Commercial Vehicle Accident Claims | Louisville, Kentucky
Commercial vehicles operate under federal rules. The companies that own them have legal teams ready to use them against you.
Delivery vans, bus fleets, utility vehicles, and other commercial operators are governed by FMCSA regulations that create liability far beyond a standard car accident. Hance & Srinivasan knows how to find it, document it, and pursue it.
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Commercial Vehicle Accident Claims Overview
This is not a standard car accident claim. The rules, the evidence, and the stakes are different.
Commercial vehicle accidents involve drivers operating under employer mandates, federal hour of service rules, vehicle inspection requirements, and cargo securement regulations. When those regulations are violated and someone is hurt, liability extends beyond the driver to the company, the fleet manager, and sometimes the shipper. Most claimants never know to look for these violations. The other side is counting on that.
“We have been handling commercial vehicle accident claims for over 40 years. The first thing we do is find out who else is responsible. ”
Michael R. Hance
What Clients Say
People who trusted us when it mattered most.
“This was my first experience with an attorney’s office and I must say it was an excellent experience. All the attorneys were extremely knowledgeable and they cared. They handled everything for me in a professional and expedited manner.”
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What happens when you call
From auto wrecks to malpractice and wrongful death, we handle complex cases with focus, care, and precision.
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1
You Tell Us What Happened
A free, confidential consultation. No paperwork. No commitment. We listen to your story and ask the questions that matter.
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We Give You an Honest Assessment
We will tell you what we think your case is worth, whether we are the right firm for it, and what we would do to pursue it. No spin.
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We Go to Work. You Pay Nothing Unless We Win
We advance all costs. Our fee comes from the recovery. If we do not win, you owe us nothing. No promises. That is simply how we work.
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Your case review is free. The call costs you nothing.
We review every case personally. If we take it, we handle it completely. If we do not think we can improve your outcome, we will tell you that honestly.
- No Fee Unless We Recover
- Free Case Review
- No Obligation
- 40+ Years of Trial Experience
- ~100% Referral Based Practice
Know Your Commercial Vehicle Accident Rights
Kentucky commercial vehicle accident law in plain language.
Commercial vehicle accident cases move fast and so does the other side. The sooner we can evaluate your situation, the more options you have. If we take your case, we handle it completely.
Your Right to Hold the Company, Not Just the Driver, Responsible.
Under the respondeat superior doctrine, employers are vicariously liable for the negligent acts of employees acting within the scope of their employment. When a commercial driver causes an accident while performing job duties, the company that employs them is typically liable. Companies with larger insurance policies than individual drivers are the more meaningful defendant in most commercial vehicle cases.
Your Right to Act Before Evidence Is Destroyed.
Kentucky’s general personal injury statute of limitations is one year under KRS 413.140. However, if the vehicle qualifies as a motor vehicle under the Kentucky Motor Vehicle Reparations Act, the two year deadline under KRS 304.39-230 may apply. Either way, electronic data, GPS records, and driver logs are overwritten quickly. Contacting an attorney as early as possible protects the evidence you need.
Your Right to Use Federal Violations as Evidence.
When a commercial vehicle operator violates an FMCSA regulation, such as exceeding hours of service limits or failing to conduct required vehicle inspections, Kentucky courts apply the negligence per se doctrine. The violation itself is evidence of negligence, without the need to separately prove the operator failed to act reasonably. Most victims never know these violations exist. We investigate for them.
Commercial Vehicle Accident Questions
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Commercial vehicle operators are governed by federal FMCSA regulations covering driver qualifications, hours of service, vehicle maintenance, and cargo securement. Violating these rules creates additional grounds for liability that do not exist in standard car accident claims. The employer is also typically a defendant, which means larger insurance coverage and a more adversarial defense.
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Yes. The employer is almost certainly liable under respondeat superior if the driver was acting within the scope of employment at the time of the accident. The company’s commercial liability insurance, which typically carries far higher limits than personal auto policies, becomes the primary source of recovery.
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If a mechanical defect, such as failed brakes, a tire blowout caused by improper maintenance, or a faulty cargo restraint system, contributed to the accident, a product liability claim against the manufacturer or distributor may be available in addition to the negligence claim against the driver and company.
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Yes. Kentucky applies a pure comparative fault rule under KRS 411.182. Your damages are reduced by your percentage of fault, not eliminated. Even significant shared responsibility does not end your right to recover.
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You may recover medical expenses past and future, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, property damage, and in cases of particularly reckless conduct, punitive damages. Where multiple defendants share liability, each pays their proportional share under KRS 411.182.
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Seek medical attention first. Do not give any statement to the company’s insurer or its investigators. Document the scene including the vehicle’s DOT number and company name on the door. Contact an attorney as soon as possible so a preservation letter can be sent before evidence is destroyed.
Further reading
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Warning Signs You May Have a Medical Malpractice Claim in Kentucky
A bad medical outcome is not automatically malpractice. Malpractice happens when a provider fails to meet the accepted standard of...
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Kentucky No-Fault Insurance & PIP: What You Need to Know
Being involved in a car accident is stressful enough without having to figure out how your medical bills will be...
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