18-Wheeler Tractor Trailer, Truck and Commercial Vehicle Accidents

Truck Accidents don’t just happen. They usually involve a failure of some procedure or a violation of one or more Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) and Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) regulations applicable to Owners and Operators of Commercial Motor Vehicles and drivers holding a Commercial Driver License (CDL).

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or killed in an accident caused by an 18-Wheeler Tractor Trailer, Truck or other Commercial Motor Vehicle, please contact us immediately. We realize that hiring a lawyer may not be your first priority after an accident, but you must act fast to preserve all the evidence in your case. We have the experience and expertise necessary to win your case and maximize your recovery. Please complete our short CONFIDENTIAL contact form on the right side of this page or call us immediately at TOLL FREE 1.800.962-5152. Our experienced 18-wheeler truck accident lawyer will examine your case, answer your questions, and inform you of your legal rights and options.

Causes of truck accidents can be grouped into five categories: People, Equipment, Physical Conditions, Procedures and Freight.

1. People: Some statistics show that 90% or more of all accidents are caused by human error. Sher Law Firm accident investigations will include an examination of the qualifications of the driver(s) involved in the accident and answer questions like:

Was the driver properly qualified according to company policy and FMCSRs and other laws?
Did the driver have proper training and was the driver familiar with the vehicle involved in the accident?
Was the driver new to the job or working within the guidelines of a job description?
Was the driver under pressure, fatigued or distracted?
Did the driver violate any State law?
Did the driver perform an unsafe maneuver or U-turn?

2. Equipment: A great deal of attention will be focused on the mechanical condition of the vehicle(s) involved in the accident. The assessment will include questions like:

Was the equipment (tractor and trailer) inspected and serviced regularly?
Are there maintenance records to verify that components had been timely serviced and repaired (if required)?
Was maintenance performed at an adequately staffed, trained and budgeted facility?
Was the vehicle properly inspected by the driver, both pre-trip and post-trip, and spec’d for the cargo it was carrying?
Was a defect not reported or repaired?

3. Physical Conditions: Even though environmental conditions are rarely shown to be the primary cause of an accident, such conditions may play a role in the responses of both vehicle and driver. Investigation in this area will include questions like the following:

What were traffic conditions at the time of accident, congested?
Was the roadway slippery (wet or icy)?
Was there fog, rain or wind at the time of accident?
Did the vehicle have all required and unobscured reflectors and lights?

4. Procedures: Written procedures must be in place and followed by the driver, dispatcher, mechanic, etc. that may have alerted them to any hazards present. Investigation will key on the presence of such policies and may include the following questions:

Were all company policies being followed at the time of the accident?
Have all individuals been properly trained and was the procedure for training effective?

5. Freight: Gathering information about the freight being hauled when an accident occurs is vital. Questions that must be answered in relation to freight include:

What was the freight?
Was it time-sensitive?
Was the driver under pressure to meet deadlines?
Was the freight properly secured?

A Professional commercial truck driver is expected to beyond just obeying the law. A commercial truck driver must exercise proper defensive driving, ensure highway courtesy including proper use of headlights (dim lights when approaching or following a vehicle within 500 feet), avoid blocking driveways and entrances, and prevent mistakes of others from becoming an accident. A commercial truck driver must take reasonable precaution to avoid hazardous situations and be prepared to keep out of the way of other who make mistakes.

If you’ve been in a serious 18-wheeler tractor trailer collision or any commercial truck accident, you may be eligible for compensation. We encourage you to please contact us CONFIDENTIALLY or call us immediately at TOLL FREE 1.800.962-5152. Our experienced 18-wheeler truck accident lawyer will examine your case, answer your questions, and inform you of your legal rights and options.

With increased trucking traffic on major Texas roadways (such as Highway 302 and Highway 18 that run through West Texas and New Mexico, Highway I-10, Highway 59/69 that run through South Texas, and Highway 45 and Highway 35 that run through Central Texas) injuries and fatalities due to the negligence of Truck Drivers and the companies that employ them has increased too.

