Truck Accident Lawyer in Houston
Get Representation Against 18-Wheeler Mishaps
Large trucks can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds – around 20 times more than the average car! Even at speeds as low as 10 miles per hour, a collision with a large truck can cause catastrophic injuries.
Commercial trucks are dangerous to smaller vehicles and their passengers. These trucks’ large, unwieldy nature makes them more likely than other types of vehicles to cause death or serious injury, particularly in collisions with other objects such as pedestrians or smaller cars. A driver of a sedan or an innocent pedestrian may not see the approaching truck before it’s too late for an accident prevention measure like slowing down. At high speeds, this can lead to deadly consequences and significant property damage due to errors on behalf of both drivers involved.
Truck Accidents vs. Car Accidents
Truck accidents are different from car accidents. It’s worth pointing out that commercial trucks need considerably more time to stop than regular cars. A typical car weighing 4,000 pounds and traveling 65 miles per hour needs approximately 316 feet to stop. In comparison, a tractor-trailer weighing 80,000 pounds needs roughly 525 feet to stop.
An important fact to remember is that truck accident cases involve commercial interests and insurance policies. Therefore, it is crucial for truck accident victims to take the proper steps to ensure they receive fair and full compensation for their losses. The first step is to get in touch with an experienced truck accident lawyer.
The Top Cause of Truck Accidents May Surprise You
More fatal truck accidents happen in Texas than in any other state. A number of factors, both preventable and unpreventable, can cause significant truck accidents. Common causes and contributing factors of truck accidents include:
Trucks contain many complex systems that require regular inspections and maintenance. When a problem arises, it can pose safety risks that demand immediate attention. Otherwise, a malfunction can result in a severe accident that could have been prevented. Sometimes a truck maintenance company fails to repair a truck correctly. Still, inaction by a driver or a trucking company also may allow a maintenance problem to go unaddressed.
- Improper maintenance
- Driver fatigue
- Speeding
- Ignoring traffic regulations
- Improperly loaded cargo
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Lack of training and safety programs for drivers
- Inadequate inspections
- Poor weather conditions
- Distracted drivers
18-Wheeler Accidents
The average weight and size of an 18-wheeler in the United States is about 80,000 pounds, 80 feet long, and 13 feet tall, which is what makes them so dangerous. Listed below are common types of 18-wheeler accidents.
- Rollover Accidents: This can occur when a large truck takes a sharp turn or an external force knocks the vehicle on its side or roof.
- Jackknife Accidents: This can occur when a trailer swings out, causing the driver to lose control of the truck. The cab forms a folded angle that sweeps vehicles and even wedges cars under the trailer.
- Underride Accidents: This can occur when a vehicle crashes into a large truck and becomes trapped underneath the truck. It often leads to severe injuries or wrongful death.
- Unsecured Load Accidents: This can occur when the trailer is improperly loaded, causing the cargo to fall off the trailer. The severity of the damage or accident depends on what the freight is.
- Tire blowout Accidents: This can happen when a tire blows out, causing the driver to lose control of the truck. Pieces of the tire may impact other vehicles, which may cause drivers to lose control or swerve to avoid the flying fragments of rubber. Some tire blowouts are accidental, but others are due to negligence, such as low or high air pressure, lack of general tire maintenance, and unbalanced excessive cargo loads.
Hazardous Cargo Accidents are a Growing Problem
Hazardous cargo is present in approximately 4% of the large trucks involved in fatal collisions. Therefore truck drivers must be extra cautious when driving with dangerous materials onboard. These are liquids that ignite, burn and thus catch on fire easily. Therefore, the risk of truck fatality is high in a collision for a trucker carrying hazardous cargo because it is likely to explode or catch fire.
Other dangerous cargoes that can explode in a crash are combustible liquids, explosives, oxidizing substances, radioactive materials, and flammable solids.
A truck accident can be a scary experience, especially if you’ve been injured. Don’t let fear and uncertainty keep you from getting the help you need to recover from your injuries and move forward.
Both federal and state laws establish specific standards that trucking companies and drivers must meet. In addition to the federal regulations, commercial drivers in Texas must comply with various state laws. The bulk of these laws, which address many of the same items addressed in the federal laws, can be found in Title 7 of the Texas Transportation Code.
Husein Hadi is the Top Truck Accident Attorney in Texas.
At The Hadi Law Firm, we believe in helping those who have been injured in truck accidents get back on their feet—and we’re ready to start fighting for your rights today. We know that truck accidents are more likely to cause severe injury or death than other types of accidents, and we believe that no one should have to bear the financial burden of recovering from an injury they didn’t cause.
That’s why we work hard every day fighting for justice and making the process less stressful. As Houston’s best Personal Injury Trial Law firm, we walk you through every step of the process, explaining your rights and answering any questions you might have about what happens next. We ensure that everything is taken care of quickly so you can get back on your feet as soon as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions:
In most cases, it is necessary to have a seasoned truck accident attorney in your corner. There are many pitfalls to pursuing a settlement without full knowledge of commercial trucking laws in Texas. The trucking company’s insurance may try to deny your claim and remove blame from the other party. A truck accident is a very traumatic and harrowing experience. You may have life-altering injuries, had a fatality of other persons such as passengers, and your car may have been totaled. These compounding factors will have a detrimental impact on your life, and you will need compensation to the full extent of the law. Our truck accident attorneys will aggressively fight for the full settlement you deserve. Some benefits to hiring a seasoned 18-wheeler accident attorneys are:
- They are knowledgeable in Texas commercial motor vehicle laws.
- They can conduct a proper investigation to prove you are not at fault.
- Truck accident lawyers will get you the fair settlement you deserve.
- Truck accident attorneys can significantly increase the odds of winning your case.
- They know how to deal with unfair insurance companies.
- Future medical expenses.
- Lost wages.
- Future capacity to earn.
- Punitive charges for extreme negligence.
- Death or loss of a loved one.
- Property Damage.
- Mental and Physical Anguish.
The statute of limitations to file a claim for a truck or 18-wheeler accident is two years from the day of the accident. Although you have two years to file your claim, it is imperative to file a claim as soon as possible. Your 18-wheeler accident lawyer will help and guide you through this process.
According to Texas law, you may hire an attorney to represent you if you are at a “modified comparative fault” for your crash. This term means that your legal representative can recover money from the trucking company if you are equally liable for the collision.
In most Personal Injury Trial Law claims involving a truck accident, the truck company will settle out of court. The truck company wants to avoid a court settlement, and you’ll need a seasoned truck accident lawyer to negotiate on your behalf.
We represent you in all negotiations, and we never accept a settlement until you are 100% happy with the offer.
Every case varies and depends on many factors. Some cases may take months while others may take years. Our truck accident attorneys understand that any major truck accident can be life-altering and are constantly working to wrap up cases as soon as they can while also getting you the full compensation you deserve.
In many truck accident cases, the accident is the fault of truck drivers. However, this does not mean that trucking companies are off the hook. Drivers are agents of their employers and thus their actions can be regarded as the actions of the company if they were acting within the scope of their employment. If they were acting beyond that scope—for example, by driving under the influence—then there may be a case to be made that they should be held liable instead.
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