Commercial trucks dominate Oahu’s roadways every day. When an 18-wheeler, delivery truck, or cement mixer collides with a passenger vehicle, the results are catastrophic. A fully loaded semi-truck weighs up to 80,000 pounds—20 times more than your car. In 2021, 5,788 people died in crashes involving large trucks nationwide. Hawaii reported five truck-related fatalities and 132 injuries from truck crashes that same year.
Recovery Law Center fights for victims of truck accidents across Oahu. Our attorneys understand federal trucking regulations, know how to investigate commercial vehicle crashes, and hold trucking companies accountable while you focus on healing.
Why Truck Accidents Are Different
Truck accidents differ fundamentally from car crashes due to massive size disparities, multiple liable parties, federal regulations, and higher insurance coverage. Commercial trucks can weigh 20 times more than passenger vehicles and require 40% more stopping distance. Unlike typical two-driver car accidents, truck crashes can involve the driver, trucking company, cargo loading company, manufacturer, and maintenance provider—each with separate insurance coverage. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations govern driver qualifications, hours of service, vehicle maintenance, and cargo securement. Commercial trucks carry insurance policies worth $750,000 to $5 million or more, creating greater potential compensation for catastrophic injuries.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Oahu
- Driver Fatigue: Federal rules limit drivers to 11 hours of operation after 10 consecutive hours off duty. Many drivers and companies violate these rules, causing crashes from falling asleep, slowed reaction times, and poor decisions. We obtain driver logs and electronic logging device records to prove violations.
- Distracted Driving: Truck drivers use cell phones, text, check GPS, and eat while driving despite regulations prohibiting these behaviors on Oahu’s busy highways.
- Speeding and Reckless Driving: Delivery pressures push drivers to exceed safe speeds on the H1, H2, and H3 freeways. Fast-moving trucks cannot stop in time, lose control on curves, and jackknife in emergencies.
- Improper Cargo Loading: Overloaded or improperly secured cargo shifts during transit, affects handling, and falls onto roadways. Loading companies share liability when improper loading causes accidents.
- Poor Vehicle Maintenance: Worn brakes fail on steep grades, tire blowouts cause loss of control, broken lights make trucks invisible, and defective coupling devices allow trailer detachment. Maintenance records prove negligent maintenance.
- Inadequate Driver Training: Undertrained drivers cannot handle emergencies, misjudge stopping distances, fail to check blind spots, and cause preventable accidents.
- Blind Spots: Large truck “no-zones” extend 20 feet in front, 30 feet behind, and along both sides. Lane changes crush cars drivers cannot see in these areas.
- Tourist and Delivery Traffic: Waikiki and downtown Honolulu see constant delivery activity where tourist vehicles interact unpredictably with commercial trucks on narrow streets.
- Weather Conditions: Heavy rainfall, flash flooding, slippery roads, and high winds create hazardous conditions requiring reduced speeds.
Types of Truck Accidents We Handle in Oahu
- Jackknife Accidents: Trailer swings 90 degrees from the cab, sweeping across multiple lanes and causing multi-vehicle pileups.
- Rollover Accidents: Top-heavy trucks roll during sharp turns at excessive speed or when cargo shifts, blocking roadways and spilling cargo.
- Rear-End Collisions: Distracted or fatigued drivers fail to brake, rear-ending stopped traffic with devastating force causing brain injuries, spinal damage, and death.
- Underride Accidents: Smaller vehicles slide underneath trailers, shearing off roofs and causing the highest fatality rates.
- Override Accidents: Trucks ride up and over vehicles from behind when tailgating or failing to stop, crushing vehicles beneath.
- Blind Spot Accidents: Trucks change lanes without seeing adjacent vehicles, crushing cars between the truck and barriers.
- Wide Turn Accidents: Trucks swing wide for right turns, crushing vehicles and pedestrians trapped on the right side.
- Tire Blowout Accidents: Exploding tires cause loss of control, with tire debris becoming dangerous projectiles.
- Cargo Spill Accidents: Improperly secured cargo falls onto roadways, striking vehicles and creating obstacles that cause crashes.
Common Truck Accident Injuries in Oahu
Traumatic Brain Injuries: Concussions, contusions, skull fractures, brain swelling, and bleeding cause memory problems, personality changes, and cognitive impairments requiring years of rehabilitation.
Spinal Cord Injuries: Fractured or dislocated vertebrae and compressed spinal cords cause paralysis, with cervical injuries resulting in quadriplegia and thoracic/lumbar injuries causing paraplegia requiring lifetime care.
Burn Injuries: Ruptured fuel tanks and hazardous material ignition cause severe burns requiring multiple skin grafts, with permanent scarring and risk of infection.
Crush Injuries: The truck’s weight crushes vehicles, shattering bones, rupturing organs, and often requiring amputation to prevent compartment syndrome and save lives.
Internal Injuries: Blunt force trauma lacerates livers, tears spleens, and damages kidneys, requiring emergency surgery with long-term health complications.
Broken Bones and Fractures: Multiple fractures throughout the body require surgeries, hardware installation, and extended recovery.
Psychological Trauma: PTSD, flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, and depression affect mental health and require ongoing therapy.
Proving a Truck Accident Case
Truck accidents require thorough investigation and documentation:
Federal Regulations Compliance: We obtain driver qualification files, hours-of-service logs, vehicle inspection reports, drug testing records, and cargo securement documentation to identify violations proving negligence.
