Houston Truck Accident Attorney

It’s time to hold the trucking industry accountable for the role its plays in dangerous truck accidents every day. If you or a loved one is a victim of a truck accident, you may be entitled to compensation. Houston Truck accident attorney Dax Garza offers Free Consultations for all truck accident victims.

At Dax F. Garza, PC, we have secured over $14 million in settlements and jury awards for recent Texas trucking accident victims. We are committed to seeing justice served for you and your family. We know you need financial relief from the massive medical debt your injuries may have caused and we want to help.

Common Causes of Large Truck Accidents

In the blink of an eye, a large truck can cause a roadway accident. Because even minor big rig accidents can cause life-altering injuries, trucking companies and truck drivers have a responsibility to exercise great caution. Trucking companies must perform all required maintenance and routinely inspect every vehicle before each trip to ensure its fitness for the road. Additionally, trucking companies should require routine driving safety courses for all drivers.

Drivers must also commit to maintaining their vehicles in proper condition and keeping their certifications up to date. When drivers cut corners and fail to drive safely, they put everyone on the road at risk. They are in charge of tractor-trailers that can weigh 80,000 pounds and measure 70-80 feet in length. When they make a mistake, the consequences for other motorists can be horrific.

Some of the most common causes of truck accidents include:

Truck Design

The design of large trucks can not only cause a catastrophic accident itself, but it can also increase the severity of the resulting injuries and damages. Due to their tall height, weight, and sheer size, these vehicles can be extremely difficult to control, are unable to stop quickly, and cannot be maneuvered the way passenger vehicles can. Furthermore, the speed and weight of a big rig mean trucking accidents occur with an amplified impact.

Common issues with various truck designs include:

• 18-wheelers: These trucks have large blind spots, top-heavy design, and massive size. They can jackknife easily, sweeping other vehicles when the trailer swings around.
• Commercial dump trucks: Dump trucks are large and heavy on their own and then also carry heavy loads. These vehicles often lose parts of their cargo while traveling, damaging other automobiles and/or initiating truck accidents.
• Box or delivery trucks: Their square shape causes big blind spots, and the cargo is often poorly loaded. Box trucks are also prone to rollover accidents.
• Rental moving trucks: Presenting some of the same issues as delivery trucks, these vehicles are involved in accidents that frequently result from the driver’s inexperience operating a large truck.
• Garbage trucks: Often slow-moving, they present risks by starting and stopping erratically. In addition, the lifting mechanism could malfunction, impacting cars nearby unexpectedly.
• Heavy hauler: Used to transport extremely large or oddly-sized cargo, these trucks usually have escort vehicles to protect other drivers. However, if the cargo slips, the truck could swerve out of control. The freight could come loose, hitting others on the road.

Driver Fatigue

Operating any motor vehicle requires attention, but operating a large truck requires even more responsibility. Large trucks can weigh 20-30 times more than a passenger vehicle, leading to an increased ability to cause serious injuries and death. Ensuring adequate rest is a part of ensuring the safe operation of these large vehicles.

Truck drivers are often required to move cargo over long distances within tight deadlines. They may feel pressured to work overtime or disobey traffic laws to deliver on time. However, drivers can become fatigued and lose consciousness if they do not adhere to federal regulations regarding maximum driving time. When they lose control of their vehicles, they put themselves and every other driver near them at extreme risk of injuries or death.

A study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found truck drivers behind the wheel for longer than eight hours are twice as likely to crash or cause an accident. Under current federal regulations, large truck drivers are allowed to be behind the wheel for as long as 11 hours at a time.

Equipment Failure

In addition to needing a rested and observant navigator, a large truck can only be as safe as its parts. Equipment failure causes numerous preventable trucking accidents every year. Truck equipment failure accidents can be avoided through routine maintenance and inspection of all vehicle parts.

Faulty braking mechanisms are the most common defective component part of large trucks. In a post-crash analysis of large truck accidents, IIHS found almost 55% of trucks had at least one mechanical violation. The same report showed 30% of tractor-trailers had at least one violation serious enough to take the truck out of service.

