Dallas Tractor-Trailer Accident Lawyer

18-wheeler accidents often cause serious injuries. Our law firm can help

Truck accidents in Dallas caused by tractor-trailers can be serious. Concussions and other types of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) often occur due to crashes caused by 18-wheelers on I-30 or I-20. Speeding tractor-trailer accidents on I-45 or another highway can result in back or neck injuries, including whiplash. Jackknife, underride, and rollover accidents involving tractor-trailers are common as well.

When this happens, it’s important for injury victims to get emergency medical care right away, whether it’s at Baylor University Medical Center, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, or another nearby hospital. Such expenses can add up fast. Add to that the lost income injury victims are not earning while they’re recovering and the financial toll can be huge.

With so much at stake, it’s critical that you understand your rights. That’s why we want to help. For more than two decades, the Dallas truck accident attorneys at The Marye Law Firm have been helping people injured in tractor-trailer accidents. We’re familiar with the laws that apply to such cases. We know which strategies work. You can count on us when it matters most.

Common causes of tractor-trailer accidents

Accidents caused by tractor-trailers often occur because the truck driver was behaving recklessly or negligently. Sometimes, it’s due to inexperienced truck drivers. Other times, it’s due to mechanical problems. Specific reasons why include:

Speeding tractor-trailers can’t stop in time to avoid a collision, especially on highways.
A distracted truck driver crashes into another vehicle.
Texting truck drivers, even though texting while driving is illegal nationwide for commercial truck drivers.
Tired tractor-trailer drivers falling asleep at the wheel, especially long-haul truckers driving cross country.
Truck drivers under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.

Is this how your 18-wheeler accident happened? Whatever the circumstances of your crash, make sure you take action right away. Talk to an attorney who knows how to handle big rig accidents in Texas.

How much is my case worth?

Many tractor-trailer accidents are worth much more than other injury claims. That’s because injury victims often sustain very severe injuries in 18-wheeler accidents. A fully-loaded semi-truck can weigh 80,000 pounds. When such large trucks crash into smaller vehicles, the consequences can be devastating.

So how much is your tractor-trailer injury claim worth? You should receive compensation that pays for all your accident-related expenses. What you might not realize is just how many expenses your injury claim covers. Examples include:

All past, present, and future medical care for your injury.
Vehicle repair or replacement costs.
Replacement income while you’re recovering from your tractor-trailer accident.
Future income if you cannot return to work due to your injury.
Non-economic damages (financial compensation), including pain and suffering.

Tractor-trailer accident lawsuit options

Accidents caused by tractor-trailer drivers in Texas are different than many other crashes. And that’s especially true when it comes to who you can take legal action against in certain cases. Because Texas has an at-fault insurance system, injury victims can file a lawsuit against the at-fault party. In cases involving tractor-trailer accidents, there is often more than one at-fault party, including:

The truck driver who caused the crash, especially if the driver did not have a valid commercial driver’s license (CDL) or broke the law in some other way.
The trucking company that employs the driver, especially if the company knew the driver had a history of causing crashes or the company did not properly maintain or regularly inspect the truck.
The company that owns the tractor-trailer’s cab if a mechanical defect caused the collision.
The company that owns the tractor-trailer’s trailer if there was a problem with the trailer.
The company that loaded the truck, especially if the truck was loaded improperly.
The company that manufactured the products in the truck, especially if the products were not properly sealed and caused a rollover or jackknife accident.

Why you need to act fast after a tractor-trailer accident

You might think there’s no rush to take legal action after your tractor-trailer accident. In Texas, you have two years from the date of your accident to file a lawsuit or take other legal action, according to Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code, Title 2 § 16.033.

But if you wait that long, important evidence related to your tractor-trailer accident might no longer exist. That’s because trucking companies can legally destroy many records related to your crash long before then. Such records include:

Truck driver’s Hours of Service (HOS) logs, which detail exactly how many hours the truck driver worked without a break before the accident. Such records can be destroyed after 6 months.
Inspection records, including when the tractor-trailer was last inspected and if there were any inspection violations. Such records can be destroyed after 12 months.
Event data recorder (EDR) information for the tractor-trailer. This electronic device records the exact speed the truck was traveling at the time of the crash, if the truck driver applied the brakes and when the driver last took a mandatory rest break. Many truck drivers and trucking companies record over old EDR data in as little as 3 weeks after an accident.

In addition, there might be traffic camera footage of your tractor-trailer accident, which many cities and towns do not preserve for a long time. This is why it’s critical that you have a lawyer on your side as soon as possible who can demand access to such important evidence before it’s permanently destroyed.

Make your case matter. Contact The Marye Law Firm

You only have one opportunity to demand the money you deserve for your tractor-trailer accident. Take action now. Contact us and schedule a free case evaluation with an experienced Dallas tractor-trailer accident lawyer. When you have our legal team on your side, you can count on us to be there for you every step of the way.

The Marye Law Firm – we’re serious about winning your case.