A semi-truck with out-of-state plates just caused your accident here in North Carolina. Now what? You’re not dealing with some local business you can visit down the street. The trucking company’s headquarters might be in Illinois. The driver could live in Tennessee. And the company that actually owns the trailer? They might operate out of Georgia. These distinctions matter more than you might think.
Why Interstate Trucking Accidents Are Different
Most car accidents are straightforward. Two local drivers, their insurance companies, and North Carolina law. Trucking accidents don’t work that way. These cases cross state lines in ways that’ll affect every part of your claim.
Where the company is based determines which employment laws apply. If that driver violated federal hours-of-service rules, you’re now dealing with Department of Transportation regulations that override state law. The insurance policy might’ve been written under another state’s requirements with completely different coverage minimums. Burton Law Firm has seen trucking companies use their out-of-state status as a weapon. They’ll slow down your claim and hope you get frustrated enough to give up.
Multiple Parties Create Multiple Problems
Here’s what makes 18-wheeler accidents messier than regular crashes. You’re usually dealing with way more defendants:
- The driver who caused it
- The trucking company employing or contracting with that driver
- Whoever owns the trailer (often not the same as the cab owner)
- The cargo loading company, if bad loading played a role
- Maintenance contractors who’d recently serviced the truck
Each one’s got their own insurance company. Their own lawyers. And they’ll all spend months pointing fingers at each other while you’re stuck with medical bills you can’t pay and a totaled vehicle. Out-of-state companies know distance works in their favor. They’re betting you’ll accept a lowball offer rather than fight a complicated interstate claim.
Jurisdiction Questions Delay Your Case
So, where do you file your lawsuit? North Carolina makes sense since that’s where it happened. But you might also be able to sue in the state where the trucking company operates.
This isn’t some boring technicality. Different states have wildly different laws about damage caps, statutes of limitations, and what evidence judges will even allow. The trucking company’s lawyers will push hard for whichever jurisdiction helps them most. A Raleigh truck accident lawyer who understands federal trucking regulations can shut down these delay tactics fast.
Evidence Disappears Across State Lines
Trucking companies have to preserve certain records after accidents. Driver logs, maintenance records, and electronic data from the truck’s event recorder. But actually enforcing these requirements? That gets harder when the company’s operating in another state.
You can’t just drive to their facility and look at their files. You need formal legal procedures that cross state lines, and these companies know exactly how to drag out every request. The driver’s personnel file is probably in Ohio. Maintenance records might be scattered across repair shops in five states. Safety compliance documents are sitting in some corporate office you’ve never heard of.
Insurance Coverage Gets Messy
Federal law says interstate trucking companies must carry at least $750,000 in liability coverage. Many carry a million or more. Sounds like plenty, right? It’s not. Serious truck accidents often cause injuries worth way more than policy limits.
The insurance company might be based in yet another state with its own rules about claims handling and payment timelines. They’ll use every state border and jurisdictional question to make your claim as complicated as possible.
Federal Regulations Apply Everywhere
Here’s something that actually works in your favor. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) sets rules for all commercial trucks crossing state lines. Driver qualifications, hours of service, vehicle maintenance, and cargo securement. All of it’s regulated. According to FMCSA data, violations of federal safety regulations contribute to thousands of preventable crashes every year. When an out-of-state trucking company breaks these rules, you can hold them accountable no matter where they’re based.
You Need Legal Help Right Away
Don’t wait to contact a Raleigh truck accident lawyer if an interstate carrier injured you. Every day you wait gives the trucking company more time to prepare their defense, move evidence somewhere you can’t reach it, and build their case against you. The distance between you and the trucking company shouldn’t determine whether you get fair compensation. With the right legal representation, you can level the playing field and hold out-of-state carriers accountable for the harm they cause on North Carolina roads. Contact us today.