How to Maximize Compensation After a Truck Accident?

In order to receive the best medical care in the future and continue to provide for yourself and your family after a truck or 18-wheeler accident, recovering the maximum compensation for all of your injuries and losses is critical. But to succeed against the trucking company and its insurance company, you must act early to protect your rights and secure your family’s future.: Call 911 and report the accident. Once the police arrive on the scene, they’ll begin preparing an official report that will be used by your lawyer and the trucking company’s lawyers. If you’re physically able, take photos and video of the crash scene. You should also make notes of the trucker’s license plate and driver’s license numbers, the DOT number identified on the driver’s and passenger’s side of the truck, the trucking company’s insurance information, and the names and contact information for any witnesses. Get medical attention, even if you think you aren’t severely injured, as many crash-related injuries may not be noticeable until they’ve gotten worse several days later. Your medical records will help you and your attorney prove that any injuries you suffered resulted from the accident and required medical treatment. When talking with the police, insurance adjusters, or anyone else about the crash, stick to the facts and don’t speculate about fault. And whatever you do, never give a statement to the trucking company’s insurance adjuster. Follow all of your doctor’s orders and keep all medical appointments. The insurance company will try to use any failure to follow your doctor’s advice or treatment plan as an opportunity to downplay the severity of your injuries. Never try to negotiate a settlement on your own. Contacting an Experienced Texas 18 Wheeler Accident Lawyer who’s successfully handled truck accident cases – both in and out of the courtroom — is the most important thing you can do to maximize your compensation after a crash. Our Undefeated Truck Accident Lawyers have successfully represented thousands of injured truck and 18 wheeler accident victims across Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana, and the United States. We understand the physical and financial impact that large truck or 18-wheeler accidents have on victims and their familiesand have continued to distinguish ourselves with our unprecedented results and record-breaking victories.

What Types of Damages are Available to Truck and 18-Wheeler Accident Victims?

While every case is unique, it’s not uncommon for truck accident victims to recover damages from several parties, including the truck driver, the trucking company, and in some cases, the broker and/or shipper who hired the trucking company to transport the load. Texas allows the victims of negligent truck and 18-wheeler accident victims to pursue payment for: Past and future medical bills Physical pain Mental anguish Physical Limitations Disfigurement Loss of earning capacity Loss of Consortium for a spouse In the event of a fatal truck or 18-wheeler accident, surviving family members may seek damages for their loved one’s wrongful death, including: Burial and funeral expenses Loss of financial contributions Loss of care, support, maintenance, advice, and counsel Loss of love, companionship, comfort, and society Loss of expected inheritance In addition to a wrongful death lawsuit, family members can also file a survivor action to obtain compensation for the medical expenses, physical pain, and mental anguish their loved one suffered before their death. Finally, Texas truck accident victims and their families can also pursue punitive damages when a defendant’s bad behavior caused or contributed to their injuries. While Texas doesn’t make winning punitive damages all that easy, our firm’s truck accident clients have been awarded punitive damages in every case we’ve taken to trial.

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How are 18-wheeler Truck Accident Cases Different from Car Wrecks?

Unlike typical automobile accidents, truck and 18-wheeler collisions involve many complex and important factors such as trucking regulations, unscrupulous insurance adjusters, and corporate legal teams. The 18-wheeler accident attorneys of Zehl & Associates understand these complexities. Every lawyer at our firm is a trial lawyer who has experience actually taking cases to court—and winning. When a trucking or insurance company refuses to offer a settlement that fully compensates our clients and their families for ALL their injuries and damages, we take the case to trial, where our lawyers remain undefeated.

How Much is My Truck Collision Case Worth?

The value of your truck accident case will depend on several factors, including: The extent and severity of your injuries. The cost of current and future medical treatments. The extent of damage to your vehicle and other property. Your pain and suffering, including the mental and emotional anguished caused by the crash. The amount of lost wages, including loss of future earning capacity. We believe that victims shouldn’t have to worry about paying their rent or mortgage, putting food on the table, or buying Christmas presents for their children. Our experienced truck accident attorneys work tirelessly to get you the largest settlement or verdict possible, so you never have to worry about the future again. We prepare each and every case with the goal of maximizing your recovery so that—once your case is over—you and your family can move on with your lives.

What to Do If You’re Injured in a Truck Accident?

If you’ve been involved in an 18-wheeler or truck accident, your health and the well-being of your passengers should come first. Call 911 immediately and remain in your vehicle until EMS arrives. Once EMS arrives, you should: Leave your car if you’re able. Use your smartphone to take pictures and video of the truck, your vehicle, and the scene. Get names and contact information of everyone involved and any witnesses. Write down the name of the trucking company, the truck’s DOT number (which is located on the driver’s and passenger’s side of the truck, and the trucking company’s insurance information. Be honest when you talk to the police, but do not admit or discuss fault with anyone. Seek immediate medical treatment, even if you don’t think you were severely injured. Many injuries are not immediately apparent due to adrenaline and shock from the crash, and it’s always better to be cleared by a medical doctor than have lingering injuries that get worse with time. Be sure to follow your doctors’ recommendations and attend all doctor’s appointments and therapy sessions. Not only will this speed up your physical recovery, but it also shows you did everything possible to recover and makes it more difficult for the insurance company to downplay the severity of your injuries. It’s also a good idea to write down everything you can remember about the crash, even details that seem unimportant. Keep this account in a paper or digital file, along with your copy of the police report, any information and evidence you collected at the scene, and records of copays and other expenses related to your medical treatment. While you should definitely notify your insurance company of the crash, it’s never a good idea to talk with or give a recorded statement to your insurance company or the trucking company’s insurer until you’ve talked with an Experienced Truck Accident Attorney. No matter what the company or its adjuster promise, they’re not on your side and are only interested in avoiding responsibility for your injuries and losses.

