Houston Commercial Vehicle Accident Lawyer
If you were hit by a delivery van, work truck, company car, rideshare vehicle, bus, 18-wheeler, or another business vehicle in Houston, your case may involve more than the driver. The employer, motor carrier, vehicle owner, maintenance company, cargo company, broker, or insurer may also share responsibility.
Baumgartner Law Firm has handled serious commercial vehicle injury and wrongful death cases in Texas for over 40 years. We move quickly to protect evidence, identify every liable party, and pursue the full insurance available. Call (281) 587-1111 or request a free consultation. There is no fee unless we recover money for you.
Quick Answer: A commercial vehicle accident claim is different from a regular car accident because a business may own, lease, insure, maintain, or control the vehicle. That can mean more insurance coverage, more evidence to preserve, and more than one party responsible for your injuries. |
What Type of Commercial Vehicle Hit You?
Commercial vehicle cases are not all the same. The right legal path depends on the vehicle, who controlled it, and why it was on the road.
Vehicle or Claim Type | Helpful Internal Resource |
18-wheeler, semi-truck, tractor-trailer, or dump truck | |
Amazon, FedEx, UPS, delivery van, or box truck | |
Uber vehicle | |
Lyft vehicle | |
Bus, shuttle, or passenger carrier | |
Drunk commercial driver | |
Fatal commercial vehicle crash |
Why Commercial Vehicle Claims Are Different
A crash with a company vehicle is often more complex than a crash with a private driver. The person behind the wheel may have been working, making deliveries, transporting passengers, hauling cargo, or driving a vehicle owned by a business. That matters because the company may be responsible for the driver’s conduct.
Commercial claims also involve different evidence. A company may have dashcam video, GPS data, dispatch notes, delivery app records, maintenance records, driver files, inspection reports, and internal incident reports. Some of that proof can disappear quickly if no one demands that it be preserved.
In larger truck cases, federal safety rules may also apply. For example, federal regulations require motor carriers to keep certain driver records of duty status and supporting documents for at least six months. Other evidence, such as dashcam footage or company telematics, may be overwritten sooner depending on the system used. That is why early action matters. See 49 CFR Section 395.8 and our guide to FMCSA violations in truck accident cases.
Who May Be Responsible for a Commercial Vehicle Crash?
Many people assume the driver is the only person responsible. Sometimes that is true. But in serious commercial vehicle cases, our investigation often looks beyond the driver. Depending on the facts, responsibility may fall on:
- The commercial driver who caused the crash
- The employer or company that controlled the driver’s work
- The vehicle owner or leasing company
- The motor carrier or fleet operator
- A broker, shipper, or cargo loader
- A maintenance company that failed to fix a safety problem
- A manufacturer if a defective part contributed to the wreck
- A rideshare or delivery platform when the vehicle was being used for paid work
Finding every responsible party is important because commercial crashes often cause serious injuries and high losses. It may also reveal more than one layer of insurance coverage.
Commercial Vehicles We Handle in Houston
Houston roads are filled with business vehicles. Some are easy to spot, like 18-wheelers and delivery vans. Others look like regular cars but are being used for work. Baumgartner Law Firm handles serious injury claims involving:
- Delivery vans and box trucks
- Company cars and work pickup trucks
- 18-wheelers and tractor-trailers
- Dump trucks and construction vehicles
- Utility and service vehicles
- Amazon, FedEx, UPS, and other delivery vehicles
- Uber and Lyft vehicles
- Buses, shuttles, and passenger vans
- Oilfield and industrial service trucks
- Commercial vehicles hauling equipment or cargo
If your crash involved a regular passenger vehicle, our Houston car accident lawyer page may be the better fit. If your crash involved a tractor-trailer or large truck, our Houston truck accident lawyer page explains those claims in more detail.
Evidence We Work to Preserve Immediately
Evidence can decide a commercial vehicle case. A company may already have investigators and insurance representatives working within hours of the crash. You should have someone protecting your side just as quickly.
Depending on the vehicle and company involved, we may seek preservation of:
- Dashcam, in-cab, and surveillance video
- GPS, route, and delivery app data
- Electronic logging device records and driver logs
- ECM or black box data
- Dispatch notes and trip documents
- Driver qualification and training files
- Drug and alcohol testing records when required
- Maintenance and inspection records
- Cargo loading records
- Company safety policies and prior violations
- Photos, witness statements, and police crash reports
Texas law also requires quick reporting in certain crashes. A driver must immediately report a collision to law enforcement when it causes injury, death, or damage to a vehicle so it cannot be normally and safely driven. See Texas Transportation Code Section 550.026. TxDOT also explains that law enforcement officers must submit certain crash reports to the state after investigating crashes involving injury, death, or at least $1,000 in apparent property damage. See TxDOT crash reports and records.
Recent Commercial Vehicle Accident Case Results
5.75 Million
In this complex case, we represented a truck driver who caused an accident that killed two innocent victims. With our expertise, we proved the motor carrier was negligent in maintenance, and we recovered more money for the injured driver than the attorneys for the innocent victims recovered.
5 Million
In a commercial vehicle accident where a person was killed, the company initially denied liability. After discovery in our lawsuit, the insurance company tendered its full policy limits to us.
View other noteworthy recent results
Common Causes of Commercial Vehicle Accidents
Commercial vehicle crashes often happen because a company puts speed, delivery volume, or cost savings ahead of safety. Common causes include:
- Distracted driving, including phone, dispatch, or app use
- Speeding or driving too fast for traffic and weather
- Driver fatigue or long hours behind the wheel
- Unsafe lane changes and wide turns
- Following too closely
- Poor hiring, training, or supervision
- Deferred maintenance, bad brakes, worn tires, or lighting problems
- Improperly loaded cargo
- Pressure to meet unrealistic delivery or route deadlines
- Driving while intoxicated or impaired
When reckless conduct is extreme, a claim for punitive damages in Texas may be considered. Punitive damages are not available in every case, but they may apply when the facts show gross negligence, such as knowingly ignoring serious safety risks.
What Compensation Can Be Recovered?
A serious commercial vehicle crash can affect your health, work, family, and future. Compensation may include both financial losses and human losses. In the right case, we may pursue money for:
- Emergency care, hospital bills, surgery, therapy, and future medical treatment
- Lost wages and loss of future earning ability
- Pain, suffering, mental anguish, and physical impairment
- Scarring, disfigurement, or loss of enjoyment of life
- Property damage and out-of-pocket expenses
- Future care needs after a brain, spine, burn, or other catastrophic injury
- Wrongful death damages for eligible family members after a fatal crash
Commercial cases may be worth more than ordinary claims because there may be more insurance available. FMCSA states that it requires entities with operating authority to have minimum financial responsibility on file, and federal rules set minimum levels for certain motor carriers. See FMCSA insurance filing requirements and 49 CFR Part 387. For some property carriers, the minimum can be $750,000, while certain hazardous-material operations require higher limits. See FMCSA minimum financial responsibility levels.
No lawyer can promise a settlement value without knowing the facts. Injury severity, fault, insurance limits, medical proof, future care, lost income, and evidence all matter. For more detail on value factors, see our guide to the average car accident settlement in Houston.
What to Do After a Commercial Vehicle Accident in Houston
The first few steps after a crash can protect your health and your claim. If you can do so safely:
- Call 911 and get medical help for anyone who is hurt.
- Photograph the vehicles, damage, road conditions, license plates, company logos, DOT numbers, trailer numbers, and any visible cargo.
- Get the driver’s name, employer, insurance information, and license information.
- Ask witnesses for their names and phone numbers.
- Do not guess about fault or give a recorded statement to the company’s insurer.
- Get medical care, even if pain seems mild at first.
- Contact a lawyer quickly so evidence can be preserved before it is lost.
For a broader checklist, see our guide on what to do after a car accident in Houston.
How Baumgartner Law Firm Helps
Baumgartner Law Firm handles serious injury and wrongful death cases for people and families in Houston and across Texas. We do not represent insurance companies. We prepare cases for the fight the other side is likely to bring.
In a commercial vehicle accident case, we can:
- Send preservation letters to protect key evidence
- Investigate the driver, employer, carrier, and vehicle owner
- Review insurance coverage and search for excess policies
- Work with accident reconstruction, trucking, medical, and financial experts when needed
- Handle the insurance company so you do not have to
- Document medical care, lost income, future needs, and human losses
- File a lawsuit when the insurer will not make a fair offer
- Prepare the case for trial from the beginning
Our firm has recovered significant results in commercial vehicle and wrongful death cases. You can review selected case results on our website. Past results do not guarantee a future outcome, but they show the type of serious cases our firm has handled.
Talk to a Houston Commercial Vehicle Accident Lawyer Today
If you or a family member was injured by a commercial vehicle in Houston, do not let the company’s insurer control the case before you understand your rights. Early legal help can protect evidence, prevent mistakes, and give you a clear path forward.
Call Baumgartner Law Firm at (281) 587-1111 or contact us online for a free consultation. We handle injury cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay no attorney’s fee unless we recover money for you.
Frequently Asked Questions About Commercial Vehicle Accident Claims
What is a commercial vehicle accident?
A commercial vehicle accident is a crash involving a vehicle used for business purposes. This can include delivery vans, company cars, work trucks, 18-wheelers, buses, rideshare vehicles, and service vehicles.
Is a company responsible if its driver caused the crash?
A company may be responsible if the driver was working at the time of the crash or if the company’s own negligence contributed to the wreck. Examples include poor hiring, weak training, unsafe policies, or failure to maintain the vehicle.
What if the driver was an independent contractor?
The independent contractor label does not end the analysis. We look at who controlled the work, vehicle, route, schedule, app, cargo, and safety rules. In some cases, more than one business may still be responsible.
Why is evidence preservation so important?
Commercial vehicle cases often involve company-controlled evidence, such as video, GPS data, driver logs, inspection records, maintenance files, and dispatch records. If that proof is lost, the case can become harder to prove.
How long do I have to file a lawsuit in Texas?
In most Texas injury and wrongful death cases, the deadline is two years from the date the claim accrues. See Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003. You should still act quickly because evidence may disappear long before the filing deadline.
Can I recover if I was partly at fault?
Yes, as long as you are not more than 50 percent responsible. Under Texas proportionate responsibility law, your recovery can be reduced by your percentage of fault. If you are more than 50 percent responsible, you cannot recover damages.
How much does it cost to hire Baumgartner Law Firm?
The consultation is free. We handle personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. That means you owe no attorney’s fee unless we recover money for you.
"*" indicates required fields
Related Links
Our Experienced Houston Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help!
Contact the Commercial Accident Lawyer
at Baumgartner Law Firm for Help!
Contact the Houston Commercial crash law firm for help with a personal injury claim.
OR
Fill out an online consultation request for a FREE consultation.