Hurt in a car or truck crash?
Leave your name and phone. We call back today, in English or Spanish. The consultation is free and confidential.
Free consultation · English y Español · No fees or costs unless we win
The first hours after the crash
Call 911 and get checked, even if you think you are fine. Injuries from truck crashes are often worse than they first seem. If you can do it safely, take photos of the truck, the trailer, the cargo, the road and your vehicle. Photograph the door of the cab, where the company name and USDOT number are usually painted.
Get the driver’s name, the company name and the insurance information. Ask witnesses for their names and phone numbers. Do not argue about fault at the scene or apologize, since anything you say may be repeated later. If you were rear-ended, see rear-ended by a semi truck for steps specific to that kind of crash.
- Company name and USDOT number on the cab door
- Truck and trailer license plates
- Driver’s name and license
- Photos of cargo, tires and skid marks
- Witness names and phone numbers
- Police report number
Federal records that can prove what happened
Truck drivers follow federal hours-of-service rules. A property-carrying driver may drive at most 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty, may not drive beyond the 14th hour after coming on duty, and must take a 30-minute break after 8 hours of driving (49 C.F.R. 395.3). Federal rules also bar driving while too fatigued or ill to drive safely (49 C.F.R. 392.3).
Carriers must keep drivers’ records of duty status, including electronic logging device records, for six months (49 C.F.R. 395.8). They also must keep a qualification file on each driver, with the application, driving record, road test and medical certificate (49 C.F.R. 391.51). Ask a lawyer to send a preservation letter quickly. See truck black box and dashcam evidence.
Free accident case review
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.
Drug testing and the carrier’s safety record
After certain crashes, the employer must test the truck driver for alcohol and drugs as soon as practicable. Testing is required after any fatal crash, and after crashes where the driver is cited for a moving violation and someone is injured and immediately treated away from the scene, or a vehicle is disabled and has to be towed away. Alcohol tests not done within 8 hours, and drug tests not done within 32 hours, must be abandoned (49 C.F.R. 382.303). See drug and alcohol testing after a truck crash.
You can look up a carrier’s USDOT number, safety rating, inspections and crash counts on the federal SAFER Company Snapshot (FMCSA SAFER). Our page on how to look up a trucking company’s safety record walks through it step by step. A poor record does not prove fault in your crash, but it can point to records worth requesting.
Who may be responsible and how much insurance there is
In California, an employer is generally liable for injuries caused by an employee driving within the scope of employment (CACI No. 3700). Depending on the facts, others may share responsibility too, such as the company that loaded the cargo. Federal rules require cargo to be contained, immobilized or secured to prevent shifting or falling (49 C.F.R. 393.100).
For-hire interstate carriers hauling non-hazardous property in vehicles of 10,001 pounds or more must carry at least $750,000 in public liability coverage, with higher minimums for hazardous cargo (49 C.F.R. 387.9). That is far more than a typical car policy. Our California truck accident lawyer page explains how these claims are built.
What to do now
See a doctor and follow up on every symptom. Keep your photos, witness names and phone numbers, and claim numbers in one place. Do not sign a release or give a recorded statement to the trucking company or its insurer before you talk to a lawyer; see whether you have to talk to the trucking company’s insurer. Keep receipts for every cost.
Deadlines: a California injury lawsuit generally must be filed within two years of the injury, and in Washington the general limit is three years (RCW 4.16.080). The six-month log retention rule is the clock that often matters most in truck cases. Call (310) 552-6959 or use the form, and we can act on the evidence quickly.
Common questions
What should I do right after being hit by a semi truck?
Call 911 and get medical care. If you can, take photos of the truck, the cab door with the company name and USDOT number, the cargo and the scene. Get the driver’s and company’s information and witness names. Then talk to a lawyer before giving any statement to the trucking company’s insurer.
How long do trucking companies keep driver logs?
Federal rules require carriers to keep drivers’ records of duty status, including electronic logging device records and supporting documents, for six months. After that they may be gone. That is why a preservation letter should go out quickly after a truck crash, well before the lawsuit deadline.
Who pays when a semi truck hits me?
Often the trucking company’s insurer, because an employer is generally liable for an employee driving within the scope of the job. Other parties, such as a cargo loader, may share responsibility depending on the facts. For-hire interstate carriers in vehicles of 10,001 pounds or more must carry at least $750,000 in liability coverage for non-hazardous freight.
Should I talk to the trucking company’s insurance adjuster?
Be careful. The adjuster works for the trucking company. You can give basic contact information, but avoid recorded statements and do not sign anything before you talk to a lawyer. Anything you say on a recorded call can be used later to question your injuries.
Ask a question
Not ready to call? Write your question and someone on our team will answer. No cost, no commitment.
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
Hit by another driver when you have no car insurance · Hit by another driver when you have no driver’s license · Car accident compensation in California · Uber accident: who pays · All car and truck accident questions
Sources
- Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1
- 49 C.F.R. § 395.3(a)(1)-(3)
- 49 C.F.R. § 392.3
- 49 C.F.R. § 395.8(k)(1)
- 49 C.F.R. § 391.51(a)-(b)
- 49 C.F.R. § 382.303(a), (b), (d)
- FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot; FMCSA SMS; FAST Act of 2015, Pub. L. 114-94, § 5223
- CACI Nos. 3700, 3701, 3720; Cal. Civ. Code § 2338
- 49 C.F.R. § 393.100(b)-(c)
- 49 C.F.R. § 387.9, Table 1
- RCW 4.16.080(2)
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.