When a Semi-Truck Crash Turns Your Life Upside Down, You Need a Team That Knows Who Is Responsible

A collision with a commercial truck is not like any other crash on Utah roads. The injuries are more severe, the liable parties are harder to identify, and the trucking company's insurer moves fast to limit what you recover. We move faster.

Semi-Truck Crashes Are Legally Complex — and That Complexity Works Against You

When a passenger vehicle collides with an 80,000-pound commercial truck, the consequences are rarely minor. But the legal landscape that follows is where many victims lose ground. Trucking companies carry high-limit commercial policies, retain experienced defense counsel immediately after a crash, and begin building their case before you have had time to leave the hospital. Understanding who is actually liable — and why — is the foundation of every semi-truck accident case we take.


Utah's most dangerous commercial trucking corridors run directly through the communities we serve. Crashes along the I-15 corridor and the I-84 corridor involve everything from fatigued long-haul drivers to improperly loaded cargo to carriers who have ignored federal safety mandates. Each of those factors points to a different responsible party. Our job is to find all of them.

Multi-Party Liability: The Question Every Truck Crash Victim Needs Answered

One of the most common points of confusion after a commercial trucking crash is deceptively simple: who is actually responsible? The answer is rarely just the driver.

  • The truck driver — for hours-of-service violations, distracted driving, impairment, or failure to follow federal safety protocols


  • The trucking company — for negligent hiring, inadequate driver training, pressure to meet delivery schedules that encourages unsafe driving, or failure to maintain the vehicle


  • The cargo loader — for improperly secured or overloaded freight that shifts in transit and causes the driver to lose control


  • The truck manufacturer — for defective components such as brakes, tires, or coupling systems that contributed to the crash


  • Third-party maintenance contractors — for negligent inspections or repairs documented in the truck's service records

We investigate every party who may owe you accountability. No responsible party is overlooked because pursuing them requires additional work.

Federal Trucking Regulations Exist for a Reason — and Violations Create Liability

Commercial trucking is one of the most heavily regulated industries in the United States. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration sets binding rules on driver hours, vehicle inspections, cargo securement, drug and alcohol testing, and electronic logging device requirements. When a carrier or driver violates those regulations, that violation is not just an administrative infraction — it is evidence of negligence.


We review federal compliance records, electronic logging device data, driver qualification files, and maintenance logs as a standard part of every semi-truck case investigation. This is the subject-matter depth that separates a general personal injury firm from one that actually understands commercial trucking litigation.

Evidence From a Truck Crash Can Disappear Quickly

Commercial trucks carry data that passenger vehicles do not. The electronic control module — often called the black box — records speed, braking, throttle position, and other critical variables in the seconds before impact. Trucking companies are required to preserve this data after a crash, but that obligation has limits, and carriers sometimes act to limit access before victims have legal representation in place.

We move quickly after a commercial trucking crash. Our team sends preservation letters and, where necessary, pursues emergency legal action to secure:

  • Electronic logging device records and hours-of-service data
  • Black-box crash data from the truck's electronic control module
  • Dashcam footage from the cab and any roadside cameras
  • Driver qualification files and drug and alcohol testing records
  • Vehicle inspection and maintenance logs
  • Cargo loading documentation and weight tickets

The window to preserve this evidence is narrow. Retaining a Utah semi-truck accident lawyer as early as possible after a crash is one of the most consequential decisions you will make.

A Trial-Ready Team Against a Corporate Insurer

Trucking companies are not small operations, and their insurers are not passive participants. After a serious commercial crash, you are dealing with an organization that employs experienced adjusters and defense attorneys whose sole purpose is to minimize what you recover. They count on the fact that most injury victims are unprepared for that dynamic.


We are not unprepared. Carlson Injury Law is built around trial litigation. Our founding attorney is a former assistant dean at a national trial lawyers college who has taught trial strategy to attorneys across the country. Other law firms regularly hire us to try their cases when the stakes are highest. That trial record is not a credential we display — it is leverage that shapes how insurers approach every case we handle.


When the other side knows a case will go to trial if they do not negotiate fairly, the negotiation changes.

What to Do After a Semi-Truck Crash on I-15 or I-84

Step 1: Seek Medical Attention Immediately

Even if injuries do not feel severe at the scene, internal trauma from high-impact crashes is frequently not apparent until hours later. A medical record created close to the time of the crash is also an important piece of evidence.

Step 2: Document the Scene If You Are Able

Photographs of vehicle positions, road conditions, signage, skid marks, and any visible cargo are valuable. If you are too injured to do this yourself, ask someone at the scene to help.

Step 3: Do Not Speak With the Trucking Company's Insurer

Adjusters may contact you quickly after a crash. You are not required to provide a recorded statement, and doing so before you have legal counsel can harm your case.

Step 4: Contact a Utah Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer Before Evidence Is Lost

The sooner our team is involved, the sooner we can act to preserve the electronic data, logs, and records that define commercial trucking cases. Time is a factor that works against victims who wait.

Frequently Asked Questions About Semi-Truck Accident Claims in Utah

  • Who is liable in a semi-truck crash in Utah?

    Liability in a commercial trucking crash often extends beyond the driver. The trucking company, cargo loader, vehicle manufacturer, and third-party maintenance contractors can all bear responsibility depending on the facts of the crash. We investigate every party whose negligence may have contributed to your injuries.

  • What should I do after a truck accident on I-15 or I-84 in Utah?

    Seek medical care immediately, document the scene if you are physically able, and avoid speaking with the trucking company's insurer before consulting an attorney. Contact our office as soon as possible so we can act to preserve critical evidence before it is lost.

  • How do federal trucking regulations affect my case?

    Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations govern driver hours, vehicle inspections, cargo loading, and electronic logging requirements. Violations of these rules constitute evidence of negligence and can significantly strengthen a claim. We review all relevant compliance records as part of our standard case investigation.

  • Will my case go to trial?

    Most cases resolve before trial, but the credibility of that outcome depends on whether the other side believes you are prepared to litigate. Because Carlson Injury Law is a trial-focused firm — and because other attorneys hire us specifically to try their cases — insurers take our cases seriously at every stage of the process.

  • How long do I have to file a semi-truck accident claim in Utah?

    Utah's statute of limitations for personal injury claims is generally four years from the date of the crash, but certain circumstances can shorten that window. Evidence preservation timelines are far shorter. Do not wait to consult an attorney.

  • Does Carlson Injury Law handle semi-truck cases outside of Davis and Weber County?

    Yes. While our office is based in Syracuse, we represent clients across Northern Utah and throughout the state. We handle cases along the full I-15 and I-84 corridors and are experienced with out-of-state clients when incidents occur on Utah roads.

Carlson Injury Law Represents Victims of Commercial Trucking Negligence Across Northern Utah

We represent people who have been seriously injured by negligent drivers, negligent carriers, and negligent companies — never the parties responsible for causing harm. If you or someone in your family has been injured in a semi-truck crash anywhere along Utah's major corridors, we are ready to investigate, preserve your evidence, and build the strongest possible case on your behalf.


Our consultations are free, our representation is on contingency, and you owe us nothing unless we recover for you.