A crash with an 18-wheeler, box truck, or delivery van can leave you with serious injuries, mounting medical bills, and a trucking company that moves quickly to protect itself. If you were hurt on I-35, or another San Marcos roadway, an experienced truck accident lawyer can investigate what happened, identify every responsible party, and pursue the compensation you may be owed while you focus on healing.
Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson, LLP is Austin’s oldest plaintiff’s personal injury law firm, founded in 1959, and our truck accident lawyers bring that same courtroom experience to commercial truck cases throughout San Marcos and Hays County. As San Marcos personal injury attorneys, we know how trucking companies and their insurers respond after a wreck, and we are prepared to present a strong case to a jury when a fair settlement is not offered.
Why Truck Accidents Differ From Other Crashes
A loaded tractor-trailer weighs many times more than a passenger car, so even a low-speed collision can cause catastrophic injuries. That’s why commercial trucks are regulated by state and federal laws. As I-35 runs through San Marcos, hundreds of commercial trucks share the road with commuters, outlet mall shoppers, and river visitors every day.
The scale of the risk shows up in national numbers. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration data shows Texas recorded 691 fatal crashes involving large trucks in 2022, more than any other state. Commercial truck wreck claims also differ from ordinary car accident claims because several parties may share responsibility, including the driver, the trucking company, a cargo loader, or a maintenance contractor. Under the rule of vicarious liability, a company may be held responsible for what its driver does on the job.
Common Causes of Truck Crashes Near San Marcos
Trucking crashes often trace back to preventable choices by drivers or the companies behind them. Our attorneys look closely for causes such as:
- driver fatigue from long shifts or tight delivery schedules
- speeding or following too closely on I-35
- distracted driving, including phone use
- worn brakes, bad tires, or other poor maintenance
- unbalanced, overloaded, or unsecured cargo
- violations of federal trucking safety rules
Fatigue deserves special attention, because a trucking company may share liability when it pushes a driver past safe limits. Federal trucking regulations set hours-of-service and inspection standards, and a violation of those rules can become important evidence. Smaller commercial vehicles cause serious wrecks as well, including crashes involving delivery truck drivers working under tight schedules.
What to Do After a Truck Accident in San Marcos
Your first priority is your health, so call 911 and get medical care even if your symptoms seem minor, because some injuries take time to appear. If you are able, take photos of the vehicles, the road, and any visible injuries, and collect contact details from witnesses and the truck driver.
Avoid admitting fault or giving a recorded statement to the trucking company’s insurer before you speak with a lawyer. Insurers often make early offers lower than what a claim is actually worth, and signing a release usually closes the door on additional compensation. A call to a truck accident lawyer before you sign anything can help you avoid costly mistakes.
How We Build a San Marcos Truck Accident Case
Truck cases depend on evidence that can disappear quickly. Our attorneys move quickly to preserve black box data, driver logs, maintenance records, inspection reports, and any available dashcam footage before they are overwritten or lost. When a case calls for it, we work with accident reconstruction professionals and medical providers to show how the crash happened and how it changed your life.
Depending on the facts, you may be able to pursue damages after a commercial truck crash for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and property damage. When a truck crash takes a life, surviving family members may be able to bring a wrongful death claim. We also handle communication with the insurance company so you can concentrate on your recovery.
Texas Deadlines and Fault Rules That Affect Your Claim
In most Texas personal injury cases, you have two years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit, and the deadline in a wrongful death case is two years from the date of death. Missing the statute of limitations deadline usually means losing the right to recover compensation, so do not hesitate to speak with a lawyer.
Texas also follows modified comparative negligence. You may still recover compensation if you were not more than 50 percent responsible for the crash, although your recovery is reduced by your share of fault. Trucking insurers often try to shift blame onto the injured driver, so having a trial lawyer who can prove liability helps protect the value of your claim.
Contact Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson, LLP About Your Truck Accident Case
Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson, LLP has helped injured Texans for more than 60 years, and we do not advertise on television or billboards because we are not a volume practice. Our partners Robert Alden and Kevin Henrichson are both Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and Robert is also Board Certified in Civil Trial Law. We are the only Austin-based personal injury firm ranked by Chambers, and our attorneys are listed in Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers.
We handle truck accident cases on a contingency fee basis, so you pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. Review our case results to see the trial-tested approach we bring to clients across Central Texas. Schedule a free consultation today by completing our online contact form.