Denver Truck Accident Lawyers
You Need a Trusted Denver Truck Accident Lawyer
Truck accidents are among the most catastrophic events on Colorado roads. The sheer size and weight of commercial vehicles often result in life-changing injuries or fatalities.
When you're hit by an 18-wheeler, you need more than a general personal injury lawyer. You need a team experienced in trucking regulations, federal safety laws, and aggressive insurance defense tactics.
At Leventhal Puga Braley P.C., we focus on complex litigation and high-stakes injury claims. Our Denver truck accident lawyers bring decades of experience holding negligent trucking companies, drivers, and freight carriers accountable—and instead of backing down from powerful defendants, we hold them accountable.
Find Out How We Can Help
The terrible consequences of a truck collision may be felt for years to come. If you or a loved one has been hit by a truck in Colorado, you are not alone. But you also do not have to suffer in silence.
Find out how we may help you receive justice. Call Leventhal Puga Braley P.C. at (303) 759-9945 or toll-free at (877) 433-3906 to speak to one of our experienced Denver car accident attorneys.
Why Choose Us Over Other Denver Truck Accident Attorneys?
- Recognized by Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers in America®
- 2025 Case of the Year Award from the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association
- Trial-proven attorneys with a reputation for courtroom excellence
- Deep knowledge of federal motor carrier and trucking laws
- Proven record of success against large insurers and trucking corporations
- No fees unless we recover compensation for you
- Personalized, compassionate legal support from start to finish
What Types of Compensation May I Be Able to Recover for a Truck Accident Claim?
Semi-truck collisions cause catastrophic injuries. In these cases, it’s important to get a settlement or verdict that accounts for long-term medical treatment and assisted living care.
When Leventhal Puga Braley P.C. files a truck accident claim, we seek the following types of compensation:
- Medical Bills: Emergency care, surgery, hospital stays, medications, rehab, and future care costs.
- Lost Wages: Wages lost due to missed work and reduced earning potential due to long-term injuries.
- Pain and Suffering: Physical pain, emotional trauma, and loss of enjoyment of life.
- Permanent Disability: Compensation for life-altering injuries such as paralysis or traumatic brain injury.
- Property Damage: Costs to repair or replace your vehicle and personal property.
- Wrongful Death Damages: Funeral expenses, loss of income, and loss of companionship for surviving family members.
- Punitive Damages: May be available in cases involving gross negligence. These damages are awarded to punish the wrongdoer.
Don't Wait Around: Colorado Statute of Limitations
The statute of limitations for most truck accident injury claims is three years from the date of the crash. If your claim involves a government-owned truck or public agency, however, the window to act may be as short as 180 days due to the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act.
Investigations into truck accidents can be very time-sensitive. Contacting an experienced truck accident attorney as soon as possible gives you the best chance at preserving key evidence and asserting your legal rights, as evidence such as driver logs, black box data, and maintenance records may be lost or destroyed without immediate legal action.
What Are Different Types of Truck Collisions?
Semi-truck, big rig, tractor-trailer, 18-wheeler – these names all describe the large commercial trucks that transverse American roadways every day of every week. These massive vehicles travel hundreds of miles in a single day, keeping drivers on the road for hours at a time. With so much time traveling, these drivers cause collisions often, and the collisions are almost always devastating.
- General Collisions: Trucks can be involved in the same crashes any other vehicle can be involved in: rear-end, head-on, T-bone, and sideswipe collisions.
- Jackknifes: When the cab of a truck stops or slows, but its trailer continues to move forward, cars can be crushed in between. The truck tends to "bend" as the trailer swings out to a 90-degree angle from the cab, folding in like a jackknife.
- Rollovers: The size and weight of trucks, not to mention their higher center of gravity, can make them more vulnerable to rollovers. When a truck rolls over, many cars can be trapped underneath.
- Wide Turns: Trucks require more room to turn than smaller vehicles. When truck drivers are not aware of their surroundings, they can collide with another vehicle or object during a turn.
