18-Wheeler Truck Accident Lawyers in Houston
Our top-rated Houston truck accident lawyers have been winning multi-million-dollar settlements for over three decades and have an unparalleled track record of success. Baumgartner Law Firm limits the number of new cases that we accept to provide the best representation for you. We have never lost a truck accident case!
Our phenomenal success in truck accident lawsuits is due to over 35 years of experience, dedication to our clients, and our aggressive approach to winning truck accident lawsuits. Best of all we will treat you like family!
If you have been hurt in a commercial vehicle accident – fill out the form to request a case consultation or call us at 281-587-1111 for a Free No-Obligation Consultation.
Why Hire a Houston Truck Accident Lawyer?
When you’ve been hit by an 18-wheeler or a commercial vehicle, often it is difficult to know what you should do to protect yourself and your family. The first step should be researching finding the best attorney for a truck collision case.
Trucking companies carry commercial policies that protect the company for driver negligence claims for personal injury or wrongful death. These insurance policies generally take seven-figure liability coverage amounts and so the stakes are substantial for the insurance carrier. This exposure makes the insurance carrier fight harder to protect their money and pay little on the claim. You will need a personal injury attorney who has had great success in litigating with trucking companies over the years. You do not want a lawyer learning on the job on your case.
Finding a law firm that has a truck niche practice is the right choice. The law that applies to professional drivers and motor carriers contains hundreds of rules. Our truck accident lawyers in Houston, know how to win truck accident lawsuits.
The earlier you contact us, the better able we will be able to fight for justice for you!
Always investigate the law firm you are considering hiring for your truck wreck case before you sign paperwork with that law firm.
What is the Cost of a Truck Accident Lawyer to Represent Me?
Many people worry about the cost of hiring a skilled attorney to represent them after an injury accident. Some choosing to try to handle the claims on their own to “save the fees”. Nothing makes an insurance adjuster happier than dealing with a non-lawyer on their own injury case. Particularly if the injuries are substantial.
Our Houston truck accident lawyers at Baumgartner Law Firm take cases on contingency fee basis- meaning there is no cost to hire us upfront. We are only compensated out of money recovered for you. Study after study show those with a reputable attorney net more compensation. If you don’t get money, we don’t get paid!
Why is Early Investigation After A Truck Accident So Important?
One cannot overstate the importance of an early investigation by a truck accident attorney, after getting hit by a semi-truck.
Also, the computer data from the 18-wheeler should be obtained after a collision. The computer data is called the “black box” and can provide vital evidence such as speed and braking.
After a truck wreck, vital evidence should be preserved. This evidence would include evidence regarding the scene of the wreck, such as damage to the vehicles, debris or skid marks on the highway, and computer data from the big rig.
Our 18-wheeler truck accident attorneys maintain a quick response team for severe injury or wrongful death cases. By putting our trucking accident lawyers to work on your case early, we can combat the insurance carriers and the trucking company on an equal footing. Many trucking companies maintain a quick response team that is dispatched to the scene of the crash within hours of the occurrence. Several recent truck wreck cases we have handled involved defense lawyers at the scene before the vehicles are moved. Getting vital data such as measurements and preserving the big truck for inspection are crucial steps. The sooner you hire the best attorney for your truck accident, the better for your case.
With catastrophic injuries or wrongful death crashes, the investigating officer will usually thoroughly examine the scene itself. The officer would include measurements and documentation by taking photographs. For truck wrecks where the injuries are not devastating, the investigating officer might not do a detailed scene analysis.
What to Do at the Scene?
If you can take pictures with your cell phone at the scene on your own, do so. Get photographs of the motor vehicles in their final resting positions and also any skid marks or debris that indicates the direction of the large truck before or after impact. Documenting that evidence is helpful for your injury claims.
Usually, the defense attorney will hire an accident reconstruction expert that will attempt to shift the blame from the trucking company and its driver onto the innocent injury victims or other third parties. Documenting the scene by photographs can help combat this defense technique. If you hire us, our Houston truck accident lawyers will take steps to improve your ability to win your case, and the personal injury lawsuit will be less complicated.
Preserving your vehicle when the injuries have been severe can be important if your car had a defect that contributed to the accident or your injuries or to combat the defense on certain issues. Also, your vehicle may be essential to help determine how the accident occurred. Always talk with a personal injury lawyer before your car is destroyed or repaired if catastrophic injuries were involved.
To speak with one of the best truck accident lawyers in Houston, fill out an online consultation request or call (281) 587-1111 for a FREE consultation.
What Compensation is Available to Trucking Accident Injury Victims?
Legal damages for victims in a truck accident lawsuit can include the following in Texas:
- Reasonable and necessary medical expenses both past and future
- Physical pain and mental anguish, both past, and future
- Lost earning capacity both past and future
- Physical Impairment
- Disability
- Exemplary or punitive damages in some cases
- Wrongful death and survival damages
How Much are Settlements for Commercial Truck Wrecks?
Compensation from a commercial vehicle accident will vary from case to case based upon three factors. The factors are liability, damages, and insurance coverage. Because trucking companies are required to carry commercial insurance policies, insurance coverage usually is not a huge issue. Over the last thirty-five years, our truck accident attorneys have won record multi-million-dollar settlements for our clients.
Generally, commercial vehicle collisions are valued higher than a car to car accidents. Part of the reason is that the driver of a semi-truck must be professional and follow the federal rules that apply. Also, jurors in Texas tend to look skeptical on professional drivers excuses after an accident. Additionally, because a big rig can weigh 80,000 pounds, the impacts are usually severe and the injuries substantial
How to Maximize Compensation After a Truck Accident?
The first step in maximizing the compensation from an injury accident with the big rig is to hire the best attorney you can find. By retaining a top-rated truck accident lawyer to help you, you can avoid worrying about all of the details of the claim and focus on your recovery.
The next step in ensuring you get maximum damages is to follow your doctor’s orders to the letter. Many personal injury victims have reasons why they couldn’t follow up with medical care, and juries accept almost none of the excuses. Failing to follow up with recommended treatment can hurt your case.
Additionally, keeping track of your lost wages as well as other out-of-pocket expenses can be helpful for your attorney.
Finally, avoid social media posts during your recovery. Recent cases in Texas have allowed defense attorneys to see and use Facebook and other social media posts, which can easily be twisted by a skilled attorney to infer you were not hurt as badly as you were.
About Some of Our Victories in 18-Wheeler Truck Wreck Cases
We have helped families in the Houston area and across Texas after an injury accident with a commercial vehicle for over 35 years.
- One case we have won was representing a truck driver who died after he lost control of his semi and jackknifed across the roadway, killing two innocent people. After many depositions, we dug up many safety violations by his company and others. We recovered millions of dollars for the family and much more money than the other attorneys recovered for the families of the two innocent people killed.
- Another recent fatal truck accident case we won involved the insurance defense attorney on-site before the vehicles were moved. Although the trucking company contested liability, we were able to obtain a large 7 figure settlement for the family. We have never lost an injury or wrongful death case.
- We fought a trucking company after its driver jackknifed across the road, killing a wonderful woman. After extensive discovery and many depositions, the insurance company paid our mid-seven-figure demand.
- We represented a woman who was run over while in the blind spot of a semi-truck. The case settled for a substantial sum before litigation.
Many of our incredible multi-million-dollar wins are confidential by the demand of the trucking company to prevent others from finding out how much we forced them to pay our clients.
You can view a few of our recent victories by visiting our results page. Don’t only hire a car accident lawyer. Look for a preeminent rated truck accident lawyer for your accident with a semi or a big rig.
Using the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations After an Accident
Both truck drivers and truck companies must follow the safety laws in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. One such rule limits the time a commercial vehicle driver can be behind the wheel or on the clock. The hours of service regulations for commercial drivers specify the time a truck driver can be behind the wheel.
- 14-hour duty limit (minimum 10 hours of rest after 14 hours on duty)
- 11-hour driving limit (minimum 10 hours rest after 11 total driving hours)
- 60/70-hour duty limit
Professional drivers often are pressured to deliver the load quickly either to benefit financially or to appease the company. Driver fatigue can quickly occur for truck drivers is a given for those who do not follow the safety regulations. It is critically important that the law firm you select has substantial experience in investigating driver fatigue and violations of the federal regulations.
Significant evidence after a tractor-trailer crash can include:
- Logbooks
- Black box or computer event data
- Documents evidencing the load and prior deliveries
- Inspection of the tractor-trailer
- Inspection of the accident scene
- Poor training
- Defective rigs
Many 18-wheeler drivers have a commercial driver’s license and are simply turned loose on the highways to deliver their loads. At the Baumgartner Law Firm, we believe that merely having a CDL is insufficient safety training for a commercial driver operating a vehicle that can weigh 80,000 pounds. Motor carriers must ensure that their drivers are adequately trained and able to manage the big rigs safely. Ongoing safety training must be a part of all motor carrier (trucking companies) operations.
Why Look for Dangerous Equipment on Big Rigs?
Trucking companies also must ensure that the trucks on the highway or in safe and proper operating conditions. Drivers must inspect their tractor-trailers every day and also check their loads to ensure that they are adequately secured. Further, the federal regulations require truck drivers to check the truck before beginning any trip. The truck driver must inspect:
- Air Lines and compressor
- Brakes
- Fuel system
- Lights
- Steering
- Safety equipment
- Axles
- Coupling devices
- Wheels and tires
- Numerous other equipment
When the trip ended, the commercial vehicle driver must then re-examine each item covered in their driver’s daily vehicle inspection reports. All dangerous conditions or defects must be in such reports and reported to the motor carrier before taking the big rig out on another trip. Failure to inspect or act on inspections can be significant evidence of negligence. An investigation after a fatal truck accident can be an essential part of an 18-wheeler accident lawsuit. We have won many cases where we proved the truck itself was a danger to the driver and the public.
Get a Free Consultation with the Top-Rated Truck Accident Lawyer
We strictly limit the number of cases we accept to represent our clients. Our truck accident lawyers have won countless multimillion-dollar settlements for our 18-wheeler truck accident clients. We have the reputation, skill, and experience to obtain the maximum compensation for your injury or loss of a loved one. Call us to speak with an award-winning Houston truck accident lawyer.
Never a Charge For Initial Case Consultation! 281.587.1111
