Trucks and other commercial motor vehicles can be many times heavier than the average car. Trucks and other commercial vehicles present a risk to other motorists because of their size and weight. Truck drivers are expected to have a special license and conform to high safety standards. When drivers fail to live up to their obligations, it can lead to tragedy.

Texas truck accidents can cause very serious injury to anyone involved, especially to pedestrians, bicycle riders, motorcyclists and occupants of passenger cars. While the laws in Texas allow victims to recover compensation if serious injuries or deaths occur, Texas truck accident lawsuits aren’t easy and they aren’t straightforward. That is why it pays to have a Houston truck accident lawyer representing you.

Contact The Law Office of Kevin Krist Today For Help With Your Houston Truck Accident Claim

Texas truck accident attorney Kevin Krist has successfully obtained recoveries for hundreds of personal injury victims throughout southeast Texas. He’s ready to do the same for you.

Call 713-284-1660, or use the firm’s online form, to contact the Law Office of Kevin Krist today for a no-cost claim evaluation. You’ll hear back from Mr. Krist within 24 hours. 

If you hire Kevin Krist as your personal injury attorney, you can be assured that he will be the lead attorney on your case from start to finish. Kevin Krist provides personal representation to every injury client he represents. Mr. Krist is ready to put his skills and experience to work on your case today.

Truck Accident Risks in Texas

In Texas, there is a very serious risk of injury in accidents involving trucks and other commercial motor vehicles.  In fact, according to the Texas Department of Transportation:

  • Trucks and other commercial motor vehicles were involved in 376 fatal wrecks in Texas in 2011. These fatal crashes caused 417 deaths throughout the state.
  • In 2011 in Texas, 3,370 serious injury crashes involved Texas commercial motor vehicles. These wrecks caused a total of 4,734 people to suffer serious injuries.
  • Trucks and other commercial motor vehicles were involved in an additional 3,838 crashes causing non-serious injuries in Texas in 2011. In these crashes, a total of 6,559 people suffered some kind of harm arising from the accident.
  • In total, including all injury accidents, fatal crashes and property damage-only accidents, commercial motor vehicles were involved in 23,968 car wrecks in Texas during 2011 alone.

These truck accidents happened throughout Texas, in rural areas and in urban and suburban ones. Nearly every county was affected, and the losses caused by the injuries and deaths were felt by individuals and families everywhere.

Truck Accidents are Different

The huge discrepancy in size and weight between trucks and other vehicles is a major factor that makes truck accidents different from accidents that involve only light passenger vehicles. There are also some other key differences between truck accidents and accidents involving only passenger cars. For example:

  • Trucks are vulnerable to accidents that can’t happen with cars, such as jackknifing when the trailer swings out from the tractor, or under-ride accidents where cars slide underneath the frame of a truck. These accidents can be extremely dangerous.
  • Trucks are more likely to roll over. Their higher center of gravity makes trucks prone to tipping in sharp turns or while making quick maneuvers to avoid a crash. Cars, pedestrians, bikers and motorcycle riders can be crushed in a truck rollover accident.
  • Trucks may be more prone to mechanical problems. The systems in trucks, from the air brake system to the steering to the hitches attaching trailers, are all much more complicated than those in passenger cars. Without proper maintenance, disaster can result.

Another important difference with truck accident lawsuits is the fact that there may be additional defendants — and insurance companies — that could be responsible for paying damages besides just the truck driver.

In most car accident cases, the driver who causes the crash is the one the victims sue and the one who has to pay damages. In truck accident cases, however, the trucking company may have much more insurance and much more money than the truck driver. The trucking company may be responsible as a result of its own negligence (such as in cases of negligent hiring) or simply by virtue of the fact that the driver was working for it.

There is also the potential for liability on the part of the company that owned the cargo and the company that maintained the truck. If a defective truck part was to blame for the crash, it could be possible to bring a lawsuit against its manufacturer or distributor.

There are a wide variety of federal and state rules designed to ensure truckers drive safely, including maximum hours-of-service rules, truck maintenance and inspection rules and tough DUI laws. If a trucker broke these or other traffic laws, then this can be solid evidence of negligence that helps you to build a strong case.

The defendants who are involved in your case may wish to resolve it without going to court. This would involve negotiating an out-of-court settlement for damages. Before you consider a settlement, it is important to have a legal advocate representing you. The insurance companies look out for their own best interests and bottom lines, not yours. You need an advocate who knows the law and knows what you are entitled to.

You may be entitled to a number of different kinds of compensation after a Texas truck accident. For example:

  • Past medical costs and future ongoing medical costs made necessary by your injuries
  • Lost wages if the truck accident resulted in time away from work
  • Payment for reduction in future earning capacity resulting from your injuries
  • Compensation for pain and suffering or emotional trauma. 

In cases where victims were killed in truck accidents, surviving family members may also be entitled to additional compensation in the form of wrongful death damages. These include payment for funeral costs; lost financial support that the deceased would have provided if he or she had lived; and loss of companionship. 

Contact Houston Motor Vehicle Accident Attorney Kevin Krist Today

Call the Law Office of Kevin Krist at 713-284-1660, or use the firm’s online form. Let Kevin Krist explain how he can put his personal, proven experience to work for you so you can get the compensation you deserve as a Texas truck accident victim. Kevin Krist represents personal injury victims on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay no fees unless he recovers compensation on your claim.