Our Raleigh Truck Accident Attorneys Will Fight for You

If you or a loved one have been involved in a collision with a large truck, you know how devastating and destructive the damage can be. While no amount of money can bring a deceased family member back or make your painful and often permanent injuries go away, hiring the right lawyer is essential in helping you recover compensation. A Raleigh truck accident attorney from Martin and Jones is ready to fight for your right to compensation for your serious personal injuries or for the wrongful death of someone close to you.

A Raleigh Accident Attorney Handling Cases Involving All Types of Trucks

Truck accidents can include more than just semi-trucks, and the type of truck could have a significant impact on your claim. An experienced Raleigh truck accident attorney can help with your case if it involves any type of truck, including the following: 

• Tanker trucks
• Cement trucks
• Garbage trucks
• Box trucks
• Panel vans
• Flatbed trucks
• Refrigerator trucks
• Delivery and pick-up trucks

Truck Operation and Accidents in Raleigh

As the Raleigh area becomes increasingly popular to live in, traffic volume continues to rise, driven by both additional residents and the trucks that deliver goods and services to our community. Road development has not kept pace.

High traffic volumes are squeezed into a limited amount of space, and the frequent merge maneuvers required on the roads around Raleigh (such as the I-440 interchanges) increase the potential for late lane changes and collisions. On many stretches of road, narrow lanes, inadequate signage, poor lighting, and terrain changes make it more difficult for truck drivers to adjust, even if they are not vigilant and their equipment is not in top operating condition. For instance, at the Glenwood Avenue interchange on I-440, high-speed traffic merges with city traffic traversing multiple lanes, and signs don’t clearly convey what drivers need to do if they are unfamiliar with the interchange.

According to a report released by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) in the fall of 2025, the number of truck and bus crashes resulting in injuries has increased significantly in recent years. In the final year of the study, for instance, injuries from truck accident collisions increased 3% nationwide, and 6,139 people were killed in reported truck accidents. During that time, the number of fatalities from crashes involving large trucks in North Carolina increased by a staggering 12%.

Our Raleigh Truck Accident Lawyer Explains Common Causes of North Carolina Wrecks

You are not alone in being seriously impacted by a tractor-trailer accident. Trucking company negligence causes thousands of crashes every year.

The sad truth is that many North Carolina truck accidents could have been avoided if trucking industry regulations had been followed. While a Raleigh truck accident attorney is in the best position to investigate and identify the cause of the collision in order to hold the at-fault parties accountable, the following offers an explanation of how negligence causes dangerous accidents every day:  

Distracted Driving

In recent years, we have become increasingly aware of the devastating consequence of driving while distracted. While legislative efforts have been rightfully focused on restricting phone use while behind the wheel, distracted driving can occur in many forms: 

• Visual distractions – Anything that takes the driver’s eyes off the road including looking at the scenery out the side of the truck or checking notifications on a smartphone.
• Manual distractions – Actions such as eating, changing the radio station, or reaching onto the floor require the driver to take one or both hands off the wheel. This can result in delayed reaction times or loss of control of the truck. 
• Cognitive distractions – Failing to pay full attention to the road can also lead to an accident. Daydreaming, talking on the phone, or anything else that distracts the driver can make it difficult to avoid an accident. 

The danger with smartphones is that they usually involve all three types of distractions, but there are many other instances that involve two or more types of distractions. 

Drowsy Driving

Truck drivers are under immense pressure to make deliveries on time. In addition, they are often incentivized by their employers to drive as many miles in a day as possible. As a result, truck drivers often find themselves driving on little sleep or late into the night to make up time. Drowsy driving presents numerous potential issues that could lead to an accident, including delayed reaction time. 

Driving While Under the Influence

Everyone knows that driving while under the influence can be deadly. Drug testing and other measures outlined by national trucking and transportation regulations have reduced the number of accidents caused by truckers driving while under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs. 

Prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs can sometimes have unexpected side effects, especially when taken in combination. “No-doze” and similar products can allow a driver to stay behind the wheel far longer than they should. A truck driver may find themselves impaired and unable to safely drive even though they had no intention of operating “under the influence.”

Dangerous Road Conditions

Rain, snow, and ice create low visibility on roadways. Sudden storms, quick-changing weather patterns, and debris in the road create dangerous road conditions for both motorists and truckers. However, it takes a big rig a lot longer to slow down than a standard sedan. As a result, these dangerous road conditions often lead to catastrophic truck accidents.

Speeding

Many truck drivers routinely drive in excess of the speed limit for the same reasons that they wind up driving while sleepy – they are under significant pressure to make their deliveries on time. Speeding can be especially dangerous for large trucks, as the increased speed requires a longer stopping distance and makes the truck harder to control. 

Reckless or Aggressive Driving

Tailgating, unsafe lane changes, and other risky behaviors can easily lead to a serious accident. A Raleigh truck accident attorney can help identify if erratic driving may have resulted in your accident.

Mechanical Failures

Mechanical failures with either the truck itself or the trailer can cause the driver to unexpectedly lose control and result in an accident. For example, the driver may be unable to stop due to failing brakes or may lose traction due to worn tires. 

Many mechanical failures are the result of negligent maintenance. Trucking companies have a legal obligation to ensure that their trucks are properly maintained. Drivers have a duty to ensure that the truck is safe to operate before getting on the road or should get off the road the moment they realize the truck is in need of maintenance or repairs. Some truck accidents are caused by defective parts that can fail in certain conditions. 

