The Shoulder
The Shoulder
71
brave-finch-770

My brother got hit by a semi on the interstate — family has no idea where to start

Hey everyone. I'm posting on behalf of my brother because he's still in the hospital and our family is completely overwhelmed right now. About two weeks ago he was driving home from a night shift when a commercial semi drifted into his lane and basically pushed him into the guardrail. It was bad. He's got a broken collarbone, some rib fractures, and the doctors are still monitoring a potential spinal issue. He's going to be out of work for months at minimum — he does physical labor, so this is devastating.

We've never dealt with anything like this. A few relatives are saying we need a lawyer who specifically handles trucking accidents, not just a regular car accident attorney. Something about how trucking companies have their own investigators and legal teams that show up fast and start building their defense immediately. That honestly terrified me a little.

Some questions we're trying to answer:

  • How do you even find a lawyer you can trust for something this serious?
  • Is there a difference between a general PI attorney and one who specifically does commercial truck cases?
  • What should we already be doing right now — photos, records, anything?
  • Does it matter which state the trucking company is based in vs. where the accident happened?

We're not looking for a quick payday. We just want to make sure my brother doesn't get buried under medical debt while he's trying to heal, and that whoever did this is actually held accountable.

Any advice from people who've been through something similar would mean a lot right now. This whole thing has turned our family upside down.

15replies

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15 replies

  • 24
    gentle-bison-214

    A few practical things to start collecting right now if you haven't already:

    • The police/accident report — get the report number and order a copy as soon as it's available
    • Photos of the scene, the vehicles, and your brother's injuries — if you haven't been back to document the scene, see if anyone who was there took photos
    • All medical records and bills as they come in — keep a folder, physical or digital
    • A simple journal of how he's feeling day to day, what he can't do, pain levels, appointments

    That last one sounds minor but it matters more than people think for documenting how the injury actually affects his life. Also — do NOT post anything about the accident on social media. Anything public can and will be looked at.

    • 6
      soft-spoken-road-soul413

      Thank you both, this gave me the push I needed to make the call.

  • 20
    candid-stoat-306

    I'm so sorry your family is going through this. It sounds absolutely exhausting on top of being terrifying. You're asking all the right questions — just the fact that you're here trying to figure this out shows how much you care about your brother. Lean on each other and don't try to handle the legal and insurance stuff alone.

    • 9
      hopeful-neighbor562

      Same boat here. Did anyone mention a deadline to watch out for?

  • 16
    plain-owl-923

    What state did this happen in? And do you know yet if the trucking company is disputing fault or have they been quiet? Just asking because the situation can look pretty different depending on those answers. If fault is genuinely contested it adds a layer, versus if it's more about damages.

    • 4
      weary-neighbor804

      Going through something similar right now. Did following up actually move the needle for you?

  • 14
    clear-lynx-590

    Not legal advice, but I'll share some general context: trucking cases often involve multiple potentially liable parties — the driver, the carrier, sometimes a maintenance company or cargo loader depending on circumstances. That complexity is part of why trucking-specific experience matters. When vetting attorneys, ask them directly what percentage of their caseload involves commercial carriers and whether they've taken trucking cases to trial (not just settled). Most do free consultations. Talk to more than one before deciding. — Not legal advice, just general info.

  • 11
    hearty-kestrel-145

    I went through something similar a couple years ago — not as severe, but a commercial truck was involved and I had no clue what I was walking into. The thing that surprised me most was how fast the trucking company's people started calling. Like within 48 hours. Don't let your brother (or anyone speaking for him) give recorded statements to anyone until you have a lawyer. That's the single biggest thing I'd tell myself if I could go back.

    • 10
      tidy-wren-819

      I used to work on the claims side and I'll be straight with you: when a commercial carrier is involved, the dynamic is completely different from a typical two-car accident. Those companies often have specialized claims units and outside counsel on speed dial. They're not being malicious necessarily — it's just standard operating procedure for them. But that also means your brother is walking into a situation where the other side is already organized and he isn't. A trucking-specific attorney levels that out. General PI lawyers can handle these cases but some of them are less familiar with federal trucking regulations, hours-of-service logs, black box data — all stuff that can be really important.

  • 11
    warm-owl-908

    Please please please tell your family not to accept ANY early settlement offers or sign anything. Early offers in serious injury cases are almost always lowball — the other side is hoping to close it out before the full extent of the injuries is even known. Spinal stuff especially can take months to fully understand. Once you sign a release, that's it.

    • 2
      restless-late-shift229

      Saving this whole thread. Really appreciate the honesty here.

  • 10
    spry-heron-025

    The spinal monitoring piece jumped out at me. Make sure his care team is thorough about imaging and follow-up — sometimes things that look minor on initial scans show more on MRI or after swelling goes down. Keep every single discharge paper, every specialist note. From a recovery standpoint, don't let anyone rush him back to physical work before he's actually cleared. I've seen people re-injure because they felt pressure to get back to normal too fast.

    • 10
      weary-commuter231

      Wish I had seen this a month ago — would have saved me a lot of stress.

  • 8
    bold-raven-767

    Short version: yes, get a trucking-specific attorney, yes it matters, and do it this week not next month. Evidence in trucking cases — especially the truck's electronic logging data and onboard systems — can be requested through legal channels but there are preservation deadlines. The longer you wait, the harder it gets to obtain that stuff. Most trucking attorneys work on contingency so there's no upfront cost. Just go make the calls.

    • 3
      careful-passenger141

      This is exactly what I needed to read today. Thank you.