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Need a truck accident lawyer? If you were hurt in a crash with an 18-wheeler in Houston, call us now. The Law Office of Domingo Garcia has recovered millions for truck accident victims across Harris County. Our attorneys have 35 years of experience fighting trucking companies. We know how to build your case and get you paid.

A truck accident case is not like a car accident case. There are more rules, more parties, and more at stake. Trucking companies send investigators to the scene within hours. They work fast to protect themselves. You need a truck accident attorney on your side just as fast.

See what we have recovered for our clients.

A board certified Houston truck accident lawyer from our law firm will help you file your case, negotiate for damages, and hold the liable party accountable for their actions. Call us today for a free legal consultation with a truck accident lawyer serving Houston and the surrounding community.

How a Houston Truck Accident Attorney Can Help You

After a truck crash, there can be many issues to handle, often under time constraints. Our personal injury attorneys have years of experience guiding clients through these challenging times. Building a strong legal case after a truck accident involves several critical steps, and our legal team excels at each one:

• Comprehensive Investigation: We launch a full investigation into your accident, collecting valuable evidence at the scene and surrounding businesses before it disappears or is destroyed. This thorough approach is vital to constructing a compelling case.
• Extensive Knowledge and Expertise: Our team offers extensive experience and deep knowledge of the laws and regulations specific to the trucking industry in the Houston area. This allows us to navigate the complexities of your case effectively.
• Understanding Your Rights and Options: We help you understand your rights and options following an 18-wheeler truck accident, guiding you through filing an accident claim or lawsuit with clarity and confidence.
• Proven Track Record: With a history of success in helping clients get fair compensation, we are committed to achieving real results. Whether through a negotiated cash settlement or a jury verdict, we fight to get you every dollar you’re entitled to.
• Negotiation with Insurance Companies: Our attorneys negotiate on your behalf with insurance companies to secure the compensation you deserve. We advocate tirelessly to ensure insurance companies recognize the full impact of your injuries.
• Guidance on Medical Treatment: We assist in guiding your medical treatment to maximize your recovery and pain relief. At the same time, we assemble critical evidence to prove how your injuries affect your life and work.
• Long-term Impact Assessment: Understanding the potential long-term impact of your injuries is crucial. We collaborate with medical experts to ensure you receive the necessary treatment and account for future needs in your claim.
• Trial Readiness: If the insurance company does not offer a fair money settlement, we are prepared to successfully try your case to a jury in Houston, ensuring your case is presented with the utmost diligence and expertise.

By weaving together these elements, we build a robust legal case designed to achieve the best possible outcome for you.

Laws and Regulations Governing the Houston Trucking Industry

According to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV), there is a limit to how much trucks can weigh when traveling on state highways. These limits depend on how many axles a vehicle has and whether the owner holds a permit to drive in the state.

For example, a single-axle truck can weigh up to 20,000 pounds without a permit. With a permit, that same vehicle can weigh up to 25,000 pounds. Trucks with two or more axles can weigh significantly more.

Houston is a major commercial trucking hub. The Port of Houston generates heavy truck traffic on I-45, I-10, and Beltway 8 every day — making Harris County one of the busiest commercial trucking corridors in the country. Learn more about how Port of Houston truck traffic affects road safety.

Trucks outweigh most passenger vehicles by a wide margin. For this reason, victims often suffer catastrophic or fatal injuries — far worse than those seen in a typical car crash.

Federal Trucking Regulations

Interstate truckers must follow federal motor carrier safety regulations set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The FMCSA oversees commercial licensing, sets limits on drivers’ service hours, and tracks safety violations.

Commercial truck drivers must log every hour they spend driving, on-duty but not driving, off-duty, or in the sleeper berth. The FMCSA’s Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) defines exactly how many hours a driver can work in a given period. These rules apply to all interstate truckers and their employers.

Hours of service violations are one of the top causes of truck accidents on Houston’s highways. Read our full breakdown of how hours of service violations lead to crashes — and how we use these violations to build your case.

