Understanding Bills of Lading in Indianapolis Truck Accident Claims: Essential Evidence for Your Case
A bill of lading serves as a crucial piece of evidence in commercial truck accident claims, functioning as both a receipt and a legal contract between the shipper and carrier. This document details the type, quantity, and destination of goods being transported, while also establishing key relationships between parties involved in the shipping process. In Indianapolis truck accident cases, bills of lading can provide critical information about cargo weight, handling requirements, and delivery schedules – factors that may have contributed to the accident. The document often reveals the chain of custody for the cargo, identifies responsible parties, and can help establish liability in personal injury claims. Understanding how bills of lading relate to trucking accidents is essential, as they can reveal whether driver fatigue, improper loading, or other safety violations played a role in causing the collision.
Legal Rights and Considerations: Indiana follows modified comparative fault rules, which affect how liability is determined in truck accident cases. Under Indiana Code § 34-11-2-4, victims have two years from the accident date to file a personal injury lawsuit. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires carriers to maintain bills of lading for three years, making timely investigation crucial. Insurance considerations typically involve multiple policies, including the trucking company's commercial liability coverage (minimum $750,000 required by federal law) and potential cargo insurance. Compensation may cover medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and property damage. The bill of lading can support claims by establishing duty of care and potentially demonstrating violations of safety regulations. An experienced Indianapolis truck crash lawyer(link is external) will handle all aspects of the legal claim.
Types of truck accident lawyers include:
- Indianapolis oversized load accident attorney(link is external)
- Indianapolis wide-turn truck accident lawyer(link is external)
- Indianapolis brake failure truck accident attorney(link is external)
- Indianapolis blind spot truck accident attorney(link is external)
Related Resources: Local Courts:
- Marion County Superior Court
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana
- Marion County Circuit Court
Support Services:
- Indiana State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division
- Brain Injury Association of Indiana
- Indiana Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service
Regulatory Resources:
- Indiana Department of Transportation Commercial Vehicle Regulations
- FMCSA Interstate Trucking Requirements
- Indiana Commercial Driver's License Manual
Return to the Indianapolis truck accident types information page
Most recent accident reports
On Saturday, a serious vehicle accident occurred in a residential neighborhood near East 56th Street and Sunnyside Road in Lawrence, Indiana, resulting
Date:
Saturday, March 22, 2025Roadway:
East 56th Street and Sunnyside RoadCity:
Township of Lawrence, IN
Type: Car Accident
Topics:
DWI - DUI - Alcohol or Drug UseIncident Overview
A tragic pedestrian accident occurred Tuesday night in Anderson, Indiana
Type: Pedestrian Accident
A serious collision occurred Monday afternoon when a farming semi-truck failed to stop at a stop sign and crashed into a school bus east of Summitville
Date:
Monday, March 17, 2025City:
Summitville, IN
Type: Truck Accident
Topics:
School Bus
Type: Car Accident
Topics:
School BusDate:
Thursday, March 13, 2025Roadway:
Old 132
Type: Bicycle Accident
A tragic collision near Lapel High School on Thursday morning has left two men dead and two women seriously injured.
Date:
Thursday, March 6, 2025City:
Lapel, IN
Type: Car Accident
Topics:
Stop Sign RunningA tragic hit-and-run incident claimed the life of a female pedestrian on the near east side of Indianapolis on Saturday evening.
Type: Pedestrian Accident
Topics:
Hit and RunMason Alexander, a former Hamilton Southeastern football standout and recent University of Pittsburgh football recruit, lost his life in a tragic car a
Type: Car Accident
The morning routine at Plainfield Central Middle School was disrupted on Friday when a student was struck by a vehicle while walking to school.
Type: Pedestrian Accident
In a tragic early morning incident on Saturday, February 22, 2025, a male pedestrian lost his life after being struck by a vehicle at the intersection
Type: Pedestrian Accident
In the early morning hours of Saturday, a devastating three-vehicle crash in downtown Indianapolis resulted in one fatality and left three others injur
Date:
Saturday, February 22, 2025City:
Indianapolis, IN
Type: Car Accident
A tragic hit-and-run collision at a busy downtown Indianapolis intersection claimed the life of 46-year-old Andrea Gibbs on Tuesday.
Type: Pedestrian Accident
Topics:
Hit and RunA violent collision on US 31 near Sease Drive in Miami County, Indiana resulted in serious injuries on Thursday when an Audi rear-ended a Ram pickup tr
Date:
Thursday, February 13, 2025Roadway:
US 31
Type: Car Accident
Topics:
Rollover CrashIn a tragic incident early Thursday morning, a male cyclist lost his life after being struck by a vehicle at the intersection of Raymond and Shelby Str
Type: Bicycle Accident
Type: Car Accident
One person killed and driver arrested following crash at US-40 and State Road 39 in Clayton, Indiana
A devastating collision at a major Hendricks County intersection resulted in one fatality and multiple injuries on Saturday afternoon, marking another
Type: Car Accident
Topics:
DUIA tragic two-vehicle crash in northern Delaware County claimed the life of a Yorktown resident and left another person fighting for their life on Friday evening.
Date:
Friday, February 7, 2025Roadway:
Delaware County Road 175 East
Type: Car Accident
On Friday morning, February 7, 2025, a devastating multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 74 near Jamestown, Indiana resulted in three fatalities, including two children.
Type: Car Accident
A tragic collision at the intersection of U.S.
Type: Car Accident
Topics:
FireA collision involving an Indiana State Police officer occurred Tuesday morning on State Road 22 in Grant County, resulting in the aerial transport of t
Type: Car Accident
- Page 1
- next ›