Collisions between commercial trucks and passenger cars are some of the most catastrophic for victims. The average 18-wheeler can carry tens of thousands of pounds of cargo. Up against the average passenger car, weighing between 3,000 and 4,000 pounds, an 80,000-plus pound large truck can cause extensive damage. Victims often suffer catastrophic and life-altering personal injuries.
If you have injuries or a loved one lost his or her life in a truck accident, contact our Laredo truck accident attorneys at Texas Law Guns, Injury & Accident Lawyers for a free legal consultation. You may need a Loredo personal injury attorney to represent you during negotiations with a trucking company’s insurance provider. We offer our services at no cost to clients upfront. Call (956) 568-5954 today to schedule your case review.
At Texas Law Guns, Injury & Accident Lawyers, our truck accident attorneys will fight for your legal rights to receive compensation for your medical expenses, property loss, and other damages while ensuring any responsible parties are held liable for their actions. We are a full-service law firm that offers comprehensive legal services in Laredo, Texas.
Our personal injury lawyers have:
- Specialized knowledge of personal injury law and all areas of state and federal trucking law as personal injury law is our only practice area;
- A 99% success rate and past case results that amount to more than $500 million; and
- The resources of a large law firm while providing the personalized services of a small firm.
Texas Law Guns, Injury & Accident Lawyers only charges clients during Laredo truck accident claims if we win them compensation. We are experienced negotiators and are not afraid to litigate your claim in court if that is what is necessary.
Do not face the trucking company and its insurers on your own. You deserve strong, aggressive legal representation on your side. Call Texas Law Guns, Injury & Accident Lawyers today for a practical and honest legal assessment of your truck accident case.
Laredo Truck Accident Resources
Let Our Laredo Truck Accident Attorneys Help You
Most big rig accident cases in Texas name the trucking company as the defendant or at-fault party. Trucking companies in the US are vicariously liable for the accidents that involve their trucks and drivers, in most cases. If a negligent truck driver caused your wreck, the company that employed that driver would most likely be responsible.
Trucking companies have extensive resources to put toward disputing injury liability. It can be challenging to go up against the truck company’s insurer unrepresented. Once you hire an attorney from our personal injury law firm, the insurance company will have no choice but to take your claim seriously. Your attorney will aggressively negotiate for fair results on your behalf.
Truck accidents are one of the most complex and labor-intensive personal injury accidents. Your truck accident attorney does at Texas Law Guns, Injury & Accident Lawyers will do the following and more to ensure you get the justice and compensation you are entitled to after your semi-truck accident:
- Gather any evidence, such as collision scene photos, videos, and the truck’s Department of Transportation number and license plate;
- Correspond with the insurance company and creditors;
- Review your medical records;
- Review the police report;
- Interview eyewitnesses;
- Employ needed expert witnesses, such as accident reconstruction specialists;
- Identify and pursue liable parties;
- Negotiate with the insurance company(s);
- Settle your claim(s); or
- File your civil lawsuit; and
- Proceed to court and possibly, trial.
While most truck accident claims settle outside of court, the truck accident attorneys at Texas Law Guns, Injury & Accident Lawyers will advise you of the best legal options for your circumstances.
Schedule your confidential appointment to learn more about our full-service law firm and discuss your truck accident injuries today.
What is a Commercial Truck?
Commercial trucks come in all shapes and sizes. However, each requires a special commercial driver’s license and skill set to operate.
Examples of commercial trucks on Laredo’s roadways include, but are not limited to the following:
- Dump trucks;
- Garbage trucks;
- Tanker trucks;
- Box trucks;
- Delivery trucks; and
- Tow trucks.
Causes of Commercial Truck Accidents in Laredo
Laredo’s position as a major commercial hub along the U.S.–Mexico border means thousands of trucks pass through the city each day. With this heavy traffic comes an increased risk of collisions involving large commercial vehicles. Many of these injury crashes are preventable and occur because of driver errors, unsafe company practices, or hazardous conditions. Understanding the most common causes can help identify who is at fault and how to pursue an accident injury claim.
- Driver Fatigue: Truck drivers often work long hours to meet delivery deadlines. Fatigue slows reaction times, impairs judgment, and increases the likelihood of drifting out of lanes or missing important traffic cues. Federal hours-of-service regulations exist to prevent fatigue, but they are not always followed.
- Distracted Driving: Using a phone, eating, adjusting GPS devices, or any activity that takes a driver’s attention from the road can lead to devastating traffic accidents. A distracted truck driver operating a vehicle weighing up to 80,000 pounds can cause far more damage than a passenger car.
