Texas Trucking, 18-Wheeler & Commercial Vehicle Accidents

The last thing any person expects when they are driving down the roadway is that they will be involved in an accident with an 18-wheeler. Unfortunately, there are various ways that a truck driver or truck company error can cause a collision. At Liles White, our team is here to help if you need a Texas 18-wheeler accident attorney by your side. We understand how complicated these cases can become, and our goal is to ensure you have an effective advocate by your side to see your case all the way through until you receive total compensation for your losses.

Choose Liles White to Help Your Case

At Liles White, we focus on providing every client with personalized attention directly from their attorney, not a paralegal or legal assistant.
We have a network of subject matter experts and access to extensive resources that we will bring to the table to ensure that our clients are treated fairly.
We are a team of trial lawyers and are confident in our ability to take on large trucking companies and their well-funded insurance carriers as we work to seek compensation and justice on behalf of our clients.

Why Do You Need an Attorney for an 18-Wheeler Accident?

An experienced truck accident attorney in Texas is going to be necessary for these cases. An attorney can use their resources to obtain evidence that most truck accident victims would otherwise be unable to get a hold of. This can include:

The truck’s electronic control module (ECM)
The truck driver’s electronic logging device (ELD)
Trucking company data and safety records
Video surveillance or photographs of the incident
The police reports
Statements from eyewitnesses

Additionally, an attorney will be the one to handle all negotiations with other parties in an effort to secure a fair compensation amount on behalf of their client. If necessary, an attorney will fully prepare to take the case to trial.

18-Wheeler Accidents Can Result in Severe Injuries

Unfortunately, accidents involving large commercial trucks often result in severe injuries, particularly for those inside traditional passenger vehicles on the roadway. Commercial trucks can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds when fully loaded, and the size and weight discrepancy can have devastating consequences.

It is not uncommon for the Texas truck accident attorneys at Liles White to help clients who have sustained the following:

Traumatic brain injuries
Open head wounds
Spinal cord trauma with paralysis
Other severe neck or back injury
Broken or dislocated bones
Internal organ damage
Internal bleeding
Significant scarring or disfigurement

How Do Texas 18-Wheeler Accidents Occur?

When we turn to data available from the Texas Department of transportation, we can see that there were more than 39,000 total collisions involving commercial motor vehicles during the latest reporting year. Out of these incidents, there were:

613 fatalities
1,471 suspected serious injuries
4,733 non-incapacitating injuries
8,937 possible injuries

Unfortunately, we know that these incidents occur in a wide variety of ways throughout the state of Texas. Often, we discovered that these crashes are caused by the careless or negligent actions of a truck company or truck driver.

Truck drivers may be responsible for a collision if they:

Operate while impaired by alcohol or drugs
Drive beyond the allowable hours of service
Operate while distracted by phones or devices
Operate the truck too fast for conditions
Fail to obey traffic laws

Trucking companies can also hold liability for these collisions. First, we need to point out that truck companies can be held vicariously responsible for the actions of their drivers. Additionally, truck companies may also be held directly liable if they:

Fail to regularly inspect and maintain the vehicles
Allow the trucks to be overloaded beyond capacity
Encourage their drivers to operate long hours
Failed to properly train each driver
Do not conduct adequate background checks on drivers

Time Limit to File a Texas 18-Wheeler Accident Claim

Any truck accident victim in the state of Texas needs to be aware that they have a limited amount of time to file these claims in court. The Texas personal injury statute of limitations is two years from the date an injury occurs. This means that commercial truck accident victims have a two-year window with which to file a claim against the alleged negligent driver or company.

Please keep in mind that insurance carrier deadlines are much shorter than this. Failing to report a truck accident to the respective insurance carriers within a few days could result in the claim being delayed or denied.

Types of Compensation Available for a Texas 18-Wheeler Accident Claim

The attorneys at Liles White understand that 18-wheeler accident victims in Texas may be left with significant expenses. Our goal is to ensure that clients recover compensation for all of their losses related to the accident. This can include various types of economic and non-economic compensation, including the following:

Full coverage of all hospital bills
Payment for ongoing medical care
Physical therapy and rehabilitation expenses
Lost income if a victim cannot work
General household out-of-pocket expenses
Pain and suffering damages
Loss of quality of life damages

There is no set amount of money paid out to Texas 18-wheeler accident victims. Rather, the total amount of compensation in these cases will be dependent on the factors and circumstances surrounding each case. Some of the main factors that affect compensation include the severity of the injuries, whether there was any shared fault for the incident, the length of the recovery time for the victim, the level of pain and suffering, and more.

Paying for a Texas Truck Accident Attorney

18-wheeler accident victims in Texas often wonder how they can afford an attorney to help with their case. At Liles White, we take these cases on a contingency fee basis. This means that our clients will not be responsible for paying any upfront or out-of-pocket costs related to their case. Our team will only collect legal fees after we have secured the compensation that our clients are entitled to.

Contact a Texas 18-Wheeler Accident Attorney Immediately

If you or a loved one has been injured in an 18-wheeler accident anywhere in Texas, you may need assistance from an attorney to ensure you receive fair compensation. At Liles White, our attorneys have decades of experience investigating these claims and helping clients secure the compensation they are entitled to. We have the resources necessary to determine liability, stand up to aggressive insurance carriers and at-fault parties, and fully represent you in court. When you need a Texas 18-wheeler accident attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation of your case by clicking here or calling (361) 826-0100.