Tempe Truck Accident Lawyer
Truck Accident Lawyer Serving Tempe, Arizona After a Collision With a Commercial Truck
A truck accident lawyer in Tempe can send the preservation letter, identify every company that shares responsibility and handle the insurers while you recover. Trucks move freight through the Valley on I-10, US 60 and the Loops, which run through and beside Tempe, and a collision with a semi hits a passenger car with far more force than a car-to-car crash. Some evidence in a truck case can be discarded after only six months, so the call matters.
- Driver logs kept
- 6 months before a carrier may discard them
- 49 CFR 395.8(k)
- Filing deadline
- 2 years from the injury
- A.R.S. 12-542(1)
- Driving limit
- 11 hours of driving after 10 consecutive hours off duty
- 49 CFR 395.3
Why a Truck Accident Lawyer in Tempe Starts With the Freeways
Tempe is a small city with big roads. Interstate 10, the Maricopa Freeway, runs through the Broadway Curve, where a 2006 estimate counted about 294,000 vehicles a day on a stretch described as 16 to 20 lanes wide. U.S. 60, the Superstition Freeway, runs east to west through the center of the city, Loop 202 follows the north bank of the Salt River and Loop 101 becomes the Price Freeway and runs south to US 60. Trucks use these roads to move freight across the Valley, and the airport next door, Phoenix Sky Harbor, handled 358,426 tons of cargo and mail in 2025.
The damage is lopsided. A fully loaded tractor-trailer is many times the weight of a sedan, takes far longer to stop and can sweep across several lanes in a merge. If you were hurt in a crash with a semi on one of these freeways, or by a delivery truck on a Tempe street, the claim has more moving parts than an ordinary crash, and more people who may share the responsibility.
Who May Be Responsible After a Tempe Truck Crash
An 18 wheeler accident lawyer in Tempe knows the driver is only the first name on the list. Arizona generally makes each defendant pay only its own share of the fault, with exceptions (A.R.S. 12-2506), so finding every responsible party matters.
- The driver
Speeding, distraction, fatigue or an unsafe lane change on a crowded freeway.
- The trucking company
Hiring and training, dispatch schedules that push drivers past their limits, and how the company maintained the truck.
- A maintenance or repair shop
Brakes, tires or steering that failed because of poor work.
- The shipper or loader
A load that was overweight, unbalanced or not secured can shift in a turn or at a freeway ramp.
- A delivery company
When a delivery truck or van is involved, the question is who the driver was working for and which insurer stands behind the vehicle.
How Long Trucking Records Are Kept
Federal rules set how long a carrier must hold each kind of record. After that, the company may discard it. A truck accident attorney in Tempe asks for these records first, which is why we move quickly.
| Record | How long it is kept | What it can show |
|---|---|---|
| Driver hours-of-service logs | 6 months | Whether the driver exceeded the driving or on-duty limits |
| Maintenance records | 1 year and 6 months | Whether brakes, tires and steering were inspected and repaired |
| Driver qualification file | 3 years after employment ends | Licensing, medical qualification and hiring history |
Source: 49 CFR 395.8(k), 396.3(c) and 391.51
Act Before the Six Month Mark
Carriers must keep a driver's hours-of-service logs for only six months before they may discard them, so a written preservation letter should go to the carrier right away, well before the general two-year filing deadline (49 CFR 395.8(k)). The rules limit property carriers to 11 hours of driving after 10 consecutive hours off duty, a 14-hour window that does not pause for traffic, meals, paperwork or waiting at a loading dock, and a 30-minute break after 8 hours of driving (49 CFR 395.3). The logs are how we test those limits, and a trucking accident attorney in Tempe can send the letter the same day you call.
Arizona
Truck Routes, Corridors and Hospitals Around Tempe
Where the collision happened tells us which agency responded, which cameras may have caught it and where the injured were treated.
I-10 and the Broadway Curve
One of the busiest stretches in the state, with an estimated 294,000 vehicles a day in a 2006 estimate and traffic that merges across many lanes.
US 60 and I-10 near Arizona Mills
The mall sits at the southeast corner of US 60 and I-10, so shoppers and through traffic share the same exits.
Warner Road from I-10 to Priest Drive
Named by Tempe as a safety corridor for July to September 2024, based on three years of serious and fatal crash data.
Elliot Road from I-10 to Kyrene Road
A city safety corridor on the 2024 list, under stricter enforcement.
Loop 202 and Loop 101 interchange
Where the Pima Freeway becomes the Price Freeway and Tempe Marketplace draws delivery and shopping traffic.
