Texas Truck Accident Lawyers for Serious 18-Wheeler Crashes

Do You Have an 18 Wheeler Accident Lawsuit?

Not every truck crash becomes a lawsuit, but the ones that should usually share two features: a serious injury, and evidence that someone in the trucking chain broke a rule. An 18 wheeler accident lawsuit can name more defendants than people expect, because responsibility can run through the truck driver, the carrier that hired and dispatched him, the shop that maintained the rig, the shipper that loaded it, and sometimes the manufacturer of a part that failed. Texas weighs the fault of every party, and you can recover compensation as long as you are not more than 50 percent at fault, though your share of the blame reduces what you receive.

The evidence that proves these cases is controlled by the other side, which is why speed matters. Driver logs, electronic control module data, inspection and maintenance records, and hours-of-service documentation can be overwritten or discarded within weeks. Texas law generally gives you two years from the crash to file suit, but a strong case is usually built in the first months, when a preservation letter and a fast investigation can secure what the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration rules required the trucking company to keep.

Semi-Truck, Big Rig and 18-Wheeler Accident Cases We Handle

Commercial trucking produces its own kinds of wrecks, and we handle every kind of commercial vehicle accident: semi-truck rear-end and head-on collisions, big rig rollovers and jackknifes, underride crashes, wide-turn and blind-spot accidents, tire and brake failures, and wrecks caused by shifted or unsecured loads. The injuries are just as serious, from broken bones and spinal injuries to burns, traumatic brain injuries and death.

Truck accidents also differ from car accidents in ways that matter to the case. A large truck loaded to the federal limit can weigh 20 times as much as a passenger car, the medical expenses from the injuries it causes can outrun an ordinary auto policy, and truck companies and their insurers defend these accident claims hard. Every commercial truck accident attorney Texas families interview should be able to explain the federal rules that apply to their crash, and which ones may have been broken.

A successful truck accident claim can include compensation for medical and hospital bills, rehabilitation and home care, lost wages and lost earning capacity, pain and mental anguish, property damage, and the loss of family relationships. When a crash is fatal, the family may bring a wrongful death claim, and in that case the two-year clock runs from the date of death.

Where Texas Truck Accidents Happen

Texas truck accidents concentrate where the freight does. I-35 carries international truck traffic north from Laredo through San Antonio, Austin and the Metroplex. I-10 crosses the state through Houston, San Antonio and El Paso, I-45 links Houston and Dallas, and I-20 and U.S. 287 carry heavy truck traffic across North Texas. In the Permian Basin, oilfield trucks share narrow roads with local drivers around the clock.

The pressures behind those miles show up in the wrecks: a driver pushed past federal hours limits, a rig dispatched with worn brakes, a load secured in a hurry. Each is a choice by someone in the trucking chain, and each leaves records. Wherever in the state your crash happened, a Texas truck wreck lawyer needs to know which records to demand and how fast, because much of that evidence is kept only as long as the rules require.

What Board Certification Means in a Truck Accident Case

Families often search for board certified truck accident lawyers without knowing what the certification involves, and it’s a fair question to ask. In Texas, board certification through the Texas Board of Legal Specialization is voluntary. A lawyer has to practice for at least five years, show substantial involvement in the specialty area, submit peer references, complete continuing legal education, and pass a written examination. The certification then has to be renewed every five years.

Each partner is board certified in Personal Injury Trial Law through the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and in Truck Accident Law through the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Steve Laird additionally holds board certification in Civil Trial Law from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and in Civil Trial Law from the National Board of Trial Advocacy.

Certification does not promise a result in any injury case, and no credential does. What it tells you is that other lawyers and a certifying body have reviewed the lawyer’s work in the field and tested their knowledge of it. It’s reasonable to ask any truck accident lawyer Texas families are considering which certifications they hold and which organization issued each one.

What to Do After a Texas Truck Accident

Get medical care first, even if you feel able to walk away, because adrenaline can hide serious injuries. Make sure the crash is reported to police, and say nothing about fault to anyone from the trucking side, whose representatives sometimes contact injured people within hours. Keep everything: photos, discharge papers, the names of witnesses. Then talk to an attorney before you talk to any insurer, because early statements in truck cases have a way of resurfacing later.

That first conversation is also a chance to learn what an 18 wheeler accident lawyer Texas families hire should be doing in the first weeks: sending preservation demands, identifying every company involved, and documenting the full cost of the injuries.

Why Work With Laird & McCloskey

Steve Laird and Seth McCloskey bring more than 60 years of combined experience to every truck case. Their investigations for clients have uncovered falsified logbooks, fraudulent commercial driver’s licenses, skipped background checks and false medical certifications, and each of those cases ended in a verdict or other monetary award for the client.

Both partners attended the hands-on Legacy Trucking Course for Legal Professionals to learn firsthand what it’s like to drive a commercial vehicle, which matters when a truck driver is explaining under oath what he saw and when. Their work has been recognized by Lawdragon, The Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers, and Steve Laird is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, an invitation-only organization of trial lawyers.

Just as important is how we work. You speak and work with an attorney, not an intake department, in English or Spanish, and we take few enough truck cases to work every one thoroughly.

Getting Started Takes Three Steps

First, schedule a free consultation to talk through the crash and your injuries and get answers to the questions that matter to you. Second, speak with a lawyer about the best course of action and the kinds of compensation that may be available. Third, start your case: we gather and prepare the documents for the first steps of a claim and guide you through the process from there.

Serving Truck Accident Victims Across Texas

Our office is at 1119 Pennsylvania Ave. in Fort Worth, and from there we represent people hurt in commercial truck crashes throughout the state. Many of our cases come from the freight corridors of North Texas, and our Fort Worth truck accident lawyer page covers Tarrant County crashes and the local courts in more detail. To learn about the firm and the other injury cases we handle, visit the home page of our Fort Worth personal injury law firm.

Texas Truck Accident FAQs

How much are most truck accident settlements in Texas?

There isn’t a reliable average, because commercial truck cases range from significant to catastrophic depending on the injuries, the insurance coverage and the strength of the evidence. What is consistently true is that commercial policies are far larger than personal auto coverage, so more is at stake and the defense is harder. We can assess your specific case in a free consultation.

Can you sue a truck driver for hitting you?

Yes, and usually you can pursue more than the driver. The carrier is generally responsible for its driver’s negligence on the job, and separate claims against the company for negligent hiring, training, supervision or maintenance are common in serious truck cases. Naming every responsible party is often what makes a full recovery possible.

Can I afford a truck accident lawyer?

Yes. We work on a contingency fee basis with no fee unless we win. Consultations are free, and you pay nothing out of pocket to hire us or to fund the investigation of your case.

How long do I have to file an 18-wheeler accident lawsuit in Texas?

Generally two years from the date of the crash, and two years from the date of death in a wrongful death case. Some situations shorten or extend that window, and the evidence usually disappears long before the deadline does, so it’s worth getting advice early.

What does a Texas 18 wheeler accident lawyer do that an insurance claim doesn’t?

An insurance claim starts from the insurer’s investigation. An experienced truck accident attorney runs an independent one: demanding the carrier’s records, analyzing the truck’s electronic data, and identifying every party that shares responsibility, so your claim reflects what actually happened.

Do you handle truck accident cases outside Dallas-Fort Worth?

Yes. We take serious commercial truck cases across Texas, and we go where the case and the court are.

Related Practice Areas

• Fort Worth Truck Accident Lawyer
• Wrongful Death Lawyers
• Car Wrecks
• Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist Claims