If you or your family is dealing with the fallout of a serious truck accident in Texas, you're probably dealing with more than just medical bills. The pain, the sudden loss of income, the way everyday life shifts without warning. It can all feel like too much.
An experienced Texas truck accident lawyer at Cowen | Rodriguez | Peacock can help you pursue the maximum compensation available under Texas law. Our team understands how these crashes happen and how trucking companies and their insurers operate. We’re here to hold the right parties accountable. Contact us now for a free consultation. You’re under no obligation to move forward if you don’t want to.
Call us at (210) 941-1301 for a free consultation or contact us below. No cost to you unless we win.
Understanding Truck Accidents in Texas
Large commercial trucks move through Texas at all hours. These vehicles deliver goods to businesses in downtown areas, haul materials to construction zones, and pass through the state on long interstate routes. With so many trucks on the road, accidents happen often, especially in areas with heavy traffic or narrow roads.
Truck accidents don’t just involve small fender-benders. They can lead to serious injuries or fatalities. The people most affected are usually those in the smaller vehicle. Understanding how these crashes happen and where they often occur in Texas helps explain why they cause such serious harm.
Types of Commercial Vehicle Accidents
Not all truck crashes look the same. Some involve an 18-wheeler jackknifing across lanes. Others happen when a box truck rear-ends a stopped car. Common types include:
- Jackknife accidents
- Underride crashes
- Rollovers
- Rear-end collisions
- Wide-turn accidents
- Lost load incidents
- T-bone crashes at intersections
Each one can lead to different injuries and different legal issues.
Common Causes of Truck Crashes
Many truck accidents happen because someone didn’t follow the rules or pay attention. The most common causes often involve human error or poor company practices:
- Driver Fatigue: Truckers often drive for long hours. Tired drivers can fall asleep or react too slowly.
- Distraction: Texting, checking GPS, or eating while driving takes a driver’s eyes and mind off the road.
- Speeding: Large trucks take much longer to stop. Driving too fast makes it hard to avoid collisions.
- Impaired Driving: Some crashes involve alcohol, illegal drugs, or prescription medications that affect judgment.
- Mechanical Failures: Brake problems, worn tires, or other issues can lead to loss of control.
- Improper Loading: If cargo isn’t balanced or secured, it can shift and cause the truck to tip or swerve.
- Inexperience: New or poorly trained drivers may not know how to handle tight turns, bad weather, or emergency stops.
Trucking companies can bear just as much liability as their drivers. When companies cut corners on safety, training, or maintenance, they put everyone on the road at risk.
What Makes Truck Accidents Different from Car Accidents?
Crashes between passenger vehicles and big trucks follow a different path legally, medically, and financially. The scale and consequences are far greater. Here’s why.
Size and Weight Disparities
A fully loaded 18-wheeler weighs up to 40 tons. Most passenger vehicles weigh about 2 tons. That mismatch in size means the smaller car usually takes the brunt of the impact. The injuries tend to be more severe, and the vehicles are often totaled.
Federal Regulations and Compliance Requirements
Truck drivers and companies must follow rules set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). These include driver rest limits, drug testing, maintenance logs, and load securement standards. Failing to follow these rules can support a claim for liability.
Multiple Liable Parties
Unlike most car crashes, more than one party may be legally responsible in a truck accident. The driver, the employer, the company that loaded the cargo, and even the manufacturer of the truck may all play a role.
Severity of Injuries and Damages
The injuries from a truck crash often involve surgery, rehab, and long-term medical care. Some victims never fully recover. The financial toll can last for years, especially if the injured person can’t return to work.
Who Can Be Held Liable in a Truck Accident?
Truck crashes often involve more than just the driver. Several companies may share the blame. A strong legal strategy looks at every angle to hold the right parties accountable.
Truck Driver Negligence
Drivers who speed, fall asleep, or drive while distracted or impaired often bear direct responsibility. In some cases, they may ignore traffic rules or drive recklessly to meet deadlines.
Trucking Company Responsibility
The company that employs the driver may also be responsible. That includes hiring unqualified drivers, failing to conduct proper background checks, or pushing drivers to work unsafe hours.
Vehicle Manufacturer Defects
If a mechanical failure caused the crash, a faulty part may be to blame. This includes brake problems, tire blowouts, or steering system failures. In these cases, the company that made the part may be liable.
Third-Party Maintenance Companies
Some companies outsource truck maintenance. If poor repairs or skipped inspections led to the accident, the maintenance contractor could share responsibility.
Cargo Loading Companies
Improperly loaded or unbalanced cargo can shift during travel and cause the truck to tip or swerve. When a third party loads the trailer, that company could be at fault if the load wasn’t secured safely.
Texas Laws Governing Truck Accidents
Truck accident claims must follow specific rules under Texas law. These rules set deadlines for filing, determine who can be held accountable, and affect how compensation is calculated. The law also outlines what happens when more than one party shares blame. Acting quickly protects your rights, especially when evidence needs to be preserved and witnesses need to be contacted.
Statute of Limitations
Texas law gives you two years from the date of the truck accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. If someone passed away in the crash, the two-year period usually starts from the date of death. Missing this deadline means the court can refuse to hear your case at all.
Claims Against Government Entities
Some truck crashes involve government-owned vehicles, such as city utility trucks, school buses, or road maintenance vehicles. Claims against a city, county, or state agency follow different rules. You must give written notice of the claim within six months of the accident in most cases.
Comparative Negligence Rules
Texas uses a modified comparative negligence system. That means if you're partly at fault for the accident, you can still recover compensation, as long as your share of responsibility is 50 percent or less. The total amount you recover will be reduced based on your share of the blame.
For example, if you’re found 20 percent at fault, your compensation will be reduced by 20 percent. But if you're more than 50 percent at fault, Texas law bars any recovery.
Why You Must Act Quickly
Waiting too long after a truck crash can cause serious problems for your case. Evidence like skid marks, vehicle damage, and black box data can disappear within days. Companies might destroy records or repair trucks before they’re inspected. Witnesses may forget what they saw or move away. And once the statute of limitations passes, the court won’t hear your case, no matter how strong the evidence used to be.
Acting quickly gives your attorney time to send preservation letters, interview witnesses, request records, and build a strong claim before key information disappears. Early action protects your rights and puts pressure on the trucking company to take the case seriously.
What Types of Compensation Are Available?
After a truck crash, the losses stack up fast. The law allows injured people to recover damages to help with those costs. These are some of the most common categories.
Medical Expenses and Future Care Costs
You can seek compensation for hospital bills, surgeries, physical therapy, medication, and any expected future treatment. If you need long-term care or rehab, those costs can also be included.
Lost Wages and Earning Capacity
If the crash kept you from working, you can claim lost income. If your injuries prevent you from returning to the same job or reduce your ability to earn in the future, that loss may also be recoverable.
Pain and Suffering Damages
Beyond physical injuries, truck accidents often bring lasting pain, stress, and emotional trauma. Texas law allows you to seek financial recovery for those personal losses.
Property Damage Recovery
You can pursue compensation for your car and any other damaged property. This includes repair costs or the full value if your vehicle was totaled.
Punitive Damages in Severe Cases
In cases where the trucking company or driver acted with extreme recklessness or intentional misconduct, courts may award punitive damages. These aim to punish and deter bad behavior.
How Our Attorneys Can Help
Cowen | Rodriguez | Peacock helps truck accident victims through every step of the legal process. We focus on results and make sure no detail gets missed.
Immediate Post-Accident Investigation
Our team acts fast to gather key facts, visit the crash site, and identify witnesses. Getting started early helps preserve critical evidence.
Evidence Preservation and Collection
We send letters to stop companies from destroying logbooks, maintenance records, dashcam footage, or GPS data. Those records often make a major difference in the case.
Expert Witness Coordination
We work with accident reconstruction experts, doctors, and economists to explain what happened and how it affects your life now and in the future.
Insurance Company Negotiations
We deal directly with the trucking company’s insurer. If they refuse to make a fair offer, we build a strong case that shows they caused the harm and should pay for it.
Trial Representation and Litigation
If needed, we take cases to trial. Our firm has decades of courtroom experience and a history of holding trucking companies accountable in front of Texas juries.
Why Choose Our Firm
At Cowen | Rodriguez | Peacock, truck accidents are a major part of what we do. Our team brings the focus and experience needed to handle tough cases and large trucking companies.
Extensive Truck Accident Experience
We understand how to dig into logs, federal rules, and hidden corporate practices that contribute to crashes. Our legal team knows how these cases work from start to finish.
Proven Track Record of Results
We’ve recovered millions for clients injured in truck crashes across Texas. We prepare every case thoroughly and work to reach strong results for each person we represent.
No Fee Unless We Recover Compensation
You won’t pay anything unless we secure compensation for you through settlement or verdict. That lets you focus on your recovery, not legal fees.
Personalized Client Attention
We return calls. We meet with clients. We keep you informed. Every case matters here, and we work to give each person the attention they deserve.
Frequently Asked Questions About Texas Truck Accidents
What should I do immediately after a truck accident?
Call 911, get medical help, and collect evidence if you can. Take photos, get witness names, and don't speak with the truck company's insurer until you’ve talked to a Texas personal injury lawyer lawyer.
How much does it cost to hire a truck accident lawyer?
You don’t have to pay anything upfront. Our firm works on a contingency basis, so we only get paid if we recover compensation for you.
Can I still recover compensation if I was partially at fault?
Yes, as long as you were not more than 50 percent responsible. Your recovery gets reduced by your share of fault.
How long does a truck accident case typically take?
Some cases settle in a few months, while others may take over a year. Serious injuries or disputed liability often extend the timeline.
Let Our Truck Accident Lawyers in Texas Help
Truck accidents in Texas can change your life in an instant. If you're recovering from injuries or mourning a loved one, you don’t have to deal with insurance companies or legal claims by yourself. Call Cowen | Rodriguez | Peacock at (210) 941-1301 for a free consultation. We’ll explain your options and help you understand the next steps. Time limits apply, so waiting too long could impact your case. Everything you share with us stays confidential. Let us help you move forward.
Call us at (210) 941-1301 for a free consultation or contact us below. No cost to you unless we win.