- Speeding and Driving Too Fast for Conditions: Big rigs need more distance to stop than smaller vehicles. Driving over the speed limit or failing to slow down in bad weather, construction zones, or heavy traffic can cause commercial vehicle accidents
- Improper Loading or Overloading: Cargo must be loaded and secured correctly to keep the truck stable. Overloaded trailers or uneven weight distribution can cause a truck to tip over, jackknife, or spill its cargo onto the roadway.
- Mechanical Failures and Poor Maintenance: Defective brakes, worn tires, and other mechanical problems can make a truck unsafe to operate. Some failures result from poor maintenance practices by the trucking company, while others involve defective parts that may lead to product liability claims.
- Unsafe Lane Changes and Turns: 18-wheelers have significant blind spots and need extra room to maneuver. A driver who fails to check mirrors, signal properly, or give enough clearance can easily sideswipe another vehicle or cause a rollover.
- Driving Under the Influence: Alcohol, illegal drugs, and even some prescription medications can impair a truck driver’s ability to operate safely. Impaired driving is a serious violation of both state law and federal regulations.
- Failure to Obey Traffic Laws: Running red lights, ignoring stop signs, or failing to yield the right of way can be deadly when a commercial truck is involved. These violations can stem from impatience, distraction, or disregard for safety.
- Dangerous Roads: Human error could take another form and cause a semi-truck accident due to a dangerous roadway. It is the City of Laredo’s legal responsibility to inspect, maintain and repair its roads. The city could be liable if a pothole or another defect caused the truck accident.
Types of Large Truck Accidents in Laredo
Laredo’s heavy truck traffic, particularly on Interstate 35 and near the Port of Laredo, increases the risk of a collision. Below are some of the most common types of large truck accidents seen in Laredo.
- Jackknife Accidents: A jackknife occurs when the trailer swings out from behind the cab, creating an angle that resembles the folding of a pocketknife. This usually happens when the driver brakes too hard or too quickly, causing the trailer to skid and pivot. Jackknife accidents can block multiple lanes of traffic and often involve multiple vehicles, making them especially dangerous.
- Rear-End Collisions: Due to their weight and longer stopping distance, 18-wheelers can rear-end vehicles if traffic slows suddenly or if the driver is distracted or following too closely. The force of impact from a commercial truck striking a smaller vehicle from behind can cause catastrophic damage and neck and back injuries. These crashes are especially hazardous at highway speeds.
- Underride Guard Accidents: An underride collision happens when a smaller vehicle crashes into the rear or side of a truck’s trailer and becomes wedged underneath it. This type of accident is frequently fatal because the top of the smaller vehicle can be crushed. While rear underride guards are required on most trailers, they don’t always prevent serious head injuries or death.
- Rollover Accidents: A rollover occurs when a truck tips onto its side or roof. Rollovers can happen due to speeding, sharp turns, uneven cargo loads, or sudden evasive maneuvers. In Laredo, high winds, steep on-ramps, and congested roads can increase rollover risks, and these crashes often spill cargo, creating additional hazards for other motorists.
- Blind Spot Accidents: Commercial trucks have large blind spots (often referred to as “no-zones”) along both sides, behind the trailer, and in front of the cab. When a truck driver changes lanes, merges, or turns without noticing a vehicle in one of these areas, a collision can occur. Blind spot accidents can easily lead to sideswipes or force smaller vehicles off the road.
Who is Liable for Your Truck Accident Injuries?
Determining liability in a semi-truck accident is usually more challenging than in a typical car crash. Multiple parties may share responsibility depending on how the accident happened and the relationships between drivers, trucking companies, and other entities. Identifying every liable party is important because it increases the chances of recovering full compensation for your losses.
- The Truck Driver: A driver can be liable if their actions (such as speeding, driving while fatigued, using a phone, or violating traffic laws) caused the accident. Professional truck drivers are held to a higher safety standard, and any negligence on their part can lead to catastrophic injuries for others on the road.
- The Trucking Company: The company that employs or contracts the driver may be liable for unsafe hiring practices, inadequate training, failure to enforce safety rules, or pushing drivers to meet unrealistic schedules. Trucking firms (and their insurance companies) can also be responsible for poor maintenance, improper inspections, or ignoring load restrictions.
- Cargo Loading Company: If a third-party company is responsible for loading the truck’s cargo, they can be held accountable for unsafe loading practices. Unsecured or imbalanced cargo can cause a truck to tip over, jackknife, or spill onto the roadway.
