Can I Sue a Trucking Company After an Accident in Tulsa?

A serious crash with a commercial truck can change everything in an instant. If you’re left dealing with injuries, medical bills, and time off work, one question probably comes to mind: Can I sue the trucking company if their driver caused the accident?

In some cases, yes—you can. And knowing when and how to hold both the truck driver and the trucking company accountable can make a real difference in your recovery.

Why You Can Sue Both the Truck Driver and the Trucking Company

Under Oklahoma law, when a truck driver causes an accident while hauling a load, the company they work for can often be brought into the claim as well. That’s because of a legal concept called respondeat superior. In plain terms, it means the employer is on the hook for what their employee does while doing their job.

And that’s important, because:

• The trucking company’s insurance coverage is usually much larger than what the driver carries
• Trucking companies can be held liable for poor hiring decisions, rushed training, or lack of supervision
• They often pressure drivers to meet unrealistic schedules, even if it means skipping breaks or pushing limits
• Their policies and operations can directly affect what happens on the road

We’ve handled many cases where the blame initially seemed to rest solely on the truck driver—until we dug deeper. That’s when the bigger picture became clear: unsafe schedules, ignored maintenance issues, or a driver who never should have been behind the wheel to begin with.

It’s those findings that allow us to file a lawsuit and hold both the driver and the trucking company accountable.

When Trucking Companies Can Be Held Directly Liable

It’s not always just the truck driver who’s at fault. In many cases, it’s the trucking company’s negligence that sets the stage for a serious crash. When that happens, we can often hold the company directly liable—not just because of their driver’s actions, but because of what the company did (or didn’t do) themselves.

Here are some of the most common ways trucking companies can be held accountable:

Negligent Hiring Practices

A trucking company has a duty to hire qualified, safe drivers. If they ignore red flags—like a history of safety violations, substance abuse, or lack of training—they’re putting unsafe drivers on the road. That decision alone can be a major factor in your truck accident case.

Inadequate Training and Supervision

Driving a commercial truck safely requires more than a CDL. Companies must train drivers on load handling, bad weather procedures, and hours-of-service rules. When they skip that step or fail to monitor performance, they share the blame when a crash happens.

Poor Vehicle Maintenance

Trucking companies are responsible for keeping their fleet in safe working order. Skipping inspections or delaying repairs on brakes, tires, or steering can easily lead to mechanical failures that cause an accident. When we investigate, we look closely at maintenance records to find out what went wrong.

Encouraging Rule Violations

We’ve seen how companies push drivers to meet tight delivery windows—even if it means violating federal safety regulations. When drivers are pressured to skip rest breaks or falsify logbooks, it creates conditions that lead directly to accidents. If that pressure played a role in your crash, it becomes a key part of your truck accident lawsuit.

What if the Truck Driver is an Independent Contractor?

We’ve seen it time and again: a trucking company tries to avoid responsibility by claiming the truck driver was an independent contractor. But just because they say it doesn’t make it true. Courts don’t rely on job titles—they look at the actual relationship between the driver and the trucking company.

A few key questions help determine whether the company may still be liable:

• Who owns the truck and equipment?
• Does the driver work exclusively for the company?
• How much control does the company have over the driver’s schedule and duties?
• Is the driver paid per mile, per load, or by time?
• How is the driver classified for tax and employment purposes?

Even when the truck driver is an independent contractor, the trucking company may still be responsible, especially if they:

• Failed to screen or vet the driver properly
• Set unsafe schedules or imposed unrealistic delivery demands
• Provided equipment but skipped required maintenance
• Violated federal safety regulations

If you were involved in a truck accident, we look beyond surface labels to get the full story. As your truck accident attorney, it’s our job to find out who played a role in what happened—and hold the trucking company accountable if they contributed to the crash.

The Value of Your Truck Accident Lawsuit

A truck accident can leave lasting physical, emotional, and financial damage, often more severe than what you’d face in a typical car accident case. When an 80,000-pound commercial truck hits a standard passenger vehicle, the impact is devastating. That’s why the value of your truck accident lawsuit needs to reflect the true scope of what you’ve lost.

