IT'S MORE THAN MONEY.
Colorado Truck Accident Lawyers
We represent people hurt by 18-wheelers and commercial trucks across every Colorado county, from the I-70 mountain corridor to Denver metro freight routes. You pay nothing unless we win your case.
No fee unless we winA crash with a commercial truck is not a bigger car accident. Trucks weighing over 10,000 pounds answer to a layer of federal and Colorado safety law that ordinary drivers never touch, and the violations behind your crash often become the evidence that wins your case.
- Interstate trucks must follow Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) rules in Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 350 to 399, covering driver hours, brakes, and logging devices.
- Colorado adds its own requirements, including the C.R.S. 42-4-235 minimum safety standards and the CDOT Code 16 chain law on the I-70 mountain corridor, where violations can establish negligence per se.
- Key evidence vanishes fast. Engine control module (black box) data can be overwritten in 30 days and dashcam footage in 30 to 90 days, so a spoliation letter has to go out within the first 72 hours.
CGH Injury Lawyers represents people injured by commercial trucks across every county in Colorado, from Vail Pass and the Eisenhower Tunnel to the Mousetrap interchange in Denver. We investigate the carrier, not just the driver, secure the data before it disappears, and prepare every case for trial. No upfront fees, and a free first consultation.
Why truck cases differ
Why a truck accident case is not a car accident case
Truck cases carry more defendants, more regulations, and more evidence than a typical crash. Each of those layers is a place to prove fault, and a place where a carrier will try to bury it.
More parties can be at fault
- The driver, for their own negligence behind the wheel
- The trucking company, for negligent hiring, training, supervision, or maintenance
- Cargo loaders, brokers, and third-party maintenance contractors
- The truck or parts manufacturer when a defect contributed
More evidence, and it disappears
- Electronic logging device (ELD) data showing real hours driven versus what the carrier reported
- Engine control module (ECM) black box data on speed and hard braking, often kept only 30 days
- Forward and driver-facing dashcam footage, typically deleted in 30 to 90 days
- Maintenance records that can reveal a pattern of deferred repairs
Federal law requires carriers to keep ELD data for six months and maintenance records for one year, but companies frequently overwrite or lose this information. Acting within the first 72 hours, before evidence is gone, is the single biggest factor in preserving your claim.
Federal and state law
The trucking rules that decide your case in Colorado
Colorado trucking runs on a dual-jurisdiction framework: federal FMCSA standards govern interstate carriers, and Colorado statutes add mountain-grade and chain-law duties on top. Knowing which rule applies is how liability gets proven.
Federal Hours of Service (49 CFR Part 395)
- 11-hour driving limit after 10 consecutive hours off duty
- 14-hour on-duty window that cannot be reset by breaks
- 30-minute break required after 8 cumulative hours of driving
- 60 hours on duty in 7 days, or 70 hours in 8 days
- Electronic logging devices required since December 2017 (49 CFR Part 395, Subpart B)
Colorado-specific standards
- C.R.S. 42-4-235 sets minimum commercial vehicle safety equipment standards; a breach can be negligence per se
- CDOT Code 16 chain law requires commercial trucks to chain up when activated on I-70 and other passes
- Chains must be carried on I-70 between September 1 and May 31
- Weight limits of 80,000 pounds gross, 20,000 per single axle, and 34,000 per tandem axle on interstate highways
- C.R.S. 42-4-1010 governs mandatory brake check stations before major downgrades
The chain law cuts off the "Act of God" defense
Code 16 is not optional. When a commercial truck causes a crash during a Code 16 activation without chains installed, the carrier cannot fall back on "unavoidable accident" or bad weather. Colorado law treats winter driving as a manageable duty, not an excuse. The same goes for the FMCSA adverse-driving-conditions exception under 49 CFR 395.1(b)(1): it is frequently abused on the predictable I-70 corridor and does not excuse a fatigued driver who should have planned for snow.
How we handle your case
How we build a Colorado truck accident claim
We represent people hurt in commercial truck crashes and the families of those killed. From the first 72 hours forward, the priority is securing evidence and identifying every party that shares the blame.
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Free case evaluation
We review the facts, explain your rights, and answer your questions at no cost and no obligation.
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Send spoliation letters fast
Within the first 72 hours we demand preservation of ELD data, driver logs, ECM black box data, dashcam footage, and maintenance records before they can be overwritten.
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Investigate every party
We look past the driver to the carrier, brokers, cargo loaders, and maintenance contractors, and we work with accident reconstruction specialists to show exactly how the crash happened.
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Build the regulatory case
We map each violation, from Hours of Service to chain law to brake maintenance, onto the legal theory that proves negligence and supports punitive damages where the conduct was egregious.
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Demand and negotiate
We document your full damages and negotiate from a position of trial readiness, not from a willingness to take the first lowball offer an adjuster floats.
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Try the case when needed
If a carrier and its insurer refuse to be fair, our trial lawyers are prepared to present your case to a Colorado jury.
We also help with the practical pressure of recovery. Early on, your health insurance or auto MedPay coverage usually handles medical bills, and we work with providers to arrange payment from settlement proceeds so treatment continues while your claim moves forward.
Who is liable
Holding the trucking company accountable, not just the driver
Carriers often label drivers as independent contractors to dodge responsibility, and they structure leases through shell companies to hide behind the Graves Amendment. Both defenses can be pierced.
- Courts look past the "independent contractor" label to the real relationship. When the carrier controls the work, it can be vicariously liable under respondeat superior.
