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Austin Truck Accident Attorneys

Legally reviewed by the attorneys at Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson, LLP on June 15, 2026

A fully loaded commercial truck can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, turning even a minor collision into a life-altering event for the people in smaller vehicles nearby. When a tractor-trailer, delivery van, or tanker collides with a passenger car on an Austin highway, the physics alone guarantee devastating consequences. Texas leads every other state in the country for truck crash fatalities, and the volume of freight moving through Central Texas means local drivers face this danger every single day. If a truck crash has turned your life upside down, you deserve an advocate who understands the complexity these cases demand.

Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson, LLP has been protecting injured Texans since 1959, making us Austin’s oldest personal injury law firm. Our attorneys are Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law, and we have spent decades holding trucking companies, fleet operators, and negligent drivers accountable. We are true trial lawyers with over $100 million recovered for our clients. When trucking companies and their insurers refuse to offer a fair settlement, we have the courtroom experience to take the fight to a jury.

⚠ Time-Sensitive — Texas Law Limits Your Window to File

Injured in an Austin truck accident? Texas gives you two years from the date of your crash to file a claim. After that window closes, your right to sue may be gone permanently.

Board Certified personal injury trial lawyers serving Austin since 1959. Over $100 million recovered, a 98% success rate, and no fees unless we win.

Why Truck Crashes in Texas Demand Experienced Legal Representation

Commercial vehicle collisions are fundamentally different from standard car accidents. Trucking companies employ teams of adjusters, defense attorneys, and accident reconstruction specialists who begin building their case within hours of a crash. Critical evidence, including electronic logging device data, driver qualification files, and onboard camera footage, can disappear quickly if no one acts to preserve it. An experienced truck crash attorney knows exactly which records to request and how to compel their production before they are altered or destroyed.

Federal and State Regulations Add Layers of Complexity

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration sets strict rules governing driver hours of service, vehicle maintenance, cargo securement, and drug and alcohol testing. According to the FMCSA’s Pocket Guide to Large Truck and Bus Statistics, thousands of large truck crashes occur across the country each year, and Texas consistently records the highest number of fatal incidents among all 50 states. When a carrier or driver violates these federal safety standards, that violation can serve as powerful evidence of negligence. Our legal team investigates each case thoroughly, examining compliance records and safety audits to identify every responsible party.

Multiple Parties May Share Liability

Truck crash claims often involve more than just the driver behind the wheel. The trucking company, the freight broker, the cargo loader, the vehicle manufacturer, and even a maintenance provider may all bear responsibility. Identifying and pursuing every liable party is essential to maximizing your compensation, and it requires attorneys who understand the causes of trucking wrecks in Texas and the industry practices that contribute to them.

Types of Truck Crashes We Handle

Our firm represents clients across a wide range of commercial vehicle collision cases. Whether the crash involved an 18-wheeler on a major interstate or a delivery truck navigating a residential neighborhood, we bring the same level of diligence and preparation to every claim. The types of truck crash cases we handle include:

  • Tractor-trailer collisions: jackknife accidents, rollovers, underride crashes, and rear-end collisions involving semi-trucks and big rigs on highways and rural roads
  • Corporate fleet crashes: incidents involving Amazon delivery vans, UPS trucks, FedEx vehicles, and other branded fleet operators whose drivers are often under intense scheduling pressure
  • Tanker and hazmat incidents: collisions involving fuel tankers, chemical transport vehicles, and other hazardous cargo carriers that can cause fires, explosions, and toxic exposure
  • Overloaded or improperly loaded trucks: crashes caused by shifting cargo, overweight loads, or improperly secured freight that compromises vehicle stability and braking capacity

Each of these scenarios involves distinct evidence, unique regulatory frameworks, and specific theories of liability that our attorneys are prepared to pursue aggressively.

Common Causes of Truck Crashes in Texas

Most commercial truck crashes trace back to preventable failures by the driver, the carrier, or the companies responsible for maintaining and loading the vehicle. Identifying the true cause is what separates a full recovery from a lowball settlement, and it is where decades of trucking litigation experience matters. The most common causes our attorneys see in Austin truck crash cases include:

Driver Fatigue and Hours of Service ViolationsDrivers pushed past federal hours of service limits to meet delivery deadlines, often falsifying logs to stay on the road.
Distracted and Impaired DrivingTexting, dispatch devices, and drug or alcohol use behind the wheel of an 80,000 pound vehicle.
Mechanical FailuresWorn brakes, tire blowouts, and skipped maintenance that a carrier should have caught during required inspections.
Improper Loading and Overweight CargoShifting freight and overloaded trailers that compromise braking distance and vehicle stability.
Speeding and Aggressive DrivingExcessive speed for road and weather conditions, which dramatically lengthens the distance a loaded truck needs to stop.
Inadequate Driver Training and HiringCarriers who put undertrained or unqualified drivers on the road to fill seats quickly.

Because a single crash can involve several of these failures at once, our team preserves and reviews the causes of trucking wrecks in Texas from every angle before deciding how to build your claim.

Common Injuries in Austin Truck Crashes

The size disparity between a loaded commercial truck and a passenger vehicle means the people in the smaller car almost always absorb the worst of the impact. Truck crash injuries tend to be severe, long lasting, and expensive to treat. Victims of Austin truck crashes frequently suffer:

  • Traumatic brain injuries: concussions and more severe brain trauma that can permanently affect memory, mood, and daily function
  • Spinal cord injuries: damage that can lead to partial or complete paralysis and a lifetime of care
  • Broken bones and crush injuries: multiple fractures of the limbs, ribs, hips, and pelvis that often require surgery
  • Burn injuries: serious burns from fuel fires and hazardous cargo, especially in tanker collisions
  • Internal injuries and organ damage: internal bleeding and organ trauma that may not be obvious immediately after the crash

When injuries are permanent or fatal, the financial and emotional consequences reach far beyond the initial hospital stay, which is why full compensation must account for future care, not just current bills.

What to Do After a Truck Crash in Austin

The steps you take in the hours and days after a truck crash can protect both your health and your right to compensation. If you are able to act at the scene and afterward, keep these priorities in mind:

  1. Call 911 and get medical care. Report the crash and accept evaluation even if you feel fine, because serious injuries often surface hours or days later.
  2. Document the scene if you safely can. Photograph the vehicles, the truck’s markings and license plate, road conditions, and your visible injuries.
  3. Get the driver and carrier information. Record the trucking company name, the driver’s details, and any insurance information available.
  4. Do not give a recorded statement to the insurer. Trucking insurers move quickly, and early statements are often used to shift blame onto you.
  5. Contact a truck crash attorney promptly. The sooner a lawyer sends a preservation letter, the less chance critical evidence like logs and camera footage is lost.

Acting quickly matters because the electronic and physical evidence that proves fault in a trucking case can disappear within days if no one demands that it be preserved.

Is Texas an At-Fault State for Truck Crashes

Texas is an at-fault state, which means the party responsible for causing the crash, and their insurer, is responsible for the resulting damages. Texas also follows a modified comparative negligence rule. Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 33, you can still recover compensation as long as you are found to be 50 percent or less at fault for the crash, though your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault. If you are found to be 51 percent or more at fault, you are barred from recovering anything.

Trucking companies and their insurers know this rule well, and they often try to shift blame onto injured drivers to push them past the 50 percent line. Building a clear, evidence-backed account of how the crash happened is one of the most important things a truck crash attorney does to protect your recovery.

Meet the Attorneys at Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson

Truck crash cases are won by trial lawyers who trucking companies know will take a case to a jury. At Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson, LLP, your case is handled by partners who are both Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, a distinction held by only a small percentage of Texas attorneys.

Robert Alden is a partner at the firm and is Board Certified in both Personal Injury Trial Law and Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He brings decades of courtroom experience to complex commercial vehicle cases.

Kevin Henrichson is a partner at the firm and is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He has spent his career representing injured Texans against trucking companies, fleet operators, and their insurers.

Founded in 1959, Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson is the oldest personal injury law firm in Austin. Learn more about our firm and the trial lawyers who will stand beside you.

Damages You Can Recover After a Truck Crash

Truck collisions frequently produce catastrophic injuries that require long-term medical care, multiple surgeries, and extended rehabilitation. The financial toll can be overwhelming, and the emotional impact on families is immeasurable. Texas law allows truck crash victims to pursue compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, diminished earning capacity, physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, and disfigurement. When a truck crash results in the wrongful death of a loved one, surviving family members may be entitled to additional damages, including loss of companionship, funeral costs, and the financial support the deceased would have provided.

How We Build a Strong Case for Maximum Compensation

We do not rely on surface-level police reports to tell the full story. Our team works with accident reconstructionists, medical experts, economists, and industry safety consultants to build a comprehensive picture of how the crash occurred and the full scope of its impact on your life. We secure black box data, driver logs, maintenance records, hiring files, and dispatch communications. This thorough approach is what allows us to negotiate from a position of strength or present an airtight case at trial.

Contact Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson, LLP for a Consultation Today

You should not have to navigate the aftermath of a truck crash alone, and you should never settle for less than your case is worth simply because a trucking company’s insurer pressured you into a quick resolution. Our firm operates on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay no fees unless we win your case. With over 65 years of experience, Board Certified attorneys, and recognition from U.S. News & World Report as one of the Best Law Firms in the country, we have the resources and reputation to stand toe-to-toe with the largest trucking companies and their insurers.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a truck crash in Austin or anywhere in Texas, contact us today for a free consultation. Let our trial-tested attorneys evaluate your case, protect your rights, and pursue the full compensation you and your family deserve.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Truck Accidents in Austin

In Texas, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims — including truck accident cases — is two years from the date of the crash. However, truck accident cases require action far sooner than that deadline suggests. Electronic logging device data can be overwritten after six months, and black box information disappears quickly if not preserved through a legal hold. At Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson, we recommend contacting our Austin office as soon as possible after your crash so we can move to secure critical evidence before it is lost.
Your first priority is your safety and medical care — call 911 and do not refuse medical treatment at the scene. Once you are safe, document everything you can: photograph the vehicles, road conditions, skid marks, and any visible injuries. Collect the truck driver’s name, trucking company name, insurance information, and license plate number. Do not provide a recorded statement to any insurance company before speaking with an attorney. Trucking companies often dispatch investigators to the scene within hours, so contacting Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson quickly can make a significant difference in protecting your claim.
Yes. Trucking companies are often liable in addition to — or instead of — the individual driver. Under the legal doctrine of vicarious liability, a company is responsible for negligent acts their drivers commit within the scope of employment. Companies also face direct liability for their own failures: negligent hiring, inadequate driver training, lax maintenance programs, or pressuring drivers to violate hours-of-service regulations. In many truck accident cases we handle in Austin, multiple parties share fault, and identifying all of them is essential to maximizing your recovery.
Truck accident cases involve far more complexity than standard car accident claims. Commercial carriers are governed by extensive federal FMCSA regulations covering driver qualifications, hours of service, vehicle maintenance, and cargo loading — violations of which can serve as direct evidence of negligence. Multiple parties may share liability, including the driver, the trucking company, cargo loaders, and equipment manufacturers. The insurance policies involved are also significantly larger, which means insurers fight much harder to minimize payouts. Our Austin truck accident attorneys have over 65 years of experience handling these high-stakes cases across Texas.
Most truck accident cases resolve through settlement negotiations before trial. However, trucking companies and their insurers are experienced adversaries who take a harder line when they believe an opposing attorney will settle for less than full value. At Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson, our attorneys are true trial lawyers — the opposing side knows we are fully prepared and willing to go to court. That reputation consistently leads to stronger settlement outcomes for our clients. If an insurer refuses to offer fair compensation, we will not hesitate to take your case to trial.

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