Phoenix Truck Accident Lawyer

Hear from a family who faced a serious injury and big medical bills.

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Real Kent Law client family, who gave written permission. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

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Client's daughter: My mom was injured, she broke her tibia and fibula. It was even discussed that she might have to get her leg amputated. But not just that, if it got worse it could end up in death. The medical bills were extremely outrageous. If we had not hired Kent Law for my mother's case, I honestly don't know what would have been.

Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

A crash with a semi or a delivery truck is not a normal car wreck. The truck is far bigger and heavier than your car, the injuries are often serious, and the trucking company's insurer usually gets to work right away. If you or someone in your family was hurt, you need a Phoenix truck accident lawyer who moves just as fast. This page covers what to do after the crash, the Arizona laws that shape your claim, who may be responsible, and how Kent Law builds truck cases. Call (480) 359-KENT for a free case review today.

What to do after a truck crash in Phoenix

1. Get safe and call 911. Move out of traffic if you can do it safely. Call 911 so police and paramedics respond. Turn on your hazard lights. Stay away from the truck if fuel or cargo is spilling.

2. Get medical care right away. Go to the emergency room or urgent care the same day, even if you feel okay. Some injuries, like brain injuries and internal bleeding, may not show symptoms at first. Your medical records also connect your injuries to the crash.

3. Photograph the truck, not just the damage. Take pictures of the whole truck and trailer. Get close-ups of the company name and DOT number on the cab door, plus the trailer number. Then photograph the scene, skid marks, debris, traffic signals, and your injuries. These details tell us which company was running the truck.

4. Get names and numbers from witnesses. Other drivers, passengers, and people nearby may have seen what happened. A witness who leaves without giving contact information can be hard to find later. Note any nearby businesses that may have security cameras.

5. Get the police report. Phoenix Police usually handles crashes on city streets. The Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) usually handles crashes on state highways and freeways, like I-10 and I-17. Write down the officer's name and the report number.

6. Don't talk to the trucking company's insurer or investigators. They may contact you quickly. Their job is to protect the trucking company, not you. Call us before you give a recorded statement, sign anything, or accept a fast offer. If you hire us, they deal with us.

7. Call a truck accident lawyer early. Key evidence, like electronic logging data and dashcam video, can be lost or overwritten if no one acts to save it. The sooner you call (480) 359-KENT, the sooner we can send preservation demands.

Arizona laws that affect your claim

The filing deadline. In Arizona, most injury lawsuits generally must be filed within two years (A.R.S. § 12-542). Missing the deadline can end your case, no matter how badly you were hurt.

Government trucks have shorter deadlines. Some trucks on Phoenix streets belong to a city, county, or the state, like garbage trucks and maintenance trucks. If a public entity or its employee caused your crash, a notice of claim is generally required within 180 days (A.R.S. § 12-821.01). The lawsuit itself generally must be filed within one year (A.R.S. § 12-821). These deadlines are much shorter, so call us right away.

Shared fault usually does not end your claim. Arizona uses pure comparative fault (A.R.S. § 12-2505). If you were partly at fault, your damages are reduced by your percentage of fault. In most cases, they are not wiped out. Trucking insurers often try to push blame onto the other driver so they can pay less. We push back with evidence. There are exceptions, such as A.R.S. § 12-711 for some alcohol- or drug-related situations, so talk to us about your facts.

When a crash takes a life. If a truck crash took someone you love, Arizona's wrongful death laws (A.R.S. §§ 12-611 to 12-613) may allow a claim. Our wrongful death page explains more.

Federal trucking safety rules also apply

Many commercial trucks are also covered by federal trucking safety rules. In general terms, these rules:

• Limit how long a driver can drive and stay on duty before resting. These are called hours-of-service rules.
• Require trucking companies to check that their drivers are qualified and to keep records on them.
• Require regular inspection, repair, and maintenance of trucks and trailers.

When a driver or trucking company breaks these rules, it can help show who was at fault. A tired driver pushing past the hours limit, an unqualified driver, or a truck with worn brakes are all things we look for.

Common types of truck accident cases

Truck traffic around Phoenix

Freight moves through Phoenix every day on I-10 and I-17. In the East Valley, big rigs run the Loop 101 and Loop 202. Delivery trucks and box trucks work city streets and neighborhoods all day long. Most of the crash cases we handle happen on city streets and at intersections, not on the interstates.

The numbers show how often these crashes happen. In 2024, Arizona had 121,107 crashes, with 1,228 people killed and 54,426 people injured (ADOT, 2024 Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts, Table 1-1). That year, 3,245 truck tractors (the cab unit that pulls a semi-trailer) were involved in crashes. Of those, 106 were in fatal crashes and 679 were in injury crashes (ADOT, 2024 Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts, Table 5-2). Maricopa County alone had 72.74% of all Arizona crashes and 50.13% of fatal crashes (ADOT, 2024 Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts, p. 13).

Common types of truck crashes include:

• Rear-end crashes. A loaded truck needs more distance to stop than a car. When a truck driver follows too closely, speeds, or looks away, the truck can't stop in time and slams into the vehicle ahead. These crashes often happen at red lights and in stop-and-go traffic.
• Wide right turns. Trucks often swing left before turning right, which opens a gap on the right side. A driver who doesn't check the mirrors can trap a car, cyclist, or pedestrian in that gap. This is a real danger at city intersections.
• Blind-spot lane changes. Trucks have large blind spots on every side. A driver who changes lanes without checking can sideswipe a car or push it off the road.
• Jackknifes. When a truck brakes hard or skids, the trailer can swing out at an angle to the cab. A jackknifed truck can block several lanes and hit more than one vehicle.
• Underride crashes. In an underride crash, a car slides under the back or side of a trailer. These crashes can be deadly because the trailer can strike the car's passenger area.

If your crash was with a regular passenger car or pickup instead of a commercial truck, see our Phoenix car accident lawyer page.

Who can be responsible

Truck cases often involve more than one company. Depending on the facts, responsibility may fall on:

• The truck driver, for speeding, distracted driving, fatigue, or unsafe turns and lane changes.
• The motor carrier, the trucking company that hired the driver and put the truck on the road.
• The owner of the truck or trailer, if someone other than the carrier owns it.
• The company that loaded the cargo, if the load was too heavy, off balance, or not secured.
• The maintenance company, if poor work on brakes, tires, or other parts helped cause the crash.
• Others, such as a company that hired the carrier or the maker of a failed part.

Finding every responsible party matters. Each one may have its own insurance. We dig into the records to find them all.

Evidence and damages

Evidence we gather

Trucks and trucking companies create a lot of records. Some of that evidence can be erased, overwritten, or thrown away if no one acts. That's why we send preservation demands quickly, telling the trucking company and others to save the evidence. We go after:

• Electronic logging data, which tracks how long the driver was on the road and on duty.
• Electronic control module (ECM) data from the truck's engine, which can show speed, braking, and throttle before the crash.
• Dashcam video from the truck, plus video from nearby businesses and traffic cameras.
• Dispatch records and messages between the driver and the company.
• The driver qualification file, including the driver's license, training, and driving history records.
• Inspection and maintenance records for the truck and trailer.
• Police reports, photos, witness statements, and your medical records.

When a case needs them, we hire crash reconstruction experts and other expert witnesses. They help show how the crash happened and how it has changed your life.

Commercial insurance

Trucking companies usually carry commercial insurance policies that are larger than personal auto policies. That can matter when injuries are serious. It also means the insurer has more at stake. Trucking insurers and their defense lawyers often move quickly after a crash. They start building their side of the story right away. You need someone building yours.

Damages you may be able to recover

Every case is different. Depending on your injuries and the facts, you may be able to recover:

• Medical bills, including the ambulance, emergency room, hospital stay, surgery, and therapy.
• Future care, such as more surgery, rehab, medication, or help at home.
• Lost wages for the time you missed from work.
• Lost earning capacity, if your injuries limit the work you can do in the future.
• Pain and suffering, for the physical pain and the ways the crash has changed your daily life.
• Property damage, including repair or replacement of your vehicle.

How Kent Law handles truck accident cases

Kent Law focuses on personal injury. We have handled thousands of injury cases, and we recover millions of dollars for injured clients every year. Truck companies have adjusters and lawyers working to pay you as little as possible. We fight just as hard for you, for every penny of compensation you deserve.

We move from day one. We preserve evidence early and hire the outside help the case needs. We don't back down, and we're ready to take your case to trial.

That preparation shows. We handle negotiated settlements, mediation, arbitration and trial. We take on denied and stalled claims, including cases already at the litigation stage. Some insurance adjusters and defense attorneys have hired Kent Law for their own injury cases. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Our Managing Attorney, Jonathan Henry, has extensive trial experience.

Where we file depends on court rules and the facts, such as where the crash happened and where the parties live. Phoenix-area and East Valley cases are usually filed in Maricopa County Superior Court. We also regularly file in Pima and Pinal counties.

We serve clients across Phoenix, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, and Mesa from one office in the Ahwatukee area of Phoenix. That includes our Tempe injury clients and Chandler injury clients. We usually meet at our office. If you can't get here, we can come to you at the hospital or at home, or meet by phone or video.

What it costs

We handle truck accident cases on a contingency fee. No fee unless we win. Your case review is free. Before you sign anything, we walk you through the written fee agreement and answer your questions.

Talk with a Phoenix truck accident lawyer

The trucking company's side is already working on its case. Put someone to work on yours. Call Kent Law at (480) 359-KENT to tell us what happened. Free case review. No fee unless we win.

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This page is general information, not legal advice. Every case is different.