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Find out who was operating the truck
A logo on the trailer tells you whose goods were inside. It does not always tell you who employed the driver. Large retailers may run their own fleets, hire outside carriers, or do both. The USDOT number painted on the cab, the police report and the driver’s paperwork usually show which company was the motor carrier on that trip.
That answer shapes the claim. In California, an employer is generally liable for injuries caused by an employee driving within the scope of the job, under respondeat superior. If an outside carrier hired the driver, the claim usually looks to that carrier and its insurer. Some crashes involve more than one company, and each may have its own coverage to look at.
Federal trucking rules that can matter
Under 49 C.F.R. 395.3, a property-carrying driver may drive no more than 11 hours after 10 hours off duty, may not drive past the 14th hour after coming on duty, and must take a 30-minute break after 8 hours of driving. Carriers must keep driver logs, including electronic logging device records, for six months.
Carriers must also keep a driver qualification file with the driver’s application, driving record, road test and medical certificate. After certain crashes, including any fatal crash, the employer must test the driver for alcohol and drugs. Cargo must be secured so it cannot shift or fall, and a driver may not drive while too tired or ill to drive safely.
For-hire interstate carriers hauling ordinary freight in trucks rated 10,001 pounds or more must carry at least $750,000 in public liability coverage. If the truck was hauling the company’s own goods, check the actual policy, since the insurance picture can differ. You can look up a carrier’s USDOT number, safety rating and crash counts on the FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot.
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Evidence to save early
Truck evidence can disappear. Logs only have to be kept for six months, and dashcam video or engine data may be recorded over. A lawyer can send a letter asking the company to keep the logs, video, truck data, driver file and maintenance records. The sooner that letter goes out, the better the chance those records still exist when they are needed.
Your own evidence matters too. Photos of the truck, the trailer number and the USDOT number on the cab help identify the carrier. Witness names help when the driver’s story differs from yours. If store cameras or nearby businesses face the road, ask about video quickly, because some systems keep footage for only a short time before it is erased.
What to do now
See a doctor the same day if you can, and follow up on any pain that shows up later. Take photos of the vehicles, the scene and your injuries. Write down the names of witnesses and the officer, and get the report number. Report the crash to your own insurer with the basic facts and ask for your claim number.
Keep all bills, receipts and records of missed work. Do not sign a release or give a recorded statement to the trucking company’s adjuster or a store representative before you talk with a lawyer. In California, an injury lawsuit must generally be filed within two years and a property damage lawsuit within three years. In Washington, injury suits generally have three years.
How Beverly Law can help
We can find out who operated the truck, request the federal records, and deal with the insurers while you focus on getting better. You owe no fees or costs unless we win. Call (310) 552-6959 or use the form on this page. You can also read more on our California truck accident lawyer and Washington truck accident lawyer pages.
Truck cases tend to turn on records the trucking company controls, so the questions below are worth reading early. For more on this kind of case, see who is liable in a truck accident, how to look up a trucking company’s safety record, truck black box and dashcam evidence, and whether to give a recorded statement.
Common questions
Can I sue Walmart if its truck hit me?
If the driver was a Walmart employee driving on the job, the company can generally be liable under California’s employer liability rule. If an outside carrier operated the truck, the claim may go to that carrier instead. The USDOT number on the cab and the police report help show which company it was.
How much insurance does a commercial truck carry?
Federal rules set $750,000 as the minimum public liability coverage for for-hire interstate carriers hauling ordinary freight in trucks rated 10,001 pounds or more. Some hazardous cargo requires $1 million or $5 million. The real limit depends on the policy, which a lawyer can request.
What if I was partly at fault?
California uses pure comparative fault. Your share of fault reduces what you can recover in proportion, but it does not bar recovery. The trucking company’s insurer may argue you caused the crash, so evidence such as logs, video and witness names matters a great deal.
Do I have to talk to the trucking company’s insurer?
You do not have to answer the other side’s adjuster on the spot. It is fine to say a lawyer will call back. Give your own insurer the basic facts. What you tell the trucking company’s adjuster can be used to lower your claim, so let a lawyer handle those calls.
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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
Amazon Delivery Van Accident · Amazon Truck Accident in California · Do Amazon Delivery Vans Have Cameras? · FedEx Truck Accident · UPS Truck Accident · All car and truck accident questions
Sources
- CACI Nos. 3700, 3701, 3720; Cal. Civ. Code § 2338
- 49 C.F.R. § 395.3(a)(1)-(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)
- 49 C.F.R. § 393.100(b)-(c)
- 49 C.F.R. § 392.3
- 49 C.F.R. § 387.9, Table 1
- FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot; FMCSA SMS; FAST Act of 2015, Pub. L. 114-94, § 5223
- Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1
- Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 338(c)(1)
- RCW 4.16.080(2)
- Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804, 828-829; CACI No. 405
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.