Pittsburgh Truck Accident Attorneys

Have You Been Injured in a Truck Accident? See if You Are Eligible to Sue for Compensation.

Roadways like I-79, I-279, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike are busy thoroughfares of industrial traffic throughout the Pittsburgh area. The actions of careless truck drivers and negligent freight companies put innocent lives at risk. If you or someone close to you has been injured in a truck accident, an experienced attorney can help you learn about and understand your legal options.

At Robert Peirce & Associates, P.C., we are committed to helping victims of truck accidents recover compensation for the injuries they have suffered. With more than four decades of experience, we have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients.

Contact us online or call (844) 383-0565 to speak with an experienced Pittsburgh truck accident attorney.

Common Types of Big Rig Accidents

Big rig accidents occur in many ways, but most share one common factor—negligence. Some of the most common truck accidents in Pittsburgh include:

• Jackknife Accidents: When a truck’s trailer swings out at a sharp angle, the driver loses total control. Jackknife crashes often involve multiple vehicles and cause widespread damage.
• Rollover Accidents: Top-heavy commercial trucks can easily roll over due to speeding, over-steering, improper cargo loading, or steep curves on Pittsburgh’s hilly roads.
• Rear-End Collisions: Due to their massive size, big rigs require much longer stopping distances. When drivers follow too closely or fail to brake in time, rear-end crashes can become deadly.
• Underride Accidents: An underride accident occurs when a smaller vehicle slides under the truck’s trailer. These collisions frequently lead to catastrophic or fatal injuries.
• Blind Spot Accidents: Tractor-trailers have large “no-zones” where cars disappear from the driver’s view. Unsafe lane changes or merging can cause serious side-impact crashes.
• T-Bone or Side-Impact Crashes: Intersections and highway entry ramps often see severe side-impact collisions when truck drivers fail to yield or run red lights.

Common Causes of Semi-Truck Accidents

In Pittsburgh and throughout the United States, the leading causes of truck accidents include, but are not limited to:

• Fatigued driving, such as when truckers are required to work long hours and with little sleep;
• Distracted driving, such as texting, talking on the phone, eating, and getting lost in thought, among other activities, while driving;
• Speeding, such as when a trucker attempts to travel at the same speed as automobiles, even when they know large trucks are subject to lower speed limits;
• Improper or overloaded cargo, such as if a trucker is transporting improperly loaded cargo or more cargo than is safe;
• Inadequate training, such as if a trucking company fails to train their drivers or cargo loaders on how to do their jobs, endangering everyone in the interest of profit;
• Poorly maintained trucks, such as when a trucking company or trucker fails to ensure the truck is safe to drive;
• Defective truck parts, such as when a truck manufacturer, designer, or retailer allows a defective truck part to go to market; and
• Driving while intoxicated, such as under the influence of alcohol, prescription drugs, over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, illicit drugs, etc.

Potentially responsible parties include the truck driver, trucking company, freight company, maintenance provider, or vehicle manufacturer.

Common Semi-Truck Accident Injuries

Because commercial trucks weigh up to 80,000 pounds, collisions with passenger vehicles are rarely minor. Victims may experience:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
• Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
• Broken bones and fractures
• Internal organ damage
• Severe burns or crush injuries
• Amputations
• Wrongful death

These injuries often demand long-term treatment, rehabilitation, and lifelong care.

Where Do Truck Accidents Often Occur in Pittsburgh?

Certain areas of Pittsburgh and its surrounding highways see more commercial truck traffic—and more accidents. Common hotspots include:

• I-76 (Pennsylvania Turnpike): Heavy trucking volume and high speeds often lead to major collisions.
• I-376 and Parkway East/West: Congestion, construction zones, and narrow lanes increase crash risks.
• I-79: Frequent long-haul trucking traffic contributes to rear-end and lane-change collisions.
• Route 28 and Route 51: These busy commuter corridors see regular commercial vehicle activity.
• Industrial Zones: Areas near rail yards, warehouses, and distribution centers—such as Hazelwood, the Strip District, and Neville Island—often experience truck-related accidents.

Federal Trucking Laws

Truck accidents differ from standard car crashes because they involve complex federal regulations. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) sets rules on:

• Hours-of-service limits for rest breaks
• Maximum truck weight and cargo securement
• Mandatory drug and alcohol testing
• Driver training requirements
• Vehicle inspection and maintenance standards
• Electronic logging device (ELD) monitoring

Violations of these rules can help establish liability. Our attorneys thoroughly investigate logbooks, black box data, maintenance records, and employment files to determine whether the trucking company failed to follow federal law.

Consult with an Experienced Lawyer at No Cost

If you or a loved one was injured in a car that was hit by a truck, whether it be an 18-wheeler or another large commercial vehicle, you deserve a caring attorney to advocate for you. We’re a family-owned local firm that puts your experience above everything else. Every case is different, from cause to damages to goals, and we want to help each client obtain a result that is best for them.

Reach out to our Pittsburgh truck accident attorneys at (844) 383-0565 if you need help with filing a claim or insurance negotiations. We offer same-day appointments for your convenience, and if you can’t come to us, we will come to you.