The trucking industry is a major job creator, employing one out of every 16 people in Texas. As one of the top-ranked states for exports, large commercial trucks are a staple feature on our roadways in Dallas. Unfortunately, driver negligence, unrealistic delivery schedules, and lackluster enforcement of regulations make it incredibly dangerous for passenger vehicles to share the road with large trucks.
At Buckingham Barrera Vega Law Firm, we have witnessed the devastation that a truck accident can wreak on the lives of victims and their families. Even when faced with evidence of their misbehavior, trucking companies and their drivers will do everything within their power to deny liability for a collision. As experienced personal injury attorneys, it’s our job to make sure that doesn’t happen.
If you’ve been injured in a truck accident and the insurance company is denying you the full and fair compensation you are owed, contact our law office right away. We’ll match you with a Dallas truck accident lawyer for a free consultation. We provide this initial meeting as a courtesy to injury victims, and there is never any obligation to work with our law office following your case evaluation.
Texas Truck Accident Statistics
According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHA), Texas has 6,802 miles of interstate and nearly 655,000 total lane miles, more than any other state in the United States. As a major player in the country’s economy, most interstate commercial drivers will spend some of their driving hours traversing across the Lone Star State.
2020 data from the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) determined that large trucks and tractor trailers were involved in:
- 1,165 accidents resulting in serious injuries
- 559 fatal crashes
- 3,822 collisions involving minor injuries
Including data for trucking accidents involving suspected injuries, no injuries, and unknown injury statuses, there were an additional 46,219 big truck accidents.
In Dallas, we are no strangers to large truck crashes. As one of the premier personal injury law firms serving clients across the southwest, our decades of experience handling truck accident cases make us uniquely positioned to take on even the most complex accident claim.
Life After a Truck Accident
A truck wreck between a large commercial vehicle and a smaller passenger vehicle is almost always catastrophic. The sheer size and weight difference between these two vehicles put those in the smaller car at a distinct disadvantage, often leaving them with long-term damages that require time and the backing of a knowledgeable legal team to fully address.
Truck accident victims who meet with a personal injury attorney typically want to know that they will be understood and listened to. When you contact our office, you’ll know that the Dallas truck accident attorney you speak with truly cares about what happened to you and how your life has been affected.
Physical Injuries
Truck wrecks are known to cause severe injuries. Compared to accidents involving two passenger vehicles, a collision between a fully-loaded tractor trailer and a much smaller vehicle has the potential to leave victims with much more catastrophic injuries.
Catastrophic injuries are considered to be especially severe, and often affect the neck, spine, spinal cord, brain, or skull. Anyone suffering from a catastrophic injury will require regular, ongoing medical care, and few may ever see a full recovery. The costs associated with these injuries (including medical expenses and lost wages) are typically compensable in a truck accident lawsuit.
At Buckingham Barrera Vega Law Firm, our Dallas truck accident attorneys also help injury victims recover costs associated with some of the most common truck accident injuries:
- Spinal cord injuries
- Neck and back injuries
- Chest injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Broken bones and fractures
- Crushed limbs
- Amputations (loss of limb)
- Internal organ damage or bleeding
- Burns
- Cuts and lacerations
- Seat belt injuries
Negligent parties should be held accountable for the harm they’ve caused. If you need help determining liability for a serious accident or are ready to move forward with a personal injury claim, contact our law office first so that we can discuss your legal options.
Emotional Anguish
An accident involving a tractor-trailer can truly be a traumatizing event. Survivors of large truck accidents often struggle with long-lasting psychological distress, including flashbacks of the accident and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems are far from uncommon.
As personal injury lawyers, we know how devastating the psychological impact of truck accidents can be, which is why we fight for justice.
Financial Losses
In addition to physical and emotional damages, most truck accident victims also suffer significant financial losses. These losses can have a profound impact on a person’s ability to live a stable, fulfilling life.
Common monetary losses related to motor vehicle accidents include:
- Lost wages if you have to take time off work to recover.
- Reduced earning capacity if your ability to work certain jobs is affected.
- Medical bills, including those for doctor visits, physical therapy, tests, surgery, therapy, and more.
- Travel costs to and from medical appointments.
- Auto repair bills if your vehicle is repairable, and replacement vehicle costs if it was totaled.
