Texas Car vs. 18 Wheeler and Trucks Accident Attorneys
If you have been injured in an 18 wheeler accident or an accident involving a commercial vehicle, you can contact an attorney at our firm to discuss your case. It is imperative that you know your legal rights so that you are prepared to present your case to the insurance company who will be investigating and defending the responsible party. Contact an attorney at our firm today for a free consultation to learn how we can help you here or at 1-877-TX-CARWRECK (1-877-892-2797). There are no fees if there is no recovery.
18 wheeler accidents are not like a typical auto accident case. Accidents involving trucks in interstate and intrastate commerce result in thousands of injuries and fatalities each year in the United States. Texas has one of the highest annual rates of injury and fatality in the nation resulting from these accidents. In many cases, there is a separate owner for the trailer and there is also a separate company that loaded the trailer. It is important to analyze whether any of these other companies has any responsibility for the accident.
A fully loaded large commercial truck's weight can exceed 80,000 pounds, while an average passenger automobile weighs approximately 3,000 pounds. Because of the enormous size of trucks, any collision between a commercial truck and another vehicle is likely to result in serious injuries and damage. If the truck is carrying hazardous chemicals or flammable materials, the resulting injuries may be even more severe or fatal.
Truck accidents, semi-truck accidents, and collisions involving tractor-trailers or 18-wheelers entail a complicated set of laws and large amounts of evidence. The trucking industry is heavily regulated. Accidents involving trucks are generally significantly more complex than typical automobile accidents. Trucking lawsuits are complex and the injuries are often devastating. Injuries from trucking accidents often include paralysis, brain injuries, amputations, severe burns, spinal cord injuries, and sometimes death. State and federal laws are in place, designed to keep safe the public roadways, and the drivers who are on them.
The stakes are much higher in cases coming from 18 wheeler accidents and commercial vehicle accidents. Before the injured person is even out of the hospital in typical cases, the insurance company for the other side has already hired an attorney and private investigator. Sometimes, the insurance adjuster and an investigator may show up at the accident scene or at the hospital to start gathering evidence such as photographs of the accident and recorded statements from witnesses and the injured person while they are still medicated.
Their job is to find a way to pay you nothing or as little as possible. They will attempt to determine how to deny liability for your accident or to find a reason to not pay you what you are owed. These reasons may include defenses such as another “phantom” vehicle swerved toward the 18 wheeler causing the truck to swerve and strike your vehicle. The insurance company may also allege that you failed to take proper evasive action or were partially at fault for the accident. You can expect the same denial of responsibility when it comes to your injuries, your medical bills, and any future medical procedures your doctors recommend.
Catastrophic injury cases arising from 18 wheeler accidents require immediate attention. It is important to start gathering evidence immediately to help your case. This evidence may include retrieving electronic data stored in the truck, obtaining witness statements, maintenance records, driving logs, and taking photos of the accident scene, vehicles, and skid marks to reconstruct how the accident happened. Tthe insurance company for the other side will have this done when there are catastrophic injuries and there is a narrow window in time to gather this information.
At the Amaro Law Firm, we know how to effectively pursue legal actions to maximize our clients' recovery. In many instances, we pursue legal action against the truck driver, the trucking company, and the tractor-trailer owner. Potential causes of action against a trucking company and its driver may include negligence per se, negligent entrustment, negligent training, negligent supervision, negligent retention of employee, and negligent maintenance. Other potential causes of action may include those common negligence theories in motor vehicle accidents such as failure to maintain a safe distance and speeding, failure to maintain a proper look out, and failure to timely apply brakes.
If you or a loved one has suffered any type of injury resulting from a collision with an 18 wheeler, truck, or commercial vehicle, call our law firm to speak with an 18 wheeler accident attorney about your case to see if we can help you at 1-877-TX-CARWRECK (1-877-892-2797). All consultations are free and there are no fees if we do not obtain a recovery.
