TRUCK ACCIDENT LAWYER
INJURY & MALPRACTICE ATTORNEY SERVING CLIENTS NEAR DALLAS, FT. WORTH, PLANO, ARLINGTON, IRVING, NORTH TEXAS & ARKANSAS
Commercial trucks have a higher center of gravity, potentially dangerous cargo, and weight that can exceed 80,000 pounds, which are all contributing factors to the tragedy that can occur if they are involved in an accident. When a passenger vehicle is involved in a truck accident, not only is the car catastrophically damaged but those inside are often critically injured or killed.
If you or a loved one was injured in a truck accident, your family may be dealing with:
Hospital bills
Medical expenses
Rehabilitation expenses
Lost wages and income
Lifestyle modifications to cope with disability
Diminished quality of life
Pain and suffering
Truck accident cases are more complex than the common car accident, having their own set of state and federal regulations. If you were injured or have experienced the loss of a loved one in truck accident in the North Texas area, our Dallas lawyers can help you hold the negligent parties responsible.
For a free case evaluation, contact the Dallas truck accident attorneys at Polewski & Associates by calling 972-230-6200. We are committed to helping victims recover the financial compensation that they rightfully deserve.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents
Truck accidents cause nearly 90,000 injuries and 5,000 deaths per year in the United States. While there a number of scenarios which can result in a truck accident, there are some that are more common than others.
Some of the most common causes of truck accidents we tend to see include:
Driver fatigue: Truck driver fatigue is perhaps the most common cause of truck accidents in America. While federal regulations mandate that truck drivers have minimum amounts of rest and time off, drivers and employers often ignore these safety rules in an effort to make more money. When drowsy truck drivers become inattentive behind the wheel, your safety is jeopardized.
Drug use: Often when a truck driver is driving under the influence, the cause of impairment is not alcohol but amphetamines. Generally they are used with the intent of keeping drivers awake, but this can put both the truck driver and other motorists in danger.
Oversized loads or improperly secured cargo: Sometimes the storage compartments of commercial trucks are overloaded to meet supply demands, but this can throw off a truck's balance and center of gravity, increasing the likelihood of an accident.
Reckless driving: While all truck drivers should adhere strictly to safety guidelines, sometimes the pressure to meet deadlines can affect their judgment in driving.
Distracted driving: Drivers who are texting while driving, fiddling with GPS devices, or engaging in other activities pose a threat on the roads.
Overloaded Trucks
An overloaded truck leads to more accidents and increases the probability of an accident occurring due to the following issues:
Increased stopping time and distance
Greater risk of tire blowout
Increased downhill speed
Greater risk of rollover accident
Risk of bridge and overpass collapse
If one of these occurs while passenger vehicles are nearby, the outcome could be catastrophic. Injuries are typically severe, and could lead to disability, disfigurement or amputation. Tragically, accidents involving tractor trailers often result in the wrongful death of one or more individuals involved.
Override Accidents
In an override accident, the front end of a large truck runs over a smaller vehicle, such as a passenger car or a motorcycle. There are many potential causes of override accidents, including:
Brake failure on the truck
Truck driver fatigue
Tire blowout
Improper truck maintenance
Reckless driving
Trucker tailgating
Adverse weather conditions
Underride Accidents
Underride accidents occur when a smaller vehicle such as a car or motorcycle crashes into a truck and slides beneath the truck’s undercarriage. In most underride accidents, the roof of the car is either crushed or ripped off, causing severe injuries to the vehicle’s passengers such as:
Brain injuries
Spinal cord injuries
Decapitation
Death
Underride accidents can occur from both rear-end collisions and collisions with the side of a truck’s trailer. Rear-end underride accidents are often caused by a truck stopping short when a vehicle is traveling too close behind. Side collision underride accidents often occur when a truck is backing out of a driveway into a road containing a steady flow of traffic.
In these cases, the drivers of passenger vehicles often do not see the truck backing out until it is too late to stop in time. These accidents are more likely to occur at night when it is difficult to see a truck’s trailer backing into the street due to poor lighting.
Truck Driver Fatigue
In an ongoing effort to improve highway safety, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulates the number of hours truck drivers may operate to ensure that they are not driving while fatigued. Approximately 4,000 people die in large truck crashes each year and driver fatigue is considered to be the leading factor.
The FMCSA has enacted “hours of service” laws for truck drivers in order to help put an end to fatigued driving. These laws include:
Drivers must take a 30-minute break within the first 8 hours of their shift in order to stay alert.
