Fatigued Driving & Hours of Service Violation Truck Accidents
When Truckers Push Too Far, Raipher Fights For The Win
Truck drivers are under constant pressure to deliver loads on tight schedules, often at the expense of rest and safety. Fatigue dulls reflexes, clouds judgment, and can cause devastating truck accidents across Massachusetts and Connecticut. When an 80,000-pound rig is driven by someone struggling to stay awake, the results can be a catastrophic truck accident.
Fatigued driving isn’t just dangerous, it’s illegal. Federal regulations strictly limit how long commercial drivers can operate before resting, but trucking companies often push drivers past those limits to meet delivery goals. The victims are other motorists, passengers, and families whose lives are shattered in preventable crashes.
Raipher, P.C. represents victims and families hurt by truck drivers who break hours-of-service rules. With more than $100 million recovered for injured clients, our truck accident attorneys know how to uncover violations, prove negligence, and fight for full compensation when exhaustion behind the wheel causes tragedy. If you were injured or a loved one was killed, contact for a free consultation to protect your right to compensation and get answers to your legal questions.
Federal laws that limit truck driver fatigue
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulates how long truck drivers can stay on duty to prevent fatigue-related crashes. These rules are critical for public safety and apply to every commercial vehicle operating in Massachusetts and Connecticut.
Under FMCSA hours-of-service regulations, drivers must:
- Limit Daily driving: No more than 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty.
- Observe Daily Limits: No more than 14 consecutive hours on duty in one shift.
- Take Required Breaks: At least 30 minutes of rest after eight hours of driving.
- Respect Weekly Caps: No more than 60 or 70 hours in a seven- or eight-day period.
When drivers or their employers falsify logs, manipulate electronic devices, or pressure drivers to skip rest breaks, they violate federal law. Raipher’s team investigates these violations in depth, exposing unsafe practices that lead directly to fatigue and catastrophic crashes.
How fatigue causes serious truck accidents
Driving while fatigued is comparable to driving under the influence. A tired driver reacts more slowly, struggles to judge distance, and may fall asleep for seconds at a time. That’s long enough to cross lanes or miss a stopped vehicle ahead. On major routes such as I-91, I-84, and the Mass Pike, those few seconds can be fatal.
Common crashes linked to fatigue include:
- Rear-End Collisions: Failing to brake when traffic slows.
- Head-On Collisions: Crossing the center line after falling asleep.
- Rollover Crashes: Losing control when drifting onto shoulders.
- Jackknife Accidents: Overcorrecting after drifting or dozing off.
- Single-Vehicle Collisions: Striking barriers, guardrails, or exits due to inattention.
Each of these collisions reflects preventable negligence. Proving it requires skill, resources, and rapid access to time-sensitive evidence before trucking companies alter or destroy records.
Evidence that proves fatigue and hours-of-service violations
Trucking companies rarely admit to breaking safety rules. Proving fatigue takes investigation and technical expertise. Raipher’s attorneys act quickly to preserve and analyze critical evidence that establishes the truth.
Key evidence may include:
- Electronic Logging Device Data: Reveals hours driven, rest breaks, and log edits.
- Dispatch and GPS Records: Show delivery routes and unrealistic schedules.
- Fuel, Toll, And Time-Stamped Receipts: Confirm driving hours that contradict driver logs.
- Black Box Data: Records vehicle speed, braking, and movement before impact.
- Company Communications: Expose pressure from dispatchers or management to keep driving.
Our legal team builds the timeline, identifies every violation, and uses that proof to demand justice. When trucking companies cut corners, we make them pay for the harm they cause.
Injuries and compensation in fatigue-related truck crashes
Fatigue-related truck accidents often happen at highway speeds, leaving victims with catastrophic or fatal injuries. Survivors may face lifelong medical care, chronic pain, or permanent disability.
Common injuries include:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries: From head impacts or rapid deceleration.
- Spinal Cord Injuries: Causing paralysis or mobility loss.
- Multiple Fractures and Crush Injuries: Requiring extensive surgeries.
- Internal Organ Damage: From seatbelt or impact trauma.
- Wrongful Death: When victims cannot survive the force of the crash.
Compensation in these cases can include coverage for medical expenses, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, and home modifications for long-term care. Families pursuing wrongful death claims may also seek recovery for funeral costs, lost financial support, and companionship.
Why Raipher is the right firm for your case
Fatigue and hours-of-service violations take experienced investigation and relentless advocacy to prove. Trucking companies have powerful defense teams, but Raipher’s trial lawyers have the resources and national reach to take them on. Our attorneys subpoena company records, question safety officers, and use expert analysis to prove what caused the crash and who is responsible.
Every case is prepared for trial from the start, because that’s what delivers stronger settlements and successful verdicts. Raipher handles all truck accident cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay no attorney’s fee unless we win. Free consultations are available for victims and families across Massachusetts and Connecticut.
When trucking companies put profit before safety, we put the law to work. Raipher delivers the strength, strategy, and results that make your one shot at justice count. Contact us to schedule a free consultation today.