Cases involving commercial vehicles and trucks are different than those involving strictly private vehicles. Commercial vehicles vary widely in their design, ownership and operational control. Imagine a taxicab at one end of the spectrum and tractor trailers hauling heavy equipment on the other end. Often you need to look beyond state law to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and to the National Highway Safety Transportation Administration (NHSTA).
It is important to do a thorough investigation into the potential liability of the commercial vehicle; the owner of the vehicle may be different and also liable. The owner and driver may be different than a company that leases the vehicle and may also be liable. The trailer may be owned by yet another company and leased to an entirely different company and those two may also be liable. The owner of the cargo being shipped and the company that arranged the shipping also have certain responsibilities that may have been breached and may have insurance policies with exposure for the injuries. The list of potential defendants can be very long and it is important to properly handle the case and both identify the players as well as any liability they may each have for the injuries.