Hickory Truck Accident Lawyer

Truck Accident Attorney in Gastonia, NC

Getting into a collision with a commercial truck can leave victims seriously injured, facing long-term medical care, and struggling with financial insecurity. After a truck accident, it’s important to understand your legal rights and how they may affect your potential claim. If you’ve been involved in an accident with a truck, a Hickory truck accident lawyer can explain your legal rights and responsibilities after an accident.

Commercial trucks use Interstate 40, U. S. Highway 321, and Highway 70 to haul cargo throughout western North Carolina. With so much traffic passing through Hickory each day, you will eventually share the road with a commercial truck. Along with passenger vehicles, tractor-trailers travel these roadways every day, increasing the chance of an accident.

Get to Know Butler, Quinn & Hochman, PLLC

At Butler, Quinn & Hochman, PLLC, we have proudly served the people of North Carolina and South Carolina for over 10 years. We believe in offering compassionate legal counsel and guiding our clients through these difficult times with confidence. You deserve a personal understanding of your case, honest answers to your questions, and a Hickory truck accident attorney who genuinely cares about protecting your future.

Common Causes of Truck Accidents

In North Carolina, 5,313 heavy trucks were involved in collisions throughout 2025. Of them, 5,191 were non-fatal collisions, and 122 were fatal collisions. There are many reasons why truck accidents occur. Driver negligence is one of the most common causes, but most truck accidents take place due to a combination of factors. Some of the most common causes of truck accidents include:

• Driver fatigue and hours-of-service violations
• Distracted driving
• Speeding/reckless driving
• Drug or alcohol impairment
• Improper loading/unbalanced cargo
• Brake failure/tire blowouts
• Defective parts
• Insufficient vehicle maintenance

Long-distance drivers can face challenging schedules, which often lead to driver fatigue. Trucking accidents caused by driver fatigue are common. When a driver doesn’t get enough rest, they may have difficulty paying attention to the road, leading to slower reaction times and poor decision-making.

North Carolina Truck Accident Laws

North Carolina General Statute § 20-141 outlines speed limitations, mandating that all drivers maintain a reasonable speed. Consequently, commercial drivers exceeding the speed limit or driving too fast for current road conditions may be held accountable for any resulting accident.

49 C.F.R. § 395.3, a federal regulation, covers driver hours-of-service, meaning it sets the rules for how long a commercial driver can drive without stopping. These regulations are in place to make sure drivers get enough rest and don’t get too tired behind the wheel. If a truck driver was on the road for too long without rest, they may have violated these rules.

These are just some of the laws that can affect your truck accident claim. The team at Butler, Quinn & Hochman, PLLC, can explain how these laws apply to your incident.

Damages in a Truck Accident Claim

Like other such incidents, truck accident victims can sustain economic damages and non-economic damages. Medical bills, rehabilitation expenses, lost wages, and lost future earnings can cause financial strain. Pain and suffering, emotional trauma, disability, and loss of quality of life are common non-economic damages after a truck accident.

Your injuries have a large role in your case. Some accidents cause only minor injuries, while others leave victims permanently disabled. Truck accident claims tend to offer larger payouts because trucks carry more insurance than most passenger vehicles.

Hire a Truck Accident Lawyer

After a crash, many people decide to hire a truck accident lawyer to learn about their options. Truck accidents involve large amounts of evidence, multiple parties, and both state and federal laws.

Finding fault after a truck accident can require truck logs, electronic logging device (ELD) data, company maintenance records, and more. A personal injury lawyer can explain your rights and options after an accident.

Crashes often happen on Interstate 40, U.S. Highway 70, U.S. Highway 321, and other Hickory area roads. Whether you were hit by a truck while driving or walking, you should understand your legal rights. Your Hickory truck accident attorney can review the details of your claim, go over your options, and seek a fair recovery for your losses.

FAQs

Should I Accept the First Settlement Offer?

Whether you should accept the first settlement offer depends on the offer and the extent of your damages. Often, these offers are made without knowing how badly the victim was hurt or how much medical care they may need in the future. Accepting an offer usually means a victim can’t pursue additional compensation later. Take time to go over your medical records, damages, and long-term effects to determine if you’ve received a fair offer.

Is It Worth Filing a Claim for Pain and Suffering?

It may be worth filing a claim for pain and suffering. Injury-related pain and suffering may be awarded when someone:

• Suffers great bodily pain from an accident.
• Experiences emotional trauma and loss of enjoyment of life.

Many people pursue pain and suffering damages if they’ve been seriously injured and cannot return to their normal lives. Whether you may obtain these damages depends on many factors, including evidence of your injuries, their degree of severity, and the value of your case.

How Much Value Does a Truck Lose After an Accident?

Vehicle depreciation after an accident depends on several factors. The more damage sustained in an accident and the less effectively it’s repaired, the steeper the drop in your truck’s value may be. A vehicle’s age and mileage also play a huge role. Most trucks lose value, even after being repaired, since no one wants to buy a vehicle with an accident history. Serious accidents causing structural damage greatly decrease value, while fender benders may not affect value at all.

What Is the 60/70 Rule in Trucking?

The 60/70 rule in trucking governs how many hours a driver can work. Federal law states that you cannot drive if you have been on duty for 60 hours in seven consecutive days, unless your trucking company provides service every day of the week. If your company operates 7 days a week, you cannot drive after you’ve been on duty for 70 hours in eight consecutive days.

Contact Butler, Quinn & Hochman, PLLC, for Your Accident Needs

A truck crash can cause serious damage. You may suffer property damage and/or physical injury. Contact Butler, Quinn & Hochman, PLLC, for your post-accident needs.