As truck accident lawyers, we fight to recover the full amount you deserve. That may include:

• Medical expenses, both past and future
• Lost income and reduced ability to work
• Property damage
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Punitive damages, in cases involving extreme negligence

How much your case is worth depends on many factors: the seriousness of your injuries, your long-term prognosis, and the amount of available insurance coverage.

The good news? Trucking companies typically carry commercial insurance policies with much higher limits than individual drivers, which can result in a more meaningful settlement for your truck accident.

Challenges in Trucking Company Lawsuits

You have every right to sue a trucking company if their driver caused the accident, but that doesn’t mean the road to justice is easy. These cases are often complex, and trucking companies don’t make it simple for victims to recover what they deserve. Here’s what we’re up against in many truck accident claims:

Aggressive Defense Tactics

The moment a crash happens, trucking companies and their insurance carriers jump into action. They send investigators to the scene, collect selective evidence, and try to lock truck accident victims into low settlement offers before they even talk to a lawyer. Their goal is to protect the company, not to do what’s right for you.

Complex Federal Regulations

The trucking industry is heavily regulated at the federal level. Proving that a trucking company violated safety laws—whether it’s hours-of-service limits, maintenance standards, or load restrictions—takes a deep understanding of the rules. Not every personal injury lawyer is equipped to handle the level of investigation these cases demand. We are.

Multiple Liable Parties

In many truck accident cases, it’s not just the driver or the trucking company who may be responsible. We often uncover additional parties who played a role in the crash, including:

• Truck manufacturers, when faulty parts or systems contributed
• Cargo loading companies, if shifting loads led to imbalance or rollovers
• Maintenance providers, when poor repairs caused a mechanical failure
• Government entities, if unsafe road design or poor upkeep made the crash more likely

To build a truck accident lawsuit that reflects the true impact of what happened, we dig into every detail and follow every lead. That’s how we hold all responsible parties accountable—and how we fight for the full compensation you deserve.

Timeline to File Your Truck Accident Lawsuit

If you’ve been injured in a truck accident in Oklahoma, you generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. Miss that deadline, and your right to pursue compensation disappears—no matter how strong your truck accident case might be.

But here’s the thing: waiting too long can hurt your case well before that deadline hits. Trucking companies and their insurance teams move fast after a crash. Critical evidence—like electronic logging data, maintenance reports, and driver logs—can get lost or wiped out in days if no one steps in to preserve it.

That’s why it’s so important to speak with a truck accident attorney as soon as possible. The sooner we’re involved, the better your chances of building a solid case backed by hard evidence.

How an Experienced Truck Accident Lawyer Makes the Difference

Taking on a trucking company after an accident isn’t the same as handling a regular car accident case. These companies are protected by massive insurance policies and aggressive legal teams. If you want a fair shot, you need a lawyer who understands truck accidents inside and out.

When we take your case, we don’t waste time. Here’s how we go to work:

• Send spoliation letters right away to stop evidence from being deleted or destroyed
• Retrieve electronic logging data to verify how long the truck driver was on the road
• Review driver qualification and employment records for signs of negligent hiring
• Identify every insurance policy that could provide coverage
• Partner with accident reconstruction experts to uncover exactly how the crash happened
• Calculate your total losses—medical costs, future care, lost income, and more
• Handle all communication with insurance companies so they don’t take advantage
• Build your case for trial while working to secure the best possible settlement

We’re not here to push paperwork or chase low offers. We’re here to hold negligent truck drivers and trucking companies accountable—so you can focus on healing while we fight for what you’re owed.

Don’t Face Trucking Companies Alone

If you were injured in a truck accident, you’re likely up against a powerful trucking company backed by aggressive insurance carriers and legal teams trained to protect their bottom line, not your well-being.

At 222 Injury Lawyers, we’ve spent over 30 years standing up to these companies and fighting for truck accident victims across Oklahoma. We know the tactics they use to shift blame, downplay injuries, and push for fast, unfair settlements—and we know how to push back.

You shouldn’t have to deal with this on your own. If the trucking company’s negligence caused your injuries, we’re here to hold them accountable.

Let’s talk. Your consultation is free, and there’s no obligation. If we take your case, you don’t pay us a dime unless we recover compensation for you.