Electronic Evidence: Electronic logging devices record driving hours, while black box data captures vehicle speed, braking, and acceleration in seconds before crashes.
Company Records: We subpoena maintenance records, driver qualification files, company safety records, and FMCSA inspection results to prove pattern of violations.
Expert Analysis: Accident reconstruction experts, trucking industry experts, medical experts, and economic experts provide crucial testimony about causation, regulatory violations, injuries, and lifetime damages.
Witness and Scene Documentation: We interview eyewitnesses, photograph crash scenes, measure evidence, and identify surveillance footage before it disappears.
Compensation for Truck Accident Victims
Medical Expenses: Emergency treatment, surgeries, hospitalization, specialist care, rehabilitation, medications, medical equipment, and lifetime care planning.
Lost Income and Earning Capacity: Immediate lost wages, reduced earning potential from disabilities, inability to perform previous jobs, and early retirement.
Property Damage: Vehicle repair or replacement, rental cars, and personal property losses.
Pain and Suffering: Physical pain, chronic limitations, reduced mobility, and loss of enjoyment of life activities.
Emotional Distress: Anxiety, depression, PTSD, fear of driving, and mental anguish from permanent disabilities.
Loss of Consortium: Family members’ loss of companionship, intimacy, and partnership when loved ones suffer catastrophic injuries.
Punitive Damages: Awarded when trucking companies show reckless disregard for safety through falsified records, pressure to violate rules, or hiring unqualified drivers.
Wrongful Death Damages: Funeral expenses, loss of financial support, loss of companionship and guidance for surviving family members.
Steps to Take After a Truck Accident
Immediately:
- Call 911 for police documentation and medical evaluation
- Document everything with photos if safely possible (vehicles, injuries, scene, truck company name, DOT number)
- Collect driver, trucking company, and witness information
- Note visible mechanical problems on the truck
- Do not give recorded statements to insurance adjusters
After the Scene:
- Seek emergency room evaluation and follow all treatment recommendations
- Keep detailed records of medical bills, lost work, and daily symptoms
- Avoid social media posts about the accident
- Contact an attorney immediately—evidence disappears quickly
How Recovery Law Center Handles Truck Accident Cases
- Immediate Investigation: We respond within hours, send spoliation letters to preserve evidence, photograph scenes, identify surveillance cameras, and interview witnesses before memories fade.
- Federal Regulation Analysis: We identify violations of hours-of-service rules, maintenance requirements, driver qualification standards, and cargo securement regulations.
- Expert Consultation: Multiple expert witnesses analyze evidence, demonstrate causation, explain regulatory violations, calculate lifetime damages, and provide crucial testimony.
- Aggressive Negotiation: We counter insurance company tactics with thorough preparation, strong evidence, and demands for full compensation.
- Trial-Ready Preparation: We prepare every case for trial, strengthening our negotiating position and demonstrating willingness to fight in court.
What Our Clients Say
Mary Ellen O’Connor: “Glenn is a caring attorney. If you need an injury lawyer you have the right place with Recovery Law Center.”
Cory Wilson: “The entire team at Recovery Law Center went above and beyond to take care of me and my family after my wreck. They were caring and I would highly recommend them.”
Joseph Steinfeld: “RLC attorneys care about their clients and will always work in your best interest. I have been privileged to work with Glen Honda and his staff for more than 2 years as a co-counsel in many Maui fire cases and there are no better advocates for the rights of the injured.”
Areas We Serve on Oahu
Honolulu, Pearl City, Kailua, Kaneohe, Waipahu, Mililani, Aiea, Wahiawa, Kapolei, Hawaii Kai, Waikiki, Downtown Honolulu, North Shore, West Oahu, Central Oahu, and surrounding areas.
Contact an Experienced Oahu Truck Accident Lawyer Today
A truck accident changed your life in seconds. Medical bills pile up, you cannot work, and the trucking company’s insurance offers pennies on the dollar. Recovery Law Center has represented truck accident victims across Oahu for years. We understand federal trucking regulations, investigate commercial crashes thoroughly, and hold trucking companies accountable.
You pay nothing unless we win. We offer free consultations to evaluate your claim and explain your rights. Trucking companies have teams of lawyers working to minimize liability within hours. You need experienced attorneys fighting for your interests with equal determination.
Call Recovery Law Center today for your free consultation.
Located in Honolulu, serving all of Oahu and the Hawaiian Islands.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a truck accident case different from a car accident?
Truck accidents involve federal regulations, multiple liable parties, insurance coverage of $750,000-$5 million, and more severe injuries. Commercial trucks must comply with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, and trucking companies, drivers, maintenance providers, cargo loaders, and manufacturers may all share liability.
How long do I have to file a lawsuit in Hawaii?
Two years from the accident date. Missing this deadline bars recovery forever. Contact an attorney immediately—investigations take time and evidence disappears quickly.
What if the truck driver was an independent contractor?
We investigate beyond classifications to determine actual relationships. If the company controlled the driver’s work, they face liability regardless of classification.
How do you prove trucking company negligence?
We obtain driver qualification files, maintenance records, hours-of-service logs, ELD data, and company safety records to identify regulatory violations and prove the company prioritized profits over safety.
Should I accept the trucking company’s settlement offer?
No. Initial offers rarely cover future medical needs and minimize damages. We often recover several times more than initial offers through thorough investigation and aggressive negotiation.
