Are Truck Drivers Always at Fault in Semi Crashes?

 Posted on May 16, 2025 in Car Accidents

In 2024, 6,681 tractor-trailer collisions in Illinois injured 3,190 people and killed 147. As of May 12th, 2025, the state has seen 1,253 semi accidents that produced 529 injuries and caused 28 deaths. Many times, motorists and passenger vehicle occupants suffer severe wounds while truck drivers are relatively unscathed.

You may know that you could pursue compensation after a truck accident. Before that can happen, fault for causing the crash has to be established. Some people mistakenly believe that the truck driver is always to blame, but several other parties could share the fault. Your knowledgeable Lake County, IL personal injury attorney knows how to determine fault and liability, and we will fight to help you collect the highest available amount of damages for your truck accident case.

How Is Fault Determined in Truck Accidents?

As with any kind of motor vehicle collision, several factors can combine to cause a truck crash. When passenger cars are the only vehicles involved, determining fault is usually pretty simple. Commercial trucks, though, have many potentially liable parties. An investigation is usually necessary to determine why a truck crash happened. That leads to establishing who is responsible for paying your damages. Liable parties may include:

• Truck drivers: Speeding, driving while drunk or fatigued, distracted driving, failing to follow other traffic laws
• Trucking companies: Requiring drivers to meet unreasonably tight delivery schedules, providing an unsafe truck, failing to vet and train drivers thoroughly
• Cargo loaders: Failing to secure or balance loads properly
• Parts manufacturers: Producing defective parts that lead to cargo spills, tire blowouts, truck systems failures, and similar issues
• Truck maintenance companies: Failing to perform routine maintenance, failing to identify and address safety concerns
• Government entities: Failing to maintain roads

Other motorists can also cause truck accidents. You may even share part of the blame. You can still pursue a settlement as long as your degree of fault is not more than 50 percent in Illinois. However, the amount you may receive is reduced by your degree of fault. That fact is important, as insurance companies may try to assign more of the fault to you to reduce their liability or disqualify you from filing a claim.

How Do Insurance Companies Try to Sabotage Truck Accident Claims?

After a truck collision, you likely have extensive injuries that have caused various financial and non-financial losses. These wounds may have caused a permanent disability, an inability to work, and other long-term impacts that affect your life. A successful insurance claim should provide a sum that covers and addresses all your losses, but you are unlikely to receive the maximum available amount without our assistance.

Insurers try to protect their profits by shortchanging claimants. Along with manipulating fault, they may question the extent of your injuries, offer a low settlement before the full extent of your losses becomes apparent, or even deny your claim.

With us on your side, you do not have to worry about dealing with insurance companies. We will handle every aspect of your case skillfully, always protecting your interests and working toward maximizing the compensation you receive.

Speak to Our Dedicated Barrington, IL Truck Accident Lawyers

When a truck crash alters your life, you deserve full compensation. Partnering with Barrington Injury Attorneys means your experienced Cook County, IL personal injury attorney will do everything possible to help you obtain it. To request your free case review, contact us at 224-900-HURT or online today.