Texas Truck Accident Lawyer

When an 18-wheeler or commercial truck causes a devastating collision anywhere in Texas, victims face a complex legal battle against well-funded trucking corporations and their aggressive insurance teams. At the Law Office of Domingo Garcia, we’ve spent over 35 years leveling the playing field for Texas truck accident victims. Our attorneys have secured over $50 million in truck accident settlements and verdicts across the Lone Star State, including a landmark $32 million wrongful death verdict that holds trucking companies accountable for their negligence.

Texas highways see some of the nation’s highest commercial truck traffic, with thousands of semi-trucks, tractor-trailers, and big rigs traveling I-10, I-35, I-45, and other major corridors daily. This heavy truck presence means Texas consistently ranks among the states with the most fatal truck crashes. When these massive vehicles—which can weigh 80,000 pounds fully loaded—collide with passenger cars, the results are often catastrophic or fatal. Our Texas truck accident lawyers understand the unique challenges these cases present, from federal trucking regulations to identifying all liable parties, and we’re prepared to fight for every dollar you deserve.

Truck Accident Lawsuits Are Time-Sensitive Matters

Time passes quickly after a truck accident. Your days are filled with doctors’ appointments, physical therapy sessions, and “mental health days.” Your case’s filing deadline is probably the last thing on your mind. 

Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003 outlines how long you have to file your accident lawsuit. You generally have two years. However, you can’t just file a lawsuit the day before the expiration date. Your case needs evidence to succeed, as well as an understanding of your accident’s cause. 

Our team will protect your right to damages by filing all paperwork before the deadline expires. We can also manage other time-sensitive matters, such as evidence collection and consulting with eyewitnesses.

Our Texas Truck Accident Lawyers Will Work to Recover Damages

We have seen firsthand the devastating results that victims and their families suffer after getting into accidents with commercial vehicles. These collisions are especially damaging to passenger car riders. That’s because people in smaller vehicles are at greater risk of injury if a large truck hits them. 

You’ve already been through the trauma of a truck accident in Texas. Now, we want to lend a helping hand and resolve your case. 

Truck Accident Locations We Service

We have specialized truck accident attorneys throughout Texas ready to help you.

• Dallas Truck Accident Lawyer
• Houston Truck Accident Lawyer
• Tyler Truck Accident Lawyer
• Odessa Truck Accident Lawyer
• Fort Worth Truck Accident Lawyer
• Arlington Truck Accident Lawyer

Statewide Truck Accident Representation Backed by Proven Results

Truck accidents differ dramatically from typical car crashes in complexity, severity, and the legal expertise required to win. When you choose the Law Office of Domingo Garcia, you’re selecting a legal team that has successfully handled truck accident cases in communities across Texas—from the Gulf Coast to the Panhandle, from East Texas to El Paso.

Our statewide presence means we understand how Texas trucking regulations interact with federal FMCSA rules, how local courts handle these cases, and which tactics insurance companies use in different jurisdictions. We’ve gone head-to-head with every major trucking company and insurance carrier operating in Texas, and we know exactly how to counter their strategies.

Whether your collision involved an independently owned truck, a major national carrier, or a local delivery fleet, our attorneys bring the same relentless advocacy that has recovered tens of millions for Texas families. We handle everything from tanker truck explosions to jackknife accidents, from runaway trailer incidents to multi-vehicle pileups caused by commercial vehicle negligence.

We Will Work on Your Texas Truck Accident Case for No Charge Without Settlement

We work diligently for our clients, and our team wants to help you. Our attorneys work on contingency, which means if we take your case, we manage it at no upfront cost.

If we recover monetary awards after a Texas truck accident, our payment comes from a percentage of your settlement or court-ordered award. If we don’t win your case, you owe us nothing. We want to make seeking legal aid as stress-free as possible—and that means eliminating your financial concerns. 

The Scope of Texas Truck Accidents: Alarming Statistics

Texas leads the nation in truck accident fatalities. The sheer volume of commercial trucking activity on our roads, combined with the state’s vast highway system, creates a deadly combination. In 2020 alone, the Texas Department of Transportation documented 413 fatal crashes involving commercial trucks—each one representing devastated families and communities forever changed.

Beyond fatalities, thousands more Texans suffer life-altering injuries in truck crashes each year. The TxDOT reported 700 suspected serious injury crashes involving tractor-trailers and semi-trailers in 2020, with victims facing traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, severe burns, amputations, and other catastrophic harm that requires years of medical treatment and rehabilitation.

These aren’t just statistics—they’re your neighbors, family members, and fellow Texans whose lives were upended by trucking company negligence, driver error, or mechanical failures that should never have occurred. The economic impact is staggering too, with victims facing millions in medical bills while often losing their ability to work and provide for their families.

We Advocate for Texans Who Have Suffered These Injuries

As mentioned earlier, large and heavy trucks can inflict serious injuries. Truck accident victims can suffer:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
• Spinal cord injuries (SCIs)
• Internal bleeding and internal organ damage
• Burns
• Smoke inhalation injuries
• Soft-tissue injuries
• Broken or crushed bones
• Neck and back injuries
• Knee and leg injuries
• Facial and dental injuries
• Whiplash
• Paralysis
• Amputation of limbs
• Other temporary and permanent impairments

The more severe your injuries, the longer your recovery period. Both factors can determine how much money you can pursue. 

We Can Account for Psychological Injuries in Your Case’s Value

Not all injuries in these accidents are visible, and some can last a lifetime–– even if victims physically recover from a truck accident. You can seek financial compensation for:

• Accident-related trauma
• New or worsened mental health disorders, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Reduced quality of life
• Loss of independence
• Loss of consortium (if your injuries affect your relationship with your spouse)

This is not an exhaustive list of damages you could recover with our team’s help. 

Why Texas Truck Accident Cases Have Higher Value Than Car Crashes

One crucial difference between truck accidents and typical automobile crashes is the substantially higher insurance coverage trucking companies must carry. While Texas requires only $30,000 in minimum liability coverage for passenger vehicles, federal law mandates commercial trucks carry anywhere from $750,000 to $5 million in insurance, depending on the cargo they transport and their operating weight.

This higher coverage exists because lawmakers recognize the catastrophic damage these vehicles can inflict. However, it also means trucking companies and their insurers fight these claims far more aggressively than typical car accident cases. They know millions are at stake, so they deploy experienced legal teams, accident reconstructionists, and investigators to minimize their liability from day one.

That’s why you need attorneys who understand how to counter these tactics. Our Texas truck accident lawyers know how to identify all available insurance policies—including umbrella coverage, excess policies, and multiple defendants’ coverage—to ensure you can recover full compensation for injuries that may require lifetime medical care.

We’ve successfully pursued claims against not just truck drivers, but trucking companies, cargo loaders, maintenance providers, truck manufacturers, and other liable parties. By identifying every responsible party and every available insurance policy, we maximize your potential recovery in ways that general practice attorneys simply cannot match.

Damages Our Texas Truck Accident Lawyers Can Help You Seek

Truck accident victims can recover economic (financial) damages and non-economic (non-financial) damages from their accidents. Each case is different, so we take that into account and consider every loss you experienced. 

Economic Damages

Economic damages cost you financially and can include: 

• Medical expenses: In many cases, medical care costs make up the largest expenses. This includes reimbursement for emergency room care, hospital stays, surgeries, diagnostic tests, prescription medications, medical devices, and more. Your costs also include long-term rehabilitation treatment for injuries that leave you temporarily or permanently disabled.
• Lost income and benefits: If severe injuries kept you from working after a truck accident in Texas, you could recover the income and other benefits you lost during your recovery, including paid sick leave. You can also seek damages for reduced earning capacity if you cannot return to the same position you had before the collision. 
• Property damage: This accounts for the damage to your vehicle and any destroyed personal items. 

Non-Economic Damages

In addition to economic damages, you could seek repayment for non-economic damages, which do not have fixed dollar values. It can be difficult to assess how much each loss in this category is worth because they don’t come with documentation. 

Recoverable damages comprise: 

• Physical pain and suffering
• Mental and emotional anguish
• Temporary or permanent disability
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Inconvenience
• Loss of companionship and society
• Loss of life enjoyment

Our attorneys handling truck accident claims in Texas will review your recoverable damages. Knowing how much you’re owed is important to your recovery. It can prevent you from accepting an insurance settlement that is too low and doesn’t fully cover your accident-related losses.

