I-20 Accident Lawyers in Louisiana

Passenger vehicles share the interstate with 18-wheelers, commercial carriers, buses, delivery vehicles, motorcycles, and travelers crossing the state.

Through the Shreveport-Bossier area, drivers encounter interstate interchanges, entrance ramps, exits, construction, heavy truck traffic, congestion, and connections with other major highways.

When a collision occurs at interstate speed, injuries can be catastrophic.

At Jacqueline Scott & Associates, we investigate serious I-20 car and truck accidents in Shreveport, Bossier City, Caddo Parish, Bossier Parish, and throughout Louisiana.

Make ’Em Pay.

Call (318) 746-5997.

Why Are I-20 Accidents Different From Ordinary City-Street Wrecks?

Speed is one major difference.

Interstate traffic also creates circumstances involving:

• merging;
• passing;
• rapid lane changes;
• commercial trucking;
• sudden traffic backups;
• construction;
• entrance and exit ramps; and
• multiple vehicles.

One driver’s mistake can involve several vehicles within seconds.

I-20 Rear-End Accidents

Traffic may suddenly slow because of congestion, construction, an earlier collision, or a lane closure.

A distracted driver may not recognize the slowdown.

An 18-wheeler may require substantially more distance to stop than a passenger vehicle.

After a serious rear-end collision, the investigation may focus on:

• following distance;
• speed;
• distraction;
• braking;
• visibility; and
• traffic conditions.

I-20 18-Wheeler Accidents

I-20 carries commercial freight through North Louisiana.

When an 18-wheeler causes a wreck, the investigation can extend far beyond the crash report.

Potential evidence includes:

• ELD information;
• GPS;
• telematics;
• truck cameras;
• dispatch messages;
• cellphone information;
• maintenance records;
• inspection documents;
• driver qualification records; and
• cargo documentation.

Commercial Truck Insurance on Interstate 20

Federal regulations establish minimum financial-responsibility requirements for certain interstate motor carriers.

Depending on the operation and cargo, minimums can range from $750,000 for certain nonhazardous property carriers to $1 million or $5 million for specified hazardous-material operations.

But those figures should not be treated as automatic policy limits in every I-20 accident.

A motor carrier may carry higher limits.

There may also be:

• excess insurance;
• umbrella coverage;
• self-insurance; or
• separate policies belonging to other responsible entities.

Why Multiple Companies May Be Connected to One Truck

A tractor-trailer may involve several business relationships.

The driver might work for one company.

The tractor may belong to another.

The trailer may have a different owner.

Cargo may have been loaded by another business.

Maintenance may have been outsourced.

Each relationship should be identified.

Does That Mean Every Company Is Responsible?

No.

A company’s connection to the truck does not automatically establish legal liability.

Evidence must establish what each party did and how that conduct contributed to the wreck.

Louisiana Article 2324 and Multiple At-Fault Parties

Louisiana generally allocates negligent fault among responsible parties.

Under Civil Code Article 2324, when liability is not solidary under its intentional-conduct provision, damages caused by multiple persons are generally treated as a joint and divisible obligation.

A joint tortfeasor generally is not responsible for more than that party’s degree of fault.

That means locating all potentially responsible parties can matter enormously in a serious multi-defendant case.

I-20 Lane-Change Accidents

Unsafe lane changes can be especially dangerous around tractor-trailers.

A truck’s trailer may strike a vehicle even after the tractor has passed.

Potential evidence includes:

• side-camera footage;
• forward dashcam footage;
• witnesses;
• vehicle damage;
• roadway markings;
• GPS; and
• telematics.

I-20 Entrance-Ramp Accidents

Merging accidents frequently produce disputed stories.

The truck driver may claim the passenger vehicle cut in front.

The passenger driver may say the truck changed lanes or accelerated into the merge.

Objective evidence can help establish what actually occurred.

I-20 Exit Accidents

Drivers may make sudden maneuvers when approaching an exit.

Dangerous conduct can include:

• abrupt braking;
• last-second lane changes;
• crossing several lanes;
• following too closely; or
• entering an exit without sufficient clearance.

