Oklahoma Truck and 18-Wheeler Wreck Lawyers

Help for people hurt by semis, 18-wheelers and commercial trucks on Oklahoma roads. Free, confidential consultations in Tulsa, Oklahoma City and statewide.

A truck wreck is not just a bigger car wreck

If a commercial truck hit you, more than one company may be responsible, and the evidence that proves it can disappear quickly. A loaded 18-wheeler weighs many times more than a passenger car, so the injuries are often severe. The legal claim is different too. Trucking companies must follow federal safety rules, keep driving records and carry their own insurance.

Truck wrecks are part of our injury practice for Oklahoma families. Our all-female team includes Laurie Koller, who has practiced law since 1991 and tried over 100 cases, and Laura Martinez, who speaks Spanish.

The trucking company has a team working on this already. You should have one too.

Talk to us

Free, confidential consultation

Consultations are free and confidential. The sooner we talk, the sooner we can ask the trucking company to preserve the evidence.

Who may be responsible

More than one party can share the blame

The truck driver

Drivers who were tired, distracted, speeding or impaired.

The trucking company

Carriers that pushed unsafe schedules or hired and trained drivers carelessly.

The freight broker

Brokers who chose a carrier with a poor safety record.

The maintenance company

Shops that skipped or botched brake, tire and safety repairs.

The cargo loader

Companies that overloaded the trailer or failed to secure the load.

Parts makers

Manufacturers of defective brakes, tires or other truck parts.

Why several companies may share responsibility

In many truck wrecks, the driver is only one part of the story. The company that hired the driver may have pushed a schedule that could not be met safely. A broker may have picked the cheapest carrier without checking its record. A repair shop may have signed off on worn brakes. A shipper may have loaded the trailer so it was too heavy or unbalanced.

Each of these companies may have its own insurance. Finding every responsible party matters, because one policy may not be enough to cover a serious injury.

Hours-of-service rules and driver logs

Federal rules limit how long a truck driver may drive before resting, because tired drivers cause crashes. Under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s hours-of-service rules, most drivers carrying freight get a daily limit of 11 driving hours within a 14-hour work window, and they must take a 30-minute break after 8 hours of driving.

Drivers record their hours in logs, most often kept on an electronic logging device in the cab. Those logs, compared with fuel receipts, toll records, delivery times and phone records, can show whether a driver was over the limit or whether the schedule made the limit impossible to follow. When a company pressures drivers to break these rules, that can be strong evidence.

Black box data and why speed matters

Evidence in a truck wreck can be lost fast. Many trucks carry an engine control module, often called a black box, that records speed, braking and other data around the time of a crash. Electronic logs, dash cameras, location tracking records, dispatch messages, maintenance files and drug and alcohol test results can all matter.

Much of this is in the trucking company’s hands. Trucks get repaired and put back on the road, data can be overwritten, and records may only be kept for a limited time. A lawyer can send a letter right away asking the company to keep everything, and can go to court if needed. If you or someone you love was hurt, please call (918) 221-3861 as soon as you are able.

Injuries, deadlines and your next step

Truck wrecks often cause broken bones, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, burns and internal injuries that need long care. When a crash takes a life, our page on wrongful death claims after a fatal crash explains how families can bring a case. If your wreck involved a regular car or pickup instead, see our page on Oklahoma car wreck claims.

In most cases, Oklahoma gives you two years from the date of the injury to file a personal injury lawsuit, but please talk to a lawyer about your deadline. Oklahoma’s comparative fault rule also applies: your recovery is reduced by your share of fault, and you cannot recover if your share is greater than the other side’s. To talk it through, send us a message or call (918) 221-3861.

The trucking company has a team working on this already. You should have one too.

How we work

How we handle a truck wreck case

We move quickly

We ask the trucking company to preserve logs, black box data and video before it is lost.

We find every party

We look past the driver to the carrier, broker, repair shop and cargo loader.

We keep you informed

You will hear from us, know what is happening and decide each big step.

Compensation

What a truck wreck claim can recover

Truck wreck injuries can change a life, and a claim should account for the long term. Depending on the case, that may include:

Client reviews

What our clients say

This team is capable and leaves no stone unturned. The best decision I made was hiring this team for my case.

Mary W.

"Laurie and her team were great to work with. They knew what direction they would take and the decisions they made were in the direction of what the end product and service would set them up to win for client matters and the firm."

Troy B.

Knowledgeable, honest, experienced, compassionate, determined. Laurie is the first attorney I'll call for legal advice and guidance. Without question, I'm all in.

Cari B.

Common questions

Questions about truck wrecks

Who pays when a semi causes a wreck?

Often more than one company. The driver, the trucking company, a freight broker, a maintenance shop or the company that loaded the cargo may each share responsibility, and each may have its own insurance. Finding all of them matters when injuries are serious. We look at each one from the first day, before evidence is lost.

What is a truck black box?

Many trucks have an engine control module that records speed, braking and other data around a crash. Along with electronic driver logs, it can show what the truck was doing in the seconds before impact. This data can be lost, so it should be preserved early. A lawyer can ask the company in writing to keep it.

The trucking company already called me. Should I talk to them?

Be careful. The company and its insurer are building their own case. You do not have to give a recorded statement or sign anything. Anything you say can be used to shift blame onto you. It is wise to get legal advice first, and the consultation is free. Let us handle those calls while you focus on getting better.

How long do I have to bring a truck wreck claim?

In most cases, Oklahoma gives you two years from the date of the injury. Some claims have different rules or extra notice steps. Please talk to a lawyer about your deadline, and do not wait, since key evidence can disappear long before any deadline. The consultation is free and confidential, and we can start preserving evidence right away.

You do not have to have all the answers

Call us. We will start by listening.

Tell us how we can help

Your message is confidential.