FAQs About Trucking Accidents in New Hanover County, NC

Your safety comes first. If you’ve been in a wreck with a truck anywhere in New Hanover County, try to move to a safe location if you’re able, especially on busy roads like Interstate 40 or Highway 421. These routes often carry heavy truck traffic, and the risk of a second impact is real. Call 911 right away. Depending on where the crash occurred, the State Highway Patrol or local law enforcement may respond.

Give the officer a clear account of what happened, but do not guess or admit fault. Get the truck driver’s name, employer, and insurance information if you have it. Take photos of the vehicles, any visible injuries, and the surrounding scene. Write down the names of any witnesses. Then get medical attention, even if you don’t think you’re badly hurt. After a crash involving a commercial vehicle, the trucking company’s insurer may contact you quickly. Before answering any questions or giving a recorded statement, it’s smart to talk to a lawyer who regularly handles truck accident cases in New Hanover County. Call the Law Office of Bradley Coxe to schedule a free, confidential consultation.

Many trucking companies have their rapid response teams. They may send investigators or insurance adjusters to the scene the same day. Their goal is to minimize liability. They may take photos, speak with witnesses, and begin building a case before you’ve even left the hospital. This happens in New Hanover County more than some people realize, especially on roads leading to and from the Port of Wilmington.

By the time you receive a call from the insurance company, they may already have a version of the crash they want you to confirm. That is why legal guidance matters. A lawyer who knows how these companies operate can stop the pressure and help you focus on your recovery while protecting your claim.

Crashes involving trucks in this area are often tied to driver fatigue, distraction, or poor training. Many of the trucks traveling through New Hanover County are heading to or from the port, which adds to congestion and puts more stress on drivers. Long shifts without rest can lead to delayed reaction times and poor judgment. Some crashes happen when drivers miss turns or misjudge curves near bottlenecks like College Road or the Martin Luther King Parkway.

Other causes include poor maintenance, brake failure, and overloaded trailers. In some cases, the trucking company pushes the driver to meet unrealistic delivery schedules, which leads to speeding or skipping federally required rest breaks. These issues can turn a minor mistake into a major wreck. When something like that happens, your lawyer will want to examine logbooks, inspection records, and other internal documents that may not be part of the police investigation.

In most other states, you could. In North Carolina, the rules are different. If the trucking company or its insurer believes you bear even a small share of fault, they may try to deny your claim entirely. This is because of a rule known as contributory negligence. Under this law, any degree of fault on your part, even 1%, can block your right to recover compensation.

This makes careful investigation especially important. A local lawyer who understands the specific roads, intersections, and driving conditions in New Hanover County can help develop a case that may show the truck driver or company was entirely at fault.

In North Carolina, the general deadline for filing a personal injury lawsuit is three years from the date of the crash. That’s called the Statute of Limitations. This applies in New Hanover County just as it does statewide. If the crash results in a fatality, the deadline for bringing a wrongful death claim is typically two years from the date of death.

It is important to understand that notifying the insurance company or negotiating a settlement does not pause this deadline. If a lawsuit is not filed in time, your right to recover compensation may be lost. A trucking accident lawyer can help you determine whether a claim needs to be filed in court and how much time you have left based on the facts of your case.