Often, drivers falsify their logs to drive more miles or longer hours. Trucking companies sometimes push drivers to do this — or look the other way when logs are faked. When we find evidence of this, it can significantly increase your compensation.

State Trucking Regulation

In addition to federal regulations, intrastate truck drivers must also follow state-specific guidelines since they only operate within state borders. The Texas Department of Public Safety outlines relevant statutes for commercial motor vehicles.

These laws determine seatbelt use, load and weight limitations, licensing and registration, and other equipment restrictions.

Why Truck Accidents Are Fundamentally Different From Car Accidents

If you’ve been involved in a collision with a commercial truck, you may be wondering if you really need a specialized attorney or if any personal injury lawyer will do. The answer is clear: truck accident cases are far more complex than typical car accident claims, and choosing an attorney without truck-specific experience could cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars in compensation.

The Size Difference Creates Catastrophic Consequences

A fully loaded commercial truck can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, while the average passenger vehicle weighs around 4,000 pounds. This means trucks can be 20 times heavier than the cars they collide with. When a truck and a car collide, the occupants of the smaller vehicle absorb the vast majority of the impact force, resulting in far more severe injuries, higher medical bills, longer recovery times, and greater likelihood of permanent disability or death compared to car-on-car collisions.

Federal Regulations Add Legal Complexity

Unlike standard car accidents governed primarily by state traffic laws, commercial trucking operates under extensive federal regulations enforced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). These regulations cover hours of service limits, electronic logging device requirements, commercial driver’s license standards, drug and alcohol testing protocols, vehicle maintenance schedules, load securement standards, and minimum insurance requirements.

Violations of these federal regulations can be critical evidence in your case and may even justify punitive damages. However, if your attorney doesn’t understand these regulations or how to obtain evidence proving violations occurred, you could lose out on substantial compensation.

Multiple Liable Parties Mean More Complex Litigation

In a typical car accident, you’re usually dealing with one at-fault driver and their insurance company. Truck accident cases are rarely that simple. Multiple parties may share liability, including the truck driver who may have been fatigued or distracted, the trucking company who may have inadequately trained the driver or pressured them to violate safety rules, the cargo loading company who may have overloaded the truck, the maintenance company who may have failed to properly inspect critical safety components, and even the truck or parts manufacturer who may have sold defective equipment.

Identifying all potentially liable parties requires thorough investigation and legal expertise. Each additional defendant can increase your potential recovery, but it also increases the complexity of your case.

Commercial Insurance Policies and Aggressive Defense

While Texas requires passenger vehicles to carry minimum liability coverage of $30,000 per person, commercial trucks are required to carry at least $750,000 in liability coverage, and many carry policies worth $1 million to $5 million or more. With so much money at stake, trucking companies and their insurers fight these claims aggressively. They employ experienced legal teams and have investigators who arrive at accident scenes within hours to document everything in a way that favors their client.

Insurance companies know which attorneys are willing to take cases to trial and which ones will accept lowball settlement offers. Your choice of attorney directly impacts how much the insurance company is willing to pay.

Critical Evidence Disappears Quickly

Truck accident cases involve unique forms of evidence that don’t exist in car accident cases, and much of this evidence can disappear within days if not properly preserved. Electronic logging device data, black box information, driver qualification files, vehicle maintenance records, company safety records, and camera footage can all be lost or destroyed unless immediate action is taken to preserve them.

Trucking companies are only required to maintain some of this evidence for limited periods, and they often have rapid response teams that arrive at accident scenes quickly to document everything in a way that protects their interests. This is why it’s critical to contact a truck accident attorney immediately after your collision.

The Bottom Line: Specialized Expertise Matters

Given all of these factors — federal regulations, multiple liable parties, aggressive defense tactics, time-sensitive evidence, and higher stakes — it should be clear why choosing an attorney who regularly handles truck accident cases is so important.

Types of Semi Truck Accidents in Houston

According to TxDOT crash statistics, there were 27,224 truck crashes in 2021. In addition, TxDOT noted that Harris County had 5,743 commercial vehicle accidents in the same year.

No two Texas truck accidents are the same, but any crash has the potential to cause grievous harm. Here is a brief overview of the types of truck collisions that might result in a personal injury lawsuit:

• Head-on collisions: These happen when the truck’s front end collides with the front end of a passenger car. They can be especially destructive since each vehicle is headed directly toward the other, often at high speeds.
• Side-impact collisions: Also called T-bone accidents, this type of crash occurs when the truck hits another vehicle from the side. This can be dangerous to whoever is on the side that gets hit.
• Rear-end accidents: This happens when the truck hits another motorist from behind. Minor rear-end collisions are sometimes called “fender-benders.”
• Spilled cargo accidents: Trucks transport all kinds of materials on Houston roads. If cargo is overloaded or improperly secured, it can fall into traffic and create serious hazards. Some of the most dangerous spills involve hazardous materials. Learn about hazmat truck accidents on Houston roads and what makes them especially complex to litigate.
• Jackknife accidents: This can occur when a truck’s trailer swings towards the cab. A jackknifed truck could end up blocking the roadway or side-swiping another car.
• Rollover accidents: As the name suggests, this occurs when one of the vehicles overturns completely. If a truck overturns, it could hit multiple other cars and spill its cargo onto the roadway. This cargo presents yet another hazard for drivers, especially if it is heavy, toxic, flammable, or otherwise harmful.
• Single-vehicle accidents: Sometimes, a truck will go off the road or hit a stationary object (like a median or a streetlight) without hitting another car. If any part of the disabled truck or its cargo lies in the roadway, it could endanger others.

Protecting Yourself After a Truck Crash in Houston

You can take several actions immediately after a collision to protect your right to maximum compensation. Here are some of the best ways to preserve your rights and make it easier for us to seek justice.

Move Away From the Accident Scene

According to Texas Transportation Code § 550.021, you must stay at the scene of a crash that results in injury or death until the proper authorities arrive. However, this does not mean you have to put yourself in danger. You are allowed to:

• Move your car out of the flow of traffic.
• Leave in an ambulance immediately if you are critically injured.
• Get far enough away that any hazardous materials the truck contains cannot harm you should they leak or explode.

See a Doctor

One of the most important things you can do is seek medical attention immediately after the crash. This is because:

• Any gap between the collision and your first doctor’s appointment could indicate that your injury was unrelated to the incident.
• Truck accident injuries can be serious, even if symptoms do not present immediately.
• Seeking prompt assistance creates a record of how the accident and your injury are connected, especially if you tell the doctor how the injury occurred.

Our Houston truck accident attorney team can refer you to a doctor or clinic to treat your pain and injuries if you’re are having trouble finding a doctor or cannot afford one. We work with doctors and clinics that will not seek payment for their medical bills until there is a truck accident settlement in your case.

You should also check to make sure the truck driver is uninjured. If they sustain an injury or are unconscious, call 911 to get them the help they need.

Keep Conversation Brief

The insurance company can use any statement you make about the collision against you. This means you should:

• Never admit or imply guilt to the truck driver, EMTs, or witnesses.
• Cooperate with the police officer who responded to the scene, but keep your responses short and fact-based.
• Not speculate; if you do not know something, say you do not know.
• Avoid reporters or making social media posts about the incident.
• Do not agree to anyone’s requests for a recorded statement.
• Say as little as possible until you talk to truck accident attorneys from our team.

One thing you can safely do is ask the other driver for their contact and insurance information. This makes it easier to identify them if and when you decide to sue.

Document the Scene

Use your cell phone to take as many pictures of the scene as possible. This includes documenting:

• The damage to your car.
• Damage to the truck.
• Pictures of the truck’s load/cargo or trailer
• Photos of the Truck’s cab and door, which should the carrier information and DOT #
• If possible, photos of the location and road conditions
• Any injuries you sustained.
• The general environment where the accident occurred, especially if you notice a hazard like a broken streetlight or a large pothole.

