Undefeated Dallas Truck Accident Lawyers
In Dallas, Interstate 20 has earned a deadly reputation, often called the “Death Trap Corridor” due to its high rate of fatal truck accidents. Despite being one of the shortest highways in the nation, I-20 is also one of the most dangerous.
Read on to learn more about this increasingly hazardous truck route and how our undefeated Dallas truck accident lawyers can stand up, fight, and win for your family if you or a loved one were injured or tragically killed in a large truck or 18-wheeler accident in the greater Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
Why Is Interstate 20 (I-20) So Dangerous ?
Spanning east to west across southern Dallas, Interstate 20 is notorious for its hazardous conditions, including limited visibility, heavy congestion, narrow lanes, and sharp curves — not too mention it varies from 4 to 10 lanes of traffic throughout the region.
I-20 is also a critical thoroughfare for the nation’s booming trucking industry, which has seen more 18-wheelers on the road and an alarming rise in inexperienced drivers behind the wheel to meet an increasing supply-chain demand. Together, these factors have dramatically increased the risk of deadly accidents on I-20, especially across the stretch called Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway in Dallas.
Tragically, this “Death Trap” ranks among the deadliest highways in Texas and nationwide. In fact, a 2020 study by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that I-20 was already the second most deadly highway in the nation, with a shocking fatality rate of 13.52 deaths per 100 miles.
Since then, the number of Dallas truck accident fatalities has only grown each year, reflecting a troubling surge across the country and especially in Texas.
Dallas Truck Accident Fatalities on the Rise
Given the poor conditions along the Death Trap Corridor, it’s no surprise that the number of fatal truck accidents in Dallas has risen sharply over the last few years. In 2022, Dallas ranked third in the nation for deadly truck accidents, according to NHTSA fatality reporting, behind only Houston and Los Angeles—a ranking that has now worsened.
In 2023:
- Dallas had the highest number of fatal truck accidents in the U.S. (tied with Houston at 38 fatal accidents, per TxDOT crash statistics)
- For the first time ever, Dallas surpassed Harris County in total accident fatalities with 43 lives lost
- Dallas had the highest number of truck accident fatalities in the nation
While Dallas saw fewer total truck accidents than Harris County in 2023, the crashes it saw along I-20 and other roadways proved far more catastrophic, putting countless more lives at risk every day. This underscores what statistics have been showing for some time — that I-20 is becoming increasingly dangerous, and other Dallas highways along with it.
Other Hazardous Dallas Trucking Routes in the Death Trap Corridor
As I-20 sees more fatal collisions involving large trucks and commercial vehicles — and as traffic intensifies — the dangers only escalate. However, I-20 isn’t the only Dallas roadway earning a reputation for deadly accidents.
Other dangerous highways in the Death Trap Corridor include:
- I-30E: Poor road conditions and the busy, complex Horseshoe interchange with I-35 make this truck thoroughfare treacherous for all Dallas drivers.
- I-35: The Downtown Dallas thoroughfare’s major interchanges at I-30 and I-45, combined with ongoing construction zones, create densely congested accident hotspots.
- I-45: Connecting Dallas to Houston, I-45 is prone to severe congestion and high speeds, especially as it moves through the urban core, leading to frequent collisions and dangerous lane changing.
- U.S. Highway 75: The Central Expressway experiences heavy, stop-and-go traffic and complicated merging, which make it far more difficult for unskilled (or distracted) truck drivers to navigate.
These routes pose similar threats, especially in high-traffic zones where 18-wheelers are constantly on the move, putting all drivers at risk.
Common Causes of Deadly I-20 Truck Accidents
Tragically, fatal accidents are a near-daily occurrence along Dallas’s stretch of I-20. This highway has seen everything from deadly chain-reaction collisions and head-on crashes to catastrophic 18-wheeler accidents. Whether it’s intoxicated wrong-way drivers or unskilled operators losing control of oversized rigs, this interstate has been the site of countless deadly scenarios.
However, the truth is that most truck accidents on I-20 — and across Texas — are entirely preventable. Often, these accidents stem from the reckless actions of a few key parties, such as the truck driver, the trucking company, or truck manufacturers.
Here are some of the most common causes of these deadly crashes:
- Unqualified Truck Drivers: Untrained or inexperienced drivers are far more likely to make dangerous decisions, such as speeding or making unsafe lane changes. Without adequate training, drivers may not be able to properly manage their vehicle’s size, weight, or braking distance, significantly increasing the risk of catastrophic crashes.
- Driver Fatigue: Fatigue is a silent killer in the trucking industry. Many drivers work long hours to meet tight deadlines, often skipping rest breaks (and violating federal regulations) to stay on schedule. Fatigued drivers experience delayed reaction times, impaired judgment, and an increased likelihood of falling asleep behind the wheel, all of which contribute to serious accidents.
- Faulty Brakes and Equipment: Defective brakes, tires, or other essential truck components are a leading cause of fatal crashes. Whether due to inadequate maintenance or defective parts, equipment failures can make it nearly impossible for drivers to stop in time, especially on a congested highway like I-20.
- Speeding: Many truck drivers are under pressure to meet tight deadlines and will often speed to do so. This makes it much harder to control their vehicles, and it requires significantly more room to brake. Speeding not only increases the chances of losing control, but also results in far more severe injuries and fatalities when collisions occur.
- Distracted Driving: With GPS devices, cell phones, and onboard computers, truck drivers are more inattentive than ever. Any distraction, no matter how brief, can be deadly. In fact, a study found that 71% of large-truck crashes occurred when the driver’s attention was focused on something other than driving.
These entirely preventable causes point to a larger issue: a growing lack of accountability among truck drivers and the trucking companies that prioritize profits over safety.
That’s why at Zehl & Associates, we stop at nothing to hold the negligent parties fully responsible. Seeking justice and the maximum compensation possible is essential to not only reducing the dangerous and often deadly accidents on I-20 and throughout Texas — but for securing your family’s future after the unthinkable.
Billions Won: Our Track Record of Victories for Dallas Truck Accident Victims
When our client was rear-ended by an 18-wheeler on I-20 in Weatherford, Texas, the impact caused her vehicle to roll-over multiple times before finally coming to a rest on the highway’s shoulder. However, the largest privately owned trucking company in the United States, R&L Carriers, immediately denied responsibility for the crash and offered our client less than $150,000 to settle the case.
Even though R&L brought in 15 experts at trial—including neurologist, neuropsychologists, orthopedists, and accident reconstructionists—to dispute our client’s injuries and attempt to prove that the crash was “unavoidable,” our undefeated trial attorneys could not be outworked, outmaneuvered, or intimidated. After a five week trial, we recovered the largest verdict in R&L’s corporate history.
Our recent wins on behalf of Texas truck accident victims include:
- $37.5 Million for a truck driver who was tragically killed when an Oncor Electrical Company service vehicle slammed into the back of his 18-wheeler on I-635 W in Dallas
- $32 Million for a family severely injured by a truck driver who fell asleep at the wheel
- $23.5 Million for a 34 year-old man who was severely injured after being hit head-on by a large commercial truck
- $20 Million for a family whose loving husband and father was tragically killed in a head-on collision with an 18-wheeler
- The #1 largest verdict in Dallas County in 2024
- The #1 largest 18-wheeler accident settlement in Texas
With Billions won, our Dallas truck accident lawyers have proven that we don’t just win for truck accident victims and their families – we set records.
How Zehl & Associates Can Help if You or a Loved One Were Injured or Tragically Killed in a Truck Accident in Dallas, TX
Truck accidents along the Death Trap Corridor are not only the deadliest in the state, but in the entire nation. But from the moment of impact, trucking companies, and their teams of lawyers and insurers, will do anything to avoid responsibility — blaming you, hiding evidence, and downplaying your injuries in an effort to pay you as little as possible.
At Zehl & Associates, we don’t let them get away with it. Our undefeated team has the resources and experience to stand up against any trucking company in the world and recover the largest accident verdicts and settlements in history.
Our unwavering commitment to clients includes:
- Immediately assembling the best and brightest team of truck accident lawyers, engineers, and safety experts to independently investigate the accident and not only prove what happened, but how it could have been prevented in the first place.
- Knowing what evidence to look for, where to find it, and—most importantly—how to use it to hold trucking companies and their drivers accountable.
- Making sure you receive the best medical treatment possible from the top doctors and specialists in the country, and ensure your medical bills and reasonable living expenses are covered while your case is pending.
- Doing whatever it takes to win. We devote our full resources, knowledge, and manpower into each case, ensuring that we do whatever it takes to secure the maximum recovery possible.
- NEVER settling for less than full compensation. If the insurance company refuses to offer you and your family a settlement that fully compensates you for all your injuries and damages, we won’t hesitate to take your case to trial, where our lawyers remain undefeated.
- Here for you every step of the way, with an unwavering commitment to clients and around the clock support, so that you and your family can focus on what matters most.
But don’t just take our word for it. Hear what our clients have to say about working with us.
Undefeated Dallas Truck Accident Attorney: Call 1-888-603-3636 for a Free Consult
In addition to being undefeated, our Undefeated Dallas Truck Accident Attorneys have won Billions for our clients, including hundreds of people throughout Texas, Louisiana, and across the United States, who were injured or tragically killed in connection with motor vehicle accidents along I-20 and other major highways.
If you or a loved one were injured or tragically killed in a truck accident on I-20, call 1-888-603-3636 or send us a confidential email via our Contact Us form.
We’ll answer your questions, explain your rights, and provide all of the information you need to make the best decision for you and your family.
All consultations are free, and you’ll pay nothing unless we win your case.
Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers – Houston
2700 Post Oak Blvd #1000, Houston, TX 77056
(888) 603-3636
29.73890263937774, -95.4612824423294
Open 24 hours
Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers – Midland
306 W Wall St Suite 701, Midland, TX 79701
(432) 220-0000
31.99827039117601, -102.07752974593966
Open 24 hours