Accidents involving commercial trucks have their own specific set of guidelines.  Commercial trucks can weigh 80,000 pounds or more when loaded to capacity whereas the average consumer vehicle weighs only 3,000 pounds.  To say that an accident between these two types of motor vehicles results in more severe damage would be a serious understatement.  Commercial trucks also pose additional dangers, depending on the nature of the material that the truck is carrying.

In a commercial truck accident, the basic theory of liability is that the driver, trucking company, or business entity, is negligent if they failed to exercise reasonable care under the circumstances, and the plaintiff’s injuries were a result of said failure. 

There are two types of commercial truck accidents under which there are special considerations.  Jackknifing, which is the accidental folding of a vehicle at it’s pivot point, is not considered in itself to be proof of negligence.  There are many circumstances under which jackknifing can occur, especially during times of inclement weather. 

Turning accidents are not clear-cut in terms of liability.  The length of the vehicle often makes turning a difficult process, and sometimes requires two lanes to make a right turn in order to avoid damaging parked cars or running the rear wheels onto the sidewalk.  While it is not a clear case of negligence, a commercial vehicle taking up two lanes is, in some states, enough to establish that the truck driver is at fault.