Item: Miller & Zois, Attorneys at Law
Rating: 5
Author: Terry Waldron

Truck crash cases are not just bigger versions of car accident claims. Flatbed trucks and 18-wheelers create their own set of problems, and those problems show up fast once a case is filed. The injuries are often serious, the insurance is usually commercial, and the defense shows up early with investigators, retained experts, and a plan to minimize damages.

This page covers both flatbed truck accidents and traditional 18-wheeler crashes because the overlap is real. A flatbed is still a tractor-trailer, but the open trailer changes everything. Cargo can shift, fall, or come loose. Tie downs fail. Loads are oversized. And the crash can happen even when the truck never touches your vehicle. With enclosed trailers, the fight is usually about the collision. With flatbeds, you are often litigating the load itself.

We also cover 18-wheeler cases more generally because the same themes keep repeating across both categories: fatigue, bad maintenance, unsafe lane changes, speed, pressure to meet delivery windows, and companies that cut corners because it saves money. When you understand what makes these cases different, you put yourself in a better position to prove liability, protect key evidence, and maximize the settlement value.

If you have been harmed in a truck accident and want to consider a lawsuit or a claim for an out-of-court settlement, call one of our truck accident lawyers at 800-553-8082 or get a free consultation online.

Unique Roadway Hazards of Flatbed Trucks

Flatbed trucks of all types present unique risks compared to their counterparts with enclosed containers. The reason for this is both simple and somewhat obvious – flatbed trucks can cause accidents with just their cargo. If you are sharing the road with a truck hauling cargo in a standard enclosed container, your only concern is a collision with that truck. You generally do not have to worry about the cargo flying out of the container trailer and smashing your car. You also don’t have to worry about the cargo causing the truck to become unstable or the truck driver to lose control. With flatbed trucks, however, all of these concerns are come into play.

A flatbed truck has the potential to cause a serious accident even without a collision with another vehicle. If the cargo on a flatbed is not properly secured or somehow comes free out on the road, it can come off the flatbed onto the road or directly onto another vehicle. The potential results of this can obviously be very dangerous, particularly on busy highways.

What Makes 18-Wheeler Accident Cases Different?

18-wheeler accident lawsuits are significantly different than normal auto accident cases. Big trucks get into different types of accidents than cars, and the types of negligence involved are often varied and more complex. Understanding the unique aspects of 18-wheeler accident cases can be invaluable the success of your claim. Here is a brief overview of some of the most significant aspects of big truck accident cases:

More Damages in 18-Wheeler Accident Cases	Accident cases involving 18-wheelers usually involve 2 or 3 times the amount of monetary damages as an ordinary car accident case. 18-wheelers are literally massive. They are by far the biggest vehicles on the roadway, with an average weight of around 40,000 pounds (12 times the size of a typical passenger car). This immense size and weight make them handle much differently than a car. It also makes them more dangerous in an accident. 18-wheeler accidents usually involve much more serious injuries than a passenger car accident.
18-Wheelers Have Commercial Truck Insurance	Another major difference with an 18-wheeler accident case is the type of auto liability insurance they carry. Commercial trucks are legally required to carry large insurance policies with minimum limits of at least $750,000. Most trucks have commercial liability policies with a limit of $1,000,000. When you make a truck accident claim, the process is significantly different than the claim process for a regular car accident.
Trucking Laws & Regulations	18-wheelers are subject to an additional layer of laws and regulations at both the state and federal levels. These trucking regulations can often complicate truck accident cases. To be an effective 18-wheeler accident lawyer, you need to have a working understanding of the applicable regulations and how they come into play in accident cases.

Statistics on 18-Wheeler Accidents

In 2023, it is estimated that approximately 160,000 people were injured and nearly 5,000 people were killed in accidents involving large trucks, such as 18-wheelers. These numbers reflect the ongoing danger of these collisions, especially given the significant size and weight of trucks compared to passenger vehicles(

The vast majority of those killed in truck-related accidents continue to be occupants of smaller passenger vehicles, with 89% of fatalities in these crashes being non-truck occupants. This trend highlights the disproportionate risk faced by other road users when involved in a collision with a large truck. Moreover, tractor-trailers account for most of the fatal incidents, underscoring the importance of truck safety measures on highways

Common 18-Wheeler Truck Accidents

Accidents involving 18-wheel trucks, also known as semi-trucks, tractor-trailers, or big rigs, are often more complex and catastrophic than accidents involving smaller vehicles. Here are some common types of accidents that can occur with 18-wheelers:

Jackknife: This happens too often when the trailer skids and ends up at a 90-degree angle from the truck, often due to sudden braking or slippery road conditions. It can lead to the truck sliding uncontrollably and colliding with other vehicles. Most of these crashes involve personal injuries or wrongful death.
Rollovers: If the truck driver loses control, the truck can tip over, especially if it is improperly loaded or the driver is navigating a curve too quickly. Rollover accidents can be deadly for nearby vehicles.
Rear-end Collisions: Given their significant weight, 18-wheelers require more distance to stop completely. If a truck driver is following too closely or not paying attention, they may crash into the back of another vehicle.
Underride Accidents: These occur when a smaller vehicle slides underneath the trailer of the truck during a collision. These can be absolutely awful accidents and can lead to severe injuries when the car’s roof is crushed or sheared off.
Blind Spot Accidents: Trucks have larger blind spots than other vehicles, known as “No-Zones.” When a car is in these blind spots, the truck driver may not see it while changing lanes or merging, leading to a collision.
Lost Load Accidents: If cargo is not secured properly, and you see this in one of the example 18-wheel accident verdicts below, it can fall off the truck and onto the roadway, creating obstacles that can cause accidents for other drivers.
Tire Blowouts: When a truck’s tire blows out, it can cause the driver to lose control, leading to swerving or veering off the road. The debris from the tire can also hit other vehicles.
Head-on Collisions and Sideswipes: If a truck crosses into oncoming traffic, it can result in a head-on collision. Sideswipe collisions may occur if a truck drifts into an adjacent lane and brushes the side of another vehicle.
Wide Turn Accidents: Trucks often need to make wide turns, and sometimes the driver will swing left to make a right turn (or vice versa), which can catch other drivers off guard or trap them between the truck and the curb.

What is the Average Payout in 18-Wheeler Accident Cases?

The average settlement for an 18-wheeler accident case involving significant physical injuries is somewhere between $75,000 and $120,000. This can vary greatly depending on the type and severity of the injuries involved. The average jury verdict in 18-wheeler accident cases is $510,000 and the median jury award in these cases is $90,000.

When calculating settlement amounts in both birth injury and 18-wheeler accident cases, several key variables come into play, significantly influencing the final payout. In 18-wheeler accident cases, the type and severity of injuries are primary factors. Cases involving minor injuries, such as soft tissue damage, typically result in settlements on the lower end of the spectrum—closer to $75,000. However, if the accident leads to catastrophic injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, or permanent disability, the settlement value can increase exponentially, often reaching several hundred thousand or even millions of dollars.

The strength of liability evidence also plays a crucial role. If the truck driver or trucking company is clearly at fault—due to violations like driver fatigue, intoxication, or improper vehicle maintenance—the 18-wheel truck accident lawsuit becomes much harder for the defense to contest, leading to higher settlement amounts offered. Of course, in claims where negligence is unclear, or where liability is shared between parties, you will see lower settlement payouts—or proceed to trial, which does not happen very often in these cases.

The availability of insurance coverage is another major variable in 18-wheeler accident cases. Federal regulations require trucking companies to carry higher insurance limits than passenger vehicles, typically between $750,000 and $1 million. If you have a huge company, you do not really care what the coverage is. But if you have a smaller defendant—and our lawyers see a lot of these—the amount of the coverage looms large.

The location of the lawsuit is a final critical factor. Jurisdictions known for plaintiff-friendly courts tend to yield higher settlements and jury verdicts. This is reflected in the difference between the average jury verdict of $510,000 and the median award of $90,000 we talked about above that suggests that outlier cases involving severe injuries or clear negligence can drive up overall averages. Understanding these key variables helps both plaintiffs and attorneys navigate settlement negotiations effectively, ensuring the best possible outcome based on the unique circumstances of each case.

Flatbed Truck Accident Verdicts & Settlements

Below is a summary of verdicts and reported settlements in personal injury cases involving flatbed trucks. These cases provide a useful overview of the various types of accidents that may be associated with flatbed trucks and 18-wheelers.

$5,200,000 Verdict (2023 Texas): A company truck turned into a family’s Tahoe, resulting in injuries to a 48-year-old woman and her 15-year-old daughter. The woman, a practicing dentist, sustained a broken right hand, which led to difficulties in continuing her professional practice. Her medical costs were reported to be approximately $12,000. The daughter received less severe injuries, requiring chiropractic treatment that amounted to $3,500 in expenses. A week-long 18-wheel truck accident trial resulted in a verdict awarding the mother and daughter $5.2 million in compensation.

$906,101 Verdict (2023 Florida): An 18-wheeler delivering a truck for Publix struck a low-hanging tree branch from a tree located in a median lane, causing it to break off and fall. The plaintiff, who was driving behind the truck, then collided with the branch and suffered very serious injuries. The verdict included $600,000 in medical expenses.

$1,825,000 (2023 Texas): The plaintiffs were traveling when a 4×4 piece of wood fell from an 18-wheeler, resulting in their vehicle rolling over it. This happens all the time. Truck drivers do not secure their loads. In this case, it caused a flat tire, leading the plaintiffs and their passenger to pull off the highway, coincidentally where the truck driver had stopped. Despite an attempt to change the tire, they were unable to do so and sought medical care the next day for back soreness. The problem in the case was the lack of significant property damage. At trial, one defense expert conducted a biomechanical reenactment and basically concluded the vehicle occupants could not have been injured. Another problem this case had – that our truck accident lawyers commonly see – is that one plaintiff had a pre-existing condition and sought back treatment prior to this crash, and also experienced back injuries in two subsequent car accidents. What carried the day with the jury was the treating physician’s testimony. The jury awarded the plaintiffs $1,825,00.

$954,141 Verdict (2022 Mississippi): The plaintiff was rear-ended by an 18-wheeler that was hauling 20,000 pounds of office furniture. The plaintiff allegedly suffered a traumatic brain injury with right side tentorial and temporal subdural hematomas, neurocognitive disorder, and the loss of 20 IQ points, posttraumatic stress disorder, a right ankle talofibular anterior ligament sprain, forehead and upper lip lacerations, and headaches. $900,000 of the verdict was for pain and suffering.

$458,650 Verdict (2020 California): An 18-wheeler sideswiped a vehicle stopped on the shoulder of the highway. Plaintiff hern

$7,000,000 Verdict (Illinois 2019): A young woman driving a ride-share was struck by a flatbed truck and killed. The defendant offer $500,000 to settle, claiming the woman was at fault for the crash. The jury found the family’s damages were $7 million, but reduced that by about 25% because they believed the victim had some responsibility for the crash.

$520,000 Verdict (New Jersey 2014): Plaintiff in this case was driving on the NJ Turnpike when a large truck wheel flew off the back of a flatbed tow truck and smashed into her car. The plaintiff and her passenger sued the flatbed truck driver and his employer for failing to properly secure the truck and its tire on the flatbed. Both the plaintiff and the passenger allegedly suffered multiple disc herniations in the cervical spine, and the plaintiff suffered internal bleeding requiring surgery after the accident. The driver’s claims were settled for $425,000, and the passenger’s claims were settled for $95,000.

$6,000,000 Verdict (Texas 2013): Plaintiff was unloading large, heavy pipes from a flatbed truck when one of them came loose and crushed his leg. He sued the trucking company that had made alterations to the flatbed truck (including the removal of the side rails). The plaintiff alleged that the removal of the side rails made the flatbed unsafe and caused the accident. The plaintiff had to have his left leg surgically amputated as a result of the accident.

$1,200,000 Verdict (New Jersey 2009): Plaintiff in this case had a disabled car on the side of the road and called for roadside assistance through his insurance company. When the tow truck arrived, the driver hooked up the car and started pulling it onto the flat bed, but it came loose. The car slid back down the flatbed and crushed the plaintiff’s leg. This is a pretty common tow truck accident. The plaintiff sued the flatbed tow driver for negligence in hooking the car up for the tow. The jury in Essex County awarded $1.2 million.

$775,000 settlement (Massachusetts 2003): In this case, the flatbed truck was hauling a very large turbine generator that was strapped down to the platform with a “ball & hitch” tie-down and a safety chain. The truck was driving on a highway when the generator became detached from the platform and flew into the adjacent lane, causing a 3-car pile-up accident. State police determined that the ball & hitch tie downs were undersized and issued a citation to the truck driver for failing to properly secure his load. The plaintiff’s knee was badly injured in the accident and required multiple arthroscopic surgeries and ultimately reconstructive surgery. The case was settled for $775,000.

$1,000,000 Verdict (Florida 2002): In this sad case, a 6-year-old boy was killed in a 4-car accident on a bridge near Tampa. The accident was caused by a flatbed truck that became disabled on the bridge and was obstructing traffic. The mother of the 6-year-old boy was forced to change lanes to avoid the disabled flatbed truck, which resulted in a collision with another driver. The jury in Sumter County awarded the boy’s mother $1 million.

$2,400,000 settlement (Florida 1992): In this case, the plaintiff actually rear-ended a flatbed truck that was stopped at a red light. However, the truck did not have a rear bumper or “underride guard,” which resulted in the plaintiff’s car going under the flat bed and nearly decapitating him. His estate sued both the manufacturer of the truck and the trucking company. The case was settled for $2.4 million.

Why are there not more flatbed truck crash settlements and verdicts? The settlement value of these cases is often very high. Trucking insurers know this and are typically eager to settle these cases after a lawsuit is filed, and the plaintiff shows they are serious about taking the case to a jury.

Contact Miller & Zois About Flatbed Truck Accidents

If you have been injured in an accident caused by a flatbed truck, an 18-wheeler, or another type of truck, contact the personal injury attorneys at Miller & Zois. Call us at 1.800.553.8082 or submit a request for a free consultation.

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They quite literally worked as hard as if not harder than the doctors to save our lives. Terry Waldron

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