- Home renovation costs to accommodate a new disability or mobility issue.
- Domestic services, including child care and in-home cleaning services if you are no longer able to care for your home.
An experienced truck accident attorney from Buckingham Barrera Vega Law Firm can correctly value your financial losses associated with your commercial truck crash. We will consider the ways in which the crash has affected your daily life and how the negligence of a truck driver or trucking company played a role in your losses.
Our job is to hold negligent commercial truck drivers and negligent trucking companies liable for their actions. Your job is to rest and focus on your recovery.
The Most Common Causes of Truck Accidents
In our years spent representing victims injured by the negligent and reckless driving practices of big truck drivers, we have become familiar with some of the most common causes of truck accidents in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Metropolitan Area. We hold truck drivers, their employers, insurance carriers, and other potentially liable parties legally and financially responsible for the harm they cause with the following behavior.
Truck Driver Error
Behind-the-wheel errors made by truck drivers are one of the biggest driving forces of tractor-trailer accidents. Despite securing a commercial driver’s license (CDL) and undergoing specialized training, many big rig drivers continue to engage in unsafe practices while driving. Regulations (including those that limit hours truck drivers can be on duty) and traffic laws are often ignored in favor of:
- Texting, sending emails, or scrolling through social media
- Taking pictures or videos
- Talking on the phone
- Eating or drinking
- Driving while drowsy or without sufficient sleep (driver fatigue)
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol (drunk driving)
- Ignoring or failing to notice red lights and stop signs
- Following too closely or tailgating
- Speeding or driving too fast for conditions
- Skipping pre- or post-trip inspections
Drivers of commercial vehicles must exercise caution and restraint when driving. Those who engage in dangerous practices like distracted driving are much more likely to cause an accident with a passenger vehicle.
Trucking Company Negligence
Negligent and reckless behavior can also be traced back to truck driver’s employers—trucking companies. When a truck company acts in a way that puts passenger vehicle occupants and even other commercial vehicles in harm’s way, our truck accident lawyers hold them accountable for their actions.
When you work with a Dallas truck accident lawyer from our firm, you’ll have a powerful advocate on your side who can dig through the evidence and uncover proof of truck company misbehavior. It is not uncommon for us to discover that a trucking company engaged in some of the following bad behavior:
- Creating unrealistic delivery schedules
- Encouraging truck drivers to violate federal hours of service regulations
- Hiring unqualified drivers or failing to provide training
- Failing to perform regular maintenance
Truck company negligence is also one of the most common contributors to truck driver fatigue. The creation of unrealistic delivery schedules or any pressure (whether overt or subtle) to drive for hours longer than permitted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is almost always done in an effort to boost profits. This focus on profits over people ultimately leads to dangerous and even deadly accidents.
Third-Party Negligence
In some cases, an accident might also be the fault of parties other than the truck driver and their employer. Additional liable parties that are often named in a truck accident claim include:
- Other passenger vehicle drivers
- An auto part or truck manufacturer
- A negligent mechanic
- The shipping company or cargo loaders
You need a truck accident lawyer who will fully investigate your claim to determine exactly who is liable for your injuries and damages.
Types of Truck Accidents We Handle
The Dallas truck accident lawyers of Buckingham Barrera Vega Law Firm are equipped to handle a wide range of truck accident cases, including those involving the following types of collisions:
- Tire blowout accidents
- Rear-end or head-on collisions
- Underride and override accidents
- Rollover accidents
- Wide turn (squeeze play) accidents
- T-bone accidents
- Sideswipe accidents
- Jackknife accidents
Determining the type of truck accident you were involved in is an essential step in your journey to securing compensation. If possible, be sure to take pictures while still at the accident scene, as your attorney can use this evidence to determine the type of accident that caused your injuries.
Truck Accident Frequently Asked Questions
A serious truck accident has the potential to turn your life upside down. Many victims are unsure of what to do next or where to turn for help. Buckingham Barrera Vega Law Firm is pleased to offer no-cost case evaluations to injury victims in Dallas, TX, and as a courtesy, we have also prepared answers to some of the most frequently asked truck accident questions.
How Much Am I Owed for My Truck Accident Case?
We cannot say with any certainty how much you might be owed for your truck accident without first meeting in-person to discuss your case, but there is one thing we know—the insurance company will not offer you a fair settlement.
