Texas Commercial Vehicle Accident Attorney

Commercial vehicles are common on the roads throughout the United States, and Texas.  Unfortunately, many commercial vehicles are involved in accidents everyday.

If you or a loved one has been hurt in a commercial vehicle accident, you know how drastically it can affect your life. Serious injuries can lead to expensive medical bills, lengthy recovery times, and missed time from work. The commercial vehicle drivers, companies and others responsible for the accident may be held accountable for the harm they cause.

An experienced commercial vehicle accident lawyer can help you seek compensation for your doctor’s bills and other losses. The assistance of a knowledgeable accident attorney in Texas can make a difference in the outcome of your commercial vehicle accident claim.

At Herrman & Herrman, we are ready to stand up and fight for you. Our attorneys are committed to helping families throughout the state of Texas recover financially from injuries caused by the negligence of commercial vehicles, the companies that employ them, and others. Call (361) 882-4357 or reach out to us online to schedule a free consultation with a Texas commercial vehicle accident attorney.

How Can a Commercial Vehicle Attorney in Texas Help Me?

An experienced commercial vehicle accident lawyer can assist by reviewing the details of your accident at no charge. Our team of attorneys knows all of the ins and outs of a commercial vehicle accident. We can help you determine whether you have a valid claim and whether legal action is appropriate.

Any personal injury claim will involve an accident investigation, a lot of paperwork, dealings with insurers, and deadlines to meet. Our commercial vehicle accident law firm will conduct a detailed investigation to identify all liable parties.

Having a qualified Texas personal injury lawyer handle your claim puts you in the best position to receive a fair commercial vehicle accident settlement. Our skilled legal team at Herrman & Herrman has prevailed in thousands of personal injury claims for our clients. Let us use our experience to help you.

A commercial vehicle accident claim will involve the insurance companies of the liable parties. Insurance companies often offer accident victims a quick settlement to relieve their liability and avoid the cost of litigation.

However, these quick settlement offers are designed to get you to accept payment and go away, and often will not cover all your losses. While some injury victims may be tempted to take a lowball settlement offer, we can give you an idea of what your claim is really worth and whether the insurer’s offer is reasonable.

Texas commercial vehicle accident claims may involve multiple insurance companies. The driver, the company, the owner of the vehicle, and other parties involved in the accident may each have separate insurance companies. Dealing with multiple insurers can be complicated, but an experienced commercial vehicle accident lawyer can do so on your behalf, while you focus on your recovery.

Common Causes of Commercial Vehicle Crashes

At Herrman & Herrman, we see many different causes of commercial vehicle accidents, and we know that all can result in significant injuries to the occupants of the smaller vehicles.

The most common causes of commercial vehicle accidents include:

• Drowsy driving:  Drivers are often on the road for long periods of time, and many of them skip rest periods required by federal law. However, even if drivers abide by the hours-of-service rules, they can still be fatigued, and driver fatigue contributes to many accidents.
• Distracted driving: Anything that takes a driver’s attention from the road can contribute to distracted driving. This can include talking on the phone, texting, looking at a navigation system, eating, daydreaming or anything that takes the driver’s eyes off the road or mind off the task of driving.
• Failure to brake on time: Some commercial vehicles are large. The sheer operating weight of some trucks and their cargo means that drivers must have a longer lead time to come to a stop safely. A fatigued driver or distracted driver may fail to react in time to a traffic slowdown or light turning red.
• Speeding: Speeding is a significant cause of motor vehicle accidents, including commercial vehicles. When a commercial vehicle is traveling at high speed, it needs a longer distance to stop.
• Driving too fast for conditions: The posted speed limit may be too fast in certain circumstances. Adverse weather, heavy traffic, and slick road conditions might dictate that a commercial vehicle driver needs to slow down to operate their vehicle safely. A commercial vehicle driver needs to maintain a reasonable speed for the conditions, regardless of the speed limit.
• Following too closely: Commercial vehicle drivers often fail to leave enough space between their vehicle and the vehicle in front of them. Tailgating or following too closely can make it impossible to brake safely and can lead to a rear-end collision.
• Aggressive driving: We have all seen aggressive drivers on the road. They pose a danger to everyone sharing the road. When commercial vehicle drivers drive aggressively, their they can potentially cause a lot of damage.
• Equipment malfunction: Equipment failures such as misadjusted brakes and bad tires are frequent causes of commercial vehicle accidents. A faulty piece of equipment can cause an accident and the manufacturer or brake manufacturer may be liable for the injuries to the accident victim.
• Wide turns: Commercial vehicles can cause significant damage due to their wider turning radius. If the driver fails to take into account other vehicles before initiating a turn, a severe injury accident could occur.
• Improper lane changes: Commercial vehicles in a rush to change lanes can fail to see a vehicle in a blind spot and cause significant harm to passenger vehicles and other motorists on the roads.

Types of Commercial Trucks

There are many types of trucks on the roads and highways of Texas. Any of them can pose a threat to other motorists and pedestrians, including:

• Semi-Trailer Trucks: Hauling one or more trailer units, with a maximum load of 80,000 pounds.
• Cargo Trucks or Vans: Motor vehicles designed to transport cargo.
• Tractor Trailers: A tractor connected to a trailer used for hauling freight.
• Fuel Trucks: These are smaller trucks that transport different types of fuel.
• Flatbed Trucks: These trucks can be small or large, with a flatbed for loaded transport instead of an enclosed trailer.
• Livestock Trucks: Trailers in livestock trucks are enclosed but often vented. Live cargo can add to the instability of a truck.
• Buses: School buses, charter buses, and city buses of all sizes can cause significant damage in accidents.
• Dump Trucks: These trucks have movable cargo containers, which can be responsible for a number of different elements in an accident.
• Cement Mixers: These heavy trucks can pose a threat due to their weight, moving components and debris.
• Oil Equipment Trucks: These are often tractor trucks that haul heavy, exposed equipment for a number of uses in oil fields.
• Tanker Trucks: These are typically larger trucks hauling large amounts of fuel in an enclosed, heavy cargo hold. They have a higher center of gravity than tractor-trailers and require special training to drive.
• Moving Vans: Moving vans are often driven by inexperienced drivers, and as a result can cause a high rate of accidents and injuries.

Should I Reach a Settlement with the Company?

You should never accept a settlement from a company without discussing the offer first with a Texas personal injury attorney.

Every case is different, so we always advise prospective clients to make sure a knowledgeable Herrman & Herrman commercial vehicle accident lawyer in Texas has the opportunity to review the details of your claim. Most commercial vehicle accident injury cases end in a settlement, but these settlements are usually carefully negotiated by skilled attorneys.

Do I Have Legal Rights to Compensation After a Texas Commercial Vehicle Accident?

In Texas, you have the right to seek compensation if you were hurt in an accident caused by a negligent driver, company, or other entity.

Keep in mind that the statute of limitations to file an injury claim is two years from the date of the injury, according to the Texas Civil Code. If you fail to file a lawsuit within the time allowed, the court may dismiss your case.

Why Choose Herrman & Herrman to Represent Me?

The attorneys at Herman & Herman proudly serve the residents of Texas in personal injury cases, including commercial vehicle accident claims.

Our team of experienced attorneys has more than 100 years of combined experience serving our clients here in Texas. We offer our guidance to you as a first step on the road to your recovery. We have attorneys and staff who are fluent in Spanish, and we can answer any questions you may have. If you are wondering whether you have a commercial vehicle accident claim, Contact our Texas injury lawyers at (361) 882-4357 or reach out to us online for a free consultation.

Our firm has offices in the following locations: Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi South Side, Brownsville, McAllen, San Antonio, Houston, and Ft. Worth , TX.