Act Promptly

According to Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003, you have two years from the date of a truck accident to file a personal injury lawsuit against the party or parties who caused the crash. Alternatively, you have two years from your loved one’s passing to file a wrongful death claim.

The legal system adheres closely to these deadlines. Therefore, if you miss the deadline that applies to your case, you could be denied the justice and the compensation you deserve.

We encourage anyone thinking of suing over a Texas truck accident to take action as soon as possible. Undue delays could put your case at risk. Our Houston truck accident lawyers will ensure you file your accident claim on time.

Houston Truck Accident Injuries Can Be Severe

No matter the truck crash type you were involved in, the results can be catastrophic. Victims will likely:

• Sustain serious physical and psychological injuries.
• Lose money on property damage, medical bills, and lost wages.
• Sustain vehicle damage, including the total loss of their car.

A personal injury lawyer will explain how we calculate the intangible damages that stem from Texas truck accidents.

Damages a Houston Truck Accident Lawyer Can Help You Seek

Truck accident injuries can lead to costly medical bills, and they can cause other economic losses, as well. You can seek compensation for various expenses through a claim with the help of a truck accident attorney. You can also seek compensation for non-economic losses or wrongful death damages if you lose a loved one.

Economic Damages

These account for the tangible losses you suffered after the collision. To prove the extent of your financial loss, collect all accident-related documents. You may recover the following:

• Medical costs: Your physical injuries can force you to spend money on surgery, diagnostic tests, and other immediate medical treatments. Furthermore, you may need long-term care, like physical therapy, for permanent or disabling injuries.
• Property damage: A collision with a truck can cause expensive damage to your car and any valuables you are transporting; for example, luggage, golf clubs, or computers.
• Lost wages and reduced earning capacity: Paying off these bills may be even more difficult if your severe injuries prevent you from returning to the same job you had before or advancing further in your career. You may also no longer have health insurance and other benefits.
• Other expenses: You can also recover assistance from housekeepers, babysitters, landscapers, home nurses, and other professionals.

A truck accident lawyer in Houston can review your case to determine what damages you’re eligible for.

Non-Economic Damages

Texas truck accident victims can also seek fair compensation for intangible losses that address the collision’s mental and emotional impact. However, these can be more difficult to quantify due to their subjective nature. As the injured party, you may recover:

• Physical pain and suffering
• Mental anguish
• Emotional distress
• Loss of consortium
• Physical impairment and disfigurement
• Loss of enjoyment of life

Our legal team is ready to help assign a monetary value to these losses.

Fatal Truck Accident Wrongful Death Compensation 

Our Houston wrongful death lawyers will do everything we can to help your family if you have lost a loved one in a fatal Texas truck accident. We will pursue compensation for damages such as:

• Loss of inheritance
• Funeral and burial expenses
• Loss of consortium
• Your loved one’s medical bills
• Your loved one’s pain and suffering before death
• Lost wages if you took time to tend to your loved one’s fatal injuries

For over 35 years, our law firm has supported truck accident victims and their families as they fight for justice after preventable fatal truck collisions. On one occasion, our Houston truck accident lawyers settled with the liable party for $1 million after a fatal crash. Now we want to pursue justice for you and your loved ones.

Liable Parties in Trucking Accident Cases in Houston

Who can you sue after a truck crash? This can be difficult to answer unless you hire experienced truck accident attorneys to investigate the incident and identify the responsible party. We have identified and pursued liable parties for past claims such as:

Truck Driver

In many truck accident claims, the professional driver played a critical role. There are many ways a careless trucker could wind up causing a collision, including:

• Using drugs or alcohol on the job, even if the drug was legal or prescribed
• Driving too fast for the roadway conditions and the size of the vehicle
• Not paying attention to traffic signs or other drivers’ actions
• Distracted driving, such as using their cell phone behind the wheel
• Taking insufficient rest periods leads to driver fatigue and inattentive driving

Even if the commercial driver is at fault, you may not end up suing them personally. Instead, you could sue their employer, who usually has a larger insurance policy.

