State and federal trucking regulations play a critical role in keeping North Carolina roads safe. If you were injured in a truck accident caused by a regulatory violation, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.
Chandler Volta Personal Injury Lawyers can help you hold the responsible parties liable and pursue damages. Our North Carolina truck accident attorneys have over 80 years of combined experience and have recovered more than $35 million for our clients. Contact our Charlotte law offices today at (704) 980-9999 for a free consultation.
How Chandler Volta Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help With Your Truck Accident Case in North Carolina
Proving the connection between a regulatory violation and a truck accident requires thorough research and investigative work.
Chandler Volta Personal Injury Lawyers is here to help ensure that you aren’t taken advantage of and that your case is set up for success.
Our experienced North Carolina truck accident attorneys can get to work and:
- Identify which state and federal regulations may have been violated
- Obtain and preserve key records like ELD data and driver qualification files before they are lost
- Work with accident reconstruction and trucking industry experts to connect the violation to the cause of the crash
- Calculate the full extent of your economic and non-economic damages
- Handle all of the communications with the trucking company and its insurer
- Negotiate aggressively on your behalf and take your case to trial if a fair settlement cannot be reached
Contact our law offices today to schedule your free case review. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means you only pay attorney’s fees if we recover compensation for you.
Federal Trucking Regulations Under the FMCSA
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) sets the safety standards that apply to commercial trucking nationwide. These rules govern interstate carriers and their drivers, and North Carolina has adopted most of them for trucks operating within the state as well. Below is a look at some of the most important areas of federal regulation.
Hours of Service
Drowsy driving is one of the most common causes of truck accidents. To reduce that risk, the FMCSA limits how long a truck driver can stay behind the wheel before taking a break.
Trucking companies are required to track these hours using electronic logging devices (ELDs). Falsifying these records is a serious violation, and that data can serve as key evidence in a truck accident case.
Driver Qualifications
Commercial motor vehicle drivers are required to hold a valid Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). Trucking companies must also verify that each driver meets FMCSA qualification standards before allowing them to operate a vehicle. This means checking the driver’s:
- Driving record
- Medical examiner’s certificate
- Road test results
- Pre-employment drug and alcohol test results
If a trucking company cuts corners during the hiring process, it can potentially be held liable for negligent hiring.
Vehicle Maintenance and Inspections
The FMCSA requires all carriers to keep up with a regular inspection and repair program for their trucks. At a minimum, a qualified inspector must examine each vehicle once every 12 months. These inspections look at key safety systems like brakes and tires.
On top of that, drivers are responsible for performing their own inspections before and after each trip and reporting any issues they come across.
North Carolina State Trucking Regulations
In addition to the federal rules, North Carolina enforces its own trucking requirements through the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV). Some of the key state-level rules include:
- Trucks cannot exceed a gross vehicle weight of 80,000 pounds or 20,000 pounds per single axle
- Loads that go beyond legal size and weight limits require special permits from NCDOT
- Commercial drivers are held to a BAC limit of 0.04%, which is half the legal limit for non-commercial drivers
- Certain roads and bridges have specific restrictions for heavy commercial vehicles
Breaking any of these rules can support your truck accident claim for compensation. Learn more about your best course of action by reaching out to our personal injury lawyers today for help.
Contact Our North Carolina Truck Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation
Trucking regulations exist to protect everyone on the road. If you were hurt in a truck accident in North Carolina and believe a safety violation was involved, our legal team with Chandler Volta Personal Injury Lawyers is here to help.
Contact our North Carolina truck accident attorneys today to get started with a free consultation. We’ve won tens of millions of dollars for our clients since our founding and will do everything we can to help you maximize what you recover from the moment you decide to hire us.