On the morning of October 1, a semi-truck ran a stop sign at the intersection of Highways 94 and 71 south of Limon, according to the Colorado State Patrol, and struck the passenger side of an SUV. The semi-truck crash in Colorado killed the SUV’s driver. Emergency crews airlifted a 17-year-old passenger to a metro-area hospital with serious injuries.
If you or someone you love is ever in a crash like that one, here’s what you should know first: a semi-truck crash is not a bigger version of a car crash. Instead, it’s a different kind of case — with different rules, different evidence, and a very different opponent on the other side of the table.
Why a Semi-Truck Crash in Colorado Is a Different Kind of Case
When an 80,000-pound commercial truck hits a passenger car, everything about the claim changes:
- More parties may be liable. Depending on the facts, potential defendants can include the truck driver, the motor carrier, the driver’s employer, the owner or lessee of the tractor or trailer, a maintenance or repair contractor, and a manufacturer of a defective vehicle or component. A shipper or freight broker may also face liability in some circumstances, but their responsibility is highly fact-specific and may involve federal preemption issues. Identifying the proper parties requires examining the ownership, employment, leasing, maintenance, and contractual relationships involved in the shipment.
- Federal rules may apply in addition to Colorado law. Interstate motor carriers and drivers are subject to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, which address matters such as hours of service, driver qualifications, vehicle inspection and maintenance, and other operational safety requirements. Whether a particular regulation applies depends on the vehicle, carrier, driver, and operation involved. A violation may provide important evidence concerning whether the driver or motor carrier failed to exercise reasonable care.
- The insurance policies are much larger. That sounds like good news, and it can be, but it also means the trucking company’s insurer will fight far harder than a regular auto insurer.
- The evidence is technical and time-sensitive. Electronic logging device records, engine and vehicle data, dashcam footage, dispatch records, electronic communications, inspection and maintenance records, and other electronically stored information can be critical to determining what happened and why. Some federally required records have specific retention periods. For example, motor carriers generally must retain ELD records of duty status and supporting documents for six months, making prompt preservation requests particularly important after a serious truck crash.
The Trucking Company Starts Building Its Defense Within Hours
However, this is the part most people never hear about. Major trucking companies have rapid-response teams — investigators, and sometimes lawyers — who can be at a crash scene within hours, while victims are still in the hospital.
In those first hours and days, critical evidence can vanish: the trucking company can overwrite dashcam footage, repair the truck, and make driver logs hard to obtain.
After a semi-truck crash in Colorado, you will likely hear from the trucking company’s insurer very quickly. They’ll be professional and sympathetic, but their job is the same as any insurer’s: resolve the claim for as little as possible — and the cheapest time to do that is before you understand your injuries or your rights.
Don’t Give Them a Recorded Statement or Sign Anything Yet
- No law requires you to give the trucking company’s insurer a recorded statement.
- Don’t sign medical authorizations. For example, broad authorizations let them dig through your medical history looking for pre-existing conditions to blame your injuries on.
- Don’t sign a release or accept a quick settlement. In serious truck crashes, the full extent of injuries — surgeries, long-term rehab, lost earning capacity — often isn’t clear for weeks or months.
- Don’t discuss the crash on social media. Insurers look, and they take posts out of context.
You do have to cooperate with your own insurance company under the terms of your policy. That’s a separate obligation — and one more reason these cases get confusing fast.
What to Do Instead After a Truck Crash
- First, get medical care immediately — and follow through. The insurer will use any gaps in treatment against you.
- Next, preserve evidence. Photos of all vehicles, the scene, skid marks, road signs, and traffic controls. Get the police report number. Save any dashcam footage.
- Get witness information. In fact, independent witnesses decide disputed cases.
- Keep all insurer communications in writing. If an adjuster calls, you can say you’re not ready to discuss the claim and ask them to email you instead.
- Finally, talk to a Colorado truck accident attorney before your next conversation with the trucking company’s insurer. Early attorney involvement is how you preserve evidence instead of losing it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can be held liable after a semi-truck crash in Colorado?
A: Potentially the driver, the motor carrier, and others depending on the facts — which is exactly why a semi-truck crash case in Colorado needs early investigation.
What if the trucking company is based in another state?
A: It happens often. For instance, in the Limon crash, the semi driver was reportedly from Washington state. Consequently, interstate trucking raises questions about jurisdiction, which insurance policies apply, and where a claim gets filed.
How long do I have to file a claim in Colorado?
A: Colorado law sets strict deadlines for injury claims, and the exact deadline depends on the facts of your case — missing it can permanently bar your claim. Therefore, don’t wait to find out where you stand: start your free case evaluation.
Hurt in a crash with a semi-truck in Colorado? The trucking company’s insurer started working the moment the crash happened. You deserve someone working for you just as fast. Mandelaris Law LLC offers free consultations for Colorado truck accident victims. Call or text (303) 357-9757.
This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. Every crash is different — talk to an attorney about your specific situation.