Trucking Company

The truck company is responsible for both its employees and vehicles. They must:

• Provide proper safety training to all drivers.
• Make sure their drivers obtain and maintain the required commercial licenses.
• Never pressure employees to skip breaks or work longer hours than they should.
• Hire responsible individuals to load and unload cargo.
• Ensure that qualified mechanics maintain all trucks regularly.
• Allow state or federal inspectors to examine the vehicles as required by law.
• Ensure that all trucks comply with state and federal safety standards, and take any trucks that do not meet those standards off the road until they are fixed.

Any truck company or employee violation could be grounds for a lawsuit. One of our Houston truck accident lawyers will help you file a claim.

Truck Manufacturer

Trucks are made up of many parts that must work well on their own and in tandem with each other. As such, vehicle part manufacturers are held to high standards and are required to:

• Test the materials and the finished product before putting it on the market.
• Include sufficient information on the product label to inform buyers if potential hazards are associated with using the product.
• Respond promptly to customer complaints regarding their products, including issuing recalls as necessary.

Unfortunately, manufacturers often put profit over consumer safety. As a result, they may use substandard materials or delay issuing a recall if it will keep money flowing in, even if it costs roadway users their lives.

If a truck accident lawyer finds sufficient evidence showing the manufacturer was negligent, we’ll file a truck accident lawsuit for damages against them.

The Mechanic or Inspector

Commercial trucks must be maintained and inspected regularly. As discussed before, if a company fails to ensure this is done, you can hold them liable. However, if they tried to follow the rules but were undermined by other negligent parties, you may sue someone else instead of or in addition to the company.

For example, if an inspector did not thoroughly examine the vehicle enough to make an accurate report, the agency they work for could be liable. Alternatively, if a mechanic rushed through their work and missed a critical problem with the truck, they or their company could be sued.

Our Experienced Houston Truck Accident Lawyers Are Ready to Help

We understand how devastating and overwhelming it is to suffer an injury in a truck crash. However, we want you to know that you are not alone; our truck accident lawyers will support you as you seek justice for your injuries and, if necessary, your loved one’s death.

Our legal team wants to do everything possible to make things easier for you after a truck accident. Here are some of the benefits we offer to clients in your situation.

We Offer Compassionate Advice

It is not your job to know the ins and outs of state law as it applies to truck crashes. However, the Texas truck accident lawyers at our Houston office will:

• Inform you of your rights at every stage of the lawsuit.
• Talk to you about how you can take on “big” liable parties like trucking companies.
• Keep you updated about what is happening, explain the implication of each development, and advise you on how to proceed.
• Promptly address every concern you bring to us.

We Investigate the Evidence

To determine who you should sue after a truck accident, an experienced truck accident lawyer will look into all potentially liable parties by collecting documents from:

• The mechanics and inspectors responsible for keeping the trucks safe.
• Your medical records.
• Traffic cams or other cameras that caught the accident on tape.
• Computers and cameras on the tractor-trailer.
• Your collection of bills, receipts, pay stubs, maintenance records, and other documents related to the accident.

We’ll also interview anyone who knows about the big rig accident, the working environment at the trucking company, or the accident location. Expert witness statements will add great value to your case.

Once our accident investigation is complete, you can clearly understand whether you should hold the truck driver, their company, or another party responsible for your injuries. You can also know exactly how much money the liable party owes you for the damages.

Our Houston Truck Accident Attorneys Won’t Back Down from Insurance Company Negotiations

Whoever the liable party is, their insurance company will be the one to pay whatever damages you’ve suffered. The insurance provider may or may not accept your case as is. However, if they choose to fight your request for damages, we can still negotiate a commercial truck accident settlement without going through a trial first.

