If a commercial truck struck your vehicle on I-15 through Salt Lake City, you might be left with life-changing injuries. Truck accidents differ dramatically from typical car crashes—federal regulations govern trucking companies, multiple parties may be liable, and available insurance coverage is significantly higher.
Parker & McConkie Personal Injury Lawyers handles complex truck accident cases throughout Salt Lake City and the Wasatch Front. We understand federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, pursue compensation from all responsible parties, and fight for injured victims against well-funded trucking companies.
Call (801) 851-1202 or visit our contact page for a free consultation. Our Salt Lake City office is at 466 S 500 E, Suite 100.
Why Choose Parker & McConkie for Your Salt Lake City Truck Accident Case
Truck accident cases require knowledge beyond standard personal injury work. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations under 49 CFR Parts 300-399 govern commercial trucking operations. We investigate whether trucking companies violated Hours of Service rules, maintained vehicles properly, hired qualified drivers, and followed federal safety requirements.
We know the dangerous sections of I-15 through downtown Salt Lake City and the I-15/I-80 interchange where high-speed traffic mixes with heavy commercial vehicles. We know the details of truck accidents on I-80 through Parley’s Canyon where steep grades create runaway truck risks.
We obtain and analyze Electronic Control Module data from commercial trucks that records speed, braking, and driver actions before impact. We review Electronic Logging Device records for Hours of Service violations that indicate fatigued driving may be a factor. We subpoena trucking company maintenance records, training files, and safety compliance documents. We identify all liable parties—drivers, trucking companies, cargo loading companies, and maintenance providers—to access multiple insurance policies.
We work with accident reconstruction experts who analyze commercial vehicle crashes, trucking industry safety experts who evaluate federal regulation compliance, and medical specialists who document catastrophic injuries. Our contingency fee basis means you pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. Case costs might apply.
Compensation for Salt Lake City Truck Accident Victims
Truck accident cases typically result in higher compensation than standard car accidents due to injury severity, multiple liable parties, and commercial insurance policy limits.
Medical Expenses and Future Care
Emergency transport, hospital stays, surgeries, rehabilitation, and ongoing treatment create substantial medical bills. Truck accidents cause catastrophic injuries requiring lifetime care. We work with life care planners who calculate future medical needs, including additional surgeries, physical therapy, home health care, medical equipment, and assistive devices.
Lost Wages and Earning Capacity
Many truck accident victims suffer permanent disabilities that prevent them from returning to their previous employment. We work with vocational experts who assess how your injuries affect your ability to work and calculate lost earning capacity over your remaining work life.
Pain, Suffering, and Permanent Disabilities
Traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, amputations, severe burns, and multiple fractures cause ongoing pain and permanent limitations. Utah law recognizes these non-economic damages as compensable harm beyond medical bills and lost wages.
Multiple Insurance Sources
Unlike typical car policies, interstate motor carriers must meet federal minimum financial responsibility under 49 CFR § 387.9: $750,000 for general freight, $1,000,000 for certain oil, and up to $5,000,000 for specified hazardous materials. When multiple parties share fault, stacked commercial policies might be available. We identify all responsible parties to pursue fair compensation from every available source.
Punitive Damages for Gross Negligence
When trucking companies knowingly violate federal safety regulations, pressure drivers to break Hours of Service rules, or falsify maintenance records, Utah permits punitive damages only when there is clear and convincing evidence of the required conduct under Utah Code § 78B-8-201. These damages punish egregious conduct and significantly increase potential recovery.
Dangerous Truck Routes in Salt Lake City
Understanding where truck accidents occur most frequently helps victims recognize that their crashes result from predictable hazards on Salt Lake City’s major freight corridors.
Interstate 15 serves as Utah’s primary north-south freight corridor. The downtown I-15 corridor experiences heavy commercial truck traffic mixed with dense commuter traffic during rush hours. The complex multi-level I-15/I-80 interchange creates hazardous conditions where merging traffic, lane changes, and high speeds combine with limited sight lines.
Interstate 80 carries transcontinental freight from California to the East Coast. The steep descent through Parley’s Canyon approaching Salt Lake City from the east creates runaway truck risks when drivers fail to manage speed properly or when brake systems fail. Winter weather compounds these hazards with snow, ice, and reduced visibility.
State Street runs parallel to I-15 as a major commercial corridor where trucks access businesses and mix with pedestrian traffic. North Temple provides freight access to Salt Lake International Airport and warehouse districts.
Federal Trucking Regulations That Strengthen Your Case
Commercial trucking operates under federal safety regulations that are designed to prevent accidents. Violations of these rules establish negligence and strengthen compensation claims.
49 CFR Part 395 limits how long truck drivers may operate commercial vehicles. Drivers may not drive more than 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty. Electronic Logging Devices are required for most carriers to record HOS data. Violations of Hours of Service rules demonstrate driver fatigue and trucking company negligence when companies pressure drivers to exceed limits.
49 CFR Part 396 requires systematic inspection, repair, and maintenance of commercial vehicles. Brake failures, tire blowouts, steering malfunctions, and lighting defects often result from inadequate maintenance. We subpoena maintenance records to prove trucking companies neglected required upkeep.
49 CFR Part 391 establishes minimum qualifications for commercial drivers. Drug and alcohol testing under 49 CFR Part 382 ensures drivers operate vehicles safely. We review driver personnel files to determine whether trucking companies negligently hired or retained dangerous drivers.
Fighting Trucking Company Insurance Tactics
Commercial trucking companies and their insurers employ aggressive defense strategies to minimize compensation.
Trucking companies dispatch investigators to accident scenes within hours. These teams secure evidence before victims hire attorneys and preserve Electronic Control Module data. Without immediate attorney involvement, critical evidence disappears.
