Large truck accidents are some of the most destructive and dangerous roadway collisions. Although the trucking industry is vital to Houston’s economic and commercial success, the high number of trucks on the roads in and around the city has some serious drawbacks. With the rise in large commercial trucks comes more traffic, congestion, noise, and an increased risk of serious and even fatal accidents.
Since commercial trucks can be as much as five times the size and weight of a passenger car, accidents often have devastating outcomes. In too many cases, an instant of human error, carelessness, or negligence can have life-long consequences for Harris County victims and their families.
If you or a loved one has been hurt in a truck accident, you don’t deserve to suffer in silence for someone else’s mistakes. A Houston truck accident lawyer at Kolodny Law Firm can help you exercise your legal rights and recover just compensation from the party responsible.
Why Hire a Houston Truck Accident Law Firm
Truck accidents aren’t just damaging and catastrophic—they’re also complex. Between medical treatment, insurance claims, and bills, accident victims are often overwhelmed. A qualified personal injury attorney is essential for helping victims understand and exercise their rights after an accident. Let’s walk through other ways a truck accident lawyer can help you.
Dealing with Insurers
Navigating insurance claims after a truck accident is a complicated and technical process. Unfortunately, many insurance companies take advantage of vulnerable accident victims. It’s only too easy for a victim to unknowingly hurt their chances of recovering compensation, whether by admitting fault or accepting a settlement offer far lower than they deserve.
An attorney can help manage communications with insurers, advise you on your rights, and avoid common pitfalls throughout the process.
Determining Fault
Identifying the party at fault is key for truck accident victims looking to recover compensation. An attorney is trained to investigate the crash and collect evidence to determine liability, including police reports, truck maintenance records, driver logs, cell phone records, and witness statements. Our analysis can help identify the cause of the accident and build a case against the party responsible.
Advocating for Fair Compensation
The negotiation skills of an attorney are crucial for securing just compensation for your injuries. A truck accident attorney has the experience to accurately calculate the full extent of your recoverable damages under Texas law. Whether in insurance settlement negotiations or a personal injury claim, your lawyer can represent you and help ensure that you receive the maximum compensation possible for your case.
For a free legal consultation, call (713) 532-4474 or fill out our online contact form
Common Causes of Houston Truck Accidents
Many different situations can lead to a truck accident. In some cases, a devastating crash can result from a single negligent action, e.g., choosing to drive drunk. In others, several factors may combine to create a tragic situation.
Our Houston truck accident law firm has represented victims in many types of truck accident cases. Here are some of the most frequent causes of truck accidents we see in Harris County.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving happens whenever a driver takes their concentration away from the road. Since truck drivers spend most of the day behind the wheel, they can be at a higher risk of falling prey to distractions. Drivers can compromise their focus by texting, talking on the phone, eating, playing music, using GPS, or even changing the vehicle temperature. Although the distraction may be momentary, it only takes a moment of inattention to cause a deadly accident.
Driver Fatigue
Being on the road for long hours puts truck drivers at risk of exhaustion and loss of focus. Fatigued drivers take longer to react to obstacles or incidents on the road, which makes dangerous collisions more likely.
Because of the dangers of fatigue, federal law limits the number of consecutive hours truck drivers can work without breaks. Unfortunately, some trucking companies or drivers ignore these regulations and, as a result, put the lives of everyone on the road at risk.
Traffic Law Violations
State and federal traffic laws are designed to protect all road users. Drivers put themselves and others in jeopardy when they fail to obey traffic laws by:
- Driving over the speed limit,
- Running red lights,
- Failing to yield to other vehicles,
- Ignoring stop signs,
- Passing when it’s not safe,
- Tailgating, or
- Not using turn signals.
These behaviors are dangerous in any vehicle. However, they can be even more risky when a large truck is involved since trucks’ size and weight make them more difficult to control.
Unsecured or Overloaded Cargo
Trucks carry many different types of cargo, from lumber to metal appliances to hazardous chemicals. If this cargo isn’t secured correctly, it can fall onto the road and hit other vehicles.
The state of Texas also sets weight limits for large commercial trucks. Trucks that are loaded beyond their legal weight pose serious accident risks. Overloaded trucks make it harder for drivers to slow down or change directions. The extra weight can also cause unexpected tire failure, sending a truck out of control.
Improper Truck Maintenance
Trucks are large and complex machines that require regular maintenance to stay in proper working order. Trucking companies and drivers must ensure their vehicles receive regular inspections and repairs. Otherwise, drivers risk unexpected and potentially dangerous malfunctions on the road, including brake failures, tire blowouts, and engine issues.
Driving Under the Influence
Anyone using drugs or alcohol has no place operating a vehicle. Unfortunately, some people still do get behind the wheel after using these substances. Driving under the influence can also involve abuse of prescription drugs or over-the-counter medication.
Compensation for Houston Truck Accident Injuries
Since truck accidents are often severely damaging, they carry a high risk of serious and debilitating injuries. Victims of truck accidents in Harris County often suffer:
- Burns,
- Soft tissue injuries,
- Amputations,
- Whiplash and spinal cord damage,
- Internal bleeding,
- Broken bones and skull fractures, and
- Traumatic brain injuries.
These conditions frequently require long-term and expensive treatment—sometimes for the rest of a victim’s life.
If you’re injured by someone else’s mistakes or negligence behind the wheel, Texas law gives you the right to seek compensation from the party at fault. Here are some of the areas that compensation can cover.
