Denver, CO personal injury attorney Kyle Bachus explains his approach in truck accident cases. He shares that one of the most significant types of cases he handles involves crashes with commercial vehicles. These incidents are far more complex than typical car accidents and carry unique legal and investigative challenges. When an individual is involved in a collision with a commercial vehicle—whether it’s a semi-truck, delivery van, or a company-owned work truck—it is critical to understand what happens immediately behind the scenes on the company’s side.

He speaks from personal experience. His own mother was tragically killed by a concrete mixer truck while walking through a crosswalk. His family didn’t learn of her death for more than six hours. During that time, while they were completely in the dark, the driver of the commercial vehicle had already called his company’s safety director. The trucking company’s internal crash response team arrived at the scene quickly—interviewing witnesses, speaking with law enforcement, and directly impacting the initial investigation—within the first hour. All of this occurred long before his family was even notified.

When his family was finally informed, they weren’t even told the full story. They were told she had been struck by a car—not a massive commercial vehicle. The truth didn’t come out until the following day. By then, the truck company had negotiated with law enforcement to allow the vehicle to be removed from the scene and returned to company property, rather than being impounded as evidence. They had already begun extracting critical electronic data from the truck.

Most people aren’t aware that modern commercial vehicles contain black box systems—very similar to those used in airplanes—that log detailed information about speed, braking, steering inputs, and other operational data. That information can be crucial in proving fault. But the reality is that in many cases, unless immediate legal action is taken, this evidence can be lost, overwritten, or even intentionally erased.

These companies don’t wait. Their defense begins the moment a crash occurs. While families are still reeling—rushing to the hospital or awaiting word about a loved one—the commercial carrier is already building its case, protecting its interests, and controlling the narrative. That imbalance can be devastating if not addressed quickly.

There are additional complexities with commercial vehicle collisions. There may be dash cam footage. There are often driver logs that must be reviewed to determine compliance with hours-of-service regulations. Driver fatigue is frequently a factor. In fatal or serious injury cases, federal law requires mandatory drug and alcohol testing of the commercial driver—yet he’s seen cases where law enforcement fails to enforce that rule. In one case, a young man was killed in a head-on collision with a commercial vehicle, and the required drug test was never performed. Had his firm been involved from the outset, he would have been on the phone with investigators, insisting that federal protocols be followed.

He emphasizes that commercial vehicle collisions are not limited to massive 18-wheelers. Many work trucks, service vans, and other fleet vehicles fall into the same regulatory category. These crashes require immediate, strategic legal intervention. The stakes are high—often involving millions of dollars—and the corporations behind these vehicles have trained professionals and legal teams working to limit their liability from day one.

That’s why he urges families involved in commercial vehicle crashes to retain experienced legal counsel as soon as possible. While a corporation is mounting a professional response, families deserve a professional advocate—someone who understands the laws, knows what evidence must be preserved, and can level the playing field against powerful interests. Without that, key information can disappear, and the opportunity for justice may be lost.