Did you or a loved one sustain injuries due to the negligent or reckless actions of a truck driver? Contact Steinger, Greene & Feiner today to get the compensation you deserve. Our Dallas truck accident lawyers have the skills and resources required to achieve the results you want. We won’t stop until justice has been served.
Everything You Should Know About Truck Accidents in Dallas
Causes
What’s causing truck accidents to occur at a higher rate in Dallas County than in other counties? These are the leading causes.
- Distracted driving
- Driver fatigue
- Speeding
- Reckless driving
- Overweight or incorrectly loaded cargo
- Unqualified or inexperienced drivers
- Poorly maintained vehicle
- Equipment failure
- Impaired driving
Impact
18-wheelers and semi-trucks are significantly larger and heavier than other vehicles. As a result, truck accident victims often suffer more severe injuries. Here are some of the most common physical and psychological injuries people suffer after getting in an accident with a truck.
Physical
- Chronic pain
- Broken bones
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of a limb
- Loss of motor function
Psychological
- PTSD
- Emotional trauma
- Reduced quality of life
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Anxiety or depression
Choosing the Right Dallas Truck Accident Lawyer
What to Look For in a Truck Accident Lawyer
When it comes to hiring a lawyer to represent your truck accident case, you should have standards. You want an attorney who is equipped to handle your case correctly and reach the outcome you want. Here are a few characteristics to look for during your search.
- Expertise: If you want to maximize your chances of achieving justice and financial compensation, you need a lawyer who has experience representing cases like yours. While any personal injury lawyer could handle your case, one who specializes in truck accident cases is more likely to be successful because they know the legal landscape.
- Success Rate: Experience is great, but it doesn’t mean much without a high success rate. While no lawyer will have a perfect track record, the one you hire should have more wins than losses. Having success with previous cases is a good indicator your lawyer will have success with your case.
- Positive Reviews: A reliable lawyer will come highly recommended by their previous clients. Be sure to check Google reviews and website reviews for any attorney you consider hiring. If you can get a personal recommendation from someone who has been through a similar situation, that’s even better.
- Payment Structure: Lawyers have to make money just like everyone else. However, they should always prioritize their clients’ needs over their financial gain. One way to tell how a law firm prioritizes clients is by looking at its payment structure. Does the firm offer a free case evaluation or work on a contingency fee basis? These are telltale signs that the law firm cares about its clients’ success and peace of mind.
Questions to Ask a Potential Attorney
Before meeting with a Dallas truck accident lawyer to discuss your case, it’s important to know what questions to ask. We recommend preparing a list of questions before your initial consultation so you don’t forget anything important and can enter the conversation with confidence.
If you’re not quite sure what questions to ask, here are some suggestions. Keep in mind that this is not an exhaustive list. Feel free to add or remove questions as you see fit based on your needs and the details of your case.
- How long have you practiced law?
- How much experience do you have handling truck accident cases?
- What is your success rate for truck accident cases?
- What is your fee structure?
- What’s your preferred communication method?
- Will any other attorneys be working on my case?
- What are the possible outcomes of my case?
- What challenges do you foresee arising with my case?
The Legal Process Following a Truck Accident
Steps to Take Immediately After a Truck Accident
Not sure what to do after getting in a truck accident? Follow these eight steps.
- Check for Injuries: When you get in an accident, especially one involving an 18-wheeler or semi-truck, your safety is the top priority. Before doing anything else, check yourself for any obvious injuries. Call 911 if you need emergency medical attention. First responders will arrive at the scene to administer care.
- Move to Safety: If possible, move your vehicle to the highway shoulder or a nearby parking lot to avoid oncoming traffic. This not only protects your car from further damage but also protects you from any additional injuries. If moving your car isn’t possible or would put you in greater danger, though, stay put until help arrives.
- Notify the Police: One step you shouldn’t forget is to report the accident to the police. Officers don’t respond to every accident, but they typically respond to accidents involving large trucks given their likelihood to cause severe injuries. Once officers arrive at the scene, they’ll gather information to fill out a police report. Be sure to request a copy of this report for future reference. If, for some reason, officers don’t arrive, file an accident report through your local DMV.
- Gather Evidence: Although police officers will collect information during their investigation, you should gather evidence as well. Things like photos and videos of the crash scene, eyewitness accounts, and proof of injury can be the difference between a successful case and a failed one. Your lawyer will use this evidence to build your case and strengthen your claim.
- Exchange Information: Before leaving the scene, exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver(s) involved in the accident. This information will come in handy to your lawyer and your insurance company as they evaluate your case and assess damages.
- Seek Medical Treatment: Even if you feel fine, we highly recommend seeking medical care before heading home. It’s very common for minor and internal injuries to arise days or even weeks after a truck accident. If you wait until then to seek treatment, the case could be made that the accident didn’t cause your injuries, and you risk losing out on compensation.
