Helping the Injured in Tennessee Since 1977
Hours of Service & Trucker Fatigue There's No Substitute for Experience 

Accidents Caused by Hours of Service Violations & Truck Driver Fatigue in Nashville

Holding Trucking Companies Responsible for HOS Violations

The National Transportation Safety Board recently reported that trucker fatigue is a widespread and potentially catastrophic issue. Experts estimate that fatigue puts millions of drivers at risk per day. It is currently one of the leading causes of truck accidents—it is a factor in no less than 13% of fatal collisions caused by truckers.

Falling asleep at the wheel isn’t just an accident; it is an act of negligence. Truck drivers can be held responsible for violating regulations, and employers can be held responsible for their driver’s actions in some circumstances.

When truck drivers fail to adhere to the hours of service regulations, they violate the law. Because their fatigue causes them to make judgement errors, they place others on the road at risk. If you or a loved one was injured because a truck driver was driving while drowsy, contact Kinnard Law today.

If you or someone you love was involved in an accident with a semi-truck, call (615) 933-2893 for a free evaluation.

Overview of Hours of Service Regulations

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has detailed all the major HOS rules on its website, broken down by property and passenger-carrying commercial motor vehicles (CMVs).

The following must comply with hours-of-service rules:

  • Trucks that weigh more than 10,000.
  • Vehicles designed to transport 16 passengers or more.
  • Trucks transporting hazardous materials.

The hours of service rules limit the number of hours a driver can operate their trucks.

Property-carrying drivers must abide be the following rules:

  • Drivers may drive up to 11 hours after 10 hours consecutively off duty.
  • Drivers may not drive longer than 14 consecutive hours, even after 10 consecutive hours off.
  • Drivers may only drive if 8 hours have passed between their last end of day on duty.
  • Drivers may not drive after 60/70 hours on duty for 7/8 consecutive days.

These rules are meant to protect both truck drivers and all other drivers on the road. Too often, drivers will violate these rules in order to meet their deadlines. However, when they do this, they risk making fatal mistakes. When an individual is too tired to drive, he or she is not alert and cannot respond quickly enough to potential obstacles.

Driver Logbooks

Drivers are required to log all of their driving, rest breaks, and off-duty hours in a logbook. For some companies, logbooks are digital. You can view an example of a driver logbook here. Employers are required to evaluate these driver logs to identify any HOS violations. It is also a violation to manipulate logbooks, and for employers to neglect evaluating logbooks.

Why Do Truckers Drive Tired?

Truck drivers may be under immense pressure in some situations to deliver their cargo within a small window. Some truckers are paid by how many loads they deliver, which can increase the temptation to drive faster and skip mandated resting breaks. Other drivers may be well-rested, but have to drive through the night. Driving at night or during early morning hours may contribute to fatigue just as much as sleeplessness does.

How We Can Help

Our firm has more than 150 years of collective experience on our side, and we have been voted one of the “Best Law Firms” by U.S. News in the area of Personal Injury Law for Plaintiffs. We know how to handle trucking accident cases for victims and their families effectively.

If you or a loved one was involved in an accident with a truck, we invite you to contact Kinnard Law today for a free evaluation of your legal rights and options.

Verdicts & Settlements

Unmatched Dedication Has Led to Record-Setting Victories
  • Personal Injury - Erin Andrews Lawsuit Against Hotel $55 Million
  • Medical Malpractice - 62 Year Old Woman $22.2 Million
  • Medical Malpractice - Largest Verdict in Weakley County History $15.2 Million
  • Medical Malpractice - Davidson County $6.5 Million
  • Wrongful Death of 22 Month Old $5 Million
  • Golf Cart Accident $4.4 Million
  • Medical Malpractice - 24 Year Old College Student $4 Million
  • Wrongful Death - Tractor-Trailer Wreck $3.25 Million
  • Wrongful Death - 16 Year Old Boy $3 Million
  • Auto Accident - Rutherford County $3 Million
/

Client Testimonials

Helping the Injured Obtain Justice
  • Integrity, above and beyond

    “From a choice in the Yellow Pages to Success. This Law Firm has proven itself as absolutely professional, goal oriented, kind and compassionate in the past several years during my case. Mutual trust ...”

    - H.W.
  • In the hardest two years of my life, you provided the utmost trust, comfort, and support.

