HOUSTON TRUCK ACCIDENT LAWYERS

Truck accidents are some of the most dangerous accidents on our roadways. Our Houston attorneys are adept at getting their clients the best possible compensation. If you've been injured in a commercial truck accident, we are ready to fight for you!

We share the road with large commercial trucks every day, and though they can be intimidating, we generally expect the drivers inside them to be responsible, well-trained operators. When things go wrong, the resulting collision can be fatal. Every year, truck accidents cause severe injuries and countless dollars in property damage. Even with responsible operators behind the wheel, trucks are susceptible to causing accidents with disastrous results.

Due to the enormous power of commercial trucks, truck accidents can have catastrophic consequences for all parties involved, and it can be challenging to know what to do when they happen. Even worse, truck accidents are often the result of multiple parties’ negligence, not just the driver’s. Accident victims should enlist the aid of an experienced truck accident lawyer who can provide them with valuable legal advice and representation.

Houston’s Most Common Types of Truck Collisions

Highway conditions are not always predictable, and many factors exist which may lead to a commercial vehicle collision. On average, tractor-trailers are nearly 60 feet long and weigh 80,000 pounds when completely loaded. Additionally, because they frequently drive at highway speeds, trucks require 400 feet of stopping distance before coming to a complete stop.

Due to these large commercial vehicles’ size and weight, they are susceptible to experiencing the following types of collisions:

• Jackknife accidents
• Rear-end accidents
• Under-ride collisions
• Improperly loaded cargo
• Wide turn accidents
• Rollover accidents

On Texas highways and streets, a large commercial vehicle mishap can quickly turn dangerous for other drivers. Truck accidents come in many forms and have various causes, and fatal truck collisions frequently involve passenger vehicles.

What Are the Most Common Reasons for Houston Truck Accidents?

Numerous factors can be involved in the cause of a truck accident. For commercial trucks to function safely on the road, various components must be in good operating order. Dangerous driving behaviors are a frequent cause, but there could be more factors at play, such as actions taken before the truck even enters the road.

Truck drivers, trucking businesses, maintenance teams, and more must meticulously adhere to specific laws and standards to ensure that a vehicle is safe enough to be on the road.

If not, truck accidents may result from:

• Truck drivers who misuse drugs or alcohol and are thus impaired while operating their vehicle
• Lack of sufficient training and certification checks by trucking companies for their drivers
• Trucking companies pressuring drivers to travel longer than permitted by the Hours of Service, leading to driver fatigue
• Failure to do routine truck inspections and maintenance
• Maintenance companies failing to ensure a truck meets road safety standards
• Tailgating other trucks or cars
• Passenger cars driving in trucks’ blind spots

Because of their size and weight, heavily loaded trucks have exceptionally intense collision power, making them significantly more likely to result in fatalities for drivers and passengers of smaller vehicles. There were 630 fatal crashes involving commercial motor vehicles in Texas in 2021. If you were involved in an 18-wheeler accident, contact our attorneys to legally represent you and fight for your justice.

How Do Truck Accidents Differ From Other Auto Accidents?

Truck accidents and other motor accidents share a lot of characteristics. However, truck accidents’ outcomes are frequently more severe and intricate. Commercial trucks are far more likely to seriously hurt accident victims and result in fatalities because of their size relative to other vehicles on the road.

Additionally, determining fault in incidents involving commercial trucks is more complicated.

Commercial vehicle collisions frequently involve many parties who may share the blame. Any of the following parties may be held accountable for a truck accident depending on how the accident occurred:

• The commercial vehicle operator
• The company in charge of the truck’s operations
• The truck driver’s employer
• The truck’s owner or lessee
• The cargo loaders
• The company responsible for the truck’s maintenance

Liability in these circumstances can be difficult to determine because so many parties are involved. As the plaintiff, you need to demonstrate specifics like how the driver’s activities contributed to the collision or how the employer disregarded safety rules. Contacting an experienced truck accident attorney to help identify the responsible parties and pursue legal action is the first step in holding a negligent party accountable.

How Is Liability Assessed in a Houston Truck Accident?

Accidents involving commercial vehicles are much more complicated than passenger cars since they may involve multiple parties. Further, in some cases, the injured plaintiff may also be held partially responsible for a truck accident.  However, if you are not the main party at fault, you may still be able to recover damages. If you decide to make a personal injury claim and the jury finds you to be less than 50% at fault, the amount of your award will be reduced by that amount if you prevail.

What Legal Action Can I Take in Houston After a Truck Accident?

What to do next is probably one of the first thoughts that cross your mind after a commercial truck collision. Due to your injuries, you will likely incur a significant amount of medical debt, miss work for many days, and perhaps even have significant losses in other areas of your life. It is understandable to be concerned about your options for obtaining justice and recovering damages.

Your best option for obtaining compensation for your accident-related losses may be to file a claim. Section 16.003 of the Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code stipulates that any claim for injuries must be made within two years after the incident. You will likely have a better chance of receiving compensation for all of your damages if you have a committed truck accident attorney on your side.

Contact an Experienced Houston Truck Accident Lawyer for Help Filing a Claim

Most truck accident victims lack the resources or the expertise needed to get the best settlement for their claim. You need competent legal representation to pursue fair compensation for your injuries successfully. For legal assistance with their truck accident claim, Houston residents should get in touch with a personal injury lawyer.

Hilliard Law has successfully represented Mexican and American clients since 1986. Schedule a free consultation to find out more about what we can do for you by calling us at 1-800-334-3298 or filling out our contact form. If we take your case, we will work on a Contingent Fee basis, which means you don’t pay us unless we win.

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