Our Team Handles Texas Wrongful Death Lawsuits

Some truck accident victims succumb to fatal injuries. If you lost a loved one in this way, we are here for you during this difficult time. If your relative passed away in a negligence-related accident, you could seek recovery, which could lessen your financial burdens. We can take care of your insurance claim or lawsuit while you grieve.

Texas law governs who can pursue wrongful death actions, and we can review it with you during your free consultation. If your case settles, damages awarded in a wrongful death case can:

• Account for your loved one’s final medical bills 
• Pay for your loved one’s funeral expenses, including embalming and cremation 
• Restore the income they would have contributed to your household
• Wages you lost while managing your loved one’s affairs 
• Compensate you for your loved one’s pain and suffering
• Compensate loved ones for a loss of companionship and mental distress

Our Texas truck accident lawyers have settled cases involving wrongful death before. In one case our truck accident attorneys recovered $8,500,000 for the family of a wrongful death victim because we refused lower insurance company offers and took the case to trial.  The insurance company substantially increased their settlement offer as we were selecting the jury. We can help you pursue fair compensation, too.

Domingo Garcia’s Texas Truck Accident Lawyers Are Committed to Your Case

When you partner with us, you can expect: 

• Compassion and understanding: We treat you with respect and advocate for you always. We will inform you of your rights, explain which laws apply to your case (and how), and address your concerns promptly. We also will update you on your insurance claim or lawsuit’s status. You won’t have to guess what’s going on with your case.
• Experience in handling Texas truck accident cases: We know state and federal regulations inside and out. We also have more than three decades of knowledge to work for you. You can trust that whatever challenges arise in your accident case, we’ll combat them. 
• A commitment to your case’s outcome: We do not back down from insurance companies – even ones that are notorious for denying claims. We always seek the maximum recovery we can for our clients, and to do that, we rely on our negotiation skills. You won’t have to deal with the insurance company in your case. We take care of all communications. 
• Fearless advocacy at trial. While most injury cases settle outside of court, we are ready to fight for your recovery at trial if it comes to that. We will prepare your case, file it on time, and present it to a jury. 

Critical Steps to Protect Your Rights After a Texas Truck Collision

The hours and days immediately following a truck accident in Texas can determine whether you receive fair compensation or get taken advantage of by insurance companies. Trucking companies often dispatch their own investigators to crash scenes within hours—sometimes before victims even leave the hospital—to gather evidence that protects the company’s interests.

If You’re Physically Able at the Scene:

Prioritize Safety First: Texas law requires you to remain at an accident scene, but you can move yourself and your vehicle out of traffic lanes if it’s safe to do so. If the truck is leaking fuel, chemicals, or other hazardous materials, move to a safe distance upwind. Your safety outweighs everything else.

Call 911 Immediately: Even if injuries seem minor, request police and medical response. Texas crash reports create official documentation of what occurred, and EMT assessments establish a medical record linking your injuries to the accident—crucial evidence insurance companies can’t dispute later.

Document Everything Possible: Use your phone to photograph the truck’s company name, DOT number, license plate, and any identifying markings. Capture damage to all vehicles from multiple angles. Photograph skid marks, debris patterns, traffic signals, and road conditions. If there’s a dash cam or surveillance cameras nearby, note their locations. This evidence can disappear within days.

Collect Driver and Witness Information: Get the truck driver’s name, CDL number, phone number, and their employer’s contact information. Obtain insurance details from the driver. If witnesses stopped, get their names and phone numbers—their statements can be invaluable if the trucker’s version conflicts with what actually happened.

What NOT to Say: Don’t admit fault, apologize, or speculate about what happened—even casually. Tell the investigating officer only the facts you’re certain about. If the trucking company’s representative approaches you, politely decline to discuss the accident and refuse any requests for recorded statements. Direct them to contact your attorney.

In the Days Following Your Texas Truck Crash:

Seek Comprehensive Medical Evaluation: See a doctor within 24-48 hours, even if you feel okay. Adrenaline can mask serious injuries like internal bleeding, traumatic brain injuries, or spinal damage. A full medical workup creates documentation insurance companies can’t claim your injuries were unrelated to the crash or weren’t serious.

Preserve All Evidence: Keep damaged clothing, broken items, and anything else from the accident. Save every medical bill, prescription, and invoice. If you miss work, get documentation from your employer. Create a daily journal describing your pain, limitations, and how injuries affect your life—this evidence proves non-economic damages.