Medical Expenses
Victims can be reimbursed for past or current medical bills related to the accident. This can include expenses for:
- Emergency care,
- Surgeries,
- Rehabilitation,
- Medications,
- Prosthetics, and
- Specialist consultations.
If your injury requires long-term treatment, you can also recover compensation for future medical expenses, such as physical therapy and home care.
Lost Wages
Accident victims are frequently unable to work while they recover from a crash. Any income and benefits you miss during this time are another loss that justifies compensation. If your injuries leave you debilitated and unable to work normally in the future, you may also recover additional compensation for lost earning capacity.
Emotional Distress
Severe accidents cause psychological as well as physical wounds. Texas law recognizes the mental toll that catastrophic accidents have and allows victims to seek additional compensation for the psychological harm they suffer.
Loss of Enjoyment of Life
The long-term impact of a serious injury can change your life forever. In many cases, victims can no longer participate in activities that previously brought their lives joy and meaning. Although this loss is challenging to calculate, a top-rated truck accident lawyer in Houston can advocate for your right to compensation for this and other intangible costs of an accident.
For a free legal consultation, call (713) 532-4474 or fill out our online contact form
Frequently Asked Questions About Houston Truck Accidents
Here, we’ll shed light on some questions that we often hear from truck accident victims in Harris County.
How Is a Truck Accident Case Different from a Regular Car Accident Case?
Truck accidents differ from car accidents in several crucial ways. The most significant differences include:
- Degree of damage. Since trucks are much larger and heavier than passenger cars, they can cause much more damage in collisions than other vehicles. Even truck accidents that happen at relatively slow speeds can be more destructive than those involving smaller cars.
- Multiple parties. Because large trucks are commercial vehicles, additional complications are involved in settling accident claims. Liability can lie not just with the truck driver but also potentially with the trucking company or truck manufacturer. Determining the source of liability requires extensive investigation and analysis by a professional.
- Potential compensation. The amount of recoverable compensation in truck accident claims is often higher than in cases involving only passenger cars. Damages for accident victims largely focus on the cost of physical and property damage, which is generally much more severe in collisions involving trucks.
For these reasons, a legal professional who only has experience with passenger car accident claims may not be the best support for truck accident victims.
How Common Are Truck Accidents?
Unfortunately, truck accidents are relatively common in the Lone Star State. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, there were over 38,000 truck accidents in 2023. In 2022, the National Traffic Safety Administration reported that Texas had the highest number of truck-related traffic fatalities—over twice as many deaths as any other state.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Houston Trucking Accident Lawyer?
The cost of a Houston truck accident lawyer can vary. Most lawyers who take truck accident cases use a contingency fee structure. This means they don’t charge any fees upfront. Instead, you only pay if they win compensation for you. If you win your case, your attorney takes their fee out of the funds you recover.
What Types of Compensation Can I Receive After a Truck Accident?
Victims can recover economic and noneconomic damages after a truck accident. Economic damages aim to reimburse you for financial losses from the crash, such as medical expenses, lost income, and property damage. Noneconomic damages compensate for losses that are more difficult to quantify. They can include emotional distress, pain and suffering, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Truck accident victims may also receive punitive damages in a personal injury claim. These damages aim to punish the person at fault rather than compensate the victim for losses. They’re usually available only in cases of extreme negligence or intentional recklessness. Texas law limits the amount a victim can receive through these damages.
What Should I Do Immediately After a Truck Accident?
The minutes and hours after a truck accident are critical. What you do immediately after a collision can have a serious impact on your chances of physical and financial recovery. If you’re in a truck accident, here are the essential steps to take:
- Call 911. Once you’re out of harm’s way, call emergency services immediately. Try to tell them in as much detail as possible where you are, how many people are involved, and any injuries you see. Ensure the police come to the scene as well to make an accident report.
- Document the scene. When it’s safe to do so, gather as much evidence as you can from the accident site. This includes taking photos and videos of the crash scene, the vehicle locations, road conditions, and any visible injuries. Ensure you exchange contact and insurance information with any other drivers.
- See a doctor. It’s important to have a thorough medical examination after any accident. Even minor collisions can lead to serious injuries that may not be immediately noticeable. To be eligible for compensation for any injuries, you’ll need a record from a medical professional.
- Contact a lawyer. The knowledge and experience of a legal professional can be critical after a truck accident. Many accidents are much more legally complex than they appear at first. To be safe, it’s best to seek advice about your rights and options from an attorney.
Taking action sooner rather than later is the best after a truck accident. Texas law has a two-year limit for bringing personal injury claims after a crash. If you miss that deadline, you could miss your chance to recover compensation at all.
Kolodny Law Firm: Your Houston Truck Accident Lawyers
Nothing can erase the pain and loss caused by a catastrophic accident. However, at the Kolodny Law Firm, we can help you take the first steps toward rebuilding after the devastation of a truck accident. Our award-winning personal injury attorneys have fought and won just compensation for hundreds of Texans who’ve suffered life-altering harm on the road.
Our advocates are skilled litigators dedicated to making high-quality legal representation accessible to all Harris County residents. That’s why when you hire us, you don’t owe anything upfront—we get paid only if we’re able to win you compensation. To learn more, contact our office to schedule a free case evaluation.
Areas We Serve
At Kolodny Law Firm, we are proud to serve clients throughout the Greater Houston area. Our coverage extends to cities such as:
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