Semi-Truck Accidents vs. Car Crashes In Illinois
Illinois ranks among the top 10 states for semi-truck accidents, particularly along high-traffic routes such as I-294 and I-55. Unlike the more common car crashes, truck accidents tend to be far more severe, legally complex, and financially overwhelming for those involved. For this reason, victims truly need the support and expertise of an experienced semi-truck accident lawyer in Oak Lawn.
At William Wojcik Law Firm, we are dedicated to fighting tirelessly for the justice and compensation that you rightfully deserve.
What Makes Semi-Truck Accidents Different from Car Crashes?
Did you know that 74% of all fatal crashes involving large trucks occur on highways and interstates?
Semi trucks weigh 30 times more than passenger cars, meaning the impact and severity of semi-truck accidents are far more grave.
Differences between a semi-truck accident and car crash can be categorized according to size & weight of the vehicle, collision impact, severity, and even braking distance.
Size & Force: Semi-trucks can weigh over 80,000 pounds, drastically increasing crash impact. The force of a collision increases exponentially with weight and speed, making truck accidents more destructive.
Severity: Victims of semi-truck accidents are 4x more likely to suffer permanent disabilities.
Weight: A fully loaded semi-truck can weigh over 80,000 pounds—compared to an average 3,000-pound passenger car.
Braking distance: A truck traveling 65 mph can take over 500 feet to stop, while a car may only need around 300 feet.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents vs. Car Accidents
Apart from collisions, common causes for truck accidents also differ from a car crash:
Truck-Specific Causes:
Driver fatigue
Overloaded or improperly secured cargo
Equipment failure and poor vehicle maintenance
Inadequate driver training or hours-of-service violations
Car-Specific Causes:
Distracted driving (e.g., texting, eating, adjusting GPS)
Speeding or reckless behavior
Failure to yield or stop
Driving under the influence
Read More, Here: Complexities of Tractor-Trailer Accidents in Illinois
Injury Severity & Medical Costs in Truck Crashes vs. Car Wrecks
Semi-truck accidents due to their size and weight - lead to bigger impacts.
It follows then that injury severity, fatality, and associated medical costs are much more dangerous than car accidents.
Higher Fatality and Catastrophic Injury Rates in Semi-Truck Crashes
Due to the force of impact, truck accidents often result in life-threatening injuries:
Traumatic brain injuries
Paralysis and spinal cord damage
Multiple fractures and internal bleeding
Longer Recovery Times and Extensive Medical Costs
Victims of truck crashes may require months—or years—of physical therapy, surgeries, and rehabilitation.
Truck crash victims are 4x more likely to suffer permanent disabilities than car crash victims.
Larger Settlements in Truck Accident Claims
Truck accident lawsuits, according to NHTSA, typically settle for 3–5x more than car accidents.
This is due to:
Greater damages
Multiple liable parties
Higher insurance policy limits for commercial vehicles
Liability in Truck vs. Car Accidents: Who’s at Fault?
Trucking vs. Car Accidents: Who’s at Fault?
Liability in semi trucks vs car accidents is much more complex than simply saying the driver is at fault.
Although driver negligence is a significant cause, data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Harvard Law, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) prove there’s more to the story.
Due to the complexity of liability cases in semi-truck accidents vs car crashes, it’s one of the main reasons why victims are encouraged to seek legal counsel.
What we’ve found is that semi-truck accident liabilities are multi-layered, while car accidents are driver-centric.
Allow us to explain further…
Semi-Truck Accident Liability: Multi-Party & Multi-Layered
38% of truck crashes were solely due to the driver’s actions—the rest involved vehicle failure, environmental factors, or third parties, according to FMSCA.
When a commercial truck is involved, fault often extends beyond the driver.
Harvard Law also mentions that "multi-defendant liability is more common in trucking cases due to federal oversight and the layered nature of commercial transport operations."
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), liability can involve:
1. Truck Driver
Fatigue
Speeding, distraction, or drug use
Failure to follow hours-of-service regulations
2. Trucking Company
Inadequate training or supervision
Failing to maintain vehicles properly
Pressuring drivers to meet unrealistic deadlines
3. Maintenance Contractors or Cargo Loaders
Improper loading can shift a truck’s center of gravity, increasing accident risk.
