Were you injured in a collision involving an 18-wheeler or another large commercial vehicle in Fort Worth? If the crash resulted from someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to pursue a truck accident claim with the help of an experienced personal injury attorney to recover compensation for the losses you have suffered from a serious accident. Hire a Fort Worth truck accident lawyer for help with your case.
At The Wilhite Law Firm, our legal team of experienced Fort Worth lawyers is highly skilled in truck accident cases. We know the state and federal trucking laws inside and out and what it takes to conduct a meticulous accident investigation and build a compelling claim for full compensation.
Our compassionate, committed lawyers will fight for maximum compensation and justice on your behalf. Contact our attorneys today for a free initial consultation to learn more about how our lawyers can help you build a case for the fair compensation and financial recovery you deserve.
Do You Have a Truck Accident Case?
Texas is an at-fault state, which means the party responsible for causing a crash is liable for covering an accident victim’s losses. If you can establish that the truck driver or another party who played a role in the safe operation of the truck was at fault for the accident, then you can seek compensation from them through an injury claim or a lawsuit.
Proving fault for a truck accident can be difficult since there are numerous laws and regulations that truckers must follow. A thorough accident investigation must take those into account. It’s important that you work with a knowledgeable truck accident attorney in Fort Worth when you’re pursuing this type of case.
What Should You Do Immediately After a Truck Accident?
After a truck crash in Fort Worth, call 911 if anyone is hurt and seek medical care promptly. Texas requires reporting certain crashes involving injury, death, or a vehicle that cannot safely be driven.
If it is safe, photograph the vehicles, road conditions, and trucking company identifiers. Obtain witness information and the police report number. Our team can help preserve your claim while you focus on recovery.
Why Are Truck Accidents More Complex Than Other Crashes?
Truck accident claims in Fort Worth are usually more challenging to navigate than other types of motor vehicle claims. Statistics from the Texas Department of Transportation report that truck accidents happen much more than you think.
Reasons truck accident claims are challenging:
More Liable Parties
Unlike other kinds of auto accidents that are usually caused by a driver or drivers involved in the crash, liability for a truck accident may fall on several other parties beyond the truck driver. As a result, truck accident claims might require pursuing legal action against multiple parties and may require complicated litigation to assign shares of liability to each party.
State and Federal Regulations
The trucking industry is subject to heavy state and federal regulations, which are intended to ensure that large commercial truck drivers safely share the roads and highways with the public. A truck driver’s or trucking company’s compliance with these regulations must be ensured, as violating them may lead to a crash.
Layers of Insurance
Many trucking companies have layered insurance policies, in which one insurance policy’s coverage is not triggered unless another policy’s coverage is exhausted. This can make it difficult to determine how much coverage might be available to compensate you for your expenses and losses.
Complex Investigations
The number of potentially liable parties and pieces of evidence that must be reviewed following a truck crash can quickly add up to a complex investigation, which may often require assistance from accident reconstruction or trucking industry experts to help make sense of all the evidence and identify who should be held liable for your injuries.
Costly Injuries
Finally, truck accidents tend to cause devastating, life-altering injuries for accident victims. The more serious your injuries, the greater the compensation you will likely be entitled to. This can make it difficult to reach a settlement or resolution of your claim. This is especially true when you are still undergoing treatment for your injuries when beginning settlement negotiations or proceeding to trial.
How Can a Truck Accident Lawyer Help with Your Case?
Due to the complexity of truck accident claims, you can help give yourself the best chance at recovering maximum compensation for your injuries and losses by seeking out the assistance of a skilled Fort Worth truck accident attorney.
An attorney from The Wilhite Law Firm can help with your truck wreck case by:
Thoroughly investigating the crash to secure all available evidence
Carefully reviewing the evidence and working with expert witnesses, where necessary, to determine how the accident occurred and to identify the party or parties that can be held responsible for your injuries and losses
Going over your legal rights and options with you and explaining what to expect at each stage of your case
Presenting your claims for compensation to the at-fault parties and their insurers to pursue settlement negotiations that will hopefully result in securing fair and full compensation for you
Filing a lawsuit in your case if a settlement cannot be reached and litigation represents the best option for fully pursuing your rights and options
How Much Is Your Truck Accident Case Worth?