    “Thank you Randy, Jennifer, and Cynthia so much for not only helping me get through what has been the hardest time of my life, but for always providing grace, trust, and a sense of comfort for what ...”

    - T.H.
  • We are very grateful.

    “Our case was not easy. Many law firms would not be willing to get involved with a case this complicated and time-consuming. What Kinnard Law achieved on account of conquering numerous hurdles was ...”

    - E.I.
  • Great staff.

    “I had the pleasure of working with a few different Kinnard Law lawyers after a personal injury. The process in its entirety took a couple years - which is longer than I anticipated, but also news to ...”

    - J.
  • 100% Best Lawyers Around

    “You have all been so kind and loving to our family! We appreciate all the hard work and dedication you all put in for our case.”

    - J.S.
/

Awards & Accolades

Highly Respected in the Legal Community
  • The Inner Circle of Advocates
    The Inner Circle of Advocates

    Randall Kinnard is a member of the Inner Circle of Advocates, a prestigious invite-only group comprised of the top 100 plaintiffs’ trial lawyers in the United States.

  • Best Lawyers
    Best Lawyers

    Randall Kinnard (since 1993),
    Mary Ellen Morris (since 2017),
    and Jennifer Eberle (since 2022)
    have all been recognized for their legal skill and achievements.

  • Best Law Firms
    Best Law Firms

    The firm has received the prestigious “Best Law Firms” rating in the practice areas of Medical Malpractice Law, Personal Injury Litigation, Product Liability Litigation and Health Care Litigation.

  • American Board of Trial Advocates
    American Board of Trial Advocates

    Attorney Randall Kinnard is a member of ABOTA, a nationwide organization of lawyers who care passionately about the trial system in the United States.

  • American College of Trial Lawyers
    American College of Trial Lawyers

    Randall Kinnard is an inducted member of the ACTL, one of North America’s premier trial organizations comprised of less than 1% of all lawyers in each state.

  • International Academy of Trial Lawyers
    International Academy of Trial Lawyers

    Randall Kinnard is a member of the invitation-only International Academy of Trial Lawyers, which is limited to 500 trial lawyers in the United States.

  • Litigation Counsel of America
    Litigation Counsel of America

    Randall Kinnard is a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, an invite-only honorary society comprised of less than .5% of all U.S. lawyers.

  • Randall Kinnard - Product Liability
    Randall Kinnard - Product Liability

    Attorney Randall Kinnard was named the 2019 Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs ‘Lawyer of the Year’ in Nashville, TN.

  • Super Laywers
    Super Laywers

    Randall Kinnard has been voted to TN Super Lawyers®. This organization recognizes the top 5% of attorneys in their practice area.

  • AV Preeminent Rating
    AV Preeminent Rating

    Randall Kinnard and Mary Ellen Morris have received the highest rating for legal excellence by Martindale-Hubbell.

  • 40 Under 40
    40 Under 40

    Our attorneys have been voted by their peers to the "Top 40 under 40" Trial Lawyers list, as awarded by The National Trial Lawyers organization.

  • Best 150 Lawyers
    Best 150 Lawyers

    Our firm’s trial attorneys have been recognized among the state’s leading legal minds, and named by Business TN Magazine to its coveted “150 Best Lawyers in Tennessee” list.

  • Best of the Bar 2023
    Best of the Bar 2023

    Our attorneys have been named as 2023 “Best of the Bar” by Nashville Business Journal.

/

Why Choose Kinnard Law

  • Dedication to Our Clients

    We put personal attention on all of our cases and fight for the best possible outcome. Our clients are more than a number or a case to us.

  • Proven Success

    We have recovered millions in record-setting verdicts for our clients varying from medical malpractice to catastrophic auto accidents.

  • Trusted Experience

    Our team of seasoned attorneys includes certified civil trial and medical malpractice specialists who have tried hundreds of cases.

Get in Touch Today

Request a Free Consultation

To schedule a detailed consultation with one of our Nashville personal injury lawyers about medical malpractice, a catastrophic accident, or wrongful death, contact our office today. Let us put our team of respected legal professionals, independent investigators, and medical experts to work on your case immediately.

  • Please enter your first name.
  • Please enter your last name.
  • Please enter your phone number.
    This isn't a valid phone number.
  • Please enter your email address.
    This isn't a valid email address.
  • Please make a selection.
  • Please enter a message.