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Illinois Truck Accident Lawyer

Illinois truck accidents may be governed by Illinois or federal law, depending on whether the truck was involved in intrastate or interstate transport. Listed below are some Illinois laws that affect truck accidents. For a more comprehensive list of truck laws, click here.


Large trucking companies and their insurance companies work quickly to protect themselves when one of their trucks is involved in an accident, often sending investigators directly to the scene.

To protect your rights, it's imperative to have knowledgeable legal council to begin investigating immediately, preserve evidence, and help you get the best possible result in pursuing your claim against the trucking company. E.J. Leizerman and Associates is a Law Firm that accepts semi truck accident cases across the country. In Illinois, we work with the Marvin A. Brustin, Ltd. Law Firm, a firm that handles tractor-trailer accidents throughout the state.
Marvin A. Brustin and Milo W. Lundblad are Chicago-based trial attorneys whose law firm specializes in serious and catastrophic injuries. Brustin is Honorary Nepalese Consul General in Chicago and is a director of the American Nepal Medical Foundation, which promotes the advancement of medical training and practice in Nepal. He was also elected as legal counsel and advisor for the Chicago Consular Corps., a group composed of 70 foreign consulates from throughout the world representing their countries in Chicago and the Midwest United States.
E.J. Leizerman & Associates and the Marvin A. Brustin, Ltd. Law Firm are familiar with exceptions to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (title 49, Parts 350-399) that affect trucks operating only in Illinois, as there are some situations where a tractor-trailer or other commercial motor vehicles are involved in only intrastate travel. For example, an appliance store in Chicago may own a truck that only makes in-state deliveries.
The Illinois Department of Public Safety has adopted Title 49, Parts 382-384 and 390-399 of the federal regulations with a few notable provisions, including:

Driver Qualification:

Illinois has adopted Part 391 of the Federal Regulations with a few notable exceptions. For example, a commercial operator must only be at least 18 years old, rather than 21.

The physical qualification requirements also contain special provisions. Illinois law permits insulin dependent diabetics and drivers with vision problems to continue to drive if they were doing so prior to July 29th, 1986.

Hours of Service:

Illinois has adopted Part 395 of the Federal Regulations with a few differences. For instance, a driver is exempt from recording his duty status if he is within a 150-air-mile radius of the normal work reporting location. It was revised from a 100-air-mile radius.

Agricultural movements by motor vehicles are exempt from the hours of service requirements during planting and harvesting seasons.

Vehicle Marking/Identification:

Illinois has not adopted Sec. 390.21 of the Federal Regulations for intrastate vehicles.


If you have been involved in a truck accident in Illinois, contact one of our Illinois lawyers or attorneys to help you with more information or to answer any questions you have.

In the event this material is not deemed to fully comply with the provisions of the rules of professional conduct of any particular state, this firm will not accept clients or representation that derive from the distribution of this material within those jurisdictions.

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Learn more about State and Federal Trucking Laws