If you have been injured in a truck accident that was caused by a mechanical failure, a Raleigh truck accident attorney can review your case, identify the cause of the accident, and determine whether you should pursue a claim for compensation.   

Unbalanced or Overloaded Cargo

While trucks are designed to carry heavy loads, a truck will handle differently when it is loaded than when it is empty. When a truck is overloaded or the cargo isn’t properly balanced, it can negatively affect how the truck handles. It may take much longer to stop and be at greater risk of rollover accidents. It can also lead to mechanical failures such as tire blowouts and brake failures. Other cargo-related accidents can occur when cargo breaks lose and spill onto the roadway because it wasn’t properly secured. If you were injured in a cargo-related accident, a Raleigh truck accident attorney can help you get the compensation you deserve. 

Insufficient Training

Truck drivers should undergo extensive training in order to be able to drive the truck safely, and trucking companies have a legal obligation to ensure that their drivers are properly trained. Holding a CDL (commercial driver’s license) may demonstrate that the driver has received the minimum amount of training, but further training may be required. Furthermore, the driver may not have the proper licensing, training, or experience to drive a particular type of truck. 

Negligent Supervision 

Trucking companies also have an obligation to ensure that their drivers are driving safely. This includes making sure that their drivers are obeying traffic laws and trucking regulations. Some companies use GPS tracking to monitor their drivers and reprimand, suspend, or terminate drivers for unsafe driving. Unfortunately, many trucking companies do not supervise their drivers or take any action when they know their drivers are ignoring traffic laws and trucking regulations. In some cases, the trucking company may even encourage their drivers to drive unsafely. If your accident was caused by the trucking company’s negligent supervision of its drivers, a Raleigh truck accident attorney will be able to hold them accountable.

Understanding the Importance of Hiring a Lawyer

Pursuing a trucking accident claim is a complicated matter that requires experienced lawyers. Not only could there be multiple parties responsible for the accident, but trucking companies and their insurers are extremely sophisticated in defending truck accident cases. They consider defending cases like yours part of doing business and have legal teams ready to deploy as soon as a truck wreck happens. Their job is to settle the case for as little an amount as possible.

Do not be surprised if the trucking company or its representatives reach out to your or your family directly, or even show up at your home or the hospital. They often try to get people to agree to settlement amounts that may initially sound like a lot of money but are wholly inadequate to cover what the victim actually needs to recover. 

The experienced commercial vehicle accident lawyers at Martin & Jones know what the trucking companies are up to and what it takes to get you the compensation that you. 

FAQs About Truck Accidents in Raleigh

What are some of the reasons truck accidents occur so frequently in Raleigh?

The roads in and around Raleigh see high volumes of mixed traffic day and night, and the road conditions make it more likely that a truck accident will occur whenever someone makes a mistake. Errors that a Raleigh truck accident attorney often sees contributing to the cause of collisions include:

• Improper loading of trailers or cargo beds can make the truck unstable and liable to overturn
• Lack of proper maintenance, including skipped inspections and delayed or inadequate repairs
• The use of substandard materials, such as damaged casings on retread tires
• Inadequate training and supervision of drivers
• Schedules that encourage drivers to operate over the speed limit or while fatigued
• Driving while impaired or distracted

In many situations, many parties may share in the fault for causing a truck accident. For instance, a driver could be at fault for driving while impaired by over-the-counter cold medicine, but the trucking company could also be responsible for requiring the driver to continue operating after the driver reported an illness. Or if an accident was caused by mechanical failure, the fault could lie with both the trucking company and the maintenance and repair service provider.

What is the first thing I should do after a truck accident in Raleigh?

In any type of accident, the most important step is to secure your health. You may need to move to a safer location and call 911 to get emergency responders on the scene. If EMTs don’t insist on taking you to the hospital, go on your own, get a complete medical exam, and inform the doctors that you’ve been in a collision. Be sure to follow medical instructions about follow-up care and to return if new symptoms appear. Once you’ve taken steps to protect your health, it is helpful to contact a Raleigh truck accident attorney who can advise you about protecting your legal rights and start the process of securing compensation for your losses.

How long do I have to file a truck accident lawsuit in Raleigh?

The time limit to file a claim for truck accident injuries is usually three years from the date of the accident. In some situations, the limit, known as the statute of limitations, could be shorter. If the injuries lead to a wrongful death claim, that must be filed within two years of the date of death.

How is the value of my truck accident case determined?

A Raleigh truck accident attorney will analyze many factors to calculate the value of a truck accident claim. These factors include the losses you’ve already incurred, such as medical costs and wages lost due to time missed from work. Future losses will be calculated as well, including amounts needed to cover anticipated medical needs and care expenses, as well as any reductions in income. The largest portion of a damage award usually consists of amounts for intangible factors such as pain and suffering. Your attorney may calculate these amounts based on an analysis of legal precedent.

How do federal regulations impact my accident claim?

Because trucks pose a significant hazard on the roads, federal laws set extensive requirements that trucking companies must meet. These include FMCSA rules on the number of hours a driver can operate without taking substantial rest breaks. When a company is found to have violated one of these regulations, the violation can be used to demonstrate the company’s negligence, strengthening the case for recovery.

Contact Martin & Jones for a Free Consultation Today 

If you have been injured in a truck accident, the Raleigh personal injury trial lawyers at Martin & Jones offer compassionate, results-driven representation. There are time limits for filing a truck accident lawsuit in North Carolina, so please contact our offices right away for a free, no-obligation consultation. We can be reached online or by phone at 1-800-662-1234. We have offices in Raleigh, Durham and Wilmington and serve clients throughout the state.