident cases with a focus on determining liability among multiple potentially responsible parties. Licensed in Arizona. The firm emphasizes treating clients like family and has built strong community connections.
Location: 6816 E Brown Rd #101, Mesa, AZ 85207
Contact: (602) 892-5000 | https://smithalstonlaw.com
Consultation: Free consultation available
5. Bleaman Law Firm, P.C.
Practice Focus: Truck accidents, semi-truck collisions, 18-wheeler accidents, commercial vehicle accidents, personal injury, wrongful death, catastrophic injuries
Case Types Handled: Semi-truck collisions, 18-wheeler crashes, commercial vehicle accidents, driver error accidents, trucking company negligence accidents, improper maintenance accidents, defective truck parts accidents (brakes, tires), cargo loader negligence accidents
Legal Services: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulation compliance investigation, driver hours of service analysis, black box data retrieval, accident reconstruction report analysis, eyewitness statement collection, police report analysis, insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, punitive damage claims in cases of egregious behavior
Background: Bleaman Law Firm, P.C. handles truck accident cases throughout Arizona, including Mesa and surrounding areas. The firm works with accident reconstruction experts and investigates federal trucking regulations to establish fault. Attorneys analyze driver logs, maintenance records, and black box data to build cases. Licensed in Arizona. The firm recognizes that Arizona does not impose caps on compensatory damages in personal injury cases.
Location: Serving Mesa, Arizona (Tucson-based firm with Arizona statewide practice)
Contact: (520) 887-8100 | https://www.bleamanlawfirm.com
Consultation: Free consultation available
Mesa Truck Crash Claims Under Federal Carrier Rules and Arizona Law
The questions that follow a Mesa truck crash run in two directions: what the federal motor carrier rules required of the driver and carrier, and how Arizona law turns the facts into a damages award.
Weekly Limits on Driving
Under 49 CFR § 395.3(b), a property-carrying driver may not drive after 60 hours on duty in 7 consecutive days if the carrier does not operate every day of the week, or after 70 hours in 8 consecutive days if it does. Under subsection (c), either period may restart only with an off-duty period of 34 or more consecutive hours.
Alcohol and the Definition of an Accident
49 CFR § 382.201 bars a covered driver from reporting for or staying on safety-sensitive duty with an alcohol concentration of 0.04 or greater and bars an employer that knows of it from allowing the driver to continue. For federal record-keeping purposes, § 390.5 defines an accident as an occurrence involving a commercial motor vehicle on a highway that results in a death, an injury treated immediately away from the scene, or disabling damage requiring a tow, excluding occurrences involving only boarding or leaving a stationary vehicle or only loading or unloading cargo.
Records Available to Investigators
Under 49 CFR § 390.15(a), a carrier must make all records and information pertaining to an accident available to authorized FMCSA, state or local enforcement representatives or authorized third-party representatives within the time requested, and must give reasonable assistance in the investigation.
Arizona’s Fault Allocation
A.R.S. § 12-2506(C) has the jury determine and apportion the fault of the claimant, every defendant and any nonparty as a whole at one time, and each defendant then pays only its own percentage under subsection (A). Under § 12-2505(A), the claimant’s share reduces the damages but does not bar recovery. For example, imagine $200,000 in damages with 20 percent of the fault assigned to the injured driver: the damages would be reduced to $160,000.
Mesa Truck Accident Questions
How long must a carrier keep logs, maintenance files and crash records?
Under the federal rules, duty status records and supporting documents are kept at least six months from receipt (49 CFR § 395.8(k)), inspection and maintenance records one year where the vehicle is housed or maintained and six months after it leaves the carrier’s control (§ 396.3(c)), and the accident register three years after each accident (§ 390.15(b)).
How long do I have to file in Arizona?
A.R.S. § 12-542 sets two years after accrual for an action for personal injury, except as provided in § 12-551. Against a public entity or public employee, a claim is due within 180 days under § 12-821.01 and the lawsuit within one year under § 12-821.
How does a jury measure damages in a death case?
Under A.R.S. § 12-613, the jury gives damages it deems fair and just with reference to the injury resulting from the death to the surviving parties, considering the mitigating or aggravating circumstances of the wrongful act.