Truck & Commercial Vehicle Accident
Representation in New Hampshire
Apis Law represents individuals injured in collisions involving commercial trucks, delivery vehicles, tractor-trailers, and other commercial fleets across New Hampshire. These cases require immediate investigation, strict preservation of electronic data, and a detailed understanding of federal and state regulations governing commercial carriers. Car accidents involving commercial trucks often result in catastrophic injuries due to the size, weight, and stopping distance of these vehicles. Apis Law provides focused litigation support to uncover violations, secure key evidence, and pursue full accountability under New Hampshire and federal law.
Truck Accident Liability in New Hampshire
Truck accident cases differ significantly from standard motor-vehicle collisions. Multiple entities may share responsibility, including:
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Truck drivers
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Motor carriers and corporate owners
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Dispatchers and freight brokers
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Maintenance contractors
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Trailer owners
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Loading and shipping companies
Under both New Hampshire law and federal regulations, liability may arise from negligent operation, defective equipment, improper loading, or regulatory violations. Establishing responsibility requires early evidence collection and detailed analysis of:
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Driver logs
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GPS and telematics
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Pre-trip and post-trip inspections
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Corporate safety policies
Truck cases turn on documentation and must be pursued quickly before data is altered, overwritten, or destroyed.
Common Causes of Truck & Commercial Vehicle Collisions
Driver Fatigue and Hours-of-Service Violations (FMCSA Regs)
Fatigue is a leading cause of truck crashes. Violations of HOS rules often appear through discrepancies in logs, telematics, fuel receipts, and dispatch records.
Improper Loading or Cargo Securement
Shifting loads, overloaded trailers, or unsecured freight can cause jackknifes, rollovers, and lane departures.
Maintenance Failures
Brake issues, worn tires, and mechanical defects may support liability against the carrier or maintenance provider.
Distracted or Impaired Operation
Commercial drivers are held to strict standards. Phone records, CDL requirements, and post-collision testing are critical.
Inadequate Training or Hiring Practices
Motor carriers must ensure their drivers are qualified, supervised, and trained under FMCSA rules.
Blind-Spot and Turning Errors
Large commercial vehicles have significant blind zones and require careful lane use, wide turns, and consideration of adjacent riders and motorists.
Injuries Associated With Truck Collisions
Truck crashes often result in severe and permanent injuries:
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Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
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Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
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Complex fractures requiring surgical intervention
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Internal organ damage
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Crush injuries
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Permanent disability or disfigurement
These cases require careful medical analysis, long-term prognosis evaluation, and clear presentation of economic loss.
Insurance and Liability Complications
Truck accident cases involve complex insurance structures not present in standard auto collisions:
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Layered insurance policies
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Separate policies for tractor, trailer, and carrier
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Broker or shipper liability
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UM/UIM where commercial limits are insufficient
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Federal minimum liability requirements under 49 CFR §387
Insurers often dispute causation, attempt to assign comparative fault under RSA 507:7-d, or shift responsibility between corporate entities. Effective litigation requires identifying all responsible parties and securing evidence quickly.
Legal Challenges in Truck Accident Litigation
These cases often involve:
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Altered or incomplete driver logs
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Destroyed or overwritten ELD data
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Delayed release of dash-cam footage
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Missing maintenance documents
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Disputes over driver fatigue
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Conflicting testimony from carriers and dispatchers
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Corporations attempt to distance themselves from the driver’s conduct
Commercial carriers typically deploy rapid-response teams within hours of a crash. Early representation is critical to counter these efforts and preserve evidence for the injured party.
Apis Law’s Approach to Truck Accident Cases
Apis Law conducts a structured, evidence-driven investigation supported by federal regulatory analysis:
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Immediate litigation hold and preservation letters
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ELD, ECM, and telematics retrieval
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Driver qualification file review
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Hours-of-service audit
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Event Data Recorder evidence
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Cargo securement and loading investigation
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Maintenance document subpoenas
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Accident reconstruction and engineering support
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Review of corporate policies, training manuals, and safety records
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Expert economic + medical damages analysis
Our approach identifies regulatory breaches, establishes causation, and develops a clear record of liability.
Recent Case Insight
Apis Law resolved a complex truck-accident matter involving an out-of-state commercial hauler operating at night near the Manchester–Boston Regional Airport. The client, an employee of a major shipping company, was driving home from work when a tractor-trailer marked “AMAZON” failed to manage a slight curve and sideswiped the client’s vehicle, causing significant personal injury. Police responded to the scene, but the investigation was immediately compromised: the truck driver provided a false registration and a fraudulent insurance card. The vehicle was, in fact, uninsured—an unlawful violation of federal motor-carrier requirements.
Once retained, Apis Law conducted a full-source investigation. Routine insurer inquiries exposed irregularities, including a nonexistent policy and a registration number belonging to a different truck. A federal database search returned no record of the vehicle. Attorney Diaz then traced the truck’s haul through Amazon’s contracting system, securing the underlying transportation agreement. This contract revealed the true identity of the motor-carrier owner, who, as it turned out, had been fulfilling the route using a borrowed truck because his primary vehicle was out of service. The client’s own employer also had a contractual relationship with the hauler, creating additional verification routes that allowed Apis Law to confirm responsibility despite the attempted fraud.
With the evidence fully established, Apis Law exerted substantial pressure based on federal compliance violations, lack of insurance, and the driver’s submission of falsified documents to law enforcement. Once confronted with the reconstructed record, the out-of-state trucking company retained counsel and entered negotiations. The claim ultimately resolved for a significant recovery—well above $50,000—for what was a routine whiplash case. The settlement included compensation for both bodily injury and property damage, and the resolution was secured only after persistent fact-tracing, carrier-database work, contractual discovery, and strategic leverage.
Additional case studies are available on the Apis Law Case Results page for readers seeking further insight into how complex motor-vehicle and commercial-carrier cases are litigated in New Hampshire.
Guidance for Individuals Injured in Truck Collisions
Those involved in a collision with a commercial vehicle should:
• Photograph the vehicles, skid marks, debris fields, and roadway conditions
• Preserve any dash-cam or helmet-cam footage
• Avoid statements to corporate investigators or insurers
• Seek medical treatment and document symptoms
• Record work impact, income loss, and functional limitations
• Contact counsel promptly to protect EDR, ELD, and ECM data before it is lost
Truck cases are highly time-sensitive due to the nature of electronic data storage and corporate response practices.
If you have been injured in a collision involving a commercial truck or delivery vehicle, contact Apis Law to discuss liability, regulatory violations, and your rights under New Hampshire law.