Commercial vehicles like 18-wheelers and semi-trucks are the biggest automobiles on our nation’s roads. They play a vital role, transporting large and bulky loads, including construction equipment, building materials, and everyday products across the United States.
Even without a trailer, the average semi-truck can weigh between 10,000 and 25,000 pounds. When they’re fully loaded, they can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. Such a heavy weight means that the impact of a semi-truck crash can be horrific — no crash does as much damage as a truck accident. They can, and often do, result in life-changing injuries, disabilities, and wrongful deaths.
Auto accidents happen all over the United States, but Texas is particularly accident-prone. Texas took the unenviable top position in a recent compilation of the country’s most dangerous roads, with 3,305 fatal motor vehicle crashes reported in 2018. With some roads allowing speed limits of up to 85 miles per hour and fully loaded semi-trucks taking 525 feet — or almost two football fields — to stop when driving just 65 miles per hour, it’s easy to see how quickly a semi-truck accident can happen — and to imagine how devastating the fallout can be.
Truck drivers, truck manufacturers, and cargo companies are responsible for avoiding truck accidents. If they fail to do so, and it results in a motorist, cyclist, or pedestrian sustaining injuries in an accident, they can and should be held accountable for their negligence.
If you were in an accident, you could be entitled to compensation to cover your medical bills and lost earnings in addition to damages to help you adapt to life after your injury.
Our truck accident lawyers in Texas can help you get the justice and compensation you deserve.
You can always reach us by telephone. Call 855-LAW-NINJA, and you will be redirected to our office or out-of-hours line.
If you’d prefer to write to us, you can submit a confidential form on our dedicated contact page or any page on our website. After receiving your message, we will reach out to discuss your case further.
We also offer video calls, giving you all the benefits of an in-person consultation from the comfort of your home, ensuring safety and convenience.
If you can attend your case review in person, you can visit one of our offices:
Choosing a Texas personal injury lawyer is not a decision you should make lightly. It’s vital to work with a lawyer you trust to fight for justice and negotiate a fair settlement or make the best case in court.
Our Texas truck accident lawyers understand how difficult it can be to find the right law firm for you.
That’s why, at Patino Law Firm, we do things a little differently.
Because of the sheer size and weight of commercial trucks, the injuries sustained in an accident tend to range from moderate to severe.
These can include:
If you have suffered an injury or your loved one has tragically died in a semi-truck accident, our truck accident and injury lawyers in Texas can help you receive compensation so that you can begin to move forward.
Semi-truck accidents can occur for numerous reasons. However, in almost all cases, semi-truck accidents are entirely preventable. Some of the most common causes of these accidents include:
Truck drivers are often under tight deadlines to reach their destinations, and it can lead to drivers going faster than is appropriate — or even legal.
Speeding isn’t the only danger of semi-truck drivers being under pressure to meet their deadlines. Despite regulations in place to prevent truck drivers from driving to the point of exhaustion, many drivers are on the road longer than they should be.
Distractions are also a leading cause of trucking accidents. It only takes a moment for a driver to take their eyes off the road to read a text, grab a drink, or turn on the radio for an accident to happen.
In Texas, commercial truck drivers must meet state regulations on truck weight, height, and speed. If cargo is loaded incorrectly, it could tip the truck or compromise a driver’s control of the vehicle.
Driving under the influence is more common in truck drivers than you might think. Studies show that amphetamine consumption is particularly prevalent in truck drivers to help them stay awake and alert during long drives. Prescription and over-the-counter medication also pose a risk, reducing reaction times and causing drowsiness.
Trucking companies are required to inspect and maintain vehicles to ensure they’re safe on the road. But for truck companies, maintaining a fleet can get expensive and lead to delivery delays if a truck isn’t road-worthy. If a trucking company cuts corners and a defect causes a crash, they can be liable.
Truck drivers must go through a rigorous qualification process to operate commercial trucks. If an individual is driving a truck they aren’t licensed to, evades critical training, or doesn’t adhere to safety regulations, their employer can be held liable after a truck accident.
There’s little a truck driver can do about high winds, snowstorms, and heavy rain impacting visibility and making roads tricky to navigate. However, experienced truck drivers should take precautions when driving in inclement weather, such as going slower to prevent skidding and hydroplaning. If they don’t, and their reckless behavior causes a crash, they might be responsible.
Trucking companies aren’t the only party responsible for ensuring their fleets don’t pose a danger to drivers and pedestrians. Parts manufacturers also have a duty of care. Unfortunately, many drivers won’t know they have a defective truck part until it’s too late. Any number of truck parts could be faulty, including:
A semi-truck accident can leave you with injuries that require significant time off work or a lengthy, painful recovery, but you don’t have to struggle alone. A personal injury claim can allow you to receive a monetary award to cover your medical expenses and lost earnings and compensate you for pain and suffering.
