If it just happened
Emergency? Call 911- 1Stay down for a moment and check yourself before getting up.
- 2Call 911 if you hit your head, can't bear weight, see a deformity, or have back pain with numbness.
- 3Move out of traffic lanes and away from moving trucks once it's safe.
- 4Call dispatch or your safety department and follow their injury steps.
- 5Report the fall in writing through your company's system. Keep a copy.
- 6Photograph the steps, grab handles, ice or mud, the trailer deck height, and lighting if it's safe.
- 7Write down the location, time and what you were doing — climbing down from the cab, jumping off the trailer, stepping on a fuel tank.
General information only — not medical or legal advice.
Reporting it and the claim process
Truck falls tend to be shrugged off: you twist a knee or catch yourself on the grab bar and keep driving. But knee, shoulder and back injuries from these falls often get worse over the next few days. A written report on the day it happens helps tie the injury to work.
Note whether the steps were worn, slippery or damaged, whether a grab handle was loose, and whether you had to jump because there was no dock plate or ladder. Include the customer location if it happened at a shipper or receiver.
Drivers often cross state lines, and it can be unclear which state's rules apply. Deadlines to report and file vary by state. Check with your state's workers' compensation agency and ask your adjuster.
Keep log entries, fuel receipts, GPS or scan records that show where you were, and a record of missed loads.
Getting medical care
On the road, urgent care or an emergency department may be your first stop. Back home, follow-up may be with occupational medicine, orthopedics, spine care or physical therapy. A licensed clinician decides what testing or care is appropriate after an evaluation.
Tell the clinician you fell from your truck or trailer at work and describe how you landed. Some states and employers have rules about which provider you see first, so ask your employer or adjuster.
If you are prescribed medication, ask the pharmacy and adjuster how work-injury prescriptions are handled. Ask your clinician whether it affects your ability to drive commercially.
Prescribed medication? Learn about prescription home delivery, common medications after work injuries, or find pharmacies near you. Your doctor and pharmacist decide what is right for you.
When people often talk to an attorney
- You have a knee, shoulder or back injury that keeps you from driving or climbing.
- The fall happened at a customer's facility where conditions may have played a part.
- You're unsure which state's workers' compensation applies.
- You're told you're an independent contractor without coverage.
- Your claim is denied or delayed.
- There are disputes about imaging, surgery or therapy.
Learn more: what a workers' comp attorney does. Many offer a free first consultation; fees in workers' comp are often regulated by the state.
Recovery and going back to work
Follow your care plan and keep therapy visits. Knee and shoulder injuries often need steady work to regain strength.
Ask your doctor about restrictions on climbing in and out of the cab, tarping, chaining and driving hours. Ask your employer about local, no-touch or yard work.
Keep your dispatcher and adjuster updated after each appointment. When you return, use three points of contact on the steps and ask about fixing any worn steps or handles.
Questions to ask
- Doctor: Is my knee or shoulder injury from the fall, and what can I do on it?
- Doctor: Can I safely drive and climb into the cab?
- Employer: Can the steps and grab handles on my truck be repaired?
- Employer: Is there local or yard work while I heal?
- Adjuster: Which state is handling my claim?
- Adjuster: What is my claim number?
- Attorney: The customer's yard was icy and unlit. Does that matter?
Frequently asked questions
What should I do if I fell getting out of my truck or trailer?
Check yourself before getting up and call 911 for serious injuries. Call dispatch, report the fall in writing and get checked by a clinician. Photograph the steps and ground conditions.
Is falling out of a truck covered by workers' comp?
Falls from a work truck are often handled through workers' compensation, depending on your state and your work status. Report it in writing right away. Check deadlines with your state's agency.
I fell at a customer's dock — who do I report it to?
Report it to your own employer in writing, including the customer's name and location. Conditions at another company's site may raise other questions. Keep photos.
What injuries are common from falling out of a truck cab?
Knee, ankle, shoulder and back injuries are common, along with wrist injuries from catching yourself. Head injuries can happen too. Get a full evaluation.
Which state's workers' comp applies to my truck fall?
It depends on factors like where you're based, where you were hired and where you were hurt. Ask your adjuster and your state's agency. Many drivers talk with an attorney when it's unclear.
Can I keep driving after falling from my truck?
Talk with a clinician first, especially if you have pain that affects pedals, steering or climbing. Ask for written guidance. Don't drive if it's unsafe.
Related situations
Industries where this often happens
Prescriptions.plus is an educational portal. We are not a pharmacy, law firm, medical provider, insurer or claims administrator, and nothing here is medical or legal advice. Educational purposes only. Workers' compensation rules and deadlines vary by state — check with your state's workers' compensation agency. Medical emergency? Call 911. Hurt outside of work? Personal-injury legal help: attorneys.plus (coming soon).