When trucking companies and drivers fail to routinely inspect their trucks and cargo equipment, they risk the lives of all who share the road with them. A truck carrying a cargo load that is unable to stop due to malfunctioning brakes could cause a fatal accident in mere seconds.

Distracted Driving

Truck drivers are just as susceptible to distractions as drivers of passenger vehicles. Distractions can range from using cell phones and changing the radio station to eating. Regardless of the distraction, it is dangerous and should not be done while driving.

While some cities in Texas have passed local laws making it illegal to use a cell phone while driving, Houston has not. This oversight leaves truck drivers on our roads free to use their smartphones and other mobile devices to play music, get directions, and take calls while maneuvering their big rigs.

Speeding

The dangers of speeding are well known, but this does not stop people from doing it. Trucks require a longer time to come to a complete stop than passenger vehicles, so it is especially important that truck drivers obey posted speed limits. Unfortunately, not all of them do, leading to deadly accidents.

Aggressive driving is a factor in approximately 5% of all truck accidents nationally. This can include speeding, but also swerving, tailgating, honking, and more.

Failure To Check Blind Spots

Truck drivers are trained to check their blind spots before turning or changing lanes. Fatigue, distraction, aggression, and other factors can cause even the most experienced truck driver to forget to look before moving. In addition to the known blind spots at the front, rear, and right side of a big rig, the cargo a trailer is carrying can also obstruct the driver’s view.

Overloaded Cargo

Federal regulations outline very specific weight limits for loading large trucks. Overloaded trucks are dangerous for a number of reasons. First, they can throw off a truck’s center of balance, making it more likely to roll over. Overloaded trucks can also cause a driver to lose control of the truck due to the weight of the cargo. Finally, overloaded trucks take more time to come to a complete stop.

In addition, many bridges in Texas communities are marked with their weight limits. If an overloaded truck tries to cross, it could weaken or collapse the bridge, taking down other vehicles with it.

Poor Maintenance

Trucks spend nearly every day on the road. With so much use, these vehicles need regular maintenance to keep them running properly and safely. Companies that do not perform regular maintenance on their trucks are putting everyone on the roadways at risk. The most common problem found due to lack of maintenance is brake issues.

Driving Under the Influence

Driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol is dangerous regardless of the vehicle. Truck drivers have a huge responsibility to drive safely, and driving under the influence can easily cause fatal accidents.

With a commercial driver’s license (CDL), the standard for intoxication is lower than it is for a passenger vehicle driver. A truck driver can be found legally drunk with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of only 0.04% – half of the usual 0.08% in Texas – because of how dangerous large trucks are on the roads.

Tire Defects or Blowouts

Commercial cargo vehicles and other semi-trucks have a lot of tires to increase their stability. Defective tires cause almost one-third of all truck accidents. Worn tires can cause blowouts, but tire blowouts can also be caused by overloading, road hazards, and more.

New Routes

A new tour route is one of the top three most common causes of truck accidents. Trucking companies often rush a driver to move their cargo load quickly to maximize profits. When the driver is unfamiliar with the route they are maneuvering, they are likely to be distracted and slow to respond to sudden changes around them.

Looking down at a GPS frequently because you are unfamiliar can cause distracted driving accidents.

Road and Weather Conditions

Road construction and confusing traffic signals can cause truck accidents, as can severe weather that diminishes visibility. Weather is unpredictable, and truckers must be prepared to react to it. Snow, ice, flooding, and heavy rain can affect road conditions and increase the time a driver requires to react to changes ahead of them on the road.

Common Truck Accident Injuries

Due to the size and weight of large trucks, they can catastrophically injure or even kill victims upon impact. For this reason, motor vehicle occupants involved in truck accidents disproportionately suffer severe injuries and fatalities compared to large truck occupants. According to IIHS, 4,014 people were killed in truck accidents in 2020 alone – 68% were passenger vehicle occupants, 16% were pedestrians or cyclists, and only 15% of all fatalities were truck drivers or occupants.