Commercial trucks hauling equipment, sand, gravel, oil, gas and other products, have very large blind spots, which can contribute to accidents with smaller vehicles. Drivers of commercial vehicles may not see smaller vehicles that may be driving in their blind spots. This can lead to collisions. Other incidents may occur when the company that owns the commercial vehicle fails to properly secure its cargo.

If you or a loved one have suffered injuries, trauma, or financial loss due to someone else’s reckless driving, driver fatigue, speeding, or other negligent act, you have the right to take legal action and seek monetary compensation from the responsible party. One solution may be reaching a monetary settlement with the trucking company or other responsible party for your accident. In most cases, however, litigation will be necessary if you’re looking to obtain the compensation you deserve. We have a record of success recovering millions of dollars on behalf of Truck Accident Victims and their families.

We understand how devastating an accident with a truck can be and the Sher Law Firm dedicated to working through the process as quickly and painlessly as possible. We are here to answer all of your questions, present you with your full range of legal options, and most importantly, help you seek justice. If you or a loved one has suffered from a trucking accident, please contact The Sher Law Firm, PLLC TOLL FREE 1.800.962-5152 or fill out the contact form.

The definition of Commercial Motor Vehicles includes all Trucks or Tractors (power units) and the trailers (trailed units) which exceed 10,000 lbs. Around 500,000 trucking accidents occur every year in the United States. Of these, approximately 5,000 trucking accidents result in fatalities. In fact, one out of every eight traffic fatalities involve a trucking collision.

Most of the deaths and injuries involve the passengers of vehicles while the drivers of the tractor trailers usually escape trucking collisions with little or no personal injury.

Common Causes of 18-Wheeler Tractor Trailer or Truck Accidents:

Unlicensed Driver
Speeding
Distracted Driving (Texting or Mobile Device Operation)
Disobeying Safety Laws or Procedures
Unsafe U-turn or Other Maneuvers
Motor Vehicle Inspection Failure
Repair & Maintenance Failure
Failure to Yield the Right of Way
DUI / DWI
Driver Fatigue
Trucker Overturns
Backing
Vehicle Collisions
Mechanical or Brake Failure
Tire Blow Outs
Transporting Equipment with Trailers
Overloaded Trucks or Trailers
Loads That Shift Weight

Due to the large size of commercial trucks (often exceeding 80,000 lbs.), an 18-wheeler truck accident can greatly endanger the lives of other smaller vehicles unnecessarily when truck operators fail to consider proper crash prevention.

Trucking injuries can be prevented if passenger vehicle drivers take special care when driving near tractor-trailers. If an 18-wheeler truck accident does occur, record as much information as possible, including names and contact information of witnesses.

We encourage you to please complete our short CONFIDENTIAL contact form or call us immediately at TOLL FREE 1.800.962-5152. We will thoroughly examine your case, answer your questions, and inform you of your legal rights and options.

Based in Houston, The Sher Law Firm, PLLC, serves the needs of clients in all types of commercial motor vehicle, auto or car accidents involving serious personal injury or wrongful death, complex environmental, oil and gas and commercial litigation throughout Texas, including greater Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, El Paso, the Rio Grande Valley, the Texas Panhandle, Midland/Odessa and Lubbock. We also handle litigation in other states through association with local counsel in Colorado, Illinois, Louisiana, New Mexico and Oklahoma.

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed by the negligence of an 18-Wheeler, Truck or Motor Vehicle, please contact us immediately. We need to act quickly to preserve the evidence in your case. We have the experience and expertise necessary to win your case and maximize your recovery.

We understand how devastating a crash with an 18-wheeler tractor trailer, truck or other commercial motor vehicle can be and the Sher Law Firm is dedicated to working through the process as quickly and painlessly as possible. We have been Protecting People for more than 26 years. Let us help you too.

We are here to answer all of your questions, present you with your full range of legal options, and most importantly, help you seek justice. Please contact us immediately.

Bilingual Services

Based in Houston, The Sher Law Firm, PLLC, serves the needs of clients in complex environmental, oil and gas, personal injury and commercial litigation throughout Texas, including greater Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, El Paso, the Rio Grande Valley, the Texas Panhandle, Midland/Odessa and Lubbock. We also handle litigation in other states through association with local counsel in California, Colorado, Illinois, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania.