Truck Accidents

Truck Accident Attorney in Portsmouth, VA

A Black-Owned Firm Serving Portsmouth Injury Victims Across Hampton Roads

When an 18-wheeler or commercial truck hits your vehicle, the trucking company’s claims team is already working. Agnew Todd Injury Law represents Portsmouth truck accident victims with the same urgency, building every case for trial from the moment we’re retained. We’re a Black-owned firm founded by two African-American attorneys who are personally committed to the communities we serve, and we’ve helped more than 300 clients pursue the compensation they deserve.

Attorney Jamie Teresa Agnew is licensed in Virginia and Georgia. Attorney Melvin Lorenzo Todd, Jr. is licensed in Virginia. Together, they bring more than 25 combined years of legal experience to every case.

If you or someone you love was hurt in a truck crash in the Portsmouth area, contact us today for a free consultation by phone, in person, or virtually. Call (757) 792-8382 to speak with our team.

Why Portsmouth Residents Come to Agnew Todd Injury Law

Trucking companies carry substantial commercial insurance and retain their own legal counsel. Injured victims who go unrepresented often face adjusters trained to minimize payouts or shift blame onto them. We level that playing field.

No fees unless we recover: We work on a contingency fee basis. You owe us nothing in legal fees unless we recover on your behalf.
Trial-ready from day one: We prepare every case as if it will go before a jury. That approach can produce a stronger position at the negotiation table and puts our clients in a stronger position if the case does go to court.
Community roots: Both attorneys are directly involved in grassroots initiatives in the neighborhoods we serve. Our mission centers on helping African-American clients seek justice that is too often denied to them. We know our clients as neighbors, not case numbers.
Virtual consultations available: If you’re hospitalized, recovering at home, or otherwise unable to travel, we can meet you where you are.

Why Portsmouth Produces Serious Truck Accident Cases

Portsmouth sits at the intersection of major commercial freight corridors in Hampton Roads. Proximity to the Port of Virginia and the Norfolk Naval Shipyard keeps commercial trucks moving through the city around the clock. Routes like I-264, Frederick Boulevard, Victory Boulevard, and the approaches to the Downtown and Midtown Tunnels carry heavy freight traffic alongside commuters, cyclists, and pedestrians every day.

A fully loaded tractor-trailer can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. When one strikes a passenger vehicle, the size disparity can produce catastrophic results for the occupants of the smaller vehicle. Traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage, severe orthopedic fractures, internal organ injury, and limb loss are among the most common outcomes. Some of these injuries don’t fully appear in the hours after a crash, which gives insurers grounds to dispute the connection to the accident if treatment is delayed.

Who Bears Responsibility in a Portsmouth Truck Accident Claim

One of the most consequential parts of a truck accident case is identifying every party whose negligence contributed to the crash. Liability rarely stops with the driver.

The Trucking Company

The carrier may be liable for negligent hiring, inadequate training, or pressuring drivers to violate Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) hours-of-service rules, which cap driving time to reduce fatigue-related crashes. When a company’s policies create unsafe conditions, they may share responsibility for the outcome.

Maintenance Contractors & Cargo Loaders

Third-party maintenance contractors may share liability when brake or tire failure contributed to the collision. Cargo loading companies can be responsible when improperly secured freight shifts in transit and causes the driver to lose control. Both are separate defendants whose coverage may add to the total available recovery.

Vehicle & Component Manufacturers

When a defective part fails under normal operating conditions, the manufacturer may bear responsibility regardless of how the driver or carrier behaved.

Trucking companies frequently dispatch rapid-response claims teams before the injured victim has left the hospital. Electronic logging device (ELD) data, GPS records, maintenance logs, driver qualification files, and event data recorders all contain time-sensitive evidence. Some of these records have limited retention windows, which is one reason early legal involvement matters so much in these cases.

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Virginia Laws That Directly Affect Your Portsmouth Truck Accident Claim

Two legal rules shape every truck accident case filed in Virginia, and both cut against injured victims who wait.

Pure Contributory Negligence

Virginia applies one of the strictest fault standards in the country. Under the pure contributory negligence rule, if a court finds the injured person even one percent at fault for the accident, they may be barred from recovering any compensation at all. Most states use a comparative negligence standard that allows partial recovery. Virginia doesn’t. Because of this, trucking company insurers routinely try to introduce evidence of partial fault early in the claims process. Protecting your claim from that tactic can require an attorney engaged before those conversations happen.

The Two-Year Filing Deadline

Under Va. Code § 8.01-243, Virginia’s personal injury statute of limitations is two years from the date of injury. Missing that deadline typically ends the claim permanently. Wrongful death claims carry a separate two-year deadline running from the date of death. Waiting also reduces the window to preserve time-sensitive evidence such as ELD records, which carriers aren’t required to retain indefinitely.

Cases filed in Portsmouth Circuit Court, which handles civil matters within Virginia’s 3rd Judicial Circuit, carry no cap on damages. Recoverable damages may include past and future medical expenses, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, and in cases involving particularly reckless conduct, punitive damages.

Speak with a Truck Accident Lawyer Serving Portsmouth Today

You don’t need to figure out the next step on your own. Agnew Todd Injury Law offers free consultations by phone, in person, or virtually, and we don’t collect legal fees unless we recover on your behalf. We serve injury victims throughout the Hampton Roads area, including Portsmouth and the surrounding communities.

Call (757) 792-8382 to speak with an 18-wheeler accident attorney at Agnew Todd Injury Law and get a clear picture of your options at no cost.

What to Do After a Truck Crash in Portsmouth

The steps you take in the days immediately following a truck accident shape what your claim may recover. Here’s what matters most.

Seek Medical Attention Right Away

Even if your symptoms seem minor, get evaluated immediately. Delays between the accident and documented treatment are one of the first tools insurers use to argue that injuries weren’t caused by the crash. A medical record that starts the day of the accident is much harder to dispute than one that begins a week later.

Don’t Give a Recorded Statement

You aren’t obligated to provide a recorded statement, sign any releases, or accept any payment before speaking with an attorney. Insurance adjusters representing the trucking company may contact you quickly with a settlement offer. Early offers are often significantly lower than what the claim may actually be worth.

Preserve What Evidence You Can

Collect as early as possible: police and accident reports, photographs and video from the scene, medical records from the day of the crash, and witness contact information. The truck’s electronic data, logbooks, and maintenance records are equally important, and those are records we work to obtain and protect once we’re engaged.

What We Do Once You Call

Once retained, we handle all communications with the trucking company’s insurer so you aren’t navigating that process while you’re recovering. We identify every liable party, build the evidentiary record, and prepare the case for trial. Most truck accident claims resolve through negotiated settlement, but preparing as though trial is coming can produce a stronger position. When a fair settlement can’t be reached, we’re ready to take the case to court.

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We Fight For People Like You

Driven to Serve & Advocate for Our Community
Compassionate Representation, Aggressive When It Counts
We Take Cases in Virginia & Georgia
Black-Owned Law Firm with Black Lawyers

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