- Even a truly independent driver does not shield the carrier from direct claims for negligent hiring, training, supervision, or maintenance.
- The Graves Amendment (49 U.S.C. 30106) protects rental and leasing companies, but it does not cover a lessor who was negligent in maintenance or knew the driver was unqualified.
- Federal leasing regulations (49 CFR Part 376) impose recordkeeping and control duties that often reveal a carrier's true operational control over the truck.
Colorado's modified comparative negligence rule also assigns fault percentages across the parties, which can affect recovery. We analyze every source of liability so your claim reaches every available insurance policy and corporate asset, and we counter defense attempts to shift blame onto you.
Compensation
What compensation can you recover after a Colorado truck accident?
Because truck crashes tend to cause severe, long-term injuries, the damages reach well past the first hospital bill. Colorado lets injured people recover documented economic losses and the human cost of an injury.
Economic damages
- Emergency treatment and ongoing medical care
- Future care and long-term rehabilitation costs
- Lost wages and missed workdays
- Diminished earning capacity
- Property damage to your vehicle
Non-economic and punitive damages
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and trauma
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Relationship and family impact
- Punitive damages in cases of egregious negligence
A carrier's poor CSA safety scores, a pattern of falsified inspection logs, or deliberate weigh-station evasion can support a claim for punitive damages, which both punish the wrongdoer and deter the same conduct in the future. We make sure your claim includes every category of harm the law allows.
I wish I could leave more than 5 stars!
Grace Macaluso, 5-star Google review
Your team
Trial lawyers who know the trucking rulebook
CGH Injury Lawyers is a Colorado firm founded in 2016, formerly Cheney Galluzzi & Howard, LLC. Managing Partner Kevin Cheney is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) and has tried over 25 cases to verdict. Timothy G. Tarr has been recognized by Best Lawyers every year since 2023. Our truck accident attorneys understand the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and the chain of responsibility behind a commercial crash, and every case is handled by a licensed Colorado attorney.
Related injury cases
Other Colorado injury cases we handle
Many truck crashes overlap with other serious injury claims. If your case is broader than a single collision, these practice areas connect to it.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions about Colorado truck accident claims
What are the Hours of Service limits for commercial truck drivers?
The FMCSA limits commercial drivers to 11 hours of driving after 10 consecutive hours off duty, within a 14-hour on-duty window. Drivers must take a 30-minute break after 8 cumulative hours of driving and cannot exceed 60 hours on duty in 7 consecutive days, or 70 hours in 8 days. These rules exist to prevent driver fatigue, a leading cause of truck accidents.
What is Colorado's chain law for trucks?
Commercial trucks must carry chains on I-70 between September 1 and May 31. When CDOT activates a Code 16 traction law, shown on overhead electronic signs and condition reports, trucks must install chains on at least two drive wheels. Failure to comply is a misdemeanor and eliminates any bad-weather defense in accident litigation.
Who is liable in a Colorado truck accident, the driver or the company?
Both can be liable. The driver is responsible for their own negligence, such as speeding or distracted driving. The trucking company can be vicariously liable under respondeat superior if the driver was an employee, or directly liable for negligent hiring, training, supervision, or maintenance. Many cases involve multiple parties, including the truck manufacturer for defective parts and third-party maintenance contractors.
How long do trucking companies have to keep evidence after a crash?
Federal law requires carriers to retain ELD data for six months, but it is often overwritten unless preserved through a spoliation letter. Engine control module (ECM) data may be stored for only 30 days, and dashcam footage for 30 to 90 days. Acting within the first 72 hours to demand preservation is critical to your claim.
What is the Graves Amendment and does it block my truck accident claim?
The Graves Amendment (49 U.S.C. 30106) protects truck rental and leasing companies from vicarious liability when a renter causes an accident. It does not shield the carrier who leased the truck, and it does not apply if the lessor was negligent in maintenance or knew the driver was unqualified. Attorneys can often pierce this defense by showing the lessor kept operational control over the truck.
Can a trucking company blame the crash on bad weather in Colorado?
Usually not. Colorado's Code 16 chain law treats winter driving as a manageable duty, not an unforeseeable event. If the carrier failed to equip the truck with chains, failed to train the driver on chain installation, or allowed the driver to proceed in violation of a Code 16 activation, the bad-weather defense fails. The FMCSA adverse-driving-conditions exception to Hours of Service rules is also frequently abused and does not excuse reckless driving.
What evidence matters most in a truck accident case?
The most important evidence includes the truck's electronic logging device data, the driver's logs, maintenance records, and black box data, much of which carriers may keep for only 30 to 90 days. Witness statements, scene photos, police reports, and medical records also matter. Our attorneys work with accident reconstruction specialists who analyze skid marks, vehicle damage, and road conditions to establish how the crash occurred.
Should I accept the insurance company's first settlement offer?
It is generally not advisable to accept a quick offer without consulting an experienced truck accident attorney. Adjusters aim to minimize payouts and may offer a lowball figure before you understand the full extent of your injuries. Accepting a settlement waives your right to pursue more later, even if your condition worsens. We can evaluate any offer against your specific injuries and negotiate for full compensation.
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Tell us what happened. We will review your Colorado truck accident case at no cost and no obligation.
Cities we serve
We handle these cases for clients across Colorado. View all locations we serve.
IT'S MORE THAN MONEY.
Hurt by a truck. We hold the carrier accountable.
Free consultation. No fee unless we win. Available across Colorado.
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