Mechanical failure may stem from outsourced maintenance negligence.
4. Truck or Part Manufacturer
If brake failure or tire blowouts occur, product liability may apply
5. Third-Party Motorists
In some instances, another driver’s reckless behavior may cause the truck driver to react defensively, triggering the crash.
How do we identify who’s at fault?
NHTSA uses Event Data Recorders (EDRs), which are crucial in investigating vehicle crashes, including those involving large trucks.
With the help of EDRs, truck accident lawsuits involve a thorough investigation along with…
Hiring accident reconstruction experts
Examining logbooks for hours-of-service violations
Accessing black box (event data recorder) insights
Reviewing dashcam footage, traffic cameras, and eyewitness reports
Car Accident Liability: Typically Driver-Centric
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), over 90% of passenger car accidents are caused by driver error—speeding, distraction, or impaired driving being the top contributors.
In most passenger car crashes, fault is generally assigned to one or both drivers based on:
Police reports
Witness statements
Surveillance or dashcam footage
Traffic violations (e.g., running a red light, speeding)
In these cases, and compared to semi-truck accidents, driver negligence is usually the core issue for car crashes.
Insurance & Compensation Differences
From policy limits and settlement size to parties involved and settlement timelines, semi-truck accidents are more complex and challenging.
A table below highlights a few key differences:
Factor | Car Accident | Semi-Truck Accident |
Policy Limits | $25,000–$50,000 | $750,000–$5,000,000 |
Parties Involved | 2–3 parties | 4–6+ (driver, company, loaders, contractors) |
Investigation | Police report, basic statements | Black box data, logbooks, FMCSA compliance |
Legal Complexity | Moderate | High (federal + state laws involved) |
Settlement Size | Lower (average is between $15K–$30K for mild injury) | Higher (average is 3 to 5x more) |
Settlement Timeframe | Weeks–months | Months–years |
Commercial Truck Policies Carry Higher Minimum Coverage
FMSCA requires truck carriers to carry a minimum insurance of:
$750,000 minimum for general freight
$1 million–$5 million for hazardous materials (depending on the cargo)
Why? Because of the catastrophic nature of semi-truck accidents.
Think amputations, permanent disability, and traumatic brain injuries due to the impact and severity of the crash.
For passenger cars, the minimum liability insurance is much lower. In Illinois, drivers are required to have a minimum of:
$50,000 per accident
$20,000 for property damage
$25,000 per person for bodily injury
Legal Complexities of Claims and Insurance Company Pushback
Settlements are often longer and more challenging for semi-truck accidents than car crashes due to the following reasons:
Claims are often denied or delayed to minimize payouts
Insurers representing trucking companies are aggressive and well-funded.
Victims are often pressured into quick settlements that don’t accurately reflect lost income or long-term medical costs
Without legal representation, victims risk being significantly undercompensated.
Specialized legal expertise is needed for truck accident victims because liabilities often involve multiple liable parties such as training violations, maintenance contractors, cargo loaders, adding to the complexity of each case.
Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit: Truck vs. Car Accident (Legal Options & Steps)
You can file a personal injury lawsuit on your own, but depending on how complex your case is, legal representation or a personal injury lawyer can save you time, effort, and undercompensation.
Key Legal Deadlines Under Illinois Statute of Limitations
The Illinois Statute of limitations states that if you miss a deadline, you lose the right to recover any compensation.
For any personal injury case related to a semi-truck or car accident, the deadline is 2 years from the date of the accident.
Some are special or unique cases, which also have different deadlines:
Wrongful death case: 2 years from the date of death
Minor: If the injured party is under 18, they have until they reach the age of 20
Property damage: 5 years from the date of the incident (applies if you’re only claiming vehicle repair costs)
Steps to Maximize Compensation After a Truck or Car Accident
Step 1: Seek Immediate Medical Attention
Even if injuries seem minor or you feel fine, get checked by a medical professional.
Some injuries (e.g. TBI, internal bleeding) can be delayed.
Medical records become vital evidence in your claim.
