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Your rights at the scene
The truck driver must stop, give you a name, address, license and registration information, and help get you medical care if you are hurt. Leaving the scene of an injury crash is a crime in California. If the truck kept going, write down anything you saw: the company name on the trailer, the color of the cab, the direction it went and any part of a plate or USDOT number.
You do not have to discuss fault with the truck driver or anyone from the trucking company. Stick to exchanging information and checking on the people involved. If police respond on the freeway, it will usually be the CHP, and you can ask the officer for the report number before you leave.
Who is responsible for a freeway truck crash
Freeway truck crashes often involve unsafe lane changes, following too closely, speed or a tired driver. Federal rules limit a property-carrying driver to 11 hours of driving after 10 hours off duty, with a 30-minute break after 8 hours of driving (49 C.F.R. 395.3). Long freeway hauls are where those limits matter most.
When the driver was working, the trucking company is generally responsible for the driver’s careless driving under California law (CACI No. 3700). Several vehicles may be involved in a freeway crash, so fault can be shared. Read who is at fault in a multi-car pileup and sideswipe crashes on the freeway for more on those situations.
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Tell us what happened. We will tell you plainly whether there is a case and what to do next. You owe no fees or costs unless we win.
Insurance and the crash report
Interstate for-hire carriers hauling ordinary freight in vehicles rated at 10,001 pounds or more must carry at least $750,000 in public liability coverage (49 C.F.R. 387.9). See truck insurance minimums in California and Washington for how that compares with car policies. Knowing the policy helps you understand what a fair claim looks like.
As a driver involved, an injured person or a vehicle owner, you are entitled to a copy of the traffic collision report from the agency that wrote it, which can charge only its actual cost (Vehicle Code 20012). Separately, you must report an injury crash to the DMV on form SR-1 within 10 days, whether or not you were at fault (Vehicle Code 16000).
What to do now
Get checked by a doctor even if you walked away, because freeway-speed impacts often cause injuries that show up later. Take photos of the truck, the trailer, the lanes and any skid marks or debris. Get witness names and numbers, and keep every claim number and the CHP report number in one place.
Do not sign a release or give a recorded statement to the trucking company’s insurer before you talk to a lawyer. Our page on giving a recorded statement after a truck accident explains why. Keep receipts for treatment, medicine, rides and missed work. If the crash happened in Washington, the general deadline to sue is three years (RCW 4.16.080).
- See a doctor within a day or two
- Photograph the truck, trailer, lanes and debris
- Get witness names and the CHP report number
- Send the SR-1 to the DMV within 10 days
- Do not sign releases or give recorded statements yet
How Beverly Law can help
We request the CHP report, send the trucking company a written request to keep its logs and video, and handle calls from the insurers. Federal rules require carriers to keep drivers’ duty status records for six months (49 C.F.R. 395.8), so it helps to start early. We also look at whether more than one company shares the blame.
You owe no fees or costs unless we win. Learn about our California truck accident lawyer services, or our Washington truck accident lawyer page if the crash happened there. The first conversation is free, there is no obligation, and we speak Spanish. Call (310) 552-6959 or use the form on this page.
Common questions
What if the semi truck did not stop after hitting me on the freeway?
Call 911 and report it right away. Write down the company name, trailer markings and direction of travel. Freeway cameras, toll data and witness calls can help identify the truck. Your own uninsured motorist coverage may also apply to a hit-and-run if the truck made contact (Insurance Code 11580.2), depending on the facts and the policy.
Can I sue if the truck driver was working for a big company?
Yes. When the driver was on the job, the company is generally responsible for the driver’s careless driving in California. A large company will usually have lawyers and adjusters working quickly, so it helps to have your own lawyer early too.
How do I get the CHP report for a freeway truck crash?
Contact the CHP area office that responded and ask for the traffic collision report using the report number. Involved drivers, injured people and their lawyers can get a copy. The agency may charge a fee no greater than its actual cost.
Do I need to report a freeway truck crash to the DMV?
Yes, if anyone was injured or killed, or property damage was more than $1,000. California drivers must file form SR-1 with the DMV within 10 days, even if they were not at fault. This is separate from any police report.
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Car and truck accident lawyer — Beverly Law
If you were hurt in a car or truck crash in California and Washington, talk to a personal injury attorney. Free, confidential, English or Spanish. You owe no fees or costs unless we win.
Related pages
Can I sue a truck driver for hitting me? · Who is liable in a truck accident: the driver, the trucking company or the broker? · Rear-ended by a semi truck: what to do · Jackknife truck accident: who is at fault? · What causes a truck to jackknife? · All car and truck accident questions
Sources
- Cal. Veh. Code §§ 20001(a)-(b), 20003(a)-(b)
- Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1
- 49 C.F.R. § 395.3(a)(1)-(3)
- CACI Nos. 3700, 3701, 3720; Cal. Civ. Code § 2338
- 49 C.F.R. § 387.9, Table 1
- Cal. Veh. Code § 20012
- Cal. Veh. Code § 16000(a); DMV form SR 1 (Rev. 6/2025)
- RCW 4.16.080(2)
- 49 C.F.R. § 395.8(k)(1)
- Cal. Ins. Code § 11580.2(a)(1)-(3), (b)(1)-(2), (f)
Important: This page is general information about California and Washington law, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different; talk to a lawyer about yours. Last reviewed: November 5, 2026.