Banner Desert Medical Center and Chandler Regional Medical Center
Level I trauma centers in Mesa and Chandler. The state's December 2025 list shows no designated trauma center with a Tempe address.
Arizona
18 Wheeler Crashes and Delivery Truck Crashes Raise Different Questions
Both can cause serious injuries, but a delivery truck accident lawyer in Tempe starts the investigation in a different place than for a semi.
An 18 wheeler or tractor-trailer
- Hours-of-service logs and the 14-hour window.
- Maintenance and inspection records for brakes and tires.
- Cargo weight and how the load was secured.
- A federal driver qualification file.
A delivery truck or van
- Who employed the driver and who owns the vehicle.
- Delivery schedules and route pressure.
- Telematics or dash camera video the company may keep.
- Which insurance policy covers the vehicle, which may be different from a long-haul carrier's.
What to Do After a Collision With a Commercial Truck
Truck companies and their insurers often send a response team quickly, and a truck accident injury lawyer in Tempe can take that first call off your hands. These steps protect you.
- 1
Get medical care.
Many injuries show no or seemingly minor symptoms at first, so tell the doctor about everything you feel.
- 2
Report the crash and get the report number.
If you believe you were not at fault, make sure you explain this to the officer. Tempe Police usually writes the report for crashes on city streets, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety may hold the report for a freeway crash.
- 3
Photograph the truck.
If safely possible, before any vehicle is moved, photograph the company name, the DOT number on the door, the license plate and the damage.
- 4
Do not agree to a recorded statement.
A trucking insurer may call within days. An early comment can injure your legal rights, so send the call to us.
- 5
Call us so the preservation letter can go out.
We will explain your legal rights and the deadlines that may apply. You can call (602) 584-8054 any time.
Courts, Distance and Neighboring Cities
A truck injury lawsuit is filed in Maricopa County Superior Court, which has a Central Court Building at 201 W. Jefferson in Phoenix and a Southeast location at 222 E. Javelina Ave. in Mesa. The court's assignment rules decide where a case is heard, and we confirm that at filing. Because trucks crash along the whole freeway system, we also handle truck accident claims in Mesa, Chandler and Scottsdale.
Our office is at 5635 N Scottsdale Rd, Suite 170, Scottsdale, AZ 85250, about 7.7 miles by road from downtown Tempe, and we start by phone. If your claim involves a city truck or other government vehicle, a notice of claim generally must be filed within 180 days (A.R.S. 12-821.01), so read our notice of claim guide. For the statewide picture, see the Arizona trucking accident lawyer guide, and for the city overview see our personal injury lawyer in Tempe page. Medical bills may also come with liens, which our medical liens guide explains.
Related pages
Types of truck accident claims
Questions
Questions about Tempe truck accident cases
Who investigates a truck crash on a Tempe freeway?
The responding agency writes the first report, and for a freeway crash that may be the Arizona Department of Public Safety, whose website has a collision report link and a records request service. We also gather the carrier's own records, which the police do not.
What records should be saved after a truck crash?
Hours-of-service logs, maintenance records, the driver qualification file, dash camera video and the truck's electronic data. Carriers must keep the logs for only six months, so we send a preservation letter right away.
The truck was a delivery van. Is that handled the same way?
The legal claim is similar, but we start by learning who employed the driver, who owns the vehicle and which insurer covers it. Delivery companies often have their own policies and their own video.
What if a Tempe or other city truck was involved?
A notice of claim against a public entity generally must be filed within 180 days after the claim accrues, with a lawsuit generally following within one year (A.R.S. 12-821.01, 12-821). These rules have exceptions, so call us and we will explain how they apply to you.
Which hospital treats serious truck crash injuries near Tempe?
The state's December 2025 trauma list shows no designated trauma center with a Tempe address. The closest Level I centers are Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa and Chandler Regional Medical Center in Chandler, and emergency crews choose the destination.
Can I still recover if the driver says I share some blame?
Often yes. Arizona uses pure comparative fault, so a share of blame lowers your compensation instead of ending the claim (A.R.S. 12-2505). Insurers and attorneys often negotiate that percentage. You pay no attorney fee unless we recover money for you.
Free case review
Call Before Important Truck Records Are Gone
Call (602) 584-8054 or request your free case review. Our experienced and friendly attorney will explain your legal rights and what to do next. The earlier you call, the better, but it's never too late to find out your legal rights.
Call any time. Office visits Monday to Friday, 9 to 5.
Thank you, we’ve received your request.
A member of our team will reach out shortly. If your matter is urgent, call us now at (602) 584-8054.