Insurance adjusters may use modified comparative negligence allegations to reduce trucking company liability under Utah Code § 78B-5-818, which bars recovery if your fault reaches or exceeds 50%.
Trucking companies offer quick settlements before you understand the extent of your injuries, before future medical needs are assessed, and before you consult attorneys. These offers release all claims forever while providing inadequate compensation for catastrophic injuries.
Critical Evidence in Truck Accident Cases
Proving trucking company negligence requires specific documentation that we obtain through immediate investigation and formal discovery.
Commercial trucks contain Electronic Control Modules that record speed, brake application, engine RPM, and hard braking events. This “black box” data proves how accidents occurred. Federal law requires Electronic Logging Devices that track driving time to ensure Hours of Service compliance under 49 CFR § 395.8. Trucking companies must retain these records for six months, making immediate preservation demands critical.
Vehicle maintenance logs document when trucking companies last serviced brakes, replaced tires, and repaired steering systems. We obtain these records through subpoenas to prove that trucking companies operated vehicles with known defects.
Driver qualification files contain commercial driver’s license information, training records, accident history, and drug test results. These files reveal whether trucking companies hired unqualified drivers or retained drivers with dangerous histories.
What to Do After a Salt Lake City Truck Accident
Your actions immediately after a truck accident affect both your health and your legal rights.
Seek immediate medical treatment even if you don’t feel severely injured. Follow all treatment recommendations, attend every appointment, and complete prescribed therapy. Medical records documenting injury severity become critical evidence.
Report the accident to your insurance company, but provide only basic factual information. Don’t give recorded statements to the trucking company’s insurer without consulting an attorney. Don’t sign medical record releases or accept settlement offers before understanding the extent of your injuries.
Trucking companies secure evidence within hours of accidents. The four-year statute of limitations under Utah Code § 78B-2-307 provides time to file lawsuits, but evidence preservation requires immediate action.
FAQ for Salt Lake City Truck Accident Victims
How Long Must Trucking Companies Keep ELD and Related Records?
Under federal rules, most ELD and Hours of Service records must be kept six months under 49 CFR § 395.8(k)(1). Carriers also must retain supporting documents for this period. This short window is why we send preservation demands immediately after accidents. Routine deletion after six months can otherwise eliminate critical hours-of-service evidence showing whether drivers exceeded federal limits or whether trucking companies pressured violations. Without preserved records, proving fatigued driving becomes significantly more difficult.
Can Trucking Companies Destroy Evidence After an Accident?
Trucking companies have legal obligations to preserve evidence once they know about an accident or potential lawsuit. However, without formal preservation demands, companies might claim they didn’t know evidence was relevant or that routine data deletion occurred. Electronic Logging Device records, maintenance logs, dispatch communications, and drug test results might be altered or destroyed. We send preservation letters immediately after accidents to create legal duties to preserve all evidence. If companies destroy evidence after receiving preservation demands, courts might impose sanctions or allow juries to presume the evidence would have supported your claims.
How Do Weather Conditions in Salt Lake City Affect Truck Accident Liability?
Winter conditions on I-80 through Parley’s Canyon don’t excuse negligence. Drivers must reduce speed for conditions, and UDOT may impose chain and traction restrictions under Utah Admin. Code R920-6. We examine compliance with weather-related safety duties in every mountain-corridor crash. Drivers who fail to use required chains, drive too fast for conditions, or lose control on icy roads remain liable. Weather might contribute to accidents, but it rarely eliminates liability. We investigate whether drivers received adequate training for Utah winter conditions and whether trucks were properly equipped for mountain weather.
Who Else Besides the Driver and Carrier Can Be Liable in a Truck Case?
Depending on the facts, multiple parties might share liability beyond the driver and trucking company. The tractor owner faces liability if the truck was leased to the carrier. Trailer owners might be responsible for trailer defects or maintenance failures. Shippers and loading companies face liability for negligent cargo loading or securement that contributes to accidents. Maintenance contractors might be liable for negligent repairs. Sometimes freight brokers or motor carrier affiliates share responsibility if their conduct contributed to the crash. Multi-party liability opens additional insurance policies and increases potential compensation sources.
Are There Damages Caps in Utah Truck Accident Cases?
For personal injury cases in Utah, there’s no general cap on economic damages like medical bills and wage loss, or on non-economic damages like pain and suffering. Punitive damages are available only with clear and convincing evidence under Utah Code § 78B-8-201 and are subject to that statute’s requirements.
What is the statute of limitations for filing a truck accident lawsuit in Utah?
In Utah, you generally have four years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit for a truck accident. This is established under Utah Code § 78B-2-307. While this period provides time to initiate legal action, act quickly to preserve evidence, as trucking companies may routinely delete critical data after six months.
Get the Truck Accident Legal Help You Need
Truck accidents cause devastating injuries that change lives permanently. While you focus on medical treatment and recovery, trucking company investigators secure evidence to defend against your claim.
Parker & McConkie Personal Injury Lawyers understands federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, investigates whether trucking companies violated Hours of Service rules and maintenance requirements, obtains Electronic Control Module and Electronic Logging Device data before it disappears, and pursues fair compensation for catastrophic injuries.
We handle truck accident cases on a contingency fee basis—you pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. Case costs might apply. We offer free consultations to review your case, explain your rights under federal trucking regulations, and develop a strategy to pursue compensation from all responsible parties.
Call (801) 851-1202 or visit our office at 466 S 500 E, Suite 100 in Salt Lake. Evidence preservation cannot wait. Contact us today to protect your rights and pursue the compensation you need to rebuild your life after a devastating truck accident.