When you have been injured in a truck crash, you may be entitled to recover compensation for losses that you suffered due to personal injury from the accident.
Loss of enjoyment and quality of life due to disfigurement or disabilities
Should You Speak With the Trucking Company’s Insurance Adjuster?
You generally do not have to provide the trucking company’s insurer with a recorded statement simply because its adjuster asks. Be cautious about signing broad medical releases or accepting an early settlement. Your injuries and future treatment costs may not yet be clear.
An accepted settlement release can prevent you from requesting additional compensation later. Our Fort Worth truck crash lawyers can communicate with the insurer, evaluate proposed terms, and pursue a settlement that accounts for your documented losses.
Who Can Be Held Responsible After a Truck Accident?
A truck accident may be caused by a party or parties other than the truck driver. You may find it difficult to know who can be held liable when filing your personal injury claim.
Examples of the parties that can be held responsible for a truck crash include:
The truck driver, who may have driven carelessly or recklessly to cause the accident
The trucking company, which may be subject to employer liability for the driver’s negligence or be held liable when its own negligence causes an accident
The truck’s owner, if different from the truck driver or trucking company, who can be held liable when the owner defers critical maintenance on truck equipment
The freight company that loads cargo onto the truck or trailer, which may be held responsible if an unsafe load causes a crash
The truck’s manufacturer, or a manufacturer of a defective part used on the truck
The truck’s mechanics, who may be held liable for negligent maintenance that leads to an accident
Can You Recover Compensation if You Were Partly at Fault?
Yes. Texas generally permits recovery when your assigned share of responsibility is 50 percent or less, but reduces your compensation by your share of fault. Recovery is generally barred when your responsibility exceeds 50 percent.
For example, under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 33.001, a $100,000 award reduced by 20 percent becomes $80,000. Our Fort Worth truck injury team examines evidence and challenges unsupported attempts to assign you blame.
How Is Fault Determined in a Commercial Truck Crash?
Given the numerous potential causes of a commercial truck crash, a Fort Worth truck crash attorney from The Wilhite Law Firm will review all available evidence. This is done to determine what caused the accident. Our attorneys can find out who can be held responsible for the crash and the injuries you suffered as a result.
The evidence we use to determine fault for truck crashes may include:
The truck driver’s logs, which record the hours a driver spends on duty and behind the wheel, which may reveal if the driver violated hours-of-service limitations and may have been drowsy or fatigued in the accident.
The truck driver’s employment and driving records, which may show if the driver lacked proper training or experience to operate their vehicle or if they had a history of accidents.
The truck’s electronic data recorder logs. Many trucks are equipped with EDRs, or “black boxes,” that record information about a truck’s operation, including GPS position, speed, hours of engine operation, driver inputs, and in-cab camera footage.
The freight or load manifest, which may reveal if the truck was carrying an unsafe or unsecured cargo load.
The truck’s inspection and maintenance records, which might show if maintenance was deferred or improperly performed.
Post-accident inspection reports, which may reveal the presence of a defect in the truck that caused the accident.
We also review other types of evidence commonly used in other kinds of motor vehicle accidents. This can include police accident reports, accident scene photos, and surveillance video footage. Additionally, evidence such as eyewitness statements and expert accident reconstruction reports and testimony are important.
How Quickly Must Trucking Evidence Be Preserved?
Trucking records should be preserved immediately after a collision. Electronic logging data, dispatch messages, dashcam footage, and onboard information can help establish what happened, but some records may be overwritten.
Federal rules generally require carriers to keep drivers’ duty-status records and supporting documents for six months. See 49 Code of Federal Regulations § 395.8(k)(1). Our commercial truck accident attorneys can request preservation of relevant materials and seek records through the appropriate legal process before key evidence disappears.