- Underrides: Because the bottom of a truck’s trailer is raised higher than other vehicles, it is possible for cars to collide and go underneath the trailer, shearing off the top of the passenger compartment. If the trucker applies their brakes suddenly and forces a "simple" rear-end collision, people in the car behind them are likely to be seriously injured or killed. Though underride guards are mandatory on trucks in the U.S., they are only placed to the rear of the trailer and have been found to fail at speeds around 30 mph.
Truck Wrecks Cause Terrible Injuries
Semis, when fully loaded, can weigh 80,000 pounds. Overloaded trucks, which can be legal with the proper permits, weigh up to 110,000 pounds. The average passenger vehicle, by contrast, weighs 4,000 pounds. That means a fully loaded truck is a staggering 20 times as heavy as a car. An overloaded truck is nearly 28 times as heavy. That extreme weight difference, coupled with the size difference, makes trucks a major threat to cars.
This disparity between the size and weight of the commercial truck and the passenger vehicle means that in a collision, the occupants of the passenger vehicle didn’t stand a chance. Trucks can drive directly over any car in their way, crushing the vehicle under the trailer’s enormous wheels. The car driver and any passengers often suffer several or all of the following injuries:
- Broken bones
- Traumatic amputation
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Organ or tissue damage
- Lacerations or avulsions
- Internal bleeding
Emergency medical treatment is often required after a trucking collision, so victims are rarely able to exchange information and take pictures of the scene as they would after a car-car collision. Trucking insurance companies use this to their advantage and may doctor up the scene if they can.
Who May Be Held Responsible?
You may automatically assume that the driver is the one at fault for your collision. But while the driver will likely hold a large percentage of the responsibility, there may be other liable parties that you may be able to file a suit against.
Defendants in truck crash cases may include:
- The Truck Driver: The driver involved in the collision may certainly be at fault. In fact, one study found that truckers tended to be at fault for truck crashes more than 60% of the time. It is important to look at how the driver behaved before and during the crash because there may be evidence of intoxication or chronic sleep deprivation.
- The Trucking Company: The company that hired or allowed the driver to operate its vehicle may be liable for a collision. If the company encouraged reckless behavior like speeding up shipments, did not enforce safety standards, or skipped necessary maintenance on the truck, they may be legally liable for a collision.
- The Truck’s Manufacturer: If a faulty part caused the crash, the manufacturer of that part may be held liable. This may be difficult to prove, which is why you always need an experienced truck collision attorney to represent you and fight on your behalf.
- The Truck-Loading Company: These companies are responsible for ensuring that cargo is loaded securely and within legal weight limits. If the load is unbalanced, exceeds capacity, or is not properly restrained, it can cause the truck to become unstable, increasing the risk of rollover accidents, jackknifing, or lost cargo. Liability arises when negligence in loading directly contributes to the accident, such as failure to follow safety protocols or using untrained personnel.
It is essential to determine who the liable parties are so you can file your claim. If the trucking company and manufacturer are responsible alongside the driver, that means you have three parties to recover compensation from, not just one. That can lead to a higher settlement. However, going up against a trucking company is no easy task.
What Should Someone Do After a Colorado Truck Collision?
Dial 911 right away. Police and first responders will be dispatched to assist you, and anyone in your car who may be injured will get the medical attention they need. The police report will have valuable details about the accident that your truck collision attorney can use when they investigate the accident. Exchange insurance information with the truck driver and get contact information from all witnesses and everyone involved in the accident.
If you are feeling up to it, you will want to use your cell phone camera to record details about the accident right away. Otherwise, you can ask a friend to do it for you. It’s important to capture the following details as soon as possible:
- Injuries that you and your passengers have suffered
- The accident site from various angles, including skid marks
- Obscured traffic signs or broken traffic lights that may have contributed to the accident
- Damage done to all vehicles in the accident
Always Talk to Your Denver Truck Accident Lawyer First
The at-fault driver’s insurance company agent is not your friend. Their job is to save their company money by paying out as little in claims as possible. They may ask you to make a recorded statement about the accident while you are still feeling disoriented, but this information can be used to hurt your claim.
It’s essential to find an experienced Denver truck accident lawyer right away. Politely tell the insurance company that you will get back to them. Let your attorney do all the negotiating.