- Contact a Truck Accident Attorney: Don’t notify your insurance company about the accident until you’ve spoken with an attorney first. A lawyer will make sure you know what to say and what not to say so you don’t accidentally admit fault when speaking with the adjuster handling your claim.
- Notify Your Insurance Company: After being advised by an experienced Dallas truck accident lawyer, notify your insurance carrier about the accident. An adjuster will contact you to gather more information about the accident. Tell them what they need to know without sharing too many details or in any way admitting fault. Anything you say could be used against you during settlement negotiations or litigation.
How to Document Your Case
Documenting your case is an essential part of the claims process. Without sufficient evidence, your case might not be successful, and you could walk away with zero compensation. Here’s some evidence you should gather and provide to your lawyer.
- Police report or accident report
- Medical records
- Eyewitness statements
- Photo and video documentation
- Trucking company information
- Proof of property damage
- Record of wages lost
The Timeline of a Truck Accident Lawsuit
Truck accident cases can take as little as a few months and as long as a few years to resolve. The length of your case depends entirely on the details involved. Some factors that determine the timeline of a truck accident lawsuit include:
- How many drivers were involved
- What injuries and property damage were caused
- How skilled your attorney is
- If all parties involved are willing to settle
- If anyone was killed in the accident
These are the five key steps involved in a truck accident lawsuit:
- Investigation: Your lawyer will investigate the case using the information you provided.
- Discovery: Your lawyer will investigate the case further using information provided by other parties involved in the accident. This information will help your lawyer determine fault and assess damages.
- Negotiations: Your lawyer will negotiate with the trucking company’s insurance company—and possibly yours—to advocate on your behalf.
- Settlement: Your lawyer will try to reach a settlement with these parties to avoid litigation.
- Litigation: If a settlement can’t be reached, your lawyer will take your case to trial. A judge and a jury will determine fault and how much compensation will be awarded to one or both parties.
Compensation for Truck Accident Victims
Truck accident victims deserve to be compensated for the injuries and property damage they suffer. Here are the types of damages for which you can seek compensation.
Economic
These damages compensate victims for monetary losses such as:
- Medical bills
- Car repairs
- Rehabilitative care
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning potential
Non-Economic
These damages compensate victims for intangible losses such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional trauma
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of companionship or consortium
Common Challenges in Dallas Truck Accident Cases
Liability Disputes
While proving liability after any accident can be difficult, proving liability in truck accident cases is especially complex. Here’s why.
- Truck accidents typically cause more severe injuries that have a greater long-term financial impact on victims. These injuries must be tied directly to the accident to prove a driver is liable for them.
- More parties are involved in truck accidents. Potentially liable parties include the truck driver, trucking company, cargo loading company, third-party maintenance provider, or truck parts manufacturer.
Dealing With Insurance Companies
Some insurance companies employ bad-faith tactics like presenting lowball offers and delaying claims unnecessarily to minimize their payout to victims. This frustration only increases in truck accident cases considering multiple insurance companies could be at play during settlement negotiations.
FAQs About Dallas Truck Accident Claims
1. How often do truck accidents happen?
In 2022, Dallas County experienced more truck accident fatalities than any other county in Texas. A total of 3,999 crashes involved commercial motor vehicles (CMVs), resulting in 571 minor injuries, 113 serious injuries, and 53 deaths. The only county that led Dallas County in accidents involving CMVs was Harris County, which covers the greater Houston area.
2. Why are accidents with trucks often more serious than other types of accidents?
Truck accidents are often more serious than other accident types, primarily because 18-wheelers and semi-trucks are larger and heavier than other vehicles. When they collide with smaller vehicles, they’re more likely to cause severe injuries and even death.
3. Do large truck accident claims differ from car accident claims?
Truck accident claims are more complex than car accident claims for a few key reasons:
- The injuries and property damage caused are often more severe
- More parties are involved
- The trucking industry is governed by stricter laws and regulations
4. Who is liable for injuries in a commercial truck accident in Dallas?
More than one party can be held liable for an accident involving a commercial truck. Those parties include but are not limited to:
- The truck driver
- The trucking company
- The cargo loading company
- A third-party maintenance provider
- The truck parts manufacturer
5. How soon after a large truck accident should I file a claim?
You should file a claim as soon as possible after being involved in a truck accident. While the statute of limitations for truck accident cases is two years in Texas, the sooner you file, the better. If you file too late, your claim won’t be accepted, and you can no longer seek compensation from the liable party.
Take the Next Step with a Trusted Truck Accident Lawyer in Dallas
When you hire Steinger, Greene & Feiner to represent your truck accident case, you can rest easy knowing we’ll fight tooth and nail to secure maximum compensation for your losses. Don’t wait to get the justice you deserve. Contact us today to schedule a free case evaluation with one of our skilled truck accident lawyers. We’ll discuss the details of your case and get to work on day one.