Most crashes involving 18-wheeler trucks in Texas are preventable, but motorists in other vehicles often have little to no control over whether a semi crashes into their vehicle and causes catastrophic damage. It is important to understand how and why these commercial truck accidents happen and what victims of large truck accidents can do to protect their own interests.

If you are involved in an accident with a semi-truck, you need a truck accident lawyer who will fight for you and get you the compensation you deserve. You need a law firm in your corner to fight the trucking company, insurance companies, and other parties to make sure your truck accident claim is taken seriously.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has enacted strict regulations to prevent accidents involving large trucks, and yet they still occur in large numbers across the country. Our truck accident attorneys are committed to protecting your interests, obtaining fair compensation, and protecting your health and well-being. Request a free consultation* with a Texas truck accident lawyer. HSuniga Law FirmawkLaw fights to win!

Common causes of truck accidents

Despite stricter Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations, truck accidents continue to increase, and injuries in truck accidents can be catastrophic, far more so than in car accidents or other motor vehicle accidents.

An accident can happen at any time, and the causes can vary greatly. To file your Texas truck accident lawsuit, you need to determine what exactly happened and who was at fault. This can be difficult because truck companies, shippers, maintenance personnel, and even parts manufacturers may be responsible for the truck accident, and they will all try to blame you. They may even accuse you of being responsible. This is why it is so important to have an experienced truck accident attorney on your side.

If you are not sure what caused your truck accident, our Texas truck accident attorneys can help. We will examine the evidence and find the cause, which could be any of the following issues:

DROWSY DRIVING AND DISTRACTED

Driver fatigue is one of the most common causes of semi-truck accidents. Semi-truck drivers are required to work a certain amount of time before taking a break. However, their employers may offer an incentive for them to finish their tours earlier. This means that there are truck drivers who have been on the road for far too long. This can lead to more mistakes and slower reaction time.

In addition, distracted driving is a problem in many personal injury cases involving passenger vehicles. Whether a driver is using his or her cell phone behind the wheel, reading, eating, drinking, or even playing around on the radio, any distraction keeps the driver from paying full attention to the road, and even a few seconds can be deadly.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the normal reaction time to avoid a hazard is about 1.5 seconds. If you are traveling at 55 miles per hour, your vehicle will move 121 feet in those 1.5 seconds. Imagine taking your eyes off the road for that long to read a text message or play with the radio. The consequences can be – and often are – disastrous.

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE

Driving under the influence is already dangerous. When truck drivers are under the influence and at risk of jackknifing, they put even more lives at risk. Truck drivers who cause accidents while under the influence deserve to be held accountable and compensated. Punitive damages are rare in motor vehicle personal injury cases, but if the driver was under the influence of alcohol, these damages may be available.

ROAD HAZARDS

Even though an 18-wheeler is less susceptible to road hazards such as potholes than other vehicles, road hazards can cause an accident. If a road authority fails to keep drivers safe, victims may be able to recover damages.

DEFECTIVE PARTS VEHICLE

Sometimes vehicle parts such as brakes or engine components are defective, and shoddy manufacturing can cause breakdowns at the worst possible moment that can lead to a serious accident. In these truck accident cases, you can hold the manufacturer responsible for your injuries and include them in a lawsuit or civil action.

SIMPLE CARELESSNESS

Another common cause of truck accidents is simple, basic carelessness. Sometimes truck drivers drive too fast for the road conditions, ignore speed limit signs or other signs that indicate truck safety. They may also fail to check their mirrors or otherwise act carelessly

Blind spots can be another cause of accidents due to carelessness. Trucks can have very long blind spots, or areas where the mirrors do not reflect. If drivers do not carefully check these areas before changing lanes or turning for any reason, they can collide with another passenger vehicle and cause serious injuries.

If your accident was caused by careless driving, your Texas truck accident lawyer at Suniga Law Firm can fight to hold the driver accountable and get you the compensation you deserve for things like medical expenses, property damage, brain injuries, and other non-economic damages.