Step 2: Document the Scene
Documentation is the second most important priority. This will be used for insurance claims and useful for your truck accident lawyer.
Good examples of documentation include:
Photos of visible injuries
Police report (request a copy ASAP)
Names and contact info of witnesses
Photos of the vehicles, damage, skid marks, and surroundings
Vehicle/Truck identification (Plate Number, VIN, Driver’s License)
Step 3: Don’t Talk to Insurance Adjusters Alone
Insurance companies often:
Twist your words
Pressure you into early, low-ball settlements
Ask for recorded statements to use against you
Always consult a lawyer before speaking to them.
Step 4: Contact an Experienced Truck Accident Attorney
Especially for semi-truck accidents, you need legal help to:
Investigate black box data
Secure driver logbooks and employer records
Identify all liable parties (driver, company, cargo, etc.)
Calculate long-term costs (medical care, therapy, lost income)
Step 5: Follow All Medical Advice
Continue treatment as prescribed
Attend all follow-up appointments
Keep a personal “injury journal” documenting pain levels, limitations, and emotional impact
This builds evidence of ongoing damages—critical in maximizing non-economic compensation (like pain and suffering).
Step 6: Preserve All Expenses
You’ll never know when additional documentation or information will be required for a claim or case.
So it’s better to keep all records until you’ve fully received your claim or the case has been closed/solved. Keep receipts and documentation for:
Lost wages or job impact
Hospital visits and medications
Vehicle repairs or replacement
Travel to medical appointments
Step 7: Avoid Social Media
Insurance defense teams monitor your accounts.
Don’t post about your accident, recovery, or activity level
Even seemingly innocent posts can be used to discredit your injury claims
Step 8: Let Your Attorney Handle Negotiations
Experienced attorneys (like William Wojcik Law Firm) know:
How to calculate true case value
When to push for settlement vs. trial
How to counter aggressive trucking company defense tactics
Why Truck Accident Cases Require a Specialized Attorney
A general personal injury attorney may not have the specialized experience needed to handle truck litigation.
Some might argue that consulting a car accident lawyer will suffice. But as mentioned earlier, sem-truck accidents are complex and incur multilayered liabilities.
Complex cases demand investigation into trucking company practices, FMCSA violations, and data retrieval, which truck accident lawyers are equipped to handle.
How Wojcik Law Can Help
At Wojcik, semi-truck and car accidents aren’t our first rodeo. We’ve helped many get the right settlement, claims, and justice:
65-year old driver in Arkansas received a $500,000 trucking accident settlement
Deft tractor-trailer driver Gary Sucku received a $3,350,000 claim from confidential insurers.
A $3.4 million-dollar jury verdict for a female auto passenger who suffered a cardiac tamponade when struck by an alleged drunk driver who crossed the center line of traffic.
We’ve also handled construction and injury cases, shuttle bus accident cases, motor vehicle accidents, trailer accident settlements, and more.
If you want to review our cases, you can check our case results here.
FAQs: Featured Snippet-Ready
What’s the difference between a semi-truck accident and a car crash?
Semi-truck accidents typically cause more severe injuries and involve greater liability due to the truck’s size and commercial operation.
Who is liable in a semi-truck crash?
Liability can include the truck driver, trucking company, cargo loader, or even a vehicle manufacturer, depending on negligence. Liabilities in a semi-truck crash are often multilayered and require a thorough investigation.
Why do truck accident claims settle for more?
Because injuries are more severe and multiple parties may be at fault, truck accident lawsuits often result in higher compensation.
Can I sue a trucking company after a crash?
Yes. If the company was negligent in hiring, training, or maintenance, you may sue them directly.
How is fault proven in truck accident cases?
Lawyers use data from black boxes, driver logs, witness testimony, and accident reconstruction experts.
Contact William Wojcik Law Firm for Help
If you’ve been injured in a semi-truck or passenger vehicle crash, don’t face the insurance companies alone.
At William Wojcik Law Firm, we specialize in truck vs. car accident cases throughout Oak Lawn and across Illinois.
Call us now (708) 424-2121 for your free consultation and get the guidance you need to secure the compensation you deserve, or you can schedule an appointment immediately through our contact form.