Yes — and the company’s liability may be far greater than you expect. If you’ve been involved in a collision with a drunk semi-truck driver, the driver’s company can face liability well beyond your direct personal injury damages. Other entities along the chain may share responsibility as well, which can significantly enhance your total recovery.

What we know from years of trying these cases before Idaho juries is that juries take drunk commercial driving seriously. They want to hold every responsible party fully accountable — including the company that hired the driver. We have seen cases where a trucking company had full knowledge of a driver’s DUI history, including prison time for prior offenses, and still handed him the keys. When that happens, the company’s liability is substantial.

These cases are complex, require aggressive investigation, and take experienced trial lawyers to handle properly. Give us a call and we will talk through your situation and what your options look like.

Yes. When someone is killed in a collision involving a semi-truck or 18-wheeler on Idaho roads, a wrongful death claim exists. Under Idaho Code 5311, if you are an heir of the deceased, you have the right to pursue that claim. See our page on wrongful death from a truck accident in Idaho for a full explanation of what families can recover and how the process works.

Wrongful death cases involving commercial drivers are their own specialized area of law. Professional truck drivers are held to a higher standard than ordinary motorists, and Idaho juries understand that — when the case is presented by lawyers who know how to tell that story clearly and compellingly. You want trial lawyers who have won wrongful death verdicts in Idaho courts, particularly in cases involving commercial vehicles.

If you have lost a loved one in a collision with a commercial driver anywhere in Idaho, call us. We will explain how you can move forward and what your family is entitled to pursue.

The most important thing to understand is that truck accident cases are not just large car accident cases — they are an entirely different category of law. Federal regulations govern every aspect of commercial trucking, from how many hours a driver can be behind the wheel to how cargo must be loaded and secured. Liability often extends well beyond the driver to include the trucking company, freight brokers, cargo loaders, and others. Punitive damages may be available when the conduct is reckless or illegal.

You want a trial lawyer who has specifically handled trucking cases, investigated them, and taken them to verdict. Look for attorneys with documented results, real client reviews, leadership roles in organizations like the Idaho Trial Lawyers Association, and credentials that reflect genuine expertise — not a general practice firm that handles everything from wills to business contracts. Our page on how to choose a truck accident lawyer in Idaho covers exactly what to look for and what questions to ask.

At Hepworth Holzer, our lawyers have tried trucking cases before Idaho juries, earned recognition including Idaho Trial Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers in America, and Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent ratings, and have served in leadership roles with both the Idaho State Bar and the Idaho Trial Lawyers Association. If you want to talk about your case and learn more about our background, give us a call.

Valuing a truck accident case involves two categories of damages. The first is economic losses — medical bills, future medical care, lost wages, lost earning capacity, and property damage. These can be large in truck accident cases because the injuries are often severe and the long-term care costs can extend for years or decades. We work with medical experts, life care planners, and economic experts to make sure every future cost is accounted for.

The second category is harder to calculate but often just as significant — what has been taken from you. Your pain, your limitations, the experiences you can no longer have, the burden your injury places on your family. There is no formula for this. What experienced Idaho trucking accident lawyers bring to the table is the ability to understand and communicate these losses in a way that a jury can hear, feel, and respond to appropriately.

Every case is different because every person’s losses are different. If you want us to review your situation and give you a real assessment of what your case may be worth, call us. Any one of our attorneys would be glad to talk it through with you.

On the surface, it might seem like a truck accident case is just a larger version of a car accident case. It is not. The differences are fundamental. Commercial truck drivers and trucking companies operate under a complex body of federal regulations — including FMCSA rules governing hours of service, vehicle maintenance, cargo securement, driver qualifications, and drug testing. When those regulations are violated and someone gets hurt, the legal analysis goes far deeper than simple negligence. Our page on Idaho truck accident laws and federal regulations explains these rules in detail.

In trucking cases, we are not just asking whether the driver was careless. We are asking why he was careless. Was he fatigued because his company pushed him past legal driving limits? Was the truck unsafe because it had not been properly maintained? Was the cargo improperly loaded by a third party? Each of those answers can open up additional avenues of liability and additional sources of compensation.

As a driver’s conduct moves beyond negligence into recklessness — or as a company’s conduct shows deliberate disregard for safety — the damages available under Idaho law can increase significantly. This is not territory for a generalist. Call us early, before evidence disappears, and let us handle this the right way.

Truck accident cases in Idaho typically take longer than car accident cases, and that is not necessarily a bad thing. The additional time is usually necessary to fully investigate the cause of the accident, identify all responsible parties, document the complete scope of your injuries, and establish what your long-term care will cost. For a step-by-step look at the legal process, see our page on filing a truck accident lawsuit in Idaho.

Resolving a case too quickly — before your medical situation has stabilized and before all of the facts are in — almost always means leaving money on the table. We pursue your case as efficiently as possible, but we will not rush a settlement that undervalues what you have been through. What we will do is keep you informed at every stage so you are never left wondering where things stand.

No. Not before you have spoken with an attorney. The trucking company’s insurer will reach out to you quickly — often within hours of the crash — and they will be polite. Do not mistake that for goodwill. Their goal is to gather information they can use against you: a recorded statement, an admission, a description of your injuries that minimizes their severity. They are not calling to help you.

Do not give a recorded statement. Do not sign any documents. Do not tell them how you are feeling. Call us first, and we will handle all communication with the insurance company on your behalf. Nothing will be said or signed that damages your claim.

No. Never accept an initial offer without first talking to an experienced truck accident attorney. Initial settlement offers are made early — before the full extent of your injuries is known, before future medical costs are established, and before all liable parties have been identified. They are designed to close your claim quickly and cheaply.

Commercial trucking policies often carry limits of $1 million or more, but the opening offer will not reflect that. Once you accept a settlement, you permanently forfeit your right to seek additional compensation — regardless of how your condition worsens or how much more treatment you need. Trucking companies and their insurers count on injured people not knowing this.

When you hear that first number, the answer is no. Call us before you respond to anything. We will make sure you understand the full value of your claim and what you are entitled to recover.

The most damaging mistake we see is talking to the trucking company’s insurance adjuster before speaking with an attorney. People are decent and want to cooperate, and they do not realize that the adjuster is listening for anything that can be used to reduce the claim — a statement minimizing the impact, a suggestion of fault, a description of symptoms that does not match the medical records. Once those words are in a recorded statement, they are very difficult to walk back.

A close second is downplaying injuries when speaking with doctors, family members, or their own insurance company. Saying “I’m doing okay” when you are not is understandable — but it creates a record that the defense will use. Document everything honestly. If you are struggling, say so.

Before you make either of these mistakes — or any of the others we see regularly in Idaho truck accident cases — give us a call. We will review your situation, explain what to do and what not to do, and make sure your claim is protected from the start.

First, get medical care. That is the priority above everything else. Make sure your family knows what has happened and that you have the support you need.

Then, before you speak with an insurance company or attempt to handle anything on your own, contact an experienced Idaho truck accident attorney. Truck accident cases are time-sensitive in ways that car accident cases are not. Evidence begins disappearing immediately — black box data can be overwritten, maintenance records can be lost, and trucking companies have teams in place to manage the aftermath of serious crashes in their favor. You need someone on your side doing the same, and you need them involved early.

We are willing to come to you. If you are hospitalized and cannot come to us, we will come to you. Getting involved early in a truck accident case is not a courtesy — it is often the difference between a case with full evidence and one with critical gaps. Call us and we will be there.