For example, if the liable party in your case is the truck driver, and if we decide to pursue compensation from the commercial trucking company’s insurance company, we will:

• Arrange a meeting with that insurance company to discuss your case.
• Present them with the critical evidence our Houston truck accident lawyers collected regarding the trucking company’s liability.
• Protect you against the trucking company’s or the insurance carrier’s attempts to undermine your case, profess innocence, or claim another event that caused your injuries.

If necessary, we’ll take your personal injury claim to court. In this situation, your trucking accident lawyer would present your case at trial and let a jury decide if you deserve compensation.

We Provide Dedicated Commercial Case Medical Management for Houston Truck Accident Victims

Most law firms in Houston simply refer truck accident victims to doctors and hope for the best—leaving you to navigate complex medical appointments, insurance requirements, and treatment logistics on your own while trying to heal from serious injuries. That’s not how we operate.

Our Commercial Case Medical Management Team is a difference maker that sets us apart from other personal injury firms serving Houston and the surrounding areas. This dedicated team doesn’t just support your legal case—they actively manage your entire recovery process while simultaneously building the evidence needed to maximize your compensation.

Comprehensive Medical Coordination Throughout the Houston Area

On the medical side, we manage your case from start to finish. Our team coordinates every appointment you need—whether you’re receiving treatment in the Texas Medical Center, at Houston-area rehabilitation facilities, or at specialist clinics throughout Greater Houston.

From physical therapy sessions to specialist procedures, we ensure you never miss crucial treatment that could impact your recovery. We assist with setting up transportation when needed, removing barriers that might prevent Houston truck accident victims from getting the care they deserve.

Most importantly, our registered nurse oversees your entire medical process, reviewing your medical records and history to ensure you’re receiving appropriate and timely care. This professional medical oversight helps identify any gaps in treatment, ensures your Houston-area doctors are addressing all accident-related injuries, and confirms that your medical care supports both your physical recovery and your legal case.

Thorough Legal Investigation of Houston Truck Accidents

While our medical team manages your recovery, we simultaneously conduct an aggressive legal investigation. We request all investigative documents, including the complete Houston Police Department accident report, motor carrier inspection records, and vehicle registration documents.

When necessary, we schedule Event Data Recorder (EDR) downloads from the commercial vehicle to obtain crucial electronic evidence that trucking companies often try to hide or destroy.

Essentially, we gather every piece of documentation and evidence available to help establish liability and determine whether any state or federal regulations were violated—violations that can significantly increase your Houston truck accident compensation.

The Power of This Dual-Track Approach for Houston Clients

This integrated medical and legal management means you’re never navigating the Houston healthcare system alone, wondering if you’re getting the right treatment or if critical evidence is being preserved.

Our Medical Management Team handles both aspects simultaneously, giving you peace of mind to focus on healing while we position your case for maximum recovery.

This level of comprehensive support isn’t available at most Houston personal injury firms—it’s a unique resource that makes a real difference in both your recovery and your settlement amount. 

We Offer Bilingual Assistance

If you are more comfortable speaking Spanish, let us know, and we will happily accommodate you. Language should never be a barrier between you and the legal care you want.

Our experienced truck accident attorneys are dedicated to helping the Spanish-speaking community in Houston and throughout Texas.

Frequently Asked Questions About Truck Accidents in Houston

The aftermath of a truck collision can be confusing and overwhelming. You should not handle the legal process alone. Our team is here to guide you through every step. For a deeper dive, read our answers to the 20 most common questions about Houston truck accidents.

Our Law Firm Is Ready to Help With Your Houston Truck Accident Case

Domingo Garcia is devoted to helping Houston residents through the tough times that follow a Texas truck accident. We’ll identify the negligent parties, help you file a claim, and fight passionately until you receive the Texas truck accident settlement you need.

Call us or fill out the contact us form on our website for a free case review. A Houston truck accident lawyer from our team will protect your rights and fight to ensure that the liable party pays what they owe you.