Youngstown 18-Wheeler Accident Lawyer

Trusted 18-Wheeler Accident Attorney in Youngstown, OH

There are several vital trucking corridors in the Youngstown area, including various highways like I-76, I-80, and I-680, and drivers in the area regularly encounter large 18-wheelers on the road. While accidents involving these vehicles are relatively rare compared to most other vehicle accidents in Ohio, they can be incredibly damaging and raise complex legal questions for those involved. A Youngstown 18-wheeler accident lawyer is the ideal resource to consult after this type of crash.

Representing Victims of 18-Wheeler Crashes in Youngstown, OH

The Gervelis Law Firm can assist with your recovery efforts after you or a loved one is injured in an 18-wheeler accident in Youngstown. We have successfully resolved many difficult vehicle accident cases in Ohio, and founding attorney Mark Gervelis is a Board Certified Trial Lawyer with decades of proven experience handling some of the most challenging injury claims in Ohio. 

Our firm will listen to your story and help you understand your legal options. While the legal process of claiming compensation for your damages after an 18-wheeler accident is very similar to what you might expect after most other types of accidents in Ohio, these cases often present legal complications that require the attention of experienced legal counsel. We are confident we can help you prove fault for your accident and recover compensation for your damages. 

Proving Fault in an 18-Wheeler Accident Claim

The Ohio State Highway Patrol recorded 5,596 traffic accidents in Mahoning County in 2025, and 349 of these accidents involved commercial vehicles like 18-wheelers. In Ohio, if you believe another driver caused your accident, you must prove fault before you can recover any compensation for the losses you suffered, and this same rule applies to a commercial truck accident. However, multiple parties could share liability for your damages. 

18-wheeler accidents can happen because of speeding, distracted driving, moving violations, intoxicated driving, and many of the same causes of other accidents in Ohio. However, some truck accidents result from a truck driver’s and/or their employer’s failure to comply with trucking industry regulations, such as the hours-of-service rules meant to prevent fatigued driving or the rules pertaining to truck maintenance to ensure vehicle safety. 

You may need several forms of evidence to prove liability for your accident, some of which you may not know how to obtain without an attorney’s help. Proving fault for an 18-wheeler accident may not only require eyewitness statements, vehicle black-box data, and physical evidence from the scene of the accident, but also trucking company records, vehicle maintenance logs, and professional insights from expert witnesses who can explain complex details of the crash. 

In some cases, multiple parties are found liable. If you contributed to causing your recent truck accident, Ohio’s modified comparative negligence law could apply to your case, and you would be assigned a fault percentage. As long as a plaintiff is found less than 50% at fault, their fault percentage is subtracted from their total compensation, and they receive the remainder, but fault greater than 50% would disqualify them from claiming compensation from the defendant.

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Claiming Compensation for an 18-Wheeler Accident in Youngstown

After most accidents in Ohio, auto insurance is an injured driver’s first channel of recovery. State law requires every driver to have auto insurance that meets minimum coverage requirements for bodily injury liability coverage and property damage liability coverage. 18-wheelers are typically covered by commercial policies that include extensive coverage, but actually recovering compensation from one of these carriers is likely to be more difficult than you expect. 

As soon as a trucking company learns that one of their vehicles has been involved in an accident, the company, their attorneys, and their insurance company will be immediately working to minimize their liability for the resulting damages however they can. Do not wait for an insurance company to unfairly deny your claim to speak with an attorney; experienced legal counsel can help you secure an appropriate amount of compensation from your insurance claim. 

When large commercial trucks crash, occupants of the smaller vehicles involved are most likely to suffer the worst of the resulting injuries. The National Safety Council reported that in 2024, about 70% of fatal truck accident victims nationwide were occupants of smaller passenger vehicles. Truck occupants only accounted for 17% of these victims. 

An experienced Youngstown 18-wheeler accident attorney will be a crucial asset when it comes to securing fair compensation for the damages you suffered. You or a loved one may have sustained a life-changing injury that not only requires extensive medical care but also limits your capacity to work. With the right attorney on your side, you may be able to recover economic losses such as vehicle repair costs, medical bills, lost income, and lost earning capacity.

The plaintiff in an Ohio personal injury case also has the right to seek compensation for the pain and suffering a defendant caused. State law limits pain and suffering compensation in most personal injury cases, but the limit may be lifted if the plaintiff suffered a catastrophic injury. Your attorney can explain all of the variables that could influence the outcome of your case and affect the amount of compensation you receive if you successfully prove liability.

Hire an 18-Wheeler Accident Lawyer in Youngstown Today

You have a short time to build a case after an 18-wheeler accident in Younstwon, Ohio. Some of the evidence needed to prove liability will not be obtainable for very long, and there are statutory deadlines for filing auto insurance claims or personal injury claims in Ohio. The sooner you connect with experienced legal counsel, the greater your chances are of reaching a favorable conclusion to your case. 

The Gervelis Law Firm accepts personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning we do not charge any upfront attorneys’ fees from our clients. We only charge a percentage of the total recovered if we successfully secure compensation for our client, but if there is no recovery, there is no fee. The legal representation you need for this difficult case is accessible at no risk. 

It will also cost you nothing to meet with our team and discuss your legal options. During your initial consultation, we will listen to your story to determine whether you have a case, and then explain the legal services we offer that can help with your recovery. Contact the Gervelis Law Firm today to schedule your free consultation with an experienced Youngstown 18-wheeler accident lawyer. We look forward to representing you.