No matter how nice the insurance adjuster you speak with may seem, the reality is that a large, profit-oriented company is going to pull every trick and tactic they have to get you to agree to less than you are owed. The best way to show the insurance company that you mean business is to work with a truck accident lawyer.
Who Is Liable for My Damages?
An accident involving a large truck is especially complex, as there is often more than one liable party. This means that rather than filing a truck accident case against a single defendant, your claim might involve multiple at-fault parties. Possible liable parties include:
- The truck driver
- The truck driver’s employer
- The owner of the truck (if different than the driver and employer)
- Other drivers
- Auto part manufacturers
Failing to identify an at-fault party could mean missing out on compensation that is vital to your recovery.
What if I Was Partially at Fault for My Truck Crash?
The state of Texas operates on a modified comparative negligence doctrine. This means that you may still pursue and secure compensation for your damages so long as you were less than 51% at fault for the accident. Your compensation will also be proportionately reduced by your percentage of fault.
Insurance adjusters will frequently try to artificially increase your percentage of fault to limit your settlement amount or to revoke your right to compensation altogether. Do not allow a profit-hungry company to deny you the financial compensation you are owed—contact the Dallas truck accident lawyers of Buckingham Barrera Vega Law Firm today.
Will My Truck Crash Case Go to Court?
The majority of personal injury cases (even those involving tractor-trailers) are negotiated and settled outside of a courtroom. However, there is no way of telling whether your case will be one of the few that do ultimately go to trial.
For this reason, we prepare for the possibility of going to court even as we strive to reach a full and fair settlement through negotiations. With this approach, we are prepared for whichever direction your case takes.
Do I Need a Lawyer To File a Truck Accident Claim?
You are not required to retain the services of a truck accident attorney when filing an accident claim. However, insurance companies frequently take advantage of the average victim’s lack of knowledge and experience of the legal world. If you are eager to secure maximum compensation for your lost wages, medical expenses, pain and suffering, and more, we recommend working with an established truck accident lawyer.
What Makes Our Dallas Truck Accident Attorneys Different?
You have the choice of working with any number of personal injury law firms in Dallas, which is why we want you to feel confident that Buckingham Barrera Vega is the right law office for your case. In all that we do, we bring experience, knowledge, and professionalism. Every case we take on is personal, as we know we are fighting for an injury victim’s right to recover compensation that is essential to their recovery.
To us, our clients are much more than just accident victims. We see each and every client we work with as a whole person, which allows us to craft the strongest possible case on their behalf.
We Investigate Your Claim
When you decide to work with Buckingham Barrera Vega Law Firm, a Dallas truck accident lawyer will begin a thorough investigation into your claim. We will determine the cause of your accident, identify all liable parties, and determine how much you are owed. We accomplish this by drawing on a wealth of resources, such as:
- Dashcam or traffic camera footage
- Data collected by the truck’s black box
- Cell phone data from all involved drivers
- Your medical records and collected medical bills
- Pay stubs and bank notes
When necessary, we also partner with experts outside of the legal field, including accident reconstruction professionals and medical experts who are willing to testify on behalf of our clients.
We Deal With the Insurance Company
The insurance company is not your friend. Our attorneys take over all communication and negotiations with the insurance company to ensure that our clients are never tricked or bullied into saying something they don’t mean.
We’re the Dallas Truck Accident Lawyers Who Care
Whether you were injured as the result of truck driver fatigue, inadequate maintenance, or a drunk driver, the result is the same—you were injured through no fault of your own. Our personal injury attorneys have dedicated their professional careers to advocating for injury victims who were harmed by the negligent, reckless, and wrongful actions of others.
No matter how complex or difficult your case may appear to be, we are up for the challenge. Let us advocate on your behalf.
Speak With a Dallas Truck Accident Lawyer Today
Accidents involving commercial trucks are serious, often leaving victims with months, years, or even a lifetime of related costs. You need a Dallas truck accident lawyer who will maximize your compensation, allowing you to focus on your recovery and healing without worrying about how you will pay your bills or keep a roof over your head.
There is no time to delay—Texas law places a time limit on how long you have to file your truck accident case, and the clock began ticking the moment your accident happened. Contact us today for an opportunity to speak with a truck accident attorney in a free, no-obligation setting.
