2 Million People are Injured in Car Accidents Every Year in the US
As Austin’s oldest and most established personal injury law firm, we have been handling truck crashes for six decades. Put our decades of experience to work for you.
The people who suffer the most severe injuries in commercial truck accidents are not the truck drivers but the victims who are in the other vehicles involved in the truck crash.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that out of the nearly 4,000 people who died in the U.S. in truck accidents during one recent year:
There is a reason for this: The tractor-trailers (or 18-wheelers) we encounter on our roads are massive. They often weigh 20 to 30 times as much as passenger vehicles. They also have greater ground clearance. Smaller vehicles can readily “underride” a semi when a crash occurs.
As we have seen at Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson, LLP, most of these commercial truck accidents should never happen in the first place. They result from careless decisions made by truckers, trucking companies and others in the trucking industry.
Our personal injury lawyers help truck accident victims and their families in Austin and throughout Texas hold negligent parties accountable. We are committed to aggressively pursuing all compensation our clients are due.
Our personal injury firm offers experienced litigators who are well-versed in the many complex issues involved in commercial truck accident cases. We bring more than 60 years of personal injury and wrongful death law experience to the clients we serve and a record of delivering positive results.
Our truck accident lawyers have received high praise, accolades and ratings from Martindale-Hubbell, Texas Super Lawyers in Texas Monthly magazine, Best Lawyers in U.S. News & World Report, and others. We encourage you to read their profiles and learn more about their highly professional, compassionate and ethical approach to serving clients.
If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a collision with a commercial truck, we want to help you. Taking immediate action is crucial. Commercial trucking accidents require swift action to safeguard important evidence, including inspections of the vehicles involved before they can be tampered with. Connect with us today for a consultation. We can discuss your case at our Austin office by phone or at a location that is most convenient for you.
Truck Accident Case Testimonial
“I hired Don to represent my three-year-old son who sustained a permanent brain injury resulting from a collision between an automobile and a passenger bus. In what became a rather complicated case, which eventually went to trial after several years, Don displayed the knowledge, ethics and passion for which he is known.”
— Raif C, bus accident client
Our experience with cases involving large commercial trucks and 18-wheelers makes a difference for our clients. There are many causes of trucking accidents in Texas. We understand the many challenging aspects of these cases, including:
The accident lawyers of Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson, LLP, will use their skill, knowledge and resources to tackle these issues and pursue maximum compensation for you and your family through a truck accident settlement or verdict. We may also consult with highly qualified experts in accident reconstruction, engineering, trucking industry safety standards and other fields.
If you were severely injured in a truck accident due to a truck driver or trucking company’s negligence, you could be entitled to significant compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses. You need a skilled personal injury attorney who has a long track record of successfully representing truck accident victims. At Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson, LLP, we know how to build a strong case and seek all types of compensation for injured clients.
Truck accident cases often involve several layers of complexity. A dedicated truck accident attorney can guide you through every stage of your injury claim and handle all of the legal legwork so you can take the time you need to focus on your recovery and heal.
A truck accident lawyer can also handle all communications and negotiations with the insurance companies. Insurance adjusters may use various tactics to try to get you to take the smallest payout possible. For example, they may try to get you to make a recorded statement or say something that could potentially be used to minimize your claim. Your attorney will be able to prevent that from happening. They’ll leverage the strength of the case they develop on your behalf to assertively negotiate for the full compensation you’re due.
When you work with an attorney at our firm, you can feel confident that your case is in the best possible hands.
At Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson, LLP, we have experience handling numerous different types of truck accidents. Common types of truck accidents we see include:
Also known as front-end collisions, head-on collisions are some of the most serious truck accidents that occur. A truck can be involved in this type of crash for a variety of reasons. A truck driver is more likely to crash head-on with a passenger vehicle when their brakes malfunction, they ignore traffic signs or stop signs, or they fail to exercise caution when overtaking a vehicle. Many head-on crashes also occur when a truck driver is speeding.
When passenger vehicles need to brake quickly, it can be challenging for large commercial trucks to slow down in time to avoid an accident if they don’t leave themselves enough space between vehicles. It’s recommended that truck drivers leave a five-second gap or more to avoid one of these accidents. If you see a truck tailgating you, pull over and allow them to pass. Rear-end crashes are caused by a number of negligent driving behaviors on the part of the truck drivers, including tailgating, distracted driving, impaired driving, and improper lane change.
Jackknife accidents can occur if the truck driver loses control of the truck and the trailer swings out at a 90-degree angle, forming a “V” shape similar to a pocketknife or jackknife. For example, if the truck driver brakes suddenly, the trailer could begin to swing wide into the path of other vehicles, posing a serious threat to everyone on the road. These dangerous accidents can result in serious injuries or fatalities.
Jackknife accidents sometimes happen when a driver loses control on a slippery surface or fails to use caution during bad weather. Jackknife accidents also happen when a truck driver fails to use caution when approaching a curve.
Commercial trucks have a considerably higher ground clearance than smaller passenger vehicles. In an underride crash, a passenger vehicle slides underneath a tractor-trailer from behind or from the side. This typically flattens the passenger compartment or even shears off the top of the car, seriously injuring or killing the occupants in the vehicle. Underride crashes are often fatal for those in the passenger vehicle. For those who do survive, their injuries are often life-changing.
A rollover accident occurs when the truck’s wheels lose contact with the road, and the truck ends up on its side or upside down because of its high center of gravity. These types of accidents often occur when a truck driver takes a turn too quickly or when the driver loses control of the truck as a result of speeding. These accidents are among the most fatal for truck drivers and anyone else involved.
Sometimes truck drivers sideswipe a passenger vehicle when they make a faulty move while traveling in the same direction and in an adjacent lane. They may also cause sideswipes when they enter your lane while traveling in the opposite direction.
Because the tires of commercial trucks are placed under an extreme amount of stress, it’s crucial that the tires are monitored for wear and tear and replaced in a timely manner. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for a tire blowout to occur. Tire blowouts can cause a truck driver to lose control of the truck. The blown-out tire itself can obstruct other vehicles and lead to catastrophic accidents.
When a truck’s cargo is improperly loaded or improperly secured, the cargo could shift during transit and abruptly change the truck’s center of gravity, which could cause the truck driver to lose control. If the cargo is not strapped down properly on a flatbed trailer or the straps break, the load could slide off the trailer. A load falling in the road can cause serious damage to other vehicles on the sides of and behind the truck.
Because of the huge discrepancy in size and weight between large commercial trucks and passenger vehicles, victims of large truck accidents can suffer serious or fatal injuries. Common truck accident injuries include:
At Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson, LLP, we understand the severe impact of these injuries on victims and their families. We want to help them move on with their lives with a feeling of security.
In your truck accident case, we can seek damages that may include compensation for:
We prepare cases for success in the courtroom. When the other parties in a truck accident case see that we are ready to win in court, we believe, they will be more likely to offer a settlement that justly compensates our client.
If you have been seriously injured or lost a loved one in a traffic crash with a large commercial truck, it is important to consult with a skilled and knowledgeable Austin truck accident lawyer as soon as possible.
When you work with Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson, LLP, you will receive personal attention directly from your attorney. You can count on our firm to work diligently in the pursuit of a favorable outcome for you and your family.
We founded our firm 60 years ago on the principles of honesty, integrity, hard work and professionalism. We continue that tradition today.
Contact us to discuss your case in a timely consultation.
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Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson, LLP
8911 N Capital of Texas Hwy
Bldg 3, Ste 3150
Austin, TX 78759
Phone: 512-593-7650
Fax: 512-451-5857