Contact a Texas Truck Accident Attorney Immediately: Don’t wait weeks or months. Trucking companies must preserve evidence like driver logs, maintenance records, and black box data, but only if they’re legally required to do so. Our attorneys will send spoliation letters that prevent destruction of critical evidence. We’ll also handle all insurance communications so you can’t be tricked into damaging your case.

Avoid Insurance Company Traps: The trucker’s insurance company may contact you quickly with a settlement offer. They’re hoping you’ll accept a few thousand dollars before you realize your injuries require $500,000 in treatment. Never accept an initial offer without legal representation. Once you settle, you can’t reopen the claim when your true costs become clear.

Texas and Federal Trucking Laws That Protect You

Commercial trucking in Texas operates under a complex web of state and federal safety regulations designed to prevent exactly the kind of devastating crashes our clients experience. When trucking companies or drivers violate these rules, they create unreasonable risks that can form the basis of your injury claim.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Rules

The FMCSA establishes nationwide standards that every commercial truck operating in Texas must follow. These aren’t suggestions—they’re legally binding requirements with serious consequences for violations. Our Texas truck accident attorneys scrutinize every aspect of these regulations when investigating your crash:

Hours of Service Violations: Federal law strictly limits how long truckers can drive before mandatory rest breaks. Property-carrying drivers cannot exceed 11 hours of driving after 10 consecutive hours off duty, and cannot drive beyond 14 hours after coming on duty. Many accidents occur when companies pressure drivers to falsify logbooks or when drivers ignore fatigue to make delivery deadlines. Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) now make it harder to hide these violations, and our attorneys know how to obtain and analyze this data.

Commercial Driver Licensing Standards: Operating an 18-wheeler requires specialized training and a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) with appropriate endorsements. Trucking companies must verify their drivers maintain valid CDLs and don’t have disqualifying violations. When companies cut corners by hiring unqualified drivers or keeping drivers with poor safety records, they can be held liable for negligent hiring.

Drug and Alcohol Testing Requirements: The FMCSA mandates pre-employment drug testing, random testing, post-accident testing, and reasonable suspicion testing. Trucking companies must maintain testing records and immediately remove drivers who test positive. If a drugged or drunk trucker caused your crash, these records become crucial evidence—but only if we obtain them before they disappear.

Vehicle Maintenance and Inspection Standards: Commercial trucks must undergo regular inspections, and drivers must complete pre-trip and post-trip vehicle checks. Maintenance records must document all repairs, part replacements, and identified defects. When brake failures, tire blowouts, or other mechanical issues cause crashes, these records often reveal companies knew about problems but kept defective trucks operating to avoid downtime costs.

Cargo Securement Rules: The FMCSA’s cargo securement standards specify exactly how loads must be secured based on type, weight, and size. Improper loading can cause cargo spills that block roadways or make trucks unstable, leading to rollover crashes. Loading companies and truck operators share responsibility for securement compliance.

Texas-Specific Commercial Vehicle Regulations

Beyond federal rules, Texas imposes its own requirements through the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division. These Texas laws work alongside federal regulations to keep our roads safe:

Texas Size and Weight Limits: The TxDMV strictly regulates truck dimensions and weight on Texas highways. Overweight or oversized loads require special permits and must follow designated routes. When trucking companies exceed legal limits without permits, they create instability that makes crashes more likely and more severe.

Texas Safety Belt Requirements: Texas law requires commercial vehicle operators and passengers to wear safety belts. While this seems basic, unbelted truck drivers suffer more severe injuries in crashes, which can affect their ability to control the vehicle during an emergency.

Texas Insurance Requirements: Texas mandates commercial vehicles maintain higher insurance minimums than federal law requires for many operations within the state. This provides additional coverage for Texas accident victims.

How Violations Strengthen Your Case

When our investigation reveals trucking regulation violations, it fundamentally changes your case’s value and the likelihood of maximum recovery. Violations prove negligence per se in Texas courts—meaning the company’s guilt is established simply by showing they broke safety laws designed to prevent your exact type of injury.

We’ve successfully pursued enhanced damages when trucking companies exhibited gross negligence through willful safety violations, pressuring drivers to exceed hours of service limits, knowingly operating defective equipment, or maintaining patterns of regulatory violations that the company ignored until our client got hurt.

