Help for families of tractor-trailer accident victims across the United States

The twelve states with the highest large-truck fatality rates

AVA helps families nationwide. These twelve states account for more than half of all U.S. large-truck fatalities — with 2023 death counts, the rate per 100,000 residents, and each state’s civil filing deadline.

Source: NHTSA, Traffic Safety Facts 2024 · FMCSA, Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts

Why tractor-trailer cases are different from ordinary car crashes

Commercial truck crashes look like car crashes on the road, but they are legally, financially, and procedurally very different. Families do not need to understand any of this to receive AVA’s help — we walk you through it. But the sooner these pieces are on your radar, the more options your family keeps.

Federal freight corridors change who you are dealing with

Interstate freight moves through a small set of major corridors — I-10, I-20, I-35, I-40, I-75, I-80, I-95 and others. Crashes on these routes often involve out-of-state carriers, brokers headquartered elsewhere, and cargo owners in a third state. That changes who you deal with and how quickly records must be requested.

Every state has its own filing deadline — and they are shorter than most families expect

Statutes of limitations for wrongful death range from 1 to 3 years depending on the state, and personal injury deadlines vary too. Your family does not have to decide anything today, but the window is real. Our state pages list each deadline for the twelve states we cover in depth, and we can look up any other state for you.

Commercial trucks answer to federal rules, not just state law

Interstate carriers are governed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration — hours-of-service limits, driver qualification files, drug and alcohol testing, and inspection and maintenance records. Those federal records matter even in a state court case, and they are often the difference between a case and a dead end.

More than one company may share responsibility

The driver, the motor carrier, the freight broker, the cargo owner or shipper, the maintenance contractor, and the trailer or component manufacturer can each carry part of the liability. That is why these cases are rarely as simple as an ordinary car crash — and why they often take longer to sort out.

A May 2026 Supreme Court ruling expanded who freight brokers answer to

In Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, LLC (No. 24-1238), the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously held on May 14, 2026 that the federal preemption defense freight brokers had used for years does not block state-law negligent-hiring claims when a broker chooses an unsafe motor carrier. In plain language: if a broker put your loved one’s cargo with a carrier it knew or should have known was unsafe, that broker can now be held accountable in state court alongside the trucking company. Brokers often have the paper trail — and the insurance — that a small motor carrier does not. Families do not need to understand the ruling to get help; we mention it so you know the landscape has changed in your favor.

Evidence disappears within days

Electronic control module ("black box") data, electronic logging device records, dashcam footage, dispatch messages, and driver hours-of-service logs can be overwritten or lawfully discarded on short retention schedules — sometimes in as little as 7 to 30 days. A preservation request sent early protects your family’s options later, regardless of whether you ever file a claim.

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