- Maintenance and Repair Contractors: 18-wheelers require regular inspections and repairs to operate safely. If a vehicle maintenance provider failed to fix a known problem or performed repairs incorrectly, they could share liability for an accident.
- Manufacturers of Trucks or Truck Parts: Defective brakes, tires, steering components, or other parts can contribute to a crash. In those cases, the manufacturer, distributor, or retailer of the faulty part may be liable under product liability laws.
- Other Drivers on the Road: In some cases, the negligence of another motorist, such as cutting off a truck or making sudden lane changes, can trigger a chain reaction that leads to a semi-truck accident. That driver can also share responsibility for the resulting damages.
How Long Do I Have to File a Truck Accident Claim?
The Texas statute of limitations for truck accident claims is two years from the day of the accident. Property damage claims are also subject to this limit. However, even if you think that the statute of limitations has passed, you should still consult a personal injury attorney, as there are some exceptions to the two-year deadline.
If someone you love was killed in a trucking accident, you may be able to file a wrongful death claim against the responsible party or parties. Wrongful death claims also have a two-year limitation period; however, they do not begin on the date of the accident. The timer for a wrongful death lawsuit begins on the date that the person passes away.
What Truck Accident Compensation Can You Receive?
A truck accident on Interstate 35 or anywhere else in Laredo can leave you struggling with high medical bills, lost income, and long-term changes to your health and lifestyle. In Texas, injury damages are generally divided into two main categories: economic damages and non-economic damages. In certain situations, you may also seek exemplary damages.
Economic Damages
Economic damages cover the direct financial losses caused by the accident. These damages, which can be proven through bills, receipts, and employment records, include:
- Medical Bills (Current and Future): You may recover the cost of emergency treatment, hospital care, surgeries, rehabilitation, prescription medications, and medical equipment. If your injuries require ongoing care or future procedures, those anticipated costs can also be included.
- Property Damage: Compensation can cover repairs to your vehicle or replacement of your vehicle if it is declared a total loss. It may also include reimbursement for personal belongings damaged in the crash.
- Lost Wages: If your injuries force you to miss work, you can recover the income you lost during your recovery. This applies whether you were out for days, weeks, or months.
- Loss of Earning Capacity: If your injuries prevent you from returning to your previous job or reduce your ability to earn a living in the future, you can seek damages for that loss. These claims often involve an analysis of your work history, skills, and expected career trajectory before the accident.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages compensate you for the physical and emotional toll of the accident. These damages do not have a set dollar value but are just as important as economic losses:
- Pain and Suffering: This covers the physical pain and discomfort caused by your injuries, as well as any chronic pain you may experience in the future.
- Emotional Distress: Many truck accident victims experience anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress following a serious crash. Emotional distress damages address this lasting psychological impact.
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life: If your injuries prevent you from engaging in hobbies, social activities, or other parts of life you enjoyed before the accident, you may recover damages for that loss.
- Loss of Consortium: If the accident has harmed your relationship with your spouse, you may recover damages for the loss of companionship, support, and intimacy.
- Scarring and Disfigurement: Permanent physical changes caused by the accident can affect your self-esteem and future opportunities. Compensation may be awarded to address both the physical and emotional effects.
Exemplary Damages
If the trucking company, driver, or another party acted with extreme recklessness or intentional misconduct, Texas law allows for exemplary damages. Also known as punitive damages, they are meant to punish wrongful behavior and deter similar conduct in the future. A personal injury lawyer can confirm whether you’re eligible for this compensation.
Contact Our Truck Accident Lawyers in Laredo Today
Determining fault and identifying the correct defendants are tasks we can complete for you at Texas Law Guns, Injury & Accident Lawyers. Our truck accident lawyers know how to investigate accidents and search for evidence of faults, such as the truck’s black box, the electronic logging device’s HOS logs, or the truck driver’s employment records. When you trust us with your case, you can rest and focus on healing while we go up against the correct defendant on your behalf.
A Laredo car accident involving a commercial truck could cause injuries ranging from bone fractures, traumatic brain injuries, and spinal cord injuries to permanent disabilities. As a crash survivor with any type of injury, or the surviving loved one of someone involved in a fatal truck accident, you should seek legal advice on how to proceed with a claim. Our personal injury lawyers can help clients with personal injury and wrongful death claims. Find out if you have the right to take legal action, as well as how we can help, at (956) 568-5954. You can also request a free consultation online.
