Trucking companies provide a valuable service to the state of Texas and our nation as a whole. But owners and operators of 18-wheelers have a responsibility to themselves and everyone else on the road. When someone works with an 80,000-pound tractor-trailer, they have a duty to use and maintain that vehicle with the utmost attention to safety. When a trucking company, loading company, truck manufacturer, vehicle owner, or semi driver doesn’t take that duty seriously, innocent victims can suffer devastating—and entirely preventable—consequences.
Our team at The Mejia Law Firm fights for the rights of individuals and families who were injured or lost their lives in truck accidents in Houston, TX. Those involved in big rig collisions caused by negligence have the legal right to pursue compensation for damages. Our law firm offers experienced guidance and advocacy to truck accident victims wondering what legal options are available after an injury. If we represent you in your truck accident claim, you can be confident that we will give your case the time, effort, care, and expertise that it deserves.
What Causes 18-Wheeler Accidents?
There are numerous factors that can contribute to a semi-truck accident. While some accidents involve a single truck, it’s more common for truck accidents to include one or more passenger vehicles in the collision. The elements leading to the crash and their repercussions can be difficult to sort out and accurately evaluate. An experienced Houston truck accident lawyer from The Mejia Law Firm will conduct thorough investigations to determine how an accident was caused and what factors played a role. Your attorney may need to examine evidence such as:
- Police reports
- Physical damage done to vehicles and nearby roads and property
- Truck black box data
- Photographs of the accident scene
- Surveillance or dashcam footage
- Eyewitness reports
- Expert witness statements (such as traffic reconstruction experts)
- Trucking company policies
- Trucking company logs and records
- Past trucking company safety violations
- Truck manufacturer history and records
- History of the truck driver involved
- Alcohol and drug tests for the truck driver
As your truck accident attorney evaluates pieces of evidence like those listed above, they will need to critically assess which party or parties are at fault. In large-scale, high-damage accidents like tractor-trailer crashes, it’s important to bring attention to negligent practices that might otherwise continue if not addressed. For example, when a trucking company makes it standard practice to overwork their drivers, a fatigued driver may fall asleep at the wheel and kill others on the road. Truck accident attorneys work to make sure that a negligent company like this changes their policies, so a similar accident doesn’t happen in the future. After conducting investigations, the following causes may be found to contribute to an 18-wheeler accident:
- Driver fatigue
- Speeding
- Miscalculating turns and inclines
- Following too closely
- Violating traffic laws
- Overloading or negligent loading practices
- Improperly-hitched trailers
- Falling asleep at the wheel
- Driver substance abuse
- Poor driver hiring or training practices
A big rig accident can also be the result of a faulty or defective auto part. This may be an issue related to negligent manufacturing, or to poor maintenance policies and practices. The most common vehicle defects contributing to truck accidents include:
- Tire or wheel issues
- Brake failure
- Powertrain system failure
- Steering system failure
- Suspension problems
- Vehicle light failure
- Windshield wiper defects
Truck Accidents Are Different from Car vs. Car Collisions
Because of their length and size, heavy weight, and high center of gravity, tractor-trailer accidents are different from accidents that involve one or more smaller passenger vehicles. Some of the most common types of truck accidents include:
- Underride or Override Accidents – when a smaller car is stuck and crushed under a semi-truck
- Jackknife Accidents – when the cab and trailer of a truck fold at a 90° angle
- Rollovers – when a truck loses balance and tips over
- Side-Swipe Accidents – when a truck passes too closely and strikes the side of another car
- Rear-End Collisions – when a truck collides with the back of a vehicle in front of it
- Blind-Spot Accidents – when a truck fails to see a car in its blind spot and collides while merging
Practicing truck accident law demands knowledge of a wide range of state and federal trucking regulations, insurance policies, traffic laws, commercial driver requirements, loading restrictions, and other relevant information. At The Mejia Law Firm, we devote our expertise to proving liability and accurately calculating damages. Through our experience and attention to your individual case, we can help you obtain the compensation you and your family need to financially recover from the impact of a truck accident. If you have questions, please contact our office to schedule a no-obligation consultation at no cost to you.