The shipping and freight industries are thriving in Texas, contributing to the state’s economic growth. Unfortunately, the downside of this boom is congested roadways crowded with large, heavy commercial trucks. This places vulnerable motorists in smaller vehicles at extreme risk of injury in a collision.
If you’ve been injured in a commercial truck accident, call the experienced Richardson truck accident lawyers at Greening Law for an attorney who is ready to help you recover financially so you can focus on your physical recovery.
Why Choose Greening Law for Your Richardson Truck Accident Case?
Greening Law has over 40 years of history navigating Texas injury claims, including the most challenging truck accident injury cases. Representation by Greening Law brings the following to the table:
- Decades of combined history, so your case benefits from the knowledge, experience, and resources of your attorney and legal staff
- A board-certified lead attorney recognized as a Texas “Super Lawyer” to lend a well-respected voice to your claim
- An experienced investigation into your accident, clear documentation of liability, and a compelling claim for your full compensation made on your behalf
Greening Law works for you at no upfront cost. Instead, your initial consultation is free. With contingency-based payment, you only pay after your Richardson injury attorney obtains compensation for you through a settlement or court award for damages.
Why Do I Need a Truck Accident Attorney?
Truck accidents cause lasting physical, emotional, and financial trauma. A truck accident attorney can manage the financial aspects of your recovery so you can focus on your physical healing. An experienced Richardson truck accident lawyer does the following:
- Handles all communication with the insurance company
- Investigates all aspects of the truck accident to determine the cause, identify the liable party or parties, and pinpoint the appropriate insurance company
- Examines your medical bills and other injury-related expenses
- Consults with medical experts and occupational therapists to determine the future financial impacts of the injury and the amount and duration of pain associated with the injury
- Sends their findings to the insurance company with a carefully calculated list of damages
- Negotiates with the insurer to seek the highest possible settlement
- Assertively represents your best interests in court if the insurance company doesn’t offer an ample settlement for your damages.
Fortunately, over 93% of truck accident cases are resolved with settlements, but a truck accident lawyer will prepare the case for court throughout the process so your case is trial-ready should it require litigation.
How Long Do I Have to File a Truck Accident Claim In Texas?
Like other states, Texas places a limit on the amount of time a truck accident victim has to file a compensation claim. This statute of limitations helps to ensure that there is still evidence available if a case goes to court and that eyewitness testimony remains reliable. In Texas, the statute of limitations in truck accident cases is two years from the date of the accident. Only limited exceptions apply, such as for minors, who have up to two years from the date of their 18th birthday to file a claim.
Under the doctrine of delayed discovery, the state may extend (toll) the statute of limitations if a truck accident victim discovers an injury caused by the accident later. For example, if a doctor diagnoses a nagging backache as caused by a truck accident their patient suffered two months ago, the statute of limitations begins on the date of their discovery.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents In Texas
Large commercial carriers, such as 18-wheelers, make wide turns, require lengthy stopping times, and have extensive blind spots. Even box trucks, dump trucks, and tank-like garbage trucks far outsize family vehicles and are difficult to maneuver. The most common causes of truck accidents in Richardson include the following:
- Distracted driving
- Unsafe lane changes (causing blind-spot accidents)
- Drowsy driving
- Speeding, or failure to adjust speed to hazardous road conditions
- Tailgating
- Tire blowouts
- Unbalanced or suddenly shifting loads
- Impaired driving
- Mechanical failures due to faulty parts or insufficient maintenance
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulates the trucking industry by establishing safety standards. Failure to adhere to trucking laws or negligent actions behind the wheel place vulnerable motorists at serious risk of injury in Texas truck accidents.
What Makes a Richardson Truck Accident Claim Challenging?
It takes many separate entities to ensure that a truck is well-maintained, safely loaded, and driven by a qualified, alert driver. If only one entity fails to take reasonable measures or departs from regulatory standards, the result could be a devastating accident.
The liable party or parties in a Texas truck accident could be one or more of the following:
- The truck driver, if they are an independent contractor
- The trucking company
- A truck maintenance company
- A negligent freight loading company
- The manufacturer of a defective tire or truck part
- A negligent road maintenance agency if a pothole, uneven lane, or other hazard caused the accident
- A third-party driver
It often requires a thorough investigation into all aspects of a truck accident to determine the cause, identify the negligent party, and establish their liability to the appropriate insurance company.
Recovering Damages In a Richardson Truck Accident Case
Catastrophic injuries are common in truck accidents because of the immense size and weight of large trucks; however, even mild injuries can be costly. If you weren’t responsible for the accident, you deserve compensation for damages such as:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Out-of-pocket costs
- Past and future income loss
- Compensation for pain and suffering as well as any catastrophic injury damages in your case, such as the loss of an organ or limb, hearing or vision loss, scarring or disfigurement, or diminished quality of life
If a truck accident causes a fatality, a family member may file a Richardson wrongful death claim against the liable party.
What Types of Truck Accidents Happen In Richardson?
Trucks are enormous and difficult to maneuver, requiring careful handling by an experienced driver due to their longer stopping time requirement, wide turns, and extended blind spots. Trucks are taller than other vehicles, but the wheelbases cannot be widened to counterbalance height due to lane size restrictions. This makes them more vulnerable to tipping.
Common types of truck accidents in Texas include the following:
- Jackknife accidents occur when the trailer fishtails and comes out of alignment with the truck, causing a crash in the shape of a partly open jackknife
- Rollover accidents happen due to overly wide turns or speeding around curves
- Head-on collisions happen when a truck driver departs from their lane either during a wide turn or due to distracted driving
- T-bone collisions in accidents due to failure to yield the right of way
- Rear-end collisions from tailgating or improper braking
- Tire blowout accidents
- Underride accidents occur when a car wedges under the truck’s trailer during a collision
- Override accidents happen when a truck rides up and over a smaller vehicle during a collision
- Multi-car pileups are caused by fast-moving traffic on multi-lane highways when vehicles don’t have time to avoid hitting a crashed truck that is blocking lanes
In the worst cases, trucks carrying fuel or dangerous chemicals cause fires and explosions that can impact entire communities.
What to Do After An 18-Wheeler Accident In Richardson
Truck accidents are often catastrophic due to the immense size and weight of trucks and their full loads of cargo, which may include hazardous or flammable materials. After a serious truck accident, an injury victim may have to rely on others for help if they are too severely injured to take purposeful action; however, if an accident victim or an uninjured person can use a phone, they can take the following steps:
- First, call 911 to report the accident, request paramedics, and apply emergency first aid
- Then, use the phone’s camera to snap photos of the accident scene, the damaged vehicle and truck, and anything else that’s relevant to the cause of the accident
- Take photos of any visible injuries
- Add the contact information of the truck driver and any eyewitnesses to the accident
- Record a brief account of the accident before the memory is faded by trauma
A truck accident survivor should always go to the hospital straight from the scene of the accident. This ensures they receive critical care and provides evidence that their injuries occurred in the accident, not elsewhere. It’s always best to ask for a full medical evaluation to catch and treat any injuries with delayed symptom presentation. A detailed medical report listing every injury, the recommended course of treatment, and prognosis becomes essential evidence in a truck accident claim.
Injuries In Richardson, TX Semi-Truck Accident Cases
Commercial carrier trucks weigh up to 80,000 pounds when fully loaded, compared to average family cars weighing only about 4,000 pounds. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), about 70% of truck accident injuries are to occupants of smaller cars rather than to truck drivers. Common injuries named for compensation in truck accident claims include the following:
- Bone fractures
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Soft-tissue injuries like sprains and ligament injuries
- Internal injuries
- Lacerations, abrasions, and contusions
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic amputations
- Burns
- External head, facial, and dental trauma
Injuries are painful and costly to treat, especially serious injuries that also interfere with earning capacity and make it difficult to perform routine daily tasks.
What If a Texas Truck Accident Causes Wrongful Death?
An alarming 5,375 large commercial trucks were involved in fatal collisions in a single recent year in the United States. Alarmingly, Texas has more truck accident fatalities each year than any other state, with 730 truck accident deaths in 2023. This number is nearly twice the number of truck accident fatalities in California, the state with the second-highest number of truck accident deaths.
If you lost a loved one in a truck accident, you could recover compensation through a wrongful death claim if the decedent was a spouse, parent, or child. A successful truck accident wrongful death case could recover funeral and burial expenses, and compensation for the lost loved one’s remaining lifetime earnings and benefits. Let our Richardson wrongful death lawyers guide you through this difficult time.
Reach Out to the Richardson Truck Accident Lawyers at Greening Law for Your Claim
A serious accident requires serious legal representation so you can move forward with access to the best possible medical care and fewer financial concerns for your family. Call Greening Law today to learn about your legal right to compensation.