Drivers are required to take rest periods and are not permitted to drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty, following 10 consecutive hours off duty.
Truckers may not drive more than 60 hours in a 7 day period, or 70 hours in an 8 day period.
Research on the matter demonstrates that extensive work hours without sufficient recovery time actually leads to reduced sleep and chronic fatigue. In turn, drivers tend to have slower reaction times and a reduced ability to assess situations quickly due to their fatigue.
Like most people, truck drivers are often unable to assess their own fatigue levels and evaluate their performance on the roads accurately. Though these rules set forth by FMCSA have been challenged in court by those who felt they weren't restrictive enough and others who found it too restrictive, the court ruled in favor of the FMCSA and the rules that have been put in place.
The rule still allows for FMCSA to grant waivers to industries or companies for specific reasons determined on a case-by-case basis.
Common Truck Accident Injuries
The unfortunate reality is that in many cases, some of the most devastating truck accidents on our Dallas roadways and across the nation are ones that could have been prevented.
In these cases, some of the most common truck accident injuries we tend to see include:
Spinal injuries
Traumatic brain injuries
Dismemberment
Burn Injuries
Death
What to Do After a Truck Accident
If involved in a truck accident, you may feel at a loss as to what steps should be taken. If you are not severely injured, there are certain steps that should be taken immediately after the accident. These steps include:
Call 911
Request a medical evaluation when emergency responders arrive
Answer police officers' questions truthfully
Provide the police with the facts, but do not speculate or say you caused the accident
Use your phone to take photos of your car, the truck, and your injuries
Your medical evaluation is important to determine the extent of your injuries. In the days after the truck accident, you should make a visit to your doctor for a comprehensive exam, as you may have injuries that you may not have immediately felt and were not detected by emergency responders at the time. It's essential to have any physical harm documented, as it could be a critical component in your accident claim.
When police officers arrive at the accident scene, it is their job to file a police report, which is an accurate and unbiased account of what took place. Answer their questions honestly, but do not offer any guesses about how the accident was caused and whether you were at fault, as this can be used against you.
You should also ask for the contact and insurance information of the truck driver, and any other drivers involved if applicable. If there were witnesses present at the scene, you should ask for their contact information as well.
Determining Liability
Determining who should be held responsible for damages in a truck accident claim is crucial to the success of your case. Unfortunately, it is rarely an easy task. At Polewski & Associates we have years of experience handling complicated cases like these, and we make a commitment to understanding the needs of each client so we can pursue your claim accordingly.
In many cases, there are a number of potentially liable parties our Dallas truck accident attorneys may need to investigate including:
The driver of the truck
The trucking agencies and cargo companies
The manufacturers of the truck and/or its parts
Government road authorities (if the accident was due to road design defects or disrepair)
Our investigations will vary depending on your individual circumstances, but we can help you understand the process by answering any truck accident questions you may have and offering you expertise and advice every step of the way.
Unfortunately though, even when you have identified all of the potentially liable parties, determining who should actually be held responsible for the damages and proving their fault can be incredibly difficult.
In order to prove legal liability in a truck-related accident, there is a substantial amount of important documentation that will need to be recovered and analyzed. Some of the evidence that may be required includes:
Police report
Truck driver's travel log, fuel receipts and driving record
Maintenance and federal/state compliance records
ECM or "black box" data
Gathering evidence is a crucial step for determining liability in your case, and it should not be left to chance. The experienced truck accident lawyers at Polewski & Associates know how to get the information you need when you need it and we know how to use it.
Contact a Dallas Truck Accident Lawyer at Polewski & Associates
If you have suffered a personal injury due to a commercial truck collision that may have been caused by negligence or misconduct, and you are ready to pursue the justice and compensation you deserve, contact Polewski & Associates 972-230-6200 to schedule a free consultation with a Dallas truck accident attorney today.
Disclaimer: The information throughout this injury and malpractice website is not intended to be taken as legal advice. The information provided by is intended to provide general information regarding medical malpractice, surgical errors, malpractice in hospitals, malpractice by medical specialists, diagnosis malpractice, personal injury, car accidents, truck accidents, wrongful death, nursing home neglect, premises liability, and more for residents of Dallas, Fort Worth, Texarkana, Irving, Plano, DeSoto, and nearby areas of Texas and Arkansas.This website is not intended for viewing or usage by European Union citizens. If you are interested in finding out more, please contact our law firm today for a personal consultation. Read our ADA compliance disclosure.
@@@@@@
US
Home > Dallas Truck Accident Lawyers
Dallas Truck Accident Lawyers
Undefeated Dallas Truck and 18 Wheeler Accident Lawyers
Our Undefeated Dallas Truck Accident Attorneys are known for winning the largest truck and 18-wheeler accident recoveries in the state of Texas.
For example, we recovered the #1 Largest Truck Accident Settlement in Texas on behalf of a client who was injured in a head-on collision with a commercial truck.
Less than two years earlier, we won the largest truck accident verdict in Dallas County against R&L Carriers, one of the biggest trucking companies in the Country and negotiated the largest settlement in history against Oakley Trucking.
As a result of our unprecedented success, our Truck Accident Lawyers have the resources and experience to take on any trucking company and legal team in the country and not only win – but set records.
What Other Truck and 18 Wheeler Accident Victims Say About our Truck Accident Lawyers
From getting you to the best doctors and medical providers in Texas to making sure you have the financial resources to provide and care for yourself and family for the rest of your life, our Truck Accident Lawyers are always there for you—not just while your case is pending, but long after it’s already been resolved.
But you don’t have to take our word for it.
See what other truck and 18-wheeler accident victims say about their experience with our Dallas Truck Accident Lawyers by visiting our Client Video Testimonial page or our firm’s YouTube channel.
Dallas County Leads the State of Texas in Deadly Truck and 18 Wheeler Accidents
There were more than 24,500 truck and 18-wheeler accident in Texas in 2022. Of those crashes, Dallas County and Harris County led the state in fatal truck crashes, with 29 each.
The most common causes of Truck and 18 Wheeler Accidents include:
Driver fatigue
Distracted Driving
Speeding and reckless driving
Overweight or improperly loaded cargo
Unqualified and poorly trained truck drivers
Improper maintenance and equipment failures
Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
Because of their size and weight, truck accidents are much more likely to result in serious injuries and, as a result, involve much larger verdicts and settlements than ordinary motor vehicle crashes.
With millions at risk, trucking companies and their teams of lawyers will do just about anything to avoid paying injured victims and their families, including hiding and destroying evidence, blaming the victims, and minimizing the severity of any injuries and damages.
From winning the first court-ordered sleep study of a commercial driver in Texas to obtaining access to a trucking company’s proprietary “black box” computer system, our Dallas Truck Accident Lawyers and team of accident reconstruction and fleet safety experts know what to expect, what evidence to look for, and—most importantly—how to force the trucking companies to give it to us.
We Don’t Just Win for Dallas Truck Accident Victims – We Set Records: Call 1-888-992-5798 or Click Here for a Free Consultation
With Billions won and the largest truck and 18-wheeler accident recoveries in Texas, our Undefeated Truck Accident Attorneys have consistently demonstrated that our Truck Accident Attorneys don’t just win for truck accident victims—we set records.
If you or a loved one were injured or tragically killed in a truck accident, call 1-888-992-5798 or Click Here to send us a confidential email through our Contact Form.
We’ll answer your questions, explain your rights, and provide all of the information you need to make the best decision for you and your family.
All consultations are free, and you’ll pay nothing unless we win your case.
FREE CASE REVIEW
Fill Out the Form Below for a Free Case Review with our Undefeated Personal Injury Lawyers
All communications are private and confidential. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
About The Firm
Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers is a Houston Personal Injury Law Firm that represents accident victims across Texas, Louisiana and the United States.
Every one of our lawyers is a Houston personal injury attorney who’s undefeated in the courtroom and has recovered some of the largest verdicts and settlements in history.
Hire a Houston personal injury lawyer with a proven track record. We’ve won over $1 Billion for our clients, recovered some of the largest verdicts and settlement in history, and obtained record-setting victories against the biggest trucking, oil and gas, maritime and petrochemical companies in the world.
Houston Office
Zehl & Associates
Injury & Accident Lawyers
2700 Post Oak Blvd Ste 1000
Houston, TX 77056
Phone:
Work For Our Firm
Zehl & Associates is always looking for smart, hardworking and talented personal injury attorneys and staff to join our team. If you're interested in joining our team, you canapply for a position here.
The information you review on this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. The verdicts and settlements that we have listed are simply intended to be representative of the cases that Zehl & Associates has handled for past clients; they are not a guarantee or prediction of the outcome in your or any other lawsuit.
For a breakdown of the fees and expenses associated with the verdicts and settlements listed on our site, please visit our Results page.
Principal Office: Houston Texas. Ryan Zehl is the lawyer responsible for this website. © 2023 Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers. All rights reserved. Additional locations: Dallas, TX | Midland, TX | Odessa, TX | Louisiana
2nd TRUCK Mishap Legal counselor
INJURY and Misbehavior Lawyer SERVING CLIENTS Close to DALLAS, FT. WORTH, PLANO, ARLINGTON, IRVING, NORTH TEXAS and ARKANSAS
Business trucks have a higher focus of gravity, possibly perilous freight, and weight that can surpass 80,000 pounds, which are contributing variables to the misfortune that can happen assuming they are engaged with a mishap. At the point when a traveler vehicle is engaged with a truck mishap, besides the fact that the vehicle disastrously harmed however is those inside are frequently fundamentally harmed or killed.
On the off chance that you or a friend or family member was harmed in a truck mishap, your family might manage:
Clinic bills
Clinical costs
Recovery costs
Lost wages and pay
Way of life changes to adapt to inability
Lessened personal satisfaction
Agony and languishing
Truck mishap cases are more mind boggling than the normal auto collision, having their own arrangement of state and government guidelines. In the event that you were harmed or have encountered the departure of a friend or family member in truck mishap in the North Texas region, our Dallas legal counselors can assist you with considering the careless gatherings mindful.
For a free case assessment, contact the Dallas truck mishap lawyers at Polewski and Partners by calling 972-230-6200. We are focused on assisting casualties with recuperating the monetary remuneration that they legitimately merit.
Normal Reasons for Truck Mishaps
Truck mishaps cause almost 90,000 wounds and 5,000 passings each year in the US. While there various situations which can bring about a truck mishap, there are some that are more normal than others.
The absolute most normal reasons for truck mishaps we will more often than not see include:
Driver weakness: Transporter weariness is maybe the most widely recognized reason for truck mishaps in America. While government guidelines order that transporters have least measures of rest and downtime, drivers and bosses frequently overlook these wellbeing rules with an end goal to get more cash-flow. At the point when tired transporters become absentminded in the driver's seat, your wellbeing is imperiled.
Drug use: Frequently when a transporter is driving impaired, the reason for weakness isn't liquor yet amphetamines. For the most part they are utilized with the purpose of keeping drivers alert, yet this can seriously jeopardize both the transporter and different drivers.
Larger than usual burdens or inappropriately got freight: Once in a while the capacity compartments of business trucks are over-burden to satisfy supply needs, however this can lose a truck's equilibrium and focal point of gravity, improving the probability of a mishap.
Crazy driving: While all transporters ought to comply rigorously to somewhere safe and secure rules, at times the strain to fulfill time constraints can influence their judgment in driving.
Occupied driving: Drivers who are messaging while at the same time driving, tinkering with GPS gadgets, or participating in different exercises represent a danger on the streets.
Over-burden Trucks
An over-burden truck prompts more mishaps and builds the likelihood of a mishap happening because of the accompanying issues:
Expanded halting time and distance
More serious gamble of tire victory
Sped up
More serious gamble of rollover mishap
Chance of extension and bridge breakdown
If one of these happens while traveler vehicles are close by, the result could be horrendous. Wounds are commonly serious, and could prompt incapacity, distortion or removal. Unfortunately, mishaps including semi trucks frequently bring about the illegitimate passing of at least one people included.
Abrogate Mishaps
In a supersede mishap, the front finish of an enormous truck runs over a more modest vehicle, like a traveler vehicle or a bike. There are numerous expected reasons for abrogate mishaps, including:
Brake disappointment on the truck
Transporter weariness
Tire victory
Ill-advised truck support
Careless driving
Driver closely following
Antagonistic atmospheric conditions
Underride Mishaps
Underride mishaps happen when a more modest vehicle, for example, a vehicle or bike collides with a truck and slides underneath the truck's underside. In most underride mishaps, the top of the vehicle is either squashed or ripped off, making serious wounds the vehicle's travelers, for example,
Mind wounds
Spinal string wounds
Execution
Passing
Underride mishaps can happen from both backside impacts and crashes with the side of a truck's trailer. Backside underride mishaps are in many cases brought about by a truck holding back when a vehicle is voyaging excessively not far behind. Side crash underride mishaps frequently happen when a truck is retreating from a carport into a street containing a consistent progression of traffic.
In these cases, the drivers of traveler vehicles frequently don't see the truck retreating until halting in time is past the point of no return. These mishaps are bound to happen around evening time when it is hard to see a truck's trailer maneuvering into the road because of unfortunate lighting.
Transporter Exhaustion
In a continuous work to further develop thruway wellbeing, the Government Engine Transporter Security Organization (FMCSA) manages the quantity of hours transporters might work to guarantee that they are not driving while exhausted. Roughly 4,000 individuals kick the bucket in enormous truck crashes every year and driver exhaustion is viewed as the main element.
The FMCSA has sanctioned "long periods of administration" regulations for transporters to assist with stopping exhausted driving. These regulations include:
Drivers should require a 30-minute break inside the initial 8 hours of their change to remain alert.
Drivers are expected to take rest periods and are not allowed to drive past the fourteenth sequential hour in the wake of coming on the job, following 10 successive hours off the clock.
Drivers may not drive over 60 hours in a multi day time frame, or 70 hours in a multi day term.
Research regarding this situation exhibits that broad work hours without adequate recuperation time really prompts diminished rest and persistent weariness. Thus, drivers will generally have more slow response times and a decreased capacity to evaluate circumstances rapidly because of their exhaustion.
Like the vast majority, transporters are frequently unfit to survey their own weakness levels and assess their presentation on the streets precisely. However these guidelines set out by FMCSA have been tested in court by the people who felt they weren't sufficiently prohibitive and other people who found it too prohibitive, the court decided for the FMCSA and the standards that have been set up.
The standard actually takes into consideration FMCSA to give waivers to businesses or organizations for still up in the air dependent upon the situation.
Normal Truck Mishap Wounds
The sad the truth is that generally speaking, probably the most wrecking truck mishaps on our Dallas streets and the country over are ones that might have been forestalled.
In these cases, probably the most widely recognized truck mishap wounds we will generally see include:
Spinal wounds
Horrendous cerebrum wounds
Dismantling
Consume Wounds
Demise
What to Do After a Truck Mishap
On the off chance that engaged with a truck mishap, you might feel at a loss regarding what steps ought to be taken. In the event that you are not seriously harmed, there are sure advances that ought to be taken following the mishap. These means include:
Call 911
Demand a clinical assessment when crisis responders show up
Answer cops' inquiries honestly
Furnish the police with current realities, however don't hypothesize or say you caused the mishap
Utilize your telephone to take photographs of your vehicle, the truck, and your wounds
Your clinical assessment is essential to decide the degree of your wounds. In the days after the truck mishap, you ought to make a visit to your primary care physician for an exhaustive test, as you might have wounds that you might not have quickly felt and were not distinguished by crisis responders at that point. It's fundamental to have any actual damage recorded, as it very well may be a basic part in your mishap guarantee.
At the point when cops show up at the mishap scene, they must record a police report, which is an exact and fair-minded record of what occurred. Answer their inquiries sincerely, yet offer no speculations about how the mishap was caused and whether you were to blame, as this can be utilized against you.
You ought to likewise request the contact and protection data of the transporter, and some other drivers included if relevant. On the off chance that there were observers present at the scene, you ought to request their contact data also.
Deciding Obligation
Figuring out who ought to be considered liable for harms in a truck mishap guarantee is vital to the progress of your case. Sadly, it is seldom a simple undertaking. At Polewski and Partners we have long stretches of involvement dealing with muddled cases like these, and we earnestly commit to grasping the necessities of every client so we can seek after your case as needs be.
By and large, there are various possibly responsible gatherings our Dallas truck mishap lawyers might have to explore including:
The driver of the truck
The shipping organizations and freight organizations
The makers of the truck as well as its parts
Government street specialists (assuming that the mishap was because of street configuration deformities or decay)
Our examinations will differ contingent upon your singular conditions, yet we can assist you with understanding the interaction by responding to any truck mishap questions you might have and offering you mastery and exhortation constantly.
Sadly however, in any event, when you have recognized the possibly obligated parties in general, figuring out who ought to really be considered liable for the harms and demonstrating their issue can be amazingly troublesome.
To demonstrate lawful obligation in a truck-related mishap, there is a significant measure of significant documentation that should be recuperated and dissected. A portion of the proof that might be required incorporates:
Police report
Transporter's movement log, fuel receipts and driving record
Support and government/state consistence records
ECM or "black box" information
Gathering proof is an essential step for
0 Comments