In 2017 data from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) reported fatal truck accidents for the State of Texas. Although pickup trucks accounted for more accidents last year, the severity of injuries is much higher with large trucks.
- Pickup trucks: statewide 1303, rural routes 770, and urban streets 533
- Semi-trailers: statewide 433, rural routes 284, and urban roads 49
- Trucks: statewide 126, rural routes 62, and urban streets 64
At the end of 2016 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Fatality Analysis Reporting System(FARS) stated fatal crashes by vehicle configuration. Trucks were defined with a gross weight rating greater than 10,000 pounds.
- 62 percent involved semi-trailers
- 16 percent involved single unit 2 axles
- 10 percent involved single unit 3+ axles
When It's Time to Talk to An Attorney
Under Texas law, both an employed driver operating a vehicle and their employer may be held accountable for all of the damages and injuries incurred.
Cain Firm is built on a foundation of protecting our client's rights. Our role in trucking accidents is to identify the cause of negligence. Our ultimate goal is to seek compensation to relieve our client's financial burdens and restore a standard of living.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents
Truck accidents are responsible for severe injuries, numerous fatalities, and property damages due to the weight and force of moving motor vehicles. If you have been in an accident, Cain Firm is prepared to begin the investigation for you.
Listed are some of the most common causes of truck accidents:
- Speeding is a serious safety violation for any motor vehicle. Because it takes longer for a large truck to stop, insufficient reaction time can cause a truck to collide with other vehicles, jackknife, or swerve into other lanes of traffic.
- Distractions consist of using a cell phone, eating, or drinking while driving, or merely tuning the radio. These activities deter a driver's attention away from the road, triggering an accident.
- Inadequate driver credentials or incomplete training contribute to accidents in handling a large vehicle, whether it's unfamiliar territory, unexpected road debris, or weather conditions.
- Fatigue happens. According to federal laws, limitations are imposed when driving short trips or long-distances. Drivers are required to take breaks. On-duty driving schedules beyond sixty to seventy hours over a period of seven or eight days is not allowed.
- Truck maintenance routines are critical and mandated. Primary causes for truck accidents are wear and tear of engines, tires, and braking systems. Substandard maintenance for trucks is a violation.
- Improper loading includes the distribution of weight for the cargo or lack of securing the payload in place. Unbalanced forces can cause the truck's cab to lose control of the vehicle, prompting an accident.
Contact our Granbury Truck Wreck Lawyer
If you've been injured in a truck wreck, you need strong legal representation. At Cain Firm, our experienced Granbury truck wreck lawyer has defended clients vigorously and helped achieve outcomes in favor of each individual. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation. In the initial consultation Brett Cain will sit down with you and discuss the details of your case, advising on the best legal course of action.
Why Do We Focus On Serious Injury Cases?
What Our Clients Say About Us...
Recent Case Results
A driver operating his vehicle with excessive speed in bad weather lost control and struck the vehicle of our clients, a family. Our clients suffered severe, though fortunately not life-threatening, injuries as a result of the crash.
The plaintiff, a small business owner, suffered injuries when her vehicle was struck by the defendant. The defendant was held accountable in this case.
Our client, a grandmother, suffered injury to her left upper arm and right gluteus maximus in an auto accident. Although she underwent surgery for her injuries, she had difficulty walking afterwards, and trouble sleeping at night. The other driver was found to be negligent and responsible for both the accident and injury to our client.
A husband, father, and family provider was riding his motorcycle on the way to his first day of a new job when the dangerous decisions of the driver of a sedan and an 18-wheeler ended his life. Everyone pointed fingers at one another, but in the end, all parties involved in the accident were held responsible for the wrongful death of this young man.
While driving another person’s car, a driver made a reckless right turn at excessive speeds, striking a vehicle in which our client was the passenger. Law enforcement cited the driver for these violations. Our client suffered breast, hip, abdomen, and pelvic pain.
The matriarch of a Texas family lost her life due to the poor decisions of a college student who was driving too fast for the weather conditions. A young driver’s sports car spun out of control, crossed over the highway divide, and entered directly into a grandmother’s lane of travel. There was nothing that she could have done to avoid the collision. Many times, it’s not the damage caused by the accident, but the aftermath of losing a cherished family member that hurts the most.
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