Collinsville Truck Accident Attorneys

A collision with a truck can result in catastrophic damage. Some survivors of these collisions are never the same, and even in milder cases, the total damages can add up to the quintuple digits. If you or somebody you love has been hurt in a truck wreck, consider working with a Collinsville, TX truck accident lawyer who can help you seek full compensation for your damages.

At Burress Injury Law, we work to hold negligent trucking companies accountable for the harm they cause. In the years since we first established our firm, we have recovered over half a billion in payment for our clients, which includes numerous victories in cases involving commercial vehicles.

About Burress Injury Law

Burress Injury Law has represented injured Texans since 2008, and our multiple locations allow our attorneys to serve clients in Collinsville, Sherman, Denison, and across North Texas. Truck accident claims are a major part of our work, and they require a different kind of preparation than a typical car wreck, since they involve federal regulations, corporate defendants, and injuries that often change a family’s life.

The trucking company’s insurer usually begins its own investigation almost immediately, sometimes sending a team to the scene within hours. We aim to move just as quickly for our clients, sending preservation demands, gathering records, and bringing in engineers and other experts when the facts call for them. Our cases are prepared for trial, and carriers tend to respond differently when they know that.

The Risk of Drunk Driving Accidents Involving Truckers

Drunk driving accidents involving truckers are especially dangerous, since a loaded tractor-trailer can weigh many times more than a passenger vehicle and needs far more distance to stop. A driver who is impaired reacts late, drifts out of a lane, or fails to brake, and the result can be a devastating wreck.

Commercial drivers are held to a stricter alcohol standard than other motorists, and federal rules require alcohol and drug testing after certain serious accidents. Those test results, along with the driver’s records and the timeline of the hours before the wreck, can become key evidence. Witness accounts from truck stops, restaurants, or bars the driver visited may also show what happened before the trip.

Responsibility can reach beyond the driver. A carrier that ignored warning signs of a drinking problem, skipped required testing, or hired a driver with a history of violations may share fault. When a bar or restaurant served an obviously intoxicated driver, a dram shop claim may add another source of recovery.

What Is an Underride Accident?

An underride accident happens when a smaller vehicle slides underneath the trailer of a large truck, often shearing off the roof of the car. These wrecks are among the deadliest on the road, since the trailer’s frame can strike the heads of the people inside before the car’s safety systems have a chance to work.

Most underride collisions happen in one of two ways. A rear underride occurs when a vehicle runs into the back of a trailer, often in poor light, in fog, or when a truck stops suddenly. A side underride occurs when a vehicle strikes the side of a trailer, such as when a truck crosses a road or turns across traffic. Rules about underride guards, especially for the sides of trailers, remain a subject of debate.

Investigators look at whether guards were installed and in good condition, whether reflective tape and lights were working, and why the truck was positioned where it was. A trailer without working lights or with a damaged guard can point to a carrier’s failure to maintain its equipment.

How Much Is a Truck Accident Claim Worth?

The total value of a truck accident claim can vary based on how serious the injuries are, how much medical treatment is needed, how long the person is out of work, and how clearly the evidence shows who was at fault. A claim involving a short recovery will be worth far less than one involving permanent injuries, surgery, or long-term care.

Economic damages cover medical bills, lost income, reduced earning capacity, and property damage, including future costs when an injury has lasting effects. Non-economic damages cover physical pain, mental anguish, scarring, and the loss of activities a person used to enjoy. Exemplary damages may be available in rare cases involving gross negligence, though Texas law caps them.

Truck cases can be worth more than ordinary wrecks for a few reasons. Injuries tend to be more severe, commercial insurance policies are generally larger than personal auto policies, and several defendants may share responsibility. An early settlement offer rarely accounts for all of that, so it helps to understand the full picture before agreeing to anything.

Investigating Commercial Truck Cargo Accidents

Commercial truck cargo accidents occur when freight shifts, spills, or falls from a truck and causes a wreck. A load of lumber breaking loose, a pallet sliding off a flatbed, or a container door swinging open on a highway can create hazards that other drivers cannot avoid.

Federal rules set standards for how cargo must be loaded, blocked, and tied down, and those standards vary by the weight and type of freight. Often the person who loaded the truck is not the person who drove it, which means a cargo spill can lead back to a shipper, a warehouse, or a loading contractor. Overloaded trailers and unbalanced weight can also make a truck harder to steer and stop.

Evidence in these cases includes loading manifests, bills of lading, weight tickets, photographs taken before departure, and the truck’s inspection records. Because that paperwork sits with the company, a formal preservation request sent early helps keep it from being lost.

Frequently Asked Questions About Truck Accident Claims in Collinsville, Texas