Trucks are one of the most dangerous vehicles on the road because of their enormous weight and nearly unstoppable momentum. One wrong move by a driver can put the lives of everyone around them in jeopardy — including yours.
Our Houston semi-truck accident lawyers have helped many victims of commercial trucking accidents recover, and we can help you, too.
What factors contribute to truck collisions? An accident is frequently the fault of the truck driver. However, it can also be the result of the trucking company’s negligence. The following are the most common causes of large truck accidents:
- Driver error, including failure to yield, follow the rules of the road, or slow down.
- Distracted driving, commonly caused by the improper use of electronic devices.
- Drowsy driving, also known as driver fatigue, resulting from too many hours on the road.
- Impaired driving due to the use of alcohol, drugs, or other substances
- Mechanical issues caused by a truck defect due to the truck manufacturer’s negligence
- Improper truck maintenance, usually as a result of the trucking company’s failure to monitor and manage its fleet.
- Inadequate training or supervision of the driver due to the trucking company’s negligence.
Common Kinds of Semi-Truck Accidents
There are various kinds of truck accidents that can occur on Texas roads and highways. The following are just a few of the most common causes of commercial truck accidents:
- Rollover accidents. When a commercial vehicle tips over onto its side or roof, this is known as a rollover. A commercial vehicle can injure pedestrians and other vehicles nearby when it overturns on the highway. These collisions have a higher fatality rate than others.
- Jackknife accidents. These types of accidents involve folding a tractor-trailer into itself. They frequently happen when a vehicle skids but the trailer attached to it does not stop or slow down. In many cases, this causes the truck to spin horizontally, making it impossible for other vehicles to avoid colliding with it.
- Swinging-Turn accidents. Large trucks must swing wide to the left to prepare for a right-hand turn, causing this type of crash. Other vehicles sometimes collide with the truck while attempting to drive around it.
- Blindspot accidents. When a truck driver fails to check their blind spot while making a move, other vehicles in these zones at the wrong time can be crushed.
- Underride and override accidents. These types of accidents involve smaller vehicles colliding with the back of a commercial truck and becoming trapped underneath it (underride accident) or being hit by a runaway truck (override accident).
- Tire blowouts. These collisions occur as a result of a tire’s rapid loss of inflation pressure. They usually happen suddenly. This can be caused by an object cutting or tearing the tire’s structural components. Without warning, a tire blowout can cause a truck driver to lose control of the vehicle.
- Lost or flyaway freight. Commercial trucks that lose their cargo while in transit can cause serious accidents and serious injuries.
What Injuries Are Caused by Trucking Accidents?
Why are trucking collisions such a serious problem? Because of the sheer weight and size of commercial vehicles, victims of truck accidents can sustain serious injuries. Trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, making them 20 to 30 times heavier than automobiles. Drivers and passengers in smaller cars often absorb the majority of the impact of a semi-truck accident, resulting in severe injuries in many cases.
Common injuries caused by truck accidents include:
- Head injuries, such as concussions and traumatic brain injuries
- Broken bones, abrasions, and sometimes the loss of limbs.
- Severe back and spinal cord injuries
- Whiplash and soft tissue injuries
- Wrongful death
How to Recover After a Houston Truck Accident
Truck accident cases can quickly become frustrating and complicating, especially when there are multiple parties involved. For example, if both the driver and the trucking company acted negligently and contributed to the accident, you may need to name both of them in your claim. In most cases, you will need to file a claim for negligence in order to recover from your injuries in a truck accident. This means you will have to show that the truck driver, trucking company, or both owed you a duty of reasonable care on the road and breached that duty when the accident occurred. You must also show that the breach was the direct cause of your injuries and damages.
Economic damages, also known as special damages, are easy to quantify and may be recovered in a negligence case. They include:
- your hospital and medical bills
- mechanic’s bills
- lost wages
- other out-of-pocket costs incurred as a result of your accident
You may also be entitled to general damages or non-economic damages. However, these are more difficult to quantify and can include compensation for:
- pain and suffering
- mental anguish
- the loss of enjoyment resulting from the accident
If you have been injured in a trucking accident, you should contact a personal injury lawyer in Houston right away to discuss your legal options.
Houston Truck Accident Lawyers
Trucking companies that seek to safeguard their own priorities will vigorously defend any personal injury claim. It is essential to enlist the help of savvy truck accident attorneys in Houston like those at West Loop Law and the Law Office of Nhan Nguyen, MD, JD who are familiar with the strategies used by these companies and their lawyers to defend claims, hide or destroy evidence, and otherwise reduce the amount they are forced to pay out.
Nhan Nguyen, MD, JD, and Nader Rabie, JD have years of combined experience working for the rights of Houston injury victims, and we are here to fight for you.
Contact our law offices today at (713) 840-7200 if you or a loved one has been unfairly injured by the negligence of a truck driver or trucking company.
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