Ohio Truck Accident Lawyer

Common Injuries from Truck Accidents

When 80,000 pounds of steel meets a four-door sedan, injuries tend to be severe. Survivors deal with physical trauma, emotional fallout, and sometimes life-long disabilities. Some of the most common injuries include:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI): These range from concussions to severe brain damage. Victims might face memory loss, cognitive problems, or personality changes.
• Spinal cord injuries: The spine doesn’t handle violent impacts well. When it’s damaged, paralysis—whether partial or total—may follow. Recovery is long, painful, and expensive, with many victims requiring lifelong care.
• Broken bones and fractures: High-speed collisions easily shatter bones. Compound fractures (where bone pierces the skin) carry a higher risk of infection and typically need surgery.
• Internal injuries: Organs like the liver, spleen, and lungs absorb the brunt of the force in many crashes. Internal bleeding isn’t always obvious at first but can become life-threatening without immediate medical attention.
• Severe burns: Trucks carry flammable cargo and fuel. When they ignite, victims suffer burns that can require multiple surgeries and skin grafts.
• Amputations: Crushing injuries may lead to the loss of limbs at the scene or later during medical treatment.

Key Laws and Legal Concepts in Ohio Truck Accident Cases

Ohio law sets the rules for how truck accident cases are handled. Some of the most important legal points include:

• Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs): These regulations govern everything from how long drivers can be on the road (Hours of Service rules) to the maintenance and inspection of vehicles. Violating FMCSRs can be used as evidence of negligence.
• Ohio Revised Code Section 2305.10: This law gives injured people two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. Miss the deadline, and your case gets thrown out—no exceptions for paperwork getting lost in the shuffle.
• Comparative fault – Ohio Revised Code Section 2315.33: Ohio follows a modified comparative fault system. If the injured party is more than 50% at fault, they recover nothing. If they’re 50% or less at fault, their damages are reduced by their percentage of fault. For example, if someone is awarded $100,000 but found to be 30% at fault, they collect $70,000.
• Minimum insurance requirements: Under Federal law (49 CFR § 387.9), most interstate commercial trucks are required to carry at least $750,000 in liability insurance. Some trucks, depending on cargo type, must have even higher limits.
• Vicarious liability: Trucking companies may be held responsible for their drivers’ actions under the principle of respondeat superior, provided the driver was working within the scope of employment during the crash.
• Negligent hiring and supervision: If a trucking company hired a driver with a history of DUIs or failed to enforce safety policies, they may face liability for negligent hiring or supervision.