Recent Client Testimonials
“They Do Their Absolute Best On Every Case” - Nicole James (5-Star Google Review)
They really care about their clients and will take the extra time to make sure they do their absolute best on every case.
“Leventhal Puga Braley P.C. Stands at the Top” - Robert Marzano (5-Star Google Review)
Over the decades, my family and I have been required to seek legal assistance from a number of firms. Leventhal Puga Braley P.C. stands at the top of that list in terms of their knowledge, alacrity, professionalism, and courtesy. They were tireless in their efforts to see that our family received justice in a sensitive and intricate matter. I recommend them most highly.
“Thoroughly Impressed … Would Definitely Recommend” - Ray Pachuca (5-Star Google Review)
I spoke to Elizabeth and had a ton of questions; somehow, she had an answer for them all. I was thoroughly impressed with the knowledge, compassion, and attention to detail shown [in] just one call. Would definitely recommend.
Going Up Against a Trucking Company
Trucking companies exist to make a profit. The more supplies they deliver, the more money they make. This means they often push their drivers to extremes. Drivers are often encouraged or instructed to skip rest periods, exceed the speed limit, overload their trucks, and make other reckless decisions in the interest of getting more goods to their destination faster. This means that in a lot of truck collision cases, the company is also liable for the damages done due to their pressure on the driver.
Many trucking companies will do everything they can to avoid liability. Settlements with truck collision victims dig into the company’s pockets, and there is nothing more important to a trucking company than its bottom line. Management often puts profits over its duty to keep people safe. There are a lot of tricks they may use to keep from having to take responsibility, including:
Going up against a trucking company isn’t easy. Many victims elect not to, as getting a fair settlement can be incredibly difficult and emotionally taxing. But with the right Denver personal injury lawyer by your side, you may be able to demand compensation from the trucking company that was responsible for your injuries. Of course, your ability to recover compensation relies entirely on who you choose as your attorney.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes truck accident cases different from car accidents?
Truck crashes involve federal regulations, commercial insurance policies, and corporate defendants, making them more complex and higher stakes than typical auto accidents.
Who may be liable in a truck accident?
Liability may fall on the truck driver, trucking company, cargo loaders, maintenance providers, or manufacturers of defective truck parts.
How is fault determined in a Colorado truck accident?
Leventhal Puga Braley P.C. will collect the following types of evidence to build a strong truck accident case: Black box analysis, driver logs, witness testimony, accident scene photos, dashcam and surveillance video, and expert evaluation of safety compliance.
What should I do after being hit by a commercial truck in Colorado?
Seek immediate medical care, document the scene, avoid talking to insurers, and contact a Denver truck accident lawyer immediately.
Do trucking companies have higher insurance limits?
Yes. Federal law requires commercial carriers to carry significantly more insurance than personal drivers, often exceeding $750,000 to $1 million or more.
How long do truck accident cases take to resolve?
Depending on complexity, a Denver truck accident case may take several months to a few years. Our legal team works efficiently to resolve claims while preparing every case for trial.
What if I was partially at fault?
Under Colorado's modified comparative negligence rule, you may still recover damages if you were less than 50% at fault.
Will my case go to trial?
Many cases settle out of court, but we prepare every case as if it will be tried before a jury to maximize leverage and value.
How much does it cost to hire Leventhal Puga Braley P.C.?
There are no upfront costs, and we work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you owe us nothing unless we win your case.
Get the Legal Help You Need
Our experienced Denver truck wreck attorneys at Leventhal Puga Braley P.C. have dealt with big nationwide trucking companies and their insurers many times before, all across the United States. We are not intimidated or discouraged by their tactics and have successfully won significant compensation for our clients after a truck accident, allowing them to move forward in their lives.
For a no-cost consultation with our team, please call (303) 759-9945 or toll-free at (877) 433-3906 today to discuss what happened and see what we can do for your situation.
Additional Information
- Why Truck Crashes in Colorado Often Lead to Catastrophic Injuries
- Hidden Internal Injuries to Watch for After a Colorado Car or Truck Collision
- Dangerous Truck Drivers Put Your Life in Danger
- Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts - FMCSA
- Large Trucks - Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)