Commercial drivers may also be distracted by GPS or dispatch instructions while searching for a destination.

What If an 18-Wheeler Crossed the Median?

Median-crossing accidents can result in devastating head-on impacts.

Investigators should determine why the truck left its lane.

Potential factors include:

• distraction;
• fatigue;
• excessive speed;
• tire failure;
• steering problems;
• weather;
• evasive action; or
• mechanical failure.

What If the Truck Driver Fell Asleep?

Driver fatigue may require investigation of more than the driver’s statement.

Records can include:

• ELD data;
• GPS;
• dispatch;
• delivery schedules;
• fuel purchases;
• toll records; and
• other time-stamped information.

These records may help reconstruct the driver’s activity before the crash.

What If the Trucking Company Says the Driver Was an Independent Contractor?

Do not assume that label resolves the case.

The actual commercial relationship may require investigation of contracts, control, ownership, dispatch, operating authority, and other facts.

Louisiana’s Direct Action Law Changed

Louisiana once allowed much broader direct lawsuits against liability insurers.

Act 275 of 2024 substantially narrowed Louisiana Revised Statute 22:1269.

Current law generally allows direct action against a liability insurer only under specified circumstances.

Examples can include bankruptcy, insolvency, certain inability-to-serve situations, death of the insured, uninsured-motorist claims, and certain coverage disputes.

Insurance may still be critically important even when the insurer cannot initially be named as an ordinary defendant.

What If Several Vehicles Were Involved?

I-20 pileups can require reconstruction of the entire sequence.

Investigators may need to identify:

• the first collision;
• each subsequent impact;
• vehicle speeds;
• lane positions;
• braking;
• visibility;
• truck movements; and
• other drivers’ actions.

What Injuries Can I-20 Accidents Cause?

High-speed interstate collisions can cause:

• brain injuries;
• spinal injuries;
• paralysis;
• fractures;
• internal injuries;
• amputations;
• crush injuries;
• severe burns; and
• permanent disability.

Where Are Seriously Injured North Louisiana Patients Treated?

Severely injured accident victims may require emergency trauma care.

Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport’s Academic Medical Center on Kings Highway identifies itself as the region’s Level I Trauma Center and also maintains Level II pediatric trauma capabilities.

Medical records from emergency transportation, trauma evaluation, imaging, surgery, hospitalization, and rehabilitation can become important evidence of the injuries caused by the wreck.

What If I Cannot Return to Work?

Keep:

• pay records;
• employer statements;
• work restrictions;
• disability documentation;
• missed overtime information; and
• medical restrictions.

Catastrophic injuries can affect earning ability for years or permanently.

What Should I Do After an I-20 Wreck?

Seek medical treatment.

Call law enforcement.

Preserve photographs and video.

Identify witnesses.

If an 18-wheeler is involved, photograph:

• company markings;
• USDOT information;
• tractor number;
• trailer number;
• license plates; and
• visible damage.

Save your dashcam footage.

Jacqueline Scott & Associates Investigates I-20 Accidents

A serious I-20 accident can involve a passenger vehicle, 18-wheeler, several companies, multiple defendants, and layers of commercial insurance.

The investigation should determine the complete story.

Who caused the collision?

Was an 18-wheeler involved?

Was the driver fatigued or distracted?

Who employed the driver?

Who owned the tractor and trailer?

What electronic evidence exists?

Which insurance policies apply?

If you were seriously injured in an I-20 accident in Shreveport, Bossier City, Caddo Parish, Bossier Parish, or elsewhere in Louisiana, call Jacqueline Scott & Associates at (318) 746-5997.

Make ’Em Pay.

Every case is different. Results depend on the facts and circumstances of each individual matter. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. This article provides general information and is not legal advice.

This article is general information about Louisiana law and is not legal advice. Laws and deadlines can change, and every case depends on its own facts. Past results do not guarantee or predict future outcomes. Reading this page or contacting the firm does not by itself create an attorney-client relationship.