What Happens if a Truck Accident Case Goes to Court?
When settlement negotiations fail, your truck accident lawyer can file suit and use formal discovery to request documents, obtain sworn testimony, and investigate disputed facts. Depending on the claim, litigation may proceed in an appropriate Tarrant County court.
Filing a lawsuit does not guarantee a trial. Negotiations can continue while the case progresses, and many disputes resolve before a judge or jury reaches a decision. We will explain each stage and prepare your case for litigation when necessary.
Time Limit for Filing a Truck Accident Lawsuit
Under the statute of limitations in Texas for truck accident lawsuits, you typically have only two years from the date of a wreck to file a lawsuit seeking financial recovery for your injuries and losses. If you file a lawsuit after the statute of limitations on your claim has passed, the court will likely permanently dismiss your case, meaning you will lose the right to hold those at fault for your injuries accountable. Contact one of our Fort Worth semi-truck collision lawyers today.
Common Types of Truck Collisions
Our lawyers see many different types of truck accidents at our Fort Worth firm. Some of the most common fatal crash types that occur include:
Head-on collisions
Rear-end collisions
Sideswipe collisions
T-bone collisions
Rollover collisions
Underride collisions, where another vehicle gets caught underneath a truck trailer
Jackknife accidents, where a truck trailer swings out, causing the cab and trailer to fold in on one another like a pocketknife
Fallen or spilled cargo collisions
Common Truck Accident Injuries
The sheer size and the speed of large commercial trucks have the potential to inflict serious injuries. Often, people who are involved in a collision with large trucks behind them experience serious injuries.
Where Do Serious Truck Collisions Occur in Fort Worth?
Truck collisions can happen along Interstate 35W, Interstate 20, and Interstate 30, where commercial freight vehicles share heavily traveled corridors with passenger traffic. The Alliance logistics area also sees substantial trucking activity.
Merging vehicles, speed differences, work zones, and heavy freight movements can complicate these crashes. Location alone does not establish fault. Our Fort Worth truck accident team considers road design, traffic conditions, and available camera footage when investigating a collision.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Truck Accident Lawyer?
The Wilhite Law Firm offers a free initial consultation to discuss your Fort Worth truck accident claim. During that conversation, we can review your concerns, explain possible next steps, and discuss legal fees.
Before signing any representation agreement, you should ask how attorney fees, case expenses, and any contingency arrangement work. Our team can explain the applicable terms so you understand your obligations. Contact us today to discuss your options. Wilhite Wins.
Talk to a Fort Worth Truck Accident Attorney Now
If you have been involved in a big-rig crash, call the lawyers at The Wilhite Law Firm today. Our law firm offers a free, no-obligation case review with a Fort Worth truck accident attorney. Our compassionate team of Fort Worth truck accident lawyers will take the time to help you understand your legal rights and options. Consequently, an attorney can hold the trucking parties accountable and get you the compensation you deserve. Call us at (303) 466-3529 or contact us now.
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5 star service. They explained the process in detail and got great results. Thanks again!
Merari Hernandez
I’m so glad I reached out to Wilhite Law Firm after I was injured in a car accident. They made the process super easy. Thank you!
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I had a great experience with Marianella. They got me the maximum out of my case! I would recommend them to anyone!
Beltrán Rodriguez
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Excellent service, very grateful for the professionalism, attention throughout my process and the human quality of Mateo López.
Sebastian Tovar
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Alejandro
Marianella helped me get the compensation I deserved for my injuries and also made sure that I received the proper medical care I needed. Thank you!
Jorge Lopez
I had the pleasure of working with Vanessa and Marianella, who handled my case. They were very professional and great at communication.
A Texas native, Rob is the firm’s Managing Partner in charge of Litigation, overseeing all the firm’s cases. He has guided numerous cases to noteworthy conclusions for his clients, including a $9 million recovery for a defective product.
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