Our Texas truck accident lawyers can help you file for compensation if you’ve been injured in an accident.
Want to find out how much compensation you could be entitled to? Try our quick and easy personal injury calculator.
In most motor vehicle accidents, the driver who caused the accident is typically liable. However, in semi-truck accidents, multiple parties might be responsible for the accident.
The Semi-Truck Driver
If a truck driver was negligent and caused the crash, you can claim compensation for your injuries. Driver error is the most common cause of truck accidents, and negligence or recklessness can comprise many different behaviors, from driving while intoxicated or distracted to falling asleep at the wheel.
The Trucking Company
A trucking company may also be responsible if they fail to conduct proper checks on their trucks before allowing them out on the road or if they hire unqualified drivers or drivers with a history of driving problems. They can also be held liable if they encourage drivers to be on the road longer than is permitted by law.
The Manufacturer
If a defective tire blows, a poorly designed brake malfunctions, or any other truck part doesn’t work as intended due to a manufacturing flaw; the manufacturer can be held liable for any resulting crash.
The Cargo Company
In the United States, loaded semi-trucks must not exceed a weight of 80,000 pounds. If too much cargo is loaded onto a truck — or if the cargo isn’t properly secured — and it causes a vehicle to tip or a driver to lose control, they can be held liable in a compensation claim.
If you were in a truck accident, you could be entitled to compensation.
Whether you believe a truck failure or negligent driving caused your accident, or you’re not sure who might be responsible for your injuries, do not hesitate to contact a truck accident attorney.
We can help you:
It’s important to act fast, as the statute of limitations for personal injury in Texas is two years from the date of your accident. There are exceptions to this law, so if you’re not sure how long you have to make a claim, contact our personal injury lawyers in McAllen and San Antonio today.
Semi-truck accident laws in Texas are particularly detailed and complex, but our commercial truck accident lawyers have extensive knowledge and experience and can help get you justice and financial support for your injury. Get in touch with the Law Ninja at Patino Law Firm by calling 855-LAW-NINJA or filling in our contact form to see if you can make a claim after your accident.
For a free case evaluation with one of our compassionate Texas Truck Accident lawyers, call us today at 855-LAW-NINJA or send us a confidential message through our contact page.
We’ll do our best to help you and your family through this difficult time.
You can reach us 24/7.
When a Google search for a Texas accident attorney returns millions of results, finding the right truck accident lawyer for you can seem a daunting — near-impossible — task.
You must consider and investigate several possibilities, from a law firm’s overall approach to your case to whether they are genuinely interested in securing maximum compensation for you or only want to take on your case so they can encourage you to settle quickly (and for less than you’re entitled to) so they can pick up their fee.
To choose the best Texas truck accident lawyer, we encourage you to consult multiple firms and back up your search using legal directories and sourcing testimonials from past clients.
Some legal directories offer increased visibility for a fee, so prioritize directories that clearly define their qualification criteria for assessing and listing accident attorneys.
Top Attorneys of North America and the American Institute of Trial Lawyers (AIOTL) carry more authority due to their rigorous checks and provide more confidence in the reputations of the firms listed.
Patino Law Firm is recognized by both AIOTL and Top Attorneys, indicating that we are a trusted Texas personal injury firm for individuals injured in accidents and have a track record of success in our field.
When verifying testimonials, be wary of copied-and-pasted reviews or a lack of links to third-party review sites, such as Google. Patino Law Firm boasts hundreds of reviews from satisfied clients in San Antonio and McAllen. Unlike other firms, we only ask our clients to leave reviews once we have successfully resolved their cases, giving you reliable and unbiased feedback about their experiences and satisfaction with choosing Patino Law.
Many truck accident attorneys offer a free consultation or case review to determine if you have a claim, but this is just as much an opportunity for you to ask questions about what you can expect and what the relationship will look like. How will an attorney update you on your case? When can you expect an update? Will you have a direct line to your personal injury attorney, or will you primarily consult with an assistant? These are all questions you should ask a prospective lawyer to ensure their communication style works for you.
At Patino Law Firm, we pride ourselves on providing a personal touch. We are a small, close-knit team that works one-on-one with our clients — not via a string of gatekeepers who prevent clients from ever speaking to the attorney handling their claims.
When you choose our personal injury lawyers in Texas, we will always be available to discuss your case and strive to create a supportive and comfortable environment as you navigate the legal process.
Most personal injury firms operate on a contingency fee basis, and Patino Law Firm is no exception. This means you won’t pay a cent until we win. We find this is a huge relief for clients who would otherwise be unable to afford legal representation when they’re out of work and facing a lengthy recovery.
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