What are the Steps in a Truck Accident Lawsuit?

If you or a loved one were hurt in a truck or 18-wheeler accident, you might have to file a lawsuit to obtain the funds to cover your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages. The timeline for bringing a personal injury claim involves several steps and stages: Contact an Experienced Truck Accident Lawyer: An experienced truck accident lawyer will ensure evidence is preserved, help you get to the best doctors, evaluate all of your injuries to determine the compensation that you’re entitled to recover, and do everything else necessary to ensure that you are fully and fairly compensated for all your injuries and damages. Issue a Demand Letter: After our Truck Accident Lawyers file your lawsuit, make sure you’re receiving the medical care you need, and review the documents and evidence we’ve obtained from the trucking company and our team of experts, we’ll issue a demand letter to the trucking company’s insurance carrier. That letter will specify the amount of damages that the trucking company and its insurer must pay you resolve your case before trial. Settlement Negotiations and Trial Preparation: Given our reputation for recovering record-setting verdicts at trial, trucking companies and their insurers know our Truck Accident Attorneys will never accept an inadequate settlement and won’t hesitate to go to trial should they refuse to pay maximum compensation for all of your injuries and losses. As a result, many of our cases settle ahead of trial, and often for record amounts. Discovery: During the discovery phase, we’ll send request for documents and questions about everything from the details of the crash to the truck driver’s and trucking company’s crash and motor carrier safety record to the trucking company’s lawyers. Once we receive their responses, which we often have to compel through filing motions with the court, we’ll start taking depositions of the truck driver, the trucking company’s safety representative, any witnesses to the crash, your doctors, and anyone else with information relevant to how and why the crash occurred or the injuries and losses you and your family suffered as a result. The discovery phase, which typically lasts at least 4 months, provides our 18 Wheeler Accident Lawyers with the evidence we need to establish that the truck driver and trucking company were at fault, as well as guide the amount of damages we’ll seek on your behalf at trial. Mediation: Many Texas courts require the parties to participate in alternative dispute resolution before trial. This usually takes the form of mediation, in which a neutral third-party “mediator” attempts to help the parties negotiate towards a settlement before trial. Trial: If the parties are unable to reach a settlement before the scheduled trial date, the lawsuit will go to trial. Depending on the complexity of the case and the number of witnesses involved, trials typically last between 1 and 3 weeks. While the trial is ongoing, it’s not uncommon for the trucking company’s lawyers or their insurance adjusters to continue trying to settle the case before it’s presented to the jury. If a settlement is reached, the judge will inform the jury that the parties have reached a settlement, and your case will be resolved.

How do Trucking Regulations Impact my Case?

Because of the unique risks 18-wheelers and other commercial trucks pose to other drivers and passengers on the road, trucking companies and their drivers must comply with a complex set of federal, state, and local regulations that govern everything from the number of hours that truck drivers can spend on duty and driving to the background checks that trucking companies must conduct on their drivers and the inspection and maintenance they must perform on their fleet. These regulations are called the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and provide the foundation for your case against both the truck driver and the trucking company. We’ve identified some of regulations that are most commonly involved in truck and 18 wheeler accident cases below: Hours of Service: federal law prohibits commercial truck drivers that drive across state lines from driving more than 11 hours in a 24 hour period. They must also keep electronic logbooks that document the number of hours they’ve been on duty, the number of hours they’ve been driving, and the number of hours they’ve spent resting and off-duty in the past 24 hours. These logs allow the trucking company to ensure that their drivers are in compliance with federal law and ensure that the truck drivers are not driving while fatigued Vehicle Maintenance Requirements: Drivers and trucking companies must ensure their vehicles are regularly inspected, adequately maintained, and safe to drive. The trucking company is required, by federal law, to keep up to date records of safety inspections, routine maintenance, and any repairs Hiring and Training Requirements: Trucking companies are required, under federal law, to perform extensive background checks on and provide comprehensive training to every driver before they start driving for the company. Once they’re hired, federal law requires the trucking companies to both continue providing ongoing safety training and to monitor the driving records of all their drivers on an annual basis Drugs and Alcohol Use: Commercial truck drivers are prohibited from using drugs or alcohol while driving or within 8 hours of going “on duty.” The trucking companies must also perform drug testing when it hires a new driver and continue randomly testing at least 50 percent of their drivers for both drugs and alcohol each year Illnesses and impaired driving: Drivers cannot operate an 18-wheeler or semi-truck if illness or fatigue prevents them from operating the vehicle safely. The trucking company is required to monitor their drivers’ alertness by examining the driver’s daily electronic logs and, if they suspect that a driver could or may become fatigued, must prevent them from driving until they’ve received sufficient rest. Having successfully represented thousands of truck and 18-wheeler accident victims in Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and across the United States, our Houston Truck Accident Lawyers have gained a thorough understanding of the rules and regulations that apply to the commercial trucking industry and the tactics trucking companies and their insurers will use to avoid paying victims what they’re owed. We also know what evidence we need to prove your claims, where to find it, and how to make sure the trucking company gives it to us so that we can use it to maximize your recovery through settlement or at trial.

