Vermont Truck Accident Settlements

State-specific settlement ranges, Vermont's modified comparative (51% bar) rule, and attorney resources for all 12 accident types.

Updated:March 2026
Sources:FMCSA · NHTSA
Reviewed:Licensed Attorney

Fault Rule

Modified Comparative (51% Bar)

Time to File

3 Years

2022 Fatalities

14

Federal Min. Insurance

$750,000

Truck Accidents in Vermont: What You Need to Know

Vermont follows pure comparative fault — truck accident victims can recover damages regardless of their fault percentage. Vermont's highway network centers on I-89 (Burlington to the Canadian border and south to White River Junction) and I-91 (the Connecticut River valley north-south corridor). Vermont's agricultural freight — dairy, maple products, and timber — generates truck traffic on rural state routes, where road conditions and winter weather significantly affect accident patterns.

Vermont Key Facts

  • Vermont follows pure comparative fault — Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 12, § 1036 allows recovery regardless of plaintiff fault percentage
  • Vermont recorded approximately 14 large truck fatalities in 2022 (NHTSA FARS 2022)
  • Vermont's dairy industry is the state's largest agricultural sector, generating consistent milk tanker and refrigerated truck traffic on rural state routes
  • Vermont has a 3-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims (Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 12, § 512)

Vermont Comparative Fault Law

Modified Comparative (51% Bar)

You must be <51% at fault

Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 12, § 1036

Vermont uses the 51% bar rule.

Major Vermont freight corridors: I-89 · I-91 · US-2 · US-4 · VT-100

Vermont Truck Accident Types — Settlements & Legal Information

Select your accident type for state-specific settlement ranges, fault law analysis, and liability factors.

Jackknife

A jackknife accident occurs when a tractor-trailer folds at the hitch point, causing the trailer to swing perpendicular to the cab — forming an angle resembling a folding jackknife blade.

Typical settlement

$180K$420K

Rear-End Collision

Rear-end collisions involving commercial trucks are among the most common and deadliest crashes on US highways.

Typical settlement

$95K$280K

Rollover

Rollover accidents occur when a truck tips onto its side or roof, often blocking multiple lanes and posing catastrophic risks to surrounding vehicles.

Typical settlement

$220K$580K

Head-On Collision

Head-on collisions between passenger vehicles and commercial trucks are among the deadliest crash types in the United States, with fatality rates far exceeding other crash configurations.

Typical settlement

$410K$980K

T-Bone / Side-Impact

T-bone accidents occur when the front of a truck strikes the side of another vehicle — or vice versa — at an intersection or merge point.

Typical settlement

$150K$390K

Underride Accident

An underride accident occurs when a smaller vehicle slides beneath the rear or side of a trailer during a collision.

Typical settlement

$350K$850K

Wide Turn

Wide turn accidents, also called "squeeze play" accidents, occur when a truck driver swings left to initiate a right turn, creating a gap that nearby vehicles enter — then getting trapped as the truck arcs right.

Typical settlement

$85K$220K

Blind Spot Accident

Commercial trucks have four large blind spots — directly behind, directly in front, the entire right side, and the left rear quarter.

Typical settlement

$110K$310K

Tire Blowout

A tire blowout on a commercial truck — especially a steer or drive axle tire — can cause sudden loss of directional control, trailer sway, or truck rollover.

Typical settlement

$120K$340K

Hazmat Spill

Hazardous materials incidents involving commercial trucks range from fuel spills to catastrophic releases of toxic chemicals, flammable gases, or corrosive substances.

Typical settlement

$140K$380K

Brake Failure / Runaway

Brake failure on a commercial truck can result in runaway truck incidents — most commonly on steep mountain grades where brake fade from overheating renders the vehicle uncontrollable.

Typical settlement

$260K$620K

Multi-Vehicle Pileup

Multi-vehicle pileups involving commercial trucks often unfold as chain-reaction crashes triggered by a primary event — a tire blowout, jackknife, or sudden stop.

Typical settlement

$290K$710K

Vermont Truck Accident Settlements by Injury Type

Select your injury type for state-specific compensation ranges, treatment cost data, and how Vermont law affects your recovery.

TBI

Traumatic brain injury is the most catastrophic non-fatal outcome of commercial truck accidents.

Multiplier

7–10× damages

Spinal Cord

Spinal cord injuries (SCI) from truck accidents are among the most life-altering injuries in personal injury law.

Multiplier

8–10× damages

Wrongful Death

Wrongful death claims arise when a truck accident fatality is caused by another party's negligence.

Special Formula

$450K–$10.0M

Fractures

Bone fractures are among the most common serious injuries in commercial truck accidents.

Multiplier

2–4× damages

Internal Injuries

Internal organ damage in truck accidents is particularly dangerous because symptoms are often delayed — victims may walk away from a crash site feeling relatively intact, only to deteriorate rapidly as internal bleeding progresses.

Multiplier

5–8× damages

Burns

Burn injuries from truck accidents occur through multiple mechanisms: post-crash fire from fuel ignition, steam/coolant scalding when the engine compartment is breached, chemical burns from HAZMAT spills, and friction burns (road rash) from occupant ejection.

Multiplier

5–9× damages

Whiplash

Whiplash is a cervical soft-tissue injury caused by rapid hyperextension-hyperflexion of the neck — the characteristic "cracking of a whip" motion that occurs when a vehicle is struck from behind.

Multiplier

1.5–3× damages

Back Injury

Lumbar (lower back) injuries are the most common category of serious non-fatal injury in commercial truck accidents.

Multiplier

3–6× damages

Amputation

Traumatic amputation — loss of a limb or digit at the crash scene or through surgical amputation following crush injury — is one of the most severe non-fatal outcomes of commercial truck accidents.

Multiplier

8–10× damages

PTSD

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and severe emotional distress are recognized and compensable injuries in truck accident cases.

Multiplier

1.5–4× damages

Typical Vermont Truck Accident Settlement Ranges

Based on typical economic damages. Assumes 0% plaintiff fault. Amounts vary significantly.

SeverityEstimated Range
Minor$53K$101K
Moderate$263K$506K
Severe$1.1M$2.0M
Catastrophic$4.2M$8.1M
Wrongful Death$3.8M$7.4M

Ranges do not account for Vermont's fault deductions. Use the calculator for a personalized estimate.

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