The trucking company's rapid response team reached the crash scene before the ambulance left, but they were not there to check on you.
Within hours, photographs had been taken, witness statements gathered, the driver coached, and a team of defense lawyers put on standby. You were in surgery, or in the ICU, or in a room where doctors used phrases like traumatic brain injury and spinal fusion in front of your family.
The freight industry knows exactly what to do after a catastrophic crash. Most victims do not, and the gap between those two realities is where cases get lost.
Cowen | Rodriguez | Peacock, The Trucking Trial Lawyers, built our firm around one thing: holding trucking companies accountable for the destruction their drivers cause on Texas highways.
When an 18-wheeler carrier and its insurer undervalue your case, our Texas truck accident lawyers prepare it for trial from day one. Call (210) 941-1301 for a free consultation today.
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Why Choose Cowen | Rodriguez | Peacock for Your Texas Truck Accident Case
Truck crashes are not big car wrecks. They are industrial events governed by federal regulations, corporate safety policies, and a paper trail most plaintiff firms have never learned to read. Our firm was built for this work.
- The Trucking Trial Lawyers: Malorie Peacock holds Board Certification in Truck Accident Law from the National Board of Trial Advocacy, one of the few attorneys in Texas to carry this credential. Michael Cowen is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
- Results that move insurers: Our firm has secured outcomes, including a $10.5 million judgment in a catastrophic injury case and a $4 million jury verdict in a commercial vehicle crash.
- Rapid evidence preservation: We send spoliation letters within hours of being retained, demanding the motor carrier freeze ELD data, driver logs, maintenance records, dashcam footage, and post-crash drug and alcohol test results. When necessary, we pay to secure the tractor and trailer so our engineers can inspect the vehicles before the carrier scraps them.
- Direct attorney access: You work with a lawyer, not a case manager reading from a script. We answer calls, we listen, and we keep you informed from intake to verdict.
- Trial-ready from day one: We love the courtroom, and trucking defense firms know it. That reputation translates directly into stronger settlement offers long before a jury is ever seated.
- No fee unless we recover: You pay nothing out of pocket. Our fee is based only on what we bring in for you.
When the trucking industry's defense machinery lines up against an injured client, the answer is a firm that has walked into this fight before and walked out with a verdict.
Challenges Texas Truck Accident Victims Face and How We Solve Them
Commercial trucking crashes carry problems you will not find in a standard auto case. The stakes run higher, the opponents are more sophisticated, and the clock moves faster on critical evidence.
Rapid evidence destruction: Electronic Logging Device data, onboard camera footage, and driver qualification files can be overwritten or discarded within weeks. We move immediately to lock down every category of evidence before it vanishes.
Driver log falsification: Hours of Service violations are a leading cause of fatigue-related crashes. We audit ELD records against fuel receipts, bills of lading, GPS pings, and weigh station logs to catch drivers who lied about their rest.
Layered corporate defendants: Motor carriers, brokers, shippers, maintenance vendors, parts manufacturers, and cargo loaders may all share responsibility. Identifying every viable defendant expands recovery beyond a single insurance policy.
Federal regulation complexity: The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations span hundreds of pages covering hiring, training, inspection, drug testing, and cargo securement. We use FMCSA violations as independent grounds for liability.
Aggressive early settlement offers: Trucking insurers extend fast, low offers hoping you sign before the full scope of your injuries becomes clear. We reject premature offers and build the case that shows the real value of your losses.
Injury severity and medical complexity: Truck crash injuries often involve traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, crush injuries, and permanent disability. We work with life care planners, vocational economists, and treating physicians to document every future cost.
Each obstacle has a legal counter, and our firm applies them from the first week forward.
Who Qualifies for Legal Help After a Texas Truck Accident
You may have a valid Texas truck accident claim if any of the following apply to your situation:
- Drivers and passengers struck by a commercial truck: Your vehicle was hit by an 18-wheeler, box truck, delivery van, tanker, or other commercial vehicle.
- Catastrophic injury survivors: You sustained a traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage, amputation, severe burns, multiple fractures, or permanent disability.
- Wrongful death families: You lost a spouse, parent, child, or sibling in a fatal commercial vehicle crash.
- Injured commercial passengers: You were a passenger in a bus, shuttle, or other commercial vehicle when the crash occurred.
- Pedestrians and cyclists: You were walking or biking when a truck driver struck you at an intersection, in a loading zone, or on a roadway.
Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003 gives most truck crash victims two years from the date of the crash to file suit. Evidence, however, starts disappearing in days.
Types of Texas Truck Accident Cases We Handle
Our firm takes on the full range of commercial vehicle crashes on Texas highways and city streets:
- 18-wheeler and tractor-trailer crashes: Primarily high-speed impacts along I-10, I-35, I-20, I-27, I-37, I-45, and US 281.
- Delivery and distribution truck crashes: Amazon, UPS, FedEx, and other last-mile delivery vehicle wrecks, including residential neighborhood collisions.
- Tanker truck and hazardous materials incidents: Crashes involving fuel haulers, chemical tankers, and other hazardous cargo carriers.
- Oilfield and energy sector truck crashes: Water haulers, crude haulers, and frac sand trucks running Permian Basin and Eagle Ford routes.
- Dump truck and construction vehicle collisions: Crashes tied to overweight loads, unsecured cargo, and construction site egress onto public roads.
- Rear-end and underride collisions: Crashes where smaller vehicles are rear-ended by trucks or pushed underneath a trailer, among the deadliest crash types on Texas roads.
- Jackknife, rollover, and override crashes: Loss-of-control collisions often tied to driver fatigue, speeding, improper braking, or cargo shift.
- Wrongful death claims: Fatal commercial vehicle crashes brought on behalf of surviving Texas family members under the Texas Wrongful Death Act.
Whatever the specific facts, the core questions stay the same: who was responsible, what regulations did they break, and what coverage applies. We answer all three.
Compensation Available in a Texas Truck Accident Claim
Compensation for truck accident claims in Texas is divided into economic damages and non-economic damages. A third category of compensation, exemplary damages, is only awarded under extenuating circumstances, when the responsible party was seriously in the wrong.
Economic Damages
Economic damages cover measurable financial losses:
- Medical expenses: Emergency room care, surgeries, ICU stays, rehabilitation, assistive devices, in-home nursing, and lifetime future treatment.
- Lost wages: Income missed during recovery, including overtime, bonuses, and self-employment earnings.
- Loss of earning capacity: Reduced ability to work in your profession or any profession going forward.
- Property damage: Replacement of your vehicle and personal belongings destroyed in the crash.
- Ongoing care costs: Physical therapy, psychological counseling, home modifications, and adaptive equipment.
Documenting these losses often requires expert testimony from life care planners and vocational economists, which our firm retains at no upfront cost to you.
Non-economic Damages
Non-economic damages cover the human toll the crash takes on your life:
- Physical pain and suffering: Chronic pain, ongoing injury symptoms, and permanent physical limitations.
- Mental anguish: PTSD, anxiety, depression, and emotional trauma from the crash.
- Disfigurement and impairment: Scarring, amputation, and permanent loss of body function.
- Loss of consortium: Harm to the relationship between you and your spouse caused by the injuries.
Exemplary Damages
Exemplary damages, under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 41, occur when a trucking company or driver acted with gross negligence, such as operating while intoxicated, falsifying logs across hundreds of hours, or ignoring known mechanical defects.
Federal law requires most interstate motor carriers to carry minimum liability coverage of $750,000 under 49 CFR 387.9, and many carry $1 million or more through umbrella policies. Identifying every available policy is the difference between partial recovery and a full settlement.
Call us at (210) 941-1306 for a free consultation or contact us below. No cost to you unless we win.
FAQs About Texas Truck Accident Claims
Who is liable when an 18-wheeler causes a crash in Texas?
Liability often reaches beyond the driver. The motor carrier may be responsible under respondeat superior and under direct theories like negligent hiring, training, or supervision. Cargo loaders, maintenance contractors, freight brokers, and parts manufacturers may also share fault depending on the circumstances of the crash.
How quickly does evidence disappear after a Texas truck crash?
ELD data, dashcam footage, and driver-vehicle inspection reports can be overwritten or destroyed within 30 to 90 days under standard carrier retention policies. Some trucking companies dispose of evidence even faster than federal regulations allow, which is why preservation letters must go out within hours of the crash.
What is the statute of limitations on a Texas truck accident lawsuit?
Most commercial vehicle injury claims in Texas carry a two-year filing deadline under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003. Wrongful death claims and cases against governmental entities may follow different timelines, and some claims require written notice within months of the crash.
What if I was partly at fault for the truck crash?
Texas follows modified comparative fault under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 33. You may recover damages as long as your share of responsibility is 50 percent or less, with your award reduced by your percentage of fault. Trucking defense lawyers routinely try to shift blame onto injured drivers, and we push back on every attempt.
How much is my Texas truck accident case worth?
Case value depends on injury severity, medical costs, lost earning capacity, degree of fault, available insurance coverage, and the conduct of the trucking company. Catastrophic injury cases often reach seven and eight figures when liability is clear and the full scope of future damages is properly proven.
Do I have to prove the trucking company broke a federal regulation?
Proving a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulation violation strengthens the case substantially, but it is not always required. A driver's ordinary negligence, such as speeding, distraction, or failure to yield, can also support a verdict. Regulation violations often turn an ordinary negligence case into one involving gross negligence, which opens the door to exemplary damages.
How much does it cost to hire Cowen | Rodriguez | Peacock for a truck accident case?
We work on a contingency fee. No retainer, no hourly billing, and no fee at all unless we recover money for you.
Speak With a Texas Truck Accident Lawyer Today
The trucking industry has a head start on your case the moment the crash happens. Adjusters, investigators, and defense firms begin working against your claim before the tow truck leaves the scene. You need a firm that moves just as fast, understands the regulations just as well, and fears the courtroom even less than they do.
Cowen | Rodriguez | Peacock, The Trucking Trial Lawyers, stand ready to audit driver logs, preserve ELD data, identify every liable party, and prepare your case for a Texas courtroom. Our record of multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements tells trucking insurers exactly what to expect when they see our name on a filing.
Call (210) 941-1301 now for a free consultation with a Texas truck accident lawyer. No cost to you unless we recover money for your injuries. Our team answers 24/7, and Spanish-language support is available.
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Cowen Law - Texas Office
Address: 6243 I-10 #801, San Antonio, TX 78201
Contact No: (210) 941-1306