Why are we so successful?

For one thing, the resources, knowledge, and experience we’ve gained while handling truck and 18 wheeler accident cases has provided us with the skills and resources to successfully take on the largest trucking companies and law firms in the country. We are more than personal injury lawyers; we are proven truck accident attorneys who have established a consistent record of success through the settlements and verdicts we’ve won for our clients and their families. We’re also not afraid to go to trial – even against the biggest corporations in the world. With us on your side, defendants will know they won’t be able to bully you into accepting anything less than you deserve.

Why Hire a Houston Truck Accident Lawyer?

After an 18-wheeler collision, it’s pretty rare for the occupants of smaller vehicles to walk away without a scratch. Because innocent motorists are far more likely to suffer severe personal injury and wrongful death in a truck or 18-wheeler accident, the trucking company could easily be looking at a seven-figure when their driver is a fault for a crash. With that kind of money at stake, you can be sure the trucking company and its insurer will do just about anything to avoid paying you and your family the damages you deserve. When a truck or 18-wheeler driver has robbed you of your ability to care and provide for yourself and your family, you can’t put your fate in their hands. Victims of large truck accidents require specialized medical care, financial assistance, and lawyers with the experience, resources, and dedication to not only fight for them, but to win. Over the last 5 years, the truck accident lawyers of Zehl & Associates have recovered Billions in verdicts and settlements, including record-breaking victories against some of the world’s largest companies. We’ll work closely with you and your family from day one, ensuring that that you have access to all the resources you need to begin rebuilding your lives. We ALWAYS fight to earn the maximum settlement or verdict possible, so you’ll have the resources to provide for your recovery and secure the future of your family. You can count on our Houston Truck and 18-Wheeler Accident Lawyers every step of the way.

Home > Texas Truck Accident Lawyers

Texas Truck Accident Lawyers – We’re Undefeated

Item: Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers
Rating: 5
Author: Bobbie M Bush

Texas Truck Accident Attorneys Committed to Securing Your Future

From catastrophic multi-vehicle fatalities in Houston to head-on collisions in West Texas, Zehl & Associates is the name that trucking companies fear across the State of Texas.

Our Texas truck accident lawyers have earned a national reputation for recovering the largest truck and 18 wheeler accident verdicts and settlements in history for our clients. So, when trucking companies see our name on your lawsuit, they’re going to treat your case differently because they know:

We are truck accident lawyers who win the #1 largest truck accident recoveries in Texas
We’ve won Billions for accident victims
The trucking company is going to have to pay you more money than they’re used to paying, and
Our 18 wheeler accident lawyers consistently recover the largest verdicts in Texas.

A Good Truck Accident Lawyer Isn’t Enough: You Need the Best

The more serious the crash, the harder the trucking company and its lawyers will fight to pay you as little as possible for your injuries and losses. From hiding important evidence to blaming innocent victims at the scene, there’s nothing they won’t do to avoid responsibility.

Everything changes when Zehl & Associates gets involved. We understand that truck accidents are complex and that our clients’ futures depend on our success.

We’ve assembled a team of the best and brightest truck accident lawyers, engineers, and safety experts who immediately go out to the scene to start collecting evidence that proves how the crash happened and what the truck driver should have done to prevent it.

Our Truck Accident Lawyers Set Records Across Texas

Our truck accident lawyers have taken on the largest trucking companies in courts across Texas – from Houston, Fort Worth, Dallas and Lufkin to Marshall, Midland and Amarillo – and we don’t just win for our clients and their families, we set records.

Not only have we never lost a case, but we’ve repeatedly won the largest truck and 18-wheeler accident verdicts and settlements in Texas on behalf of commercial truck accident victims and their families, including:

The #1 Largest Truck Accident Settlement in Texas
The #1 Largest Accident Verdict in Texas
$37.5 Million Truck Accident Verdict (2024)
$32 Million Settlement for Truck Accident Victim
$20 Million Settlement in Fatal 18 Wheeler Crash
$23.5 Million Settlement for Truck Accident Victim
5 of the Largest Truck Accident Settlements in Texas

Trucking companies know that once our 18 wheeler accident attorneys are involved, they only have two choices: offer a large settlement that fully compensates our clients and their families for all their injuries and damages or risk a record-setting verdict at trial — where our lawyers remain undefeated.

Having successfully represents thousands of semi-truck and commercial vehicle accident victims across Texas and the United States, our Texas Truck Accident Attorneys know what evidence to look for and how to use it to prove that the trucking company and/or driver were at fault, and also have the resources and experience to take on any trucking company and team of lawyers, no matter how large, and ensure that our clients receive the maximum compensation possible.

Texas Truck Accident Lawyers with a 100% Past Success Rate. Call 1-888-603-3636 for a Free Consult

As our track-record confirms, our Truck and 18 Wheeler Accident lawyers know how to win.

We’re able to consistently set records for our clients because we work longer and harder than our opponents, we understand how trucking companies and their team of lawyers operate, and we refuse to settle a case unless our clients are fully compensated for ALL their injuries and damages.

Because of our continued success—both inside and outside the courtroom—a majority of our client’s cases are settled for record-setting amounts before trial.

If you or a loved one were injured in a truck or 18-wheeler accident, our Undefeated Truck Accident Lawyers will hold the trucking company accountable and make sure that you and your family receive the compensation you deserve.

Call 1-888-603-3636, click the “live chat” button, or send us a confidential email through our Contact Form by Clicking Here.

All consultations are free—and you won’t pay a dime unless we win your case.

If you have been in a trucking accident in Texas, contact our Houston truck accident lawyers today.

Table of Contents

What Truck Accident Victims Say About Working With Us
Why a Track-Record of Success is Important When Hiring a Texas Truck Accident Lawyer
Truck Drivers and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations
Common Causes of Truck and 18-Wheeler Accidents
Trucking Companies Know that Our Truck Accident Lawyers Go to Trial – and Win
The Time Limit to File a Lawsuit in Texas: The Statute of Limitations in Truck Accident Cases
Increasing the Damages You Recover in a Truck or 18-Wheeler Accident
Things to Consider When Hiring an 18 Wheeler Accident Attorney
Common Injuries Suffered During Truck and Semi Accidents
Common Types of Trucking Collisions

What 18 Wheeler Accident Victims Say About Working with Us

From recovering the #1 Largest Truck Accident Settlement in Texas to ensuring that our clients receive the absolute best medical care available, our Undefeated Truck Accident Lawyers are there for you every step of the way.

To see what other Truck and 18-Wheeler Crash Victims say about their experience with us, just click on the links below or visit our Client Video Page or our YouTube Channel.

Record-Setting Wrongful Death Settlement for Family of Man Tragically Killed by 18-Wheeler
Largest Truck Accident Verdict in Texas and R&L Trucking Company’s Corporate History

Largest 18-Wheeler Accident Settlement in Texas and Oakley Trucking Company’s Corporate History

We Force Trucking Companies to Take Responsibility and Pay You the Most

Because of the repeated and unprecedented success that our truck and 18-wheeler accident lawyers have achieved for our clients, trucking companies and their lawyers take our clients and their cases much more seriously.

Why? They know that our Truck Accident Attorneys will never be outspent or overworked, that we take cases to trial—and set records, and we refuse to settle a case unless our clients and their families are fully compensated for ALL their injuries, losses and damages.

We Prove the Trucking Company and its Driver Were at Fault

When we’re hired in a semi-truck or 18-wheeler accident case, our Truck Accident Lawyers immediately obtain the truck driver’s logbook, the truck’s black box, and the ECM records and send an accident reconstruction team to inspect the scene and the vehicles involved in the crash.

This evidence not only allows our 18 Wheeler Accident Lawyers to determine whether the trucking company or its driver violated federal safety regulations and state transportation laws, but it also provides us with physical evidence that establishes how fast the truck was traveling at impact, if and when it braked, and whether the driver was fatigued or distracted at the time of impact.

We then consult with both our client’s treating doctors and our medical experts to determine the nature and severity of our client’s injuries, the doctors and specialists who are most qualified to treat them, and the cost and frequency of medical care that our clients will require in the future.

After obtaining evidence proving how the crash occurred and the effect that the crash had—and will continue to have—on our client’s health and future earning potential, we work with our experts and engineers to determine what the truck driver could and should have done to avoid the crash, and the total amount of compensation needed to ensure that our clients are able to care and provide for themselves and their families for the rest of their lives.

If the trucking company refuses to offer a settlement that fully compensates our clients and their families for their injuries and losses, we take the case to trial—where our 18-wheeler accident attorneys remain undefeated.

Contact Our Undefeated 18 Wheeler Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation at 1-888-603-3636

If you or a loved one were injured or tragically killed in a truck or 18-wheeler accident, our Semi Truck Accident Attorneys will devote whatever time and resources are necessary to hold the trucking company accountable and ensuring that you and your family are fully compensated for all your injuries and damages.

Just call 1-888-603-3636, click the “Chat Now” button, or send us a confidential email through our Contact Form.

We’ll answer your questions, explain your rights, and make sure you have the information you need to decide what’s best for you and your family.

All consultations are free, and you won’t pay us a dime unless we win your case.

We Have the Largest Truck and 18-Wheeler Accident Wins in Texas

As our track record confirms, the verdicts and settlements that our Truck Accident Lawyers have won for truck and 18-wheeler accident victims across Texas consistently set records as the largest in the state and the trucking company’s corporate history.

We’ve highlighted some of these record-setting recoveries below:

Largest Truck Accident Settlement in Texas

Ryan Zehl secured a $23,500,000 settlement, the largest Truck Accident Settlement in Texas, on behalf of a 34 year-old man who was severely injured after being hit head-on by a large commercial truck.

The settlement, which is also the largest in the company’s corporate history, will ensure that our client receives the best medical care available and is able to provide for himself and his family for the rest of his life.

To learn more about the record-setting settlement and our client’s experience working with our truck accident lawyers, watch his video testimonial by clicking here.

Record $20 Million Truck Accident Settlement for Wife of 64 Year-Old Man Tragically Killed in Head-On Crash

Ryan Zehl, Lamar DeLong, and Mike Streich recovered a record-setting $20 Million wrongful death settlement on behalf of a wife who tragically lost her 64 year-old husband when he was hit head-on by a distracted 18-wheeler driver on a two-lane FM road approximately 40 miles northeast of Houston.

The day before we started trial, the trucking company refused to offer more than $7 million to settle the case.

3 weeks later, and just minutes before we started our closing arguments, the defendant almost tripled their settlement offer to $20 million.

Record-Setting Truck Accident Settlement for Family of Man Tragically Killed by an 18-Wheeler

Our 18 Wheeler Accident Lawyers recently reached a record-setting (and confidential) settlement for our client and her 4 year-old boy after her husband was tragically killed by an 18-wheeler in Jefferson County, Texas while on his way to work.

The trucking company, the driver, and their team of lawyers initially refused to take responsibility for the tragic crash, claiming that our client’s husband was distracted by his cell phone when the collision occurred.

After several depositions and working with the Texas DPS officers who investigated the crash, our Truck Accident Attorneys not only proved that our client’s husband never used his cell phone that morning, but also that the trucking company had violated federal and state safety regulations by allowing the truck driver—who had already been on the road for over 14 hours at the time of the crash—to continue driving.

The case settled several weeks later and remains the largest wrongful death settlement in the trucking company’s history.

Largest Verdict in R&L Trucking Company’s History

Our Truck Accident Lawyers recovered the largest verdict in R&L’s corporate history after a 5-week trial against R&L Carriers, the largest privately owned trucking company in the United States. Our client was rear-ended by one of R&L’s drivers while driving on I-20, just outside of Weatherford, Texas. The impact caused her vehicle to roll-over multiple times before finally coming to a rest on the highway’s shoulder.

R&L immediately denied responsibility for the crash, offered less than $150,000 to settle the case, and called a team of over 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.”

After hearing the evidence, however, the jury disagreed with R&L’s witnesses and awarded our client punitive damages for the company’s negligence and gross negligence in failing to properly train its driver.

The verdict is the #1 Largest Verdict in R&L’s corporate history, the only case where punitive damages have been awarded against the company, and the only reported truck accident case in Texas in the past 15 years where punitive damages have been affirmed by a Texas Court of Appeals.

Record-Setting $37.5 Million Verdict in Fatal Rear-End Crash in Dallas, Texas

Our 18 wheeler accident lawyers recently obtained a record $37.5 million verdict on behalf of a family whose husband and father was killed after being rear-ended by an Oncor Electricity lineman in Dallas, Texas.

The verdict is the largest commercial motor vehicle accident verdict in Oncor’s corporate history.

Largest Settlement in Oakley Trucking Company’s History

Our Truck Accident Lawyers also obtained the #1 Largest Settlement in Oakley Trucking Company’s corporate history on behalf of a client who was rear-ended by truck driver who was distracted by his cell-phone on Christmas Eve.

The impact from the crash caused our client’s pick-up truck to rollover on the highway at over 50 mph.

Oakley initially refused to offer our client more than $125,000 to settle the case.

Less than 6 months later, Oakley settled the case with our client for over 25 times their original offer, making it the largest settlement in the trucking company’s history.

Why a Track-Record of Success is Important When Hiring a Truck Accident Lawyer

While almost every personal injury attorney claims to have experience handling truck accidents, there are very few who have actually taken a trucking company to trial—and even less who have won record-setting verdicts for their clients.

Why is that important? Because, despite what some may think, trucking cases are nothing like car accidents.

In addition to substantial differences in the size and weight of the vehicles, truck accident cases are won or lost based on the attorney’s understanding of the Federal Safety Regulations, the technology that trucking companies and their drivers use to monitor the movement, speed, fuel consumption and driving activity of the trucks, and the lawyer’s willingness and ability to take your case to trial—and win.

In addition to having won Billions for our clients, our Truck Accident Lawyers have consistently recovered the #1 largest verdicts and settlements in history against trucking and transportation companies and repeatedly distinguished our firm as the Best Truck Accident Lawyers in the United States.

Truck Drivers and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations

Unlike in ordinary car wrecks, truck accident attorneys have to thoroughly understand the hundreds of state and federal safety regulations that trucking companies and their drivers are required to follow in order to operate commercial vehicles on public roads and highways across the United States.

Many of these rules are found in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations — laws created by the United States Department of Transportation that govern every trucking company and truck driver in the United States.

The FMCSRs dictate everything from the type of training a truck driver is required to receive and the maintenance that must be performed on the truck and trailer before and after each trip, to the number of hours a driver can spend behind the wheel or “on-duty” before the driver is considered fatigued and disqualified from driving.

Having successfully represented thousands of 18-wheeler and semi-truck accident victims against the largest trucking companies in the United States, our Undefeated Truck Accident Lawyers know what evidence to look for, where to find it, and—most importantly—how to use it to hold trucking companies and their drivers accountable for seriously injuring or killing other drivers or passengers in a crash.

Common Causes of Truck and 18-Wheeler Accidents

While there are a number of factors involved in causing or contributing to truck or 18-wheeler crashes, some of the most common include:

Driver fatigue and Hours of Service Violations
Hiring inexperienced and unqualified drivers
Failing to provide proper training
Failing to perform legally required pre and post-trip vehicle inspections
Requiring drivers to drive in excess of the maximum hours permitted by federal law
Speeding, unsafe lane changes, and other traffic violations
Violations of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations
Drug use and intoxication

Winning Texas Truck Accident Lawyers: Call 1-888-603-3636 for a Free Consultation

With Billions won and the largest truck and 18-wheeler accident verdicts and settlements in history, our Truck Accident Lawyers have proven that we don’t Just Win for truck accident victims and their families – We Set Records.

If you or a loved one were injured or tragically killed by a truck or 18-wheeler, call 1-888-603-3636, click the “Chat Now” button, or send us a confidential email through our Contact Us form.

We’ll answer your questions, explain your rights, and make sure you have all the information you need to decide what’s best for you and your family.

Trucking Companies Know that Our Truck Accident Lawyers Go to Trial – and Win

The bottom line is that the trucking company, its insurance company, and their teams of attorneys will do anything to avoid paying you and your family the damages you deserve. They’ll blame you for the crash, lose important evidence, and question and downplay the seriousness of your injuries.

Following a serious accident, it’s not uncommon for trucking companies to “misplace” and destroy driving logs, training records, and other evidence that proves the company and its driver were at fault for the accident. No matter how much the trucking company and its insurer promise to make things right, you need to remember that they’re only interested in protecting their bottom line, which they achieve through paying you and your family as little as possible.

Having successfully recovered the largest truck and 18-wheeler accident verdicts and settlement in history, we know what it takes to win and have the resources and manpower to devote all the time necessary to ensure that you receive the maximum recovery possible. If the insurance company refuses to offer you and your family a settlement that fully compensates you for all your injuries and damages, our Truck Accident Lawyers won’t hesitate to take your case to trial, where our lawyers remain undefeated.

Our commitment to our clients and our refusal to accept anything less than the maximum recovery possible for our clients has allowed our attorneys to consistently win Billions — including the largest verdicts and settlements in history – for semi truck and 18-wheeler accident victims in Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and across the United States.

The Time Limit to File a Lawsuit in Texas: The Statute of Limitations in Truck Accident Cases

Under Texas law, the statute of limitations governing personal injury lawsuits – including truck and 18-wheeler accident cases – is two years. That means you must file a lawsuit within two years of the crash, even if settlement negotiations are ongoing. If you don’t, you are legally barred from doing so in the future.

Texas 18-wheeler accident victims and their families are entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and other damages when the negligence or gross negligence of the truck driver and/or the trucking company caused the crash.

Even if you’re partly to blame for the accident, it’s essential to talk to an Experienced 18 Wheeler Accident Lawyer because many states, like Texas, allow accident victims to recover as long as the trucking company or its driver is at least 50% responsible for causing the accident.

For example, if the jury finds you were 30% at fault in the truck accident, you’ll still be able to recover 70% of your damages.

Texas also allows accident victims to recover punitive damages when the trucking company or truck driver was grossly negligent in causing the crash. These damages punish the responsible party for egregious conduct, like intoxicated driving, distracted driving, inadequate training, driver fatigue, and other hazardous behavior.

While this egregious and grossly negligent conduct is often seen in truck and 18-wheeler accident cases, many law firms have never been able to recover punitive damages at trial due to the higher burden of proof needed to establish gross negligence.

Our Truck Accident Lawyers, however, have repeatedly established gross negligence and recovered punitive damages for our clients in every major truck and 18-wheeler accident case that we’ve taken to trial.

Increasing the Damages You Recover in a Truck or 18 Wheeler Accident

There are lots of personal injury law firms that advertise for truck and 18-wheeler accident cases. But the reality is, very few have actually taken big trucking and insurance companies to trial, and less than a handful have consistently set records for their truck accident victims across Texas.

Our Houston 18-Wheeler Accident Lawyers have repeatedly won the Largest Verdicts and Settlements in Texas against the biggest trucking and transportation companies in the United States.

If you or a loved one were seriously injured in a truck or 18-wheeler accident, the insurance company will never pay you the full value of your case unless you’re represented by an Experienced Truck Accident Lawyer with a track record of winning

The steps involved with filing a Truck Accident Lawsuit include:

Contact an Experienced Truck Accident Lawyer: Our Undefeated truck accident lawyers will ensure that important evidence is preserved, help you get to the best doctors and medical providers, evaluate all of your injuries to determine the amount of money you’ll need to care and provide for yourself and your family, and dedicate whatever resources are necessary to make sure that you receive the best results and largest recovery possible.
Issue a Demand Letter: After our Truck Accident Lawyers file your lawsuit, make sure you’re receiving the medical care you need, and review the documents and evidence we’ve obtained from the trucking company and our team of experts, we’ll issue a demand letter to the trucking company’s insurance carrier. That letter will specify the amount of damages that the trucking company and its insurer must pay you resolve your case before trial.
Settlement Negotiations and Trial Preparation: Given our reputation for recovering record-setting verdicts at trial, trucking companies and their insurers know our Truck Accident Attorneys will never accept an inadequate settlement and won’t hesitate to go to trial should they refuse to pay maximum compensation for all of your injuries and losses. As a result, many of our cases settle ahead of trial, and often for record amounts.
Discovery: During the discovery phase, we’ll send requests for documents and written questions, called “Interrogatories,” inquiring details of the crash, the truck driver’s and trucking company’s motor carrier safety record, the driver’s employment file, and a number of other issues that allow us to determine what the trucking company did wrong and how it contributed to the crash. Once we receive the driver’s and trucking company’s written responses, which we often have to force through filing motions with the court, we’ll start taking depositions of the truck driver, the trucking company’s safety director, any witnesses to the crash, your doctors, and anyone else with information relevant to how and why the crash occurred or the injuries and losses suffered by you and your family. The discovery phase, which typically lasts between 2 to 4 months, provides our 18 Wheeler Accident Lawyers with the evidence needed to establish that the truck driver and trucking company were at fault, as well as guide the amount of damages we’ll seek on your behalf through settlement or at trial.
Mediation: Many Texas courts require the parties to participate in alternative dispute resolution before trial. This usually takes the form of mediation, in which a neutral third-party called a “mediator” attempts to negotiate a cash settlement before trial.
Trial: If the parties are unable to reach a settlement before the scheduled trial date, the lawsuit will go to trial. Depending on the complexity of the case and the number of witnesses involved, truck accident trials typically last between 1 and 3 weeks. During trial, it’s not uncommon for the trucking company’s lawyers or their insurance adjusters to continue trying to settle the case before the jury returns with their verdict. If a settlement is reached, the judge ends the trial, dismisses the jury, and finalizes your settlement.

Because of the serious hazards that 18-wheelers and other commercial trucks pose to other drivers and passengers on the road, trucking companies and their drivers are required to comply with a complex set of federal, state, and local safety regulations that govern everything from the number of hours that truck drivers can spend on duty and driving to the background checks that trucking companies must conduct on their drivers and the inspection and maintenance they must perform on their fleet.

These regulations are called the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and provide the foundation for your case against both the truck driver and the trucking company.

We’ve identified some of regulations that are most commonly involved in truck and 18 wheeler accident cases below:

Hours of Service: federal law prohibits commercial truck drivers that drive across state lines from driving more than 11 hours in a 24 hour period. They must also keep electronic logbooks that document the number of hours they’ve been on duty, the number of hours they’ve been driving, and the number of hours they’ve spent resting and off-duty in the past 24 hours. These logs allow the trucking company to ensure that their drivers are in compliance with federal law and ensure that the truck drivers are not driving while fatigued
Vehicle Maintenance Requirements: Drivers and trucking companies must ensure their vehicles are regularly inspected, adequately maintained, and safe to drive. The trucking company is required, by federal law, to keep up to date records of safety inspections, routine maintenance, and any repairs
Hiring and Training Requirements:Trucking companies are required, under federal law, to perform extensive background checks on and provide comprehensive training to every driver before they start driving for the company. Once they’re hired, federal law requires the trucking companies to both continue providing ongoing safety training and to monitor the driving records of all their drivers on an annual basis
Drugs and Alcohol Use:Commercial truck drivers are prohibited from using drugs or alcohol while driving or within 8 hours of going “on duty.” The trucking companies must also perform drug testing when it hires a new driver and continue randomly testing at least 50 percent of their drivers for both drugs and alcohol each year
Sleep Disorders and Driving with Fatigued: Federal law prohibits 18-wheeler and commercial truck drivers from getting behind the wheel if illness or fatigue prevents them from operating the vehicle safely. The trucking company is required to monitor their drivers’ alertness by examining the driver’s daily hours of service, schedule, and electronic logs. If the driver is or could become fatigued while driving, federal safety regulations require the company to prohibit the driver from driving until they’ve received between 10 and 36 hours of rest.

Having successfully represented thousands of truck and 18-wheeler accident victims in Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and across the United States, our Houston Truck Accident Lawyers have a thorough understanding of the federal and state regulations that apply to the commercial trucking industry, as well as the tactics trucking companies and their insurers use to avoid taking responsibility for a crash. We know what evidence we need to prove your case, where to find it, and, most importantly, how to force the trucking company to give it to us.

Things to Consider When Hiring an 18 Wheeler Accident Attorney

Truck accident cases are far more complex than ordinary auto accidents. Not every personal injury lawyer has the knowledge, resources, and experience to take on large trucking companies and their teams of lawyers. When choosing a truck accident attorney, you want a law firm with a track record of recent (and substantial) verdicts and settlements in truck and 18-wheeler accident cases against large trucking and transportation companies.

We offer free consultations to truck accident victims. During this consultation, you’ll be able to discuss the specifics of your accident and the attorneys’ experience with similar cases.

Some questions you might want to ask include:

How many truck accident cases have you handled? What were the results?
Have you taken truck accident cases to trial? How often do you win?
Have you represented truck accident victims with my types of injuries?
Do I have a winning case and what do you think it’s worth?
How quickly does your office respond to emails, text messages, and phone calls?
How long do you expect my case to take to resolve?
How much will I pay and when?

Unlike many other law firms, our business is based on maximizing our clients’ recoveries, not on volume. By limiting the number of clients that we represent, we’re able to devote our full resources to each and every one of our clients, all of the time. From sign-up to settlement, we’re with you every step of the way.