Common injuries suffered in truck accidents include:

• Amputations
• Broken bones and fractures
• Burn injuries
• Deep cuts and lacerations
• Internal injuries
• Paralysis
• Spinal cord injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries

Recovering from any of these kinds of trauma can be overwhelming and lengthy. You will likely face tremendously high medical bills, be unable to work, and may need lifelong treatment. Ensuring you do not sink into a financial crisis from someone else’s negligence means you must seek compensation from those responsible.

Dax Garza is an experienced truck accident lawyer in Houston who will put his team to work investigating your claim to learn who is at fault. We take on the difficult legal demands while you focus on healing.

Know Your Rights After a Truck Accident

Truck accident victims have a long road to recovery. They will face huge physical, emotional, and financial obstacles. Victims and their families do not have to suffer alone. Those who were injured by a truck have the legal right to pursue compensation from negligent truck drivers, the companies that employ them, and other responsible parties.

After a crash, injury victims and the families of those who may have been killed need to speak with a Houston truck accident lawyer as soon as possible. All big rigs engaged in interstate commerce have to carry certain types and amounts of insurance, so those insurance companies and the trucking companies themselves will arrive at the accident scene quickly, doing all they can to protect their interests.

Just as they are protecting their reputation and companies, the victims of truck accidents need an experienced truck accident attorney in Houston to protect their rights, preserve evidence, and ensure an insurance company or trucking company does not try to take advantage of them. You do not need to worry that you do not have deep pockets like trucking companies. At Dax F. Garza, P.C., we do not get paid unless and until we win your case for you.

Potential Value of a Houston Truck Accident Claim

Because you likely suffered significant injuries and property damage, your claim could be worth quite a lot. The key is determining the full range of your losses, both economic and non-economic. In addition to the damages with a fixed price, you deserve compensation for your pain and suffering.

Each case will be completely unique and judged on its own merits in court. However, there are many compensatory damages you might overlook without the assistance of a competent Houston truck accident lawyer. We work with you to create an ethically calculated estimate of your losses, including past, present, and future expenses.

Common damages our clients request in truck accident claims include:

Economic Damages

• Loss of income
• Loss of inheritance potential
• Doctor bills
• Hospital costs, such as for ER, ICU, and surgery
• Emergency transport fees
• Private in-home nursing care
• Rehabilitation facilities
• Prescription medications
• Mobility devices such as wheelchairs, crutches, or canes
• Prosthetic limbs
• Repairs or replacement expenses for your personal property

Non-Economic Damages

• Amputation
• Scarring or disfigurement
• Emotional distress
• Pain and suffering
• Permanent disability
• Isolation
• Loss of reputation
• Loss of companionship
• Loss of enjoyment of life

Dealing with insurance companies can be frustrating because they are not interested in paying you what you need. They are in business to protect their bottom line. Insurance adjusters know you need money quickly to pay bills, so they will often make an insultingly low initial offer. They want you to take it and close the claim, which ends your ability to ask for more.

Dax Garza will not let this happen. Our law firm will negotiate on your behalf for the maximum compensation possible. If the at fault parties do not meet our demands, we are ready to take them to court. Trucking companies work hard to keep their names away from news stories about truck accident trials, so they often settle out of court. Regardless of how your case plays out, our team will be with you every step of the way.

Contact Houston Truck Accident Attorney Dax Garza Today

A truck accident can change your life forever, leaving you and your family reeling from the effects of physical, emotional, and financial damage. It does not need to be this way. Our team of compassionate and knowledgeable legal professionals understands that you need help to seek restitution so you can get on with your life.

At Dax F. Garza, P.C., we listen to your story and then get to work building the strongest claim possible for your unique circumstances. You need a powerful Houston truck accident attorney to help you recover the financial compensation you need. We are here to take on the trucking companies for you.

Contact us today to schedule a free case evaluation and learn more about your options.