Truck Accident Attorneys in Richmond, Virginia

1. Marks & Harrison

Practice Focus: Truck accidents, tractor-trailer accidents, 18-wheeler accidents, semi-truck collisions, commercial vehicle accidents, wrongful death from truck accidents, catastrophic injuries.

Case Types Handled: Tractor-trailer accidents, semi-truck collisions, 18-wheeler accidents, commercial vehicle crashes, jackknife accidents, rollover accidents, rear-end collisions, head-on collisions, driver fatigue accidents.

Legal Services: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) investigation, trucking company negligence claims, driver negligence claims, multi-party liability investigation, insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, medical expense recovery, lost wage claims, pain and suffering claims, wrongful death claims.

Background: Marks & Harrison has a deep background in truck accident litigation. Attorney John C. Shea serves on the National Advisory Board of the Association of Interstate Trucking Lawyers of America. The firm has achieved notable results including $5.1 million (truck accident, U.S. District Court, Western District of Virginia), $5 million (truck accident, Circuit Court of the City of Richmond), and $3.9 million (quadriplegia from truck collision, Circuit Court of the City of Richmond). The firm maintains headquarters in Richmond with offices throughout Virginia.

Location: Richmond, Virginia (with offices throughout Virginia)

Contact: https://www.marksandharrison.com/

Consultation: Free consultation available. Contingency fee basis.

2. Tronfeld West & Durrett

Practice Focus: Truck accidents, 18-wheeler accidents, semi-truck collisions, tractor-trailer accidents, commercial vehicle accidents, catastrophic injuries, wrongful death.

Case Types Handled: Semi-truck accidents, tractor-trailer accidents, rear-end collisions, underride accidents, jackknife accidents, tire blowout accidents, equipment failure accidents, driver fatigue accidents, distracted driving accidents, cargo securement violations.

Legal Services: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) investigation, Virginia trucking law compliance review, trucking company negligence claims, driver negligence claims, hours of service violation investigation, evidence preservation, insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, wrongful death claims.

Background: Tronfeld West & Durrett has been fighting for injury victims in Richmond and across Virginia since 1972. The attorneys are Virginia natives and heavily involved in their communities. The firm has obtained settlements and positive jury verdicts for thousands of clients. The firm maintains law offices in Richmond, Chesterfield, Mechanicsville, and Petersburg.

Location: Richmond, Virginia (additional offices in Chesterfield, Mechanicsville, and Petersburg)

Contact: https://twdinjurylaw.com/

Consultation: Free consultation available. Contingency fee basis.

3. Allen & Allen

Practice Focus: Truck accidents, 18-wheeler accidents, semi-truck collisions, tractor-trailer accidents, commercial vehicle accidents, delivery truck accidents, dump truck accidents, catastrophic injuries, wrongful death.

Case Types Handled: Tractor-trailer accidents, delivery vehicle accidents, dump truck accidents, construction vehicle accidents, driver fatigue accidents, aggressive driving accidents, speeding accidents, cargo accidents, equipment failure accidents.

Legal Services: Trucking company negligence claims, driver negligence claims, multi-party liability investigation, evidence gathering, accident investigation, insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, medical expense recovery, lost wage claims, pain and suffering claims, wrongful death claims.

Background: Allen & Allen is a long-established Virginia law firm with a strong commitment to treating clients with care and listening to their concerns. The firm represents clients from offices located throughout Virginia, including their headquarters in Richmond. The attorneys handle strict deadlines and quickly act to preserve evidence that may disappear in truck accident cases.

Location: Richmond, Virginia (with offices throughout Virginia)

Contact: 1-866-388-1307 | https://www.allenandallen.com/

Consultation: Free consultation available. Contingency fee basis (no upfront legal fees).

4. Cantor Grana Buckner Bucci

Practice Focus: Truck accidents, tractor-trailer accidents, 18-wheeler accidents, semi-truck collisions, commercial vehicle accidents, catastrophic injuries, wrongful death.

Case Types Handled: Tractor-trailer accidents, semi-truck accidents, commercial truck accidents, driver fatigue accidents, distracted driving accidents, equipment failure accidents, brake failure accidents, cargo accidents.

Legal Services: Federal trucking regulation investigation, trucking company negligence claims, driver negligence claims, accident scene investigation, evidence preservation (maintenance records, shipping records, cell phone records, logbooks), insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, wrongful death claims.

Background: Cantor Grana Buckner Bucci has decades of experience handling truck accident cases and is familiar with trucking companies’ tactics to devalue claims. The firm has a long track record of taking insurance companies to court and winning. The attorneys send teams of investigators and experts to crash scenes to preserve critical evidence.

Location: Richmond, Virginia

Contact: (804) 644-1400 | https://virginiatrialfirm.com/

Consultation: Free case evaluation available. Contingency fee basis (no out-of-pocket costs).

5. Phelan Petty

Practice Focus: Truck accidents, tractor-trailer accidents, 18-wheeler accidents, semi-truck collisions, commercial vehicle accidents, catastrophic injuries, wrongful death.

Case Types Handled: Tractor-trailer accidents, commercial vehicle accidents, driver fatigue accidents, equipment failure accidents, hours of service violations, distracted driving accidents, cargo securement violations.

Legal Services: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulation investigation, Virginia DMV regulation compliance review, trucking company negligence claims, driver negligence claims, multi-party liability investigation, insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, wrongful death claims.

Background: Phelan Petty’s Richmond truck accident attorneys have a thorough understanding of the complicated state and federal regulations that govern the trucking industry. The firm gives complex truck accident cases the time, attention, and resources they deserve. In 2020, the Virginia Department of Transportation reported 4,296 commercial vehicle crashes, with 2,356 involving large trucks. The firm’s attorneys educate clients about legal options and work to seek maximum compensation.

Location: Richmond, Virginia (located near I-64 and Route 250)

Contact: (804) 980-7100 | https://phelanpetty.com/

Consultation: Free consultation available. Contingency fee basis.

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Driving Limits, Carrier Records and State Agency Claims in Richmond Truck Crash Cases

A Richmond truck crash claim can turn on the driver’s hours that day, the electronic logs and accident records the carrier keeps, and the carrier’s proof of insurance. When a state truck or a Department of Transportation road is involved, Virginia sets its own notice rule and limits.

The Daily Driving Window and Logs

Except as otherwise provided in 49 CFR 395.1, 49 CFR 395.3(a) requires a property-carrying driver to have 10 consecutive hours off duty before driving, limits driving to 11 hours, bars driving after the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty, and bars driving once more than 8 hours of driving time have passed without a consecutive 30-minute interruption. Under 395.8(a), the carrier must require electronic logging, with manual records in listed cases; under 395.8(k)(1) it keeps the records at least 6 months, and under 390.15(b) it keeps an accident register for 3 years.

Proof of Insurance

Under 49 CFR 387.7(a), no motor carrier may operate until the required coverage is in effect. Under 387.7(d) and (e)(1), proof is an MCS-90 endorsement, an MCS-82 surety bond or an FMCSA self-insurance authorization, and that proof is public information produced on reasonable request.

A State Truck or State Road

Under Virginia Code 8.01-195.6(A), a written statement of a claim against the Commonwealth, with the time, place and agency, must be filed within one year after accrual, and when the agency is the Department of Transportation, notice is filed with the Commissioner of Highways. Under 8.01-195.3, recovery is limited to $100,000 for claims accruing on or after July 1, 1993, or the limits of any applicable liability policy, whichever is greater, without punitive damages or prejudgment interest.

When a Crash Is Fatal

Under Virginia Code 8.01-52, damages may include sorrow, mental anguish and solace, the reasonably expected loss of income and services, care and treatment expenses, reasonable funeral expenses, and punitive damages for willful or wanton conduct or recklessness showing conscious disregard for others’ safety.

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Richmond Truck Accident Questions

What if the carrier says I was partly at fault?

In Virginia that defense can bar the whole claim. In O’Neill v. Windshire-Copeland Associates (2004), the Supreme Court of Virginia answered in the affirmative a certified question asking whether a plaintiff’s contributory negligence is available to the defendant as a complete defense, even where the defendant’s building code violation was negligence per se. Ask counsel how the defense applies when the carrier’s own safety violations are part of the facts.

How long do I have to sue the carrier?

Two years after the cause of action accrues for personal injury under Virginia Code 8.01-243(A), five years for injury to property under 8.01-243(B), and two years after the death for wrongful death under 8.01-244(B). If the truck belonged to the City of Richmond, Virginia Code 15.2-209 bars a negligence claim against the city unless a written statement with the time and place of the injury is filed with the city attorney, chief executive or mayor within six months after accrual, or one of them or the city’s insurer had actual knowledge of the claim within that time.

Is there a cap on punitive damages?

Yes. Under Virginia Code 8.01-38.1, total punitive damages against all defendants may not exceed $350,000, and the judge reduces a larger verdict to that amount.

Does my policy cover an uninsured truck driver?

Yes. Under Virginia Code 38.2-2206(A), a motor vehicle liability policy must include uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, at limits equal to the liability limits unless a named insured rejects the additional coverage above the 46.2-472 minimums.