Common Injuries Suffered During Truck and Semi Accidents

Because 18-wheelers and semi-trucks are so much larger and heavier than other vehicles, crashes between commercial trucks and ordinary passenger vehicles are far more likely to cause severe and even fatal injuries. Some of the most common injuries sustained during an accident with a big rig include:

Spinal Cord Injuries: A spinal cord injury could result in partial, temporary, or complete paralysis to the lower body and torso, resulting in life-long pain and suffering. Even with years of treatments, surgeries, physical therapy, and surgically implanted medical devices, many victims will remain permanently disabled for the rest of their lives. Because damage to the spinal cord isn’t always apparent, truck accident victims need to seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Head and Traumatic Brain Injuries: Head injuries may range from minor bruises and mild concussions to a traumatic brain injury resulting in life-long cognitive impairment and loss of motor function. Severe brain injury can occur even without direct trauma to the head and may not be apparent immediately after a crash.
Internal Bleeding: Blunt force trauma can cause bleeding to vital internal organs. Because these injuries are difficult to detect and treat, you should seek immediate medical attention, even if you don’t think you’re injured at the scene.
Burns: It only takes oxygen and a spark to ignite a fuel tank that’s ruptured during a truck or 18-wheeler accident. If the fires spreads to other vehicles, the drivers, passengers, and everyone else in the vicinity of the crash are at risk of severe or fatal burns.
Fractures: fractures are common injuries after a commercial truck collision. It’s not unusual for truck accident victims to sustain broken bones and/or herniated discs in the cervical or lumbar spine due to the forces and momentum involved in the crash.
Amputations: Crushing injuries, ejections, and other traumatic crashes can result in injuries so severe they result in or require amputation. Amputees require long-term medical treatment and attendant (nursing) care, as well as prosthetics to ambulate and function in daily life.

After a truck or 18-wheeler accident, your financial security depends on whether or not you’re fully compensated for all of your injuries and losses. When you hire our Undefeated Truck Accident Lawyers, you can rest assured that we will never accept an inadequate settlement offer and will always be prepared to take your case to trial to recover the maximum compensation for you and your family.

Common Types of Trucking Accidents

Although commercial trucking is an essential component of our economy, big rigs pose a serious threat to others on the road. Just about any truck accident can cause significant property damage and catastrophic injury to multiple innocent victims.

Five of the most common types of truck collisions include:

Jackknife Truck Accidents: Jackknifing occurs when a tractor-trailer folds into itself, forming a 90-degree angle with the trailer. Jackknife truck accidents often occur when a truck driver must brake hard to stop quickly.
Rear-End Collisions: Distracted driving, driver fatigue, speeding, and tailgating are some of the many types of reckless conduct that can cause a big rig to rear-end another vehicle.
Underride Crashes: Underride crashes occur when a smaller passenger vehicle rear-ends a larger commercial truck and slides under the back of the trailer.
Side-Impact Crashes: T-bone or side-impact crashes often occur when a truck driver is distracted, fatigued, or impaired and speeds through a red light or stop sign at an intersection. Other drivers and their passengers are likely to suffer catastrophic injuries when the full weight of a big rig smashes into the side of a smaller vehicle.
Cargo-Related Accidents: Cargo-related crashes are usually the result of improperly secured loads and overloaded trucks. Cargo may shift during transport, causing the trucker to lose control of his rig and swerve into another lane. Cargo shifts can also cause an 18-wheeler to tip, rollover, and crush adjacent vehicles. If the truck does tip over, the load may spill out onto the roadway, creating a serious hazard for any approaching traffic.

Undefeated Texas Truck Crash Lawyers: Call 1-888-603-3636 for a Free Consult

With Billions and the #1 Largest Truck and 18-Wheeler Accident Settlements in History, our Undefeated Texas Truck Accident Lawyers have consistently demonstrated that we don’t just win for truck and 18-wheeler accident victims – We Set Records.

If you or a loved one were injured or tragically killed in a trucking accident, call our Truck Accident Attorneys at 1-888-603-3636, use the chat feature on our website, or click here to send us a confidential email through our Contact Us form.

We’ll answer all your questions, explain your rights and options, and provide you with all the information you need to decide what’s best for you and your family.

All consultations are free, and you won’t pay a dime unless we win your case.

Helpful Resources for Truck & 18-Wheeler Accidents

Recent Zehl & Associates Truck Accident Verdicts & Settlements:

$37.5 Million Verdict

Recent Review:

5/5 Stars

“10 stars need to be allowed! My journey with Ryan and his amazing group of Bulldogs who will never stop fighting for you! My story and nightmare began when I was rear-ended by a speeding 18 wheeler on the interstate in a construction zone. That day will be forever etched in my memory and if I wouldn’t have had Ryan & associates, I know for a fact this wouldn’t have ended with a happy ending. My life will forever be changed by this wreck. I was completely in agonizing pain and angry and unable to figure out what I was supposed to do. I was able to always call and even email and feel assured always and that made such a difference. I had to have surgery’s and do physical therapy and see doctors and never had to worry about these Bill’s Ryan and staff handled all my appointments flights medicine I was able to heal and not stress or at least try to. This group never waivered and ALWAYS had my back and never once gave me doubt! My trial was in Dallas Texas and 6 weeks long the 2nd worst time in my life and I was taken care of by Ryan and his amazing associates. We won everything I mean everything from the beginning to the Supreme court and this is the outcome of dedicated and caring attorneys and staff. Judgement was $8,088,669. We also received punitive damages of $5,000,000, which is something that hasn’t happened in Texas in 20 years. this is why you want Ryan in your corner he will fight for you and do everything in his power to get you justice! Pre and post judgments interest is another million. I would never want anyone to experience loss and pain in their life, but I will say if you ever need a truck accident attorney, Please call Zehl & Associates and let them do what they do and get you justice. I’ve had a 7-year relationship with this wonderful group and they made a horribly painful process a lot easier and I trust them! Thank you”

Bobbie M Bush