Trusted truck accident attorneys with over 42 years of personal injury experience.

If you’ve been seriously hurt in a truck accident in Memphis, we are here to help. Our Memphis, TN truck accident lawyer has handled these situations for over 40 years. At Darrell Castle & Associates, we know how to pursue payment for your injury care, property damage, pain and suffering, and more. If you are in need of assistance, please contact us now for a consultation appointment.

Truck Accident Lawyer in Memphis, TN

An 18-wheeler loaded to federal limits can weigh 80,000 pounds. When that vehicle strikes a passenger car, the damage is categorically different from what happens in a two-car collision. The injuries are worse and the recovery tends to be longer. The legal case is far more complicated, since commercial trucking is regulated at the federal level. There are rules covering how many consecutive hours a driver can operate, how cargo has to be secured, what maintenance logs must show, and what data the truck’s onboard systems are required to record.

A Memphis truck accident attorney who handles these cases knows how to get that evidence before it’s altered or conveniently unavailable.

Types of Truck Accident Cases We Handle in Memphis

Eighteen-wheeler crashes come in a lot of forms. There are many factors and variables involved in these types of collisions. We’ve handled the following:

  • Rear-end truck collisions. A fully loaded semi doesn’t stop the way a car does. When this vehicle hits a stopped or slowing car from behind, the results are often catastrophic, including spinal injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and even fatalities. We can gather the braking data, the driver’s hours logs, and the maintenance records to build the case.
  • Jackknife accidents. The trailer swings wide, the cab follows, and suddenly a 70-foot vehicle is blocking multiple lanes. Speed, improper braking, and poor road conditions all contribute, but so does a driver who pushed past the point of safe operation.
  • Underride collisions. When a smaller vehicle gets pushed under the trailer, the results are almost always fatal or catastrophic. Guard rail failures and inadequate lighting are common factors worth examining closely.
  • Rollover accidents. Improper cargo loading shifts weight distribution dangerously. Add speed or a sharp curve, and a rollover becomes likely to happen. These crashes can involve multiple vehicles and the liability questions are rarely simple.
  • Cargo spill crashes. Federal law is specific about how loads must be secured. When a carrier cuts corners and cargo ends up on the highway, other drivers may suffer due to collisions that unfold. 
  • Fatigued driver crashes. Hours-of-service regulations exist because a tired driver behind the wheel of an 80,000-pound vehicle is a serious public safety threat. When carriers pressure drivers to exceed those limits, they share responsibility for what happens.
  • Distracted driving accidents. When a commercial driver was distracted at the moment of impact, that evidence is often recoverable
  • Drunk or impaired driver crashes. Civil liability for a DUI truck accident may easily point to fault, and punitive damages may also be awarded.
  • Defective equipment crashes. The truck may have had bad brakes, blown tires, or failed steering systems. The truck’s manufacturer, the maintenance contractor, and the carrier itself may all bear responsibility depending on when the defect developed.
  • Fires resulting from truck accidents. Post-crash fuel fires and cargo ignitions often signal an underlying defect or regulatory violation. These cases involve product liability questions layered on top of the collision claim itself.

Why Choose Darrell Castle & Associates for Truck Accident Cases in Memphis, TN?

Experience Handling Commercial Vehicle Claims Since 1984

This firm has been in Memphis since 1984. Founding Attorney Darrell Castle opened this practice four decades ago and built it around the kinds of cases most people don’t know how to handle on their own, including truck accident litigation. 

Darrell Castle has been licensed in Tennessee since 1979, the year he earned his law degree from The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. Before law school, he served as a commissioned officer in the United States Marine Corps. He’s argued for injured clients across more than four decades of practice. Our personal injury lawyer in Memphis, TN, understands the steps involved in getting his clients compensation after a serious truck wreck. 

Darrell Castle is a longtime member of the American Trial Lawyers Association and the American Association for Justice, and has received multiple Martindale-Hubbell Client Distinction Awards over the years. The firm carries an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and a 5-star Avvo rating. Press coverage has included the New York Times and the Associated Press.

