A minor car accident can be an inconvenience, but a truck accident can cause significant injury or loss of life. If you have sustained injuries because of a negligent truck driver, you may be eligible for compensation.
Recovering from something so devastating can be time-consuming, expensive, and painful, and you should not have to bear those costs alone without a Houston truck accident lawyer fighting to hold the offending party accountable.
At Lowe Law, founded in 2016, we have experience with the unique nature of truck accidents. Our Houston personal injury lawyer understands the devastation they cause. Our team has decades of experience defending our clients’ rights in the courtroom and in settlement negotiations.
How a Houston Truck Accident Lawyer Supports Your Case
Truck accidents are complex legal matters that often involve multiple legal and factual issues and, in some situations, may involve multiple parties. Consider why you should hire a Houston truck accident lawyer based on what we will do for you:
- Gather evidence of what happened: Our investigators will find out what really happened in your accident, including all the causes. They will look at black box data, camera footage, maintenance logs, and more.
- Determine all parties at fault: We then gather all data to determine who is at fault. That could be just the truck driver, but it may also include the trucking company, cargo loaders, or others. If there are violations of the federal hours of service or maintenance records, we will know who to blame.
- Calculate all of your losses: We will look at your physical, emotional, and financial losses and build a strong, evidence-based claim to fight for recovery.
- Negotiate with the insurance company: Your lawyer will then negotiate fair compensation from the insurance company.
- Going to court when necessary: We have extensive experience fighting for our clients through these complex claims and hearings.
When you hire an experienced lawyer from our firm, you get support throughout the process, with a professional who understands the law, Texas deadlines for personal injury lawsuits, and federal regulations. Along with personal injury claims, our lawyers also handle wrongful death cases involving commercial trucks and similar vehicles.
Types of Truck Accidents
Truck accidents can occur in a variety of ways, often resulting in severe damage and serious injuries due to the size and weight of commercial vehicles. The Texas Department of Transportation reported 38,909 big rig accidents across Texas in 2023.
Here are some common types:
- Rear-end collisions: A truck strikes a vehicle from behind, often due to long stopping distances or distracted driving.
- Jackknife accidents: The trailer swings out at an angle from the cab, usually caused by sudden braking or slippery roads.
- Rollover accidents: A truck tips onto its side due to sharp turns, overcorrection, or unbalanced cargo.
- Underride accidents: A smaller vehicle slides under a truck trailer, often resulting in severe or fatal injuries.
- Wide turn accidents: A truck misjudges the turning space and collides with nearby vehicles or pedestrians.
- Blind spot accidents: A vehicle is hit while traveling in a truck’s large blind spots during lane changes.
- Lost load accidents: Unsecured cargo falls or shifts, creating dangerous roadway hazards or spilling hazardous materials; common with tanker trucks.
- Head-on collisions: A truck enters oncoming traffic, often due to fatigue, distraction, or impairment.
What to Do After a Truck Accident?
Here is what we recommend you do after a truck accident:
- Call 911: The state of Texas requires a police report for any accident resulting in over $1,000 worth of property damage or the injury or death of a person.
- Seek medical evaluation: Some injuries may not be immediately evident, so it’s important to seek care right away.
- Take photos of the accident scene: Photographs can be invaluable evidence in your case. If possible, take photographs of the scene, including any vehicles, damaged property, and injuries.
- Call a truck accident lawyer: When you contact a lawyer immediately, they can take quick steps to save or recover evidence that may otherwise be discarded.
The sooner a Houston personal injury lawyer is involved, the sooner you have someone who can step in by taking over communications and negotiations. This can allow you to focus on your recovery from day one.
Common Houston Truck Accident Injuries
The size and mass difference between commercial and personal vehicles means truck accidents can cause devastating injuries. The injuries caused by commercial trucks can vary from minor to fatal. Some of the more commonly seen injuries include:
- Crush injuries
- Broken bones
- Internal bleeding
- Traumatic brain injury
- Whiplash
- Spinal cord injuries
- Death
Physical injuries are common, but the emotional effects of accidents related to commercial trucks and larger vehicles like them can be just as severe.
Who Can Be Held Liable with Truck Accident Claims?
Determining liability in a truck accident is often more complex than in a standard car crash because multiple parties may share responsibility. Depending on the circumstances (for example, whether the accident involved a personal injury or wrongful death), several individuals or entities could be held legally liable:
- The truck driver: A truck driver may be responsible if the crash was caused by speeding, distracted driving, driver fatigue, impairment, or violating federal trucking regulations set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
- The trucking company (carrier): Commercial trucking companies can be liable for negligent hiring, inadequate training, pushing drivers to meet unsafe deadlines, or failing to maintain proper safety standards.
- Cargo loaders or shipping companies: If improperly loaded or unsecured cargo contributes to the accident, the company responsible for loading may share liability.
- Truck or parts manufacturers: Defective components such as brakes, tires, or steering systems can make manufacturers or parts suppliers responsible under product liability laws.
- Maintenance contractors: Third-party maintenance providers may be liable if poor repairs or missed safety issues contributed to mechanical failure.
- Other drivers: In some cases, another motorist may have caused the truck driver to react unsafely, contributing to or triggering the crash.
In many truck accident cases, liability is shared among multiple parties, like the trucking company and other drivers, which is why a thorough investigation is often necessary to identify all responsible parties and pursue compensation, based on the details of the case. This is where a trucking company personal injury lawyer in Houston can help.
Potential Compensation Available After a Houston Truck Accident
When you work with a Lowe Law Houston truck accident attorney, we can discuss the specifics of your case and determine if you are eligible to recover compensation for your losses. Some of the more common types of compensation we may recover include:
- Medical bills (past and future)
- Lost wages from missed work
- Loss of earning capacity
- Loss of consortium
- Pain and suffering
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Property damage
- Punitive damages
For all types of damages, your legal team will gather evidence to document what those losses are and their severity based on how they will impact your future. With the help of our truck accident attorney in Houston, you will know exactly what steps you can take.
FAQs: Truck Accidents in Houston
What should I do after a truck accident?
Call 911, seek medical attention, take photos if possible, and contact a truck accident lawyer as soon as you can.
Who can be held liable in a truck accident?
Liability may fall on the truck driver, trucking company, cargo loaders, maintenance providers, manufacturers, or even other drivers, depending on the cause of the crash.
What compensation can I recover after a truck accident?
You may be eligible for compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, property damage, and other related losses, depending on the facts of your case.
Do I need a lawyer for a truck accident personal injury case?
Truck accident cases are complex and often involve multiple parties, like the trucking company, other drivers, and insurance companies. An attorney can help protect your rights and pursue full compensation.
How soon should I contact a truck accident lawyer?
As soon as possible. Early legal involvement helps preserve evidence and strengthens your case.
Call a Truck Accident Law Firm in Houston Today
If you have been injured in a truck accident, you may be confused, overwhelmed, and uncertain about what to do next, especially if you are recovering from injuries.
You deserve to have someone on your side fighting for your right to recover damages. When you call Lowe Law, we’re on your side. Don’t take a chance on your future by trying to handle your case alone.
Contact our Houston truck accident lawyer today to schedule a free case consultation. Our team works on a contingency fee basis, meaning you don’t owe us anything until we recover compensation.