Your Texas Truck Accident May Have Multiple Liable Parties

Large truck accidents look like straightforward matters on the surface. Someone hit you, and they should pay for your damages, right? Not exactly. Truck accidents can involve multiple liable parties. 

For instance, suppose you were hit by a fatigued trucker. Our investigation finds that the trucking company imposed unreasonable delivery schedules. It also finds that the truck’s brakes malfunctioned because of poor maintenance. 

In this situation, you could hold the trucking company responsible (because it violated the FMCSA’s Hours of Service regulations) and the truck’s maintenance company. We could pursue the trucker, too. Yet, trucking companies generally have higher insurance coverage than individuals. So, this could provide comprehensive coverage for your injury-related losses. 

We Will Identify the Liable Parties and Collect Evidence to Prove Your Case

Right now, you don’t have the energy to manage a truck accident case. But we do. Part of our investigation involves gathering evidence to support your claim or lawsuit. The trucking company may have evidence in its possession that could support your case. 

We’ll send a spoliation letter that prevents the company from destroying or “losing” some pieces of information, such as: 

• The driver’s logbook, driving history, training records, and licensing credentials
• Sobriety test results (if the driver took a test for possible substance use)
• The truck’s service and maintenance records
• Dashcam video
• Electronic data from the truck’s black box recorder

We can also assist with gathering other kinds of evidence, such as:

• The official police report
• Your medical records
• Photographs and/or videos of the accident scene
• Photographs or videos of your injuries
• Witness testimony
• Expert witness statements that give insight into the accident, your injuries, and your recovery time
• Video surveillance footage 
• Cell phone records (if the truck driver was on the phone when the accident occurred)

We Advocate for Texans Who Have Suffered These Types of Truck Accidents

The TxDOT reports that nearly 26,000 commercial truck accidents occurred on our state’s roads in 2021. Over the years, we have noticed that these kinds of trucks are prevalent in accidents. Common types of accidents that can cause serious harm include: 

• Head-on collisions. This accident happens when a large truck hits another motor vehicle directly in front. Since both vehicles are likely traveling at high speeds, this can result in severe and fatal wounds.
• Rear-end collisions. This crash occurs when the truck’s operator runs into the back of another vehicle. This is dangerous because a car, which is much closer to the ground and smaller than a larger vehicle, can end up under the truck if the driver does not stop in time.
• Jackknife accidents. These accidents occur when the cab and its trailer end up facing opposite directions after the attached trailer detaches from the cab at a 90-degree angle. A driver can brake suddenly, causing the trailer to turn or roll over, possibly hitting other vehicles or causing a deadly vehicle pileup.
• Rollover accidents. A commercial truck can roll over for various reasons, including when the driver turns too fast and loses control of the vehicle.
• Side-impact (T-bone) accidents. These collisions occur when a truck’s front end hits the side of the vehicle. They are dangerous when they occur between smaller cars, so imagine the impact a heavy truck would have on a smaller vehicle in a broadside accident.
• Single-vehicle accidents. Even if a truck ends up veering off the road and hitting an object, such as a tree or structure, it could still injure other motorists if the truck’s parts or cargo blocks the roads. If a road user doesn’t see it in time, it could cause harm.
• Spilled cargo accidents. Trucks carry all kinds of goods, including milk, gas, concrete, oil, and more. If the truck is overloaded, the driver could lose control of the truck, causing the truck’s contents to spill out onto the road and putting other road users in danger.
• Tire blowout. A truck driver going at high speed can lose control and end up rolling over if a tire blows out for any reason. If the tires need repair or the truck is too heavy, a blowout can happen.

Call Us Today for a Free Case Review About Your Texas Truck Accident

Once a truck accident occurs, injured victims’ lives turn upside down, sending them spiraling into a world of uncertainty. The wide-ranging effects of these accidents can overwhelm them with pain and suffering, steep and high medical bills, long recovery times, lost income, and property damage. For some, the losses are permanent, and someone needs to be held accountable for that.

Our Texas truck accident lawyers at Domingo Garcia work hard to avoid this outcome for people who deserve better. We don’t stand by and let our clients stay on the hook for these losses. We are ready to review your case and determine a course of action. Call us today for a free consultation.