Results and Fee Structure

We’ve helped injury clients across Memphis and Tennessee recover millions of dollars, including in truck and commercial vehicle cases. Every case is different and we work on contingency, meaning there are no fees unless we win.

Understanding Truck Accident Cases in Memphis

Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Truck Accident Cases

Depending on the factors of the accidents and how you were affected, there are different types of damages you may be entitled to receive. Here are the key categories that can be awarded in a truck accident case: 

  • Medical expenses: Past treatment, current care, future projected costs.
  • Lost income: Wages missed and earning capacity going forward.
  • Pain and suffering: The physical and emotional weight of recovery.
  • Permanent disability. If your injuries don’t fully resolve, that’s compensable.
  • Wrongful death: If someone lost their life,Tennessee law provides a separate family claim for funeral costs, lost financial support, and loss of companionship

Important Aspects in Your Truck Accident Case

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration sets binding rules on driver hours, vehicle maintenance, and carrier conduct. Violations don’t just suggest negligence, they can establish who was directly at fault and why. Tennessee negligence law requires proof that the defendant owed a duty of care, breached it, that the breach caused your injuries, and that you suffered real damages. Here are specific considerations that can shape these investigations:

  • Electronic logging devices record on-duty hours automatically. That data exists and we move to preserve it before it can be deleted or altered. 
  • Black box data from the truck captures speed, braking, and operational information from the moments before impact. 
  • FMCSA carrier safety records are public. A prior history of violations or failed inspections is relevant and admissible.
  • Comparative fault in Tennessee is argued, not assumed. Your recovery is reduced by your share of fault and eliminated if it exceeds 50%. The quality of the investigation determines how that argument goes.

Truck Accident Case Timeline

Truck accident cases  move through stages. There’s no universal timeline, but here’s generally what to expect: 

  • Right after the crash: Get medical attention and don’t give a recorded statement to the carrier’s insurer. Preserve what you can from the scene and contact an attorney as soon as possible.
  • Investigation. We gather crash reports, driver logs, maintenance records, and electronic data.
  • Demand: Once your medical health has been assessed and your damages are documented, we submit a demand to the responsible parties and their insurers.
  • Litigation if necessary: If the carrier won’t negotiate in good faith, then we file suit. Most cases resolve before trial, but we are prepared for either.
  • Resolution: This is when a settlement or verdict is established based on the information and proof provided during the case.

What to Bring to Your Truck Accident Consultation

Bring any relevant information you can gather to your appointment, but you don’t need everything organized to visit with us. The following details are helpful: 

  • Photos or video from the scene
  • The police report, if you have a copy
  • Medical records and bills so far
  • Any documentation of missed work
  • Witness names or contact information, if you gathered any

Tennessee Legal Resources for Truck Accidents

Tennessee law sets the rules that govern your claim. A few things worth knowing before you decide what to do.

  • Tennessee Code § 28-3-104: Gives most personal injury plaintiffs one year from the date of the accident to file a claim.
  • Tennessee Code § 29-11-102: Tennessee’s modified comparative fault rule. If a plaintiff is found partially at fault for their injuries, their compensation is reduced by their percentage of fault. But if they are found 50% or more at fault, they recover nothing. In a truck accident, insurers may work hard to push your fault percentage up. 
  • Tennessee Code § 20-5-106: Tennessee’s wrongful death statute. The right of action a deceased person would have had against the wrongdoer does not abate upon death, it passes to the surviving spouse, children, or next of kin. 

Reach Out to Darrell Castle & Associates to Schedule a Consultation

If you were seriously injured in a truck accident, we recommend getting legal help as soon as possible. Our team at Darrell Castle & Associates has been on the side of injury victims since 1984. We handle truck accident cases in Memphis on contingency, so there are no fees unless we win. Contact us today to get started.