Austin Truck Accident Attorney
If you or a loved one has been injured in an Austin car accident involving a large commercial truck, you may be facing medical bills, lost income, and other expenses. An experienced Austin truck accident lawyer can review what happened, explain your legal options, and help you understand the compensation that may be available.
When a trucking accident causes serious injuries, the truck driver, trucking company, or other responsible parties may be held accountable for the harm they caused. Let us answer your questions and review your legal options.
The experience and knowledge of the attorney you select after an Austin commercial truck accident can make a significant difference in how your claim is handled. Our attorneys at Herrman & Herrman, P.L.L.C. have handled thousands of personal injury cases. Our law firm serves clients in Austin and throughout Texas. For local office information, visit our Austin office page.
We have the resources to handle serious Austin truck accident cases through their resolution. We are dedicated to helping individuals and families recover after injuries caused by negligent truck drivers, trucking companies, and other responsible parties. Contact us to discuss your case.
Types of Trucks
Our Austin truck accident lawyers at Herrman & Herrman investigate cases involving individuals and families injured in crashes with large commercial vehicles, including 18-wheelers.
Some of the types of trucks and big rigs involved in crashes that our legal team has handled include:
- Cargo trucks
- Semi-trucks
- Tractor-trailers
- Fuel trucks
- Flatbed trucks
- Delivery vans
- Dump trucks
- Tanker trucks
- Moving vans
- Oilfield trucks
- Buses
A trucking company may share liability for an accident caused by a truck driver employed by the company. Truck crashes may also be caused by inadequate maintenance, such as failure to adjust truck brakes or replace worn tires.
Do I Have an Austin Trucking or Semi-Truck Accident Case?
You should consider contacting an Austin truck accident lawyer if you have been injured in a crash involving a commercial truck. A truck accident lawyer with Herrman & Herrman, P.L.L.C. can review the circumstances of your accident and discuss your legal options.
We will outline your legal options so that you have the information needed to decide how to proceed. If you are unable to visit our office, we can discuss available options for meeting with you at a convenient location.
A collision involving a commercial truck requires a detailed investigation to identify all potentially liable parties. Our team understands the importance of moving quickly to identify and preserve evidence related to the crash.
The trucking company or its insurance company may offer a quick settlement. If you have received a settlement offer, you should consider having a knowledgeable truck accident lawyer review it before accepting or signing anything presented by the trucking company or its insurance representative.
Our truck accident lawyers can review the offer and provide guidance based on the specific facts of your accident and injuries.
You may also need legal assistance if an at-fault party’s insurance company disputes your claim. A commercial truck collision may involve multiple insurance companies representing the trucking company, truck driver, trailer owner, freight shipper, or other parties.
If we represent you, our attorneys can communicate and negotiate with the insurance companies on your behalf and seek compensation based on the circumstances of your case and the extent of your injuries.
Should I Settle with the Austin Trucking Company?
Some trucking companies or their insurers may contact you soon after an accident and offer a settlement. These early settlement offers may be made before the full extent of your injuries, medical expenses, lost income, and other losses are known.
If you accept a settlement while you are still receiving medical treatment, you may not be able to seek additional compensation from the same responsible party later if your expenses exceed the settlement amount.
If you receive a settlement offer after a truck accident, you should consider having an attorney review the offer and provide guidance before signing a liability release or other documents presented by the trucking company or its insurance adjuster. You can also learn more about your legal options from a Texas personal injury lawyer.
What Do I Do If I Was Hit by a Semi-Truck in Austin?
You may be shaken and confused in the hours after a collision with a semi-truck. If you do not require emergency medical attention, you should still consider seeking a prompt medical evaluation.
Inform the doctor that you were involved in a truck accident.
A medical evaluation can document your injuries and help identify injuries that may not have been immediately apparent after the collision.
Report the accident to the police or ask someone else to summon the police if you are unable.
Reporting a serious truck accident to law enforcement can create an official record of the collision and allow officers to document information about the drivers, vehicles, and circumstances of the crash.
Exchange vehicle registration and insurance information with the truck driver.
If you can do so safely, exchange the required vehicle and insurance information while waiting for law enforcement. If the truck driver is uncooperative, wait for the police to arrive and assist with gathering the information.
Provide the facts of the accident to the police.
Provide law enforcement with an accurate description of what happened. Avoid making assumptions about fault or the extent of your injuries immediately after the collision.
Take photos of the accident scene.
If you can do so safely, use your phone to photograph vehicle damage, skid marks, debris, road conditions, and visible injuries. Photographs may help document the circumstances of the collision.
Causes of Trucking Accidents in Austin
Texas highways are heavily traveled by commercial trucks. More than 640 people were killed and 1,500 people sustained serious injuries in crashes involving tractor-trailers, semi-trucks, and other commercial vehicles in 2017, according to the Texas Department of Transportation.
Drivers and passengers in smaller vehicles involved in truck accidents may sustain serious injuries because of the size and weight differences between commercial trucks and passenger vehicles.
A number of factors involving the truck driver, trucking company, vehicle, roadway, or other parties may contribute to a serious truck accident.
Among the commonly cited causes of truck crashes are:
- Speeding
- Driving too fast for conditions
- Driver inattention
- Driving on an unfamiliar road
- Fatigue
- Following too closely or tailgating
- Improper lane changes
- Aggressive driving
- Inadequate maintenance
- Brake failure
- Brakes out of adjustment
- Unsecured cargo
An analysis of 2,800 commercial truck crashes by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute found that driver fatigue was a contributing factor in crashes in which the truck driver was at fault.
Other truck driver actions identified in the analysis included speeding, failing to yield the right-of-way, and improper lane use. The researchers reported that crashes involving speeding had a greater risk of injury or fatality.
A truck accident may involve multiple contributing factors and several potentially responsible parties. An experienced truck accident attorney can investigate the circumstances of the collision and identify the parties that may be legally responsible.
Dangerous Roads for Austin Semi-Truck Accidents
Texas has a significant amount of commercial truck traffic. Large trucks regularly travel major interstate and highway corridors throughout the state, including routes serving Austin and Central Texas.
Most people killed or seriously injured in collisions involving large commercial trucks are occupants of smaller passenger vehicles, pedestrians, or other road users rather than the truck occupants themselves.
Commercial truck traffic remains an important road safety issue throughout Texas.
Interstate 37 between Corpus Christi and San Antonio is among the most dangerous highways discussed in our Texas road safety resources.
Interstate 35 is a major north-south commercial transportation corridor that passes directly through Austin. The highway carries significant passenger and commercial truck traffic through Central Texas.
Contact an Austin 18-Wheeler Collision Attorney
Contact our tractor-trailer accident attorneys at Herrman & Herrman, P.L.L.C. to discuss your case. Our commercial truck accident attorneys can review what happened and explain the legal options that may be available.
The sooner an investigation begins, the sooner important evidence related to the truck, driver, trucking company, and collision can be identified and preserved. Contact us for a consultation.
Our firm has offices in the following locations: Austin, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi South Side, Brownsville, McAllen, Houston, and Ft. Worth, TX.
