Truck Accidents in Tennessee

Nashville Truck Accident Lawyers

Collisions with tractor-trailers and other commercial trucks are very different from ordinary car accidents. A fully loaded 18-wheeler can weigh up to 80,000 pounds—enough to cause catastrophic injuries or death in a split second. These cases also involve federal safety regulations, complex insurance coverage, electronic data, and trucking company policies designed to protect their bottom line, not you.

At Freeman & Fuson, we represent people injured in crashes with semis, box trucks, delivery vehicles, and other commercial trucks throughout Nashville and Middle Tennessee. We understand Tennessee negligence and damages law under T.C.A. Title 29, the one-year statute of limitations for most personal injury claims (T.C.A. § 28-3-104), and the federal trucking regulations that govern how trucking companies and drivers must operate. Our job is to investigate quickly, preserve critical evidence, and pursue full compensation for the harm you’ve suffered.

Practice Areas 

Why Truck Accident Cases Are Different

Truck accident cases are more complex than typical auto collisions because they may involve:

• Multiple defendants – the driver, the motor carrier, a broker, a shipper, maintenance companies, or others
• Federal regulations – safety rules under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs), including hours-of-service limits, driver qualifications, and vehicle inspection requirements
• Higher insurance limits – commercial policies that can be worth millions
• Electronic data – “black box” event data recorders, telematics, GPS, and electronic logging devices (ELDs)

Tennessee’s comparative fault rule (T.C.A. § 29-11-103) still applies, but proving fault in a truck case often means digging deep into the trucking company’s records and practices—not just the police report.

Common Causes of Truck Accidents

We handle truck crash cases involving:

Our investigation looks beyond the crash itself to determine whether federal and state rules were followed, including those incorporated into Tennessee negligence standards.

Who Can Be Held Responsible?

In a truck accident case, more than one party may be liable for your injuries, including:

• The truck driver – for negligent driving (speeding, distraction, impairment, fatigue)
• The trucking company (motor carrier) – under theories of vicarious liability and negligent hiring, training, supervision, or retention
• The owner of the tractor or trailer – if different from the carrier
• Maintenance contractors – for negligent inspection or repair
• Shippers or loaders – for improper loading or securement of cargo
  

Tennessee law allows injured people to pursue claims against all responsible parties, and comparative fault rules (T.C.A. § 29-11-103) determine how responsibility is divided. Identifying every potentially liable party is crucial to maximizing recovery.

Evidence in Truck Accident Cases

Truck crash cases are often won—or lost—based on the quality of the evidence preserved early. 

Critical evidence may include:

• Electronic logging device (ELD) data showing hours of service and rest periods
• Event data recorder (“black box”) information revealing speed, braking, and other driving inputs
• Driver qualification files – hiring records, training, prior violations, and medical certifications
• Maintenance and inspection records
• Bills of lading and load documents
• Company safety policies and dispatch records
• Crash scene photographs, skid marks, and debris patterns
• Dash-cam or surveillance footage, where available

We move quickly to send preservation letters and pursue discovery so that key records are not “lost,” overwritten, or destroyed.

Compensation in Truck Accident Cases

Because truck collisions often cause serious injuries, the stakes can be high.

You may be entitled to compensation for:

• Medical bills (current and future)
• Lost wages and loss of earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Permanent impairment or disfigurement
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Property damage (vehicle and contents)

In cases involving egregious conduct, we also examine whether punitive damages may be available under Tennessee law (T.C.A. § 29-39-104) to punish and deter particularly reckless or intentional behavior.

What to Do After a Truck Accident

If you’ve been hurt in a crash involving a tractor-trailer or commercial truck: