Celina, Texas Truck Accident Lawyers

Recovering payment after a truck accident can be a major undertaking, as insurance companies and other liable parties will often try to limit what they pay to victims. If you have been injured in a collision with a tractor-trailer, you may be owed compensation. For legal help, turn to a Celina, TX truck accident attorney who can advise you of your options.

At Burress Injury Law, we have years of experience investigating commercial truck wrecks, with a history of successful results from the hundreds of millions we have recovered in injury claims. When you work with our firm, we will do everything we can to help you recover full compensation. We also have maintained a success rate of over 99.9 percent in injury claims, highlighting our strong representation and counsel.

Firm History

For years, Burress Injury Law has stood beside injured Texans facing some of the most serious personal injury claims in the state. Operating from six locations across Texas, our attorneys represent people in Celina and the broader Collin County area. Truck accident cases sit at the heart of what we do, alongside our work on catastrophic injury claims, wrongful death matters, and disputes with insurers and trucking corporations that would rather minimize a claim than pay what it is worth.

A wreck involving a commercial truck often causes injuries far more severe than those in an ordinary car accident, given the size and weight of the vehicles involved. Insurance companies and trucking corporations move quickly after a wreck to protect themselves, sending investigators to the scene and gathering evidence before an injured person has the chance to hire an attorney. Our firm works just as quickly on your behalf, identifying every liable party and preserving evidence that could otherwise disappear.

Fatigued and Drowsy Driving Is a Leading Cause of Truck Accidents

Long hours behind the wheel place commercial truck drivers at a heightened risk of fatigue, and a fatigued driver reacts more slowly and processes information less effectively than a well-rested one. Federal hours-of-service regulations limit how long a driver can remain on duty without rest, but pressure to meet delivery schedules sometimes leads drivers or trucking companies to disregard these limits.

A driver who nods off, drifts out of a lane, or fails to notice slowing traffic can cause a devastating wreck. Our firm reviews driver logs, electronic logging device data, and dispatch records to determine whether a driver exceeded the hours allowed under federal regulations or whether a trucking company pressured a driver to stay on the road longer than was safe. This evidence can be critical in establishing that fatigue contributed to a wreck.

Can a Truck Driver Be Held Liable for Reckless Driving?

A truck driver can be held liable when reckless conduct behind the wheel causes a wreck. Reckless driving can include excessive speeding, aggressive lane changes, tailgating, or ignoring weather and road conditions that call for extra caution. Because commercial trucks require greater stopping distances and are more difficult to maneuver than passenger vehicles, reckless behavior by a truck driver carries a higher risk of a serious collision.

Establishing liability for reckless driving often requires a combination of evidence, including witness statements, dashcam footage, and data recorded by the truck's onboard systems. Our firm works to gather this evidence promptly, since witnesses can become difficult to locate and electronic data can be overwritten if it is not requested soon after a wreck. Holding a reckless driver accountable can also help prevent similar conduct from endangering other drivers in the future.

What Is Vicarious Liability in a Truck Accident Claim?

Vicarious liability is a legal principle that can hold an employer responsible for the negligent actions of an employee performed within the scope of employment. In a truck accident case, this often means that a trucking company can be held liable for a wreck caused by one of its drivers, even if the company itself did not directly cause the collision.

Determining whether vicarious liability applies requires a close look at the relationship between the driver and the trucking company, including whether the driver was classified as an employee or an independent contractor and whether the driver was working at the time of the wreck.

Trucking companies sometimes attempt to avoid liability by classifying drivers as independent contractors, but courts look at the actual working relationship rather than the label used in a contract, considering factors such as who controlled the driver's schedule, route, and equipment. Our firm investigates these relationships carefully, reviewing employment records, dispatch instructions, and company policies to determine whether a trucking company can be held responsible for the actions of its driver.

Negligence on the Part of Trucking Companies Can Lead to Wrecks

Trucking companies have a responsibility to hire, train, and supervise their drivers properly, and a failure to meet that responsibility can contribute to a wreck. Negligent hiring can occur when a company fails to review a driver's record for prior accidents, traffic violations, or safety complaints before putting them behind the wheel of a commercial truck. Negligent training can occur when a company fails to prepare drivers for hazardous conditions, proper cargo securement, or safe operation of a large vehicle.

Trucking companies can also be negligent in how they schedule routes and deliveries, pressuring drivers to meet unrealistic deadlines that encourage speeding or skipped rest breaks. Our firm requests personnel files, training records, and internal safety policies to determine whether a trucking company's own negligence contributed to a wreck, separate from the conduct of the driver involved.

Cargo Loader Liability in Truck Accidents

Improperly loaded or secured cargo can shift during transit, causing a truck to become unstable or a load to spill onto the roadway. A cargo loader who fails to distribute weight evenly, secure cargo with appropriate restraints, or follow weight limits can create a serious hazard for everyone sharing the road with the truck.

When cargo-related issues contribute to a wreck, liability may extend beyond the driver and trucking company to the business responsible for loading the cargo. This can include a warehouse, distribution center, or third-party logistics company hired to prepare a shipment before it leaves the facility. Our firm reviews loading manifests, bills of lading, weight tickets, and any available photographs or inspection records to determine whether improper loading practices played a role in causing a wreck, and whether the responsible party followed applicable federal and state safety standards.

Who Is Liable When a Truck Malfunctions and Causes an Accident in Celina?

A truck malfunction, such as brake failure, tire blowouts, or steering problems, can cause a driver to lose control even when the driver has followed all traffic laws. When a malfunction results from poor maintenance, liability may fall on the trucking company or a third-party maintenance provider responsible for inspecting and servicing the vehicle. Federal regulations require regular inspection of commercial trucks, and skipped or rushed inspections can allow dangerous defects to go unnoticed.

In other cases, a malfunction may stem from a manufacturing defect in a truck part, such as a faulty brake system or defective tire. When this occurs, the manufacturer of the defective part may share responsibility for the resulting wreck, separate from any fault attributed to the driver or trucking company. Our firm works to obtain maintenance records, inspection reports, and, where necessary, expert analysis of the failed component to determine which party or parties should be held accountable for the malfunction that led to the collision.

Frequently Asked Questions About Truck Accidents in Celina

Successful Case Results in Truck Accident Claims

Burress Injury Law has secured more than $500 million in compensation for injured clients across Texas, including many results involving commercial trucks and other large vehicles, with over 900 5-star reviews. Truck accident claims often require more extensive litigation than an ordinary car accident case, since trucking companies and their insurers rarely accept responsibility without a thorough fight over liability and damages.

Our firm's approach to these cases involves requesting and reviewing driver logs, maintenance records, and event data recorder information early in the process, before this evidence can be lost or overwritten.

We also work with accident reconstruction experts when necessary to establish exactly how a wreck occurred and why the truck driver, trucking company, or another party should be held responsible. While no past result can guarantee an outcome in a future case, our record reflects a consistent commitment to preparing every truck accident claim as though it may proceed to trial, giving our clients leverage in negotiations from the very start.

Burress Injury Law and Community Involvement

Giving back to Texas communities is part of our firm's broader mission. The Underdog Scholarship reflects that commitment, awarding funds several times a year to students who continue pushing forward despite financial strain, family obligations, or other obstacles standing in their way.

Each fall, we also host a charity picnic that draws together neighbors, small business owners, and local non-profit groups for an afternoon centered on generosity rather than transaction. Events like these remind us that a law firm's role in a community extends well past the cases it handles.

How We Handle Billing for Truck Accident Claims

Injured people are often dealing with significant medical bills, vehicle damage, and lost income after a truck accident. Burress Injury Law handles truck accident claims on a contingency fee basis, meaning our firm only collects a fee if we recover compensation for our client through a verdict or settlement.

Court Information for Truck Accidents in Celina

Insurance negotiations settle most truck accident claims in Celina, but litigation becomes necessary in some instances, especially when a trucking company or its insurer denies fault or will not put forward a reasonable offer. Since Celina sits within Collin County, lawsuits stemming from truck accident claims are typically filed at the Collin County Courthouse, found at: