Personal Injury Lawyer in Houston, Texas: Understanding Trucking Company Liability

Truck accidents cause serious harm, extended recuperation period, and great monetary loss. Truck accidents do not always happen because of fault on the part of the driver. Very often, the trucking company is also at fault. Having an understanding of how trucking company liability works allows victims to recover a full compensation.

What Trucking Company Liability Means

Truck companies have a legal obligation to make their trucks safe and their drivers qualified. If they do not, they are liable for accidents their trucks create. That is truck company liability. Liability is the company being held financially and legally accountable for injury, damage, or death which has occurred as a result of their negligence.

Examples of the typical methods by which a truck company would be liable include:

• Using incompetent or unsafe drivers
• Failure to adequately train drivers
• Forcing drivers to drive more than over-the-road hours-of-service regulations
• Ignoring truck maintenance or repair work
• Bad management or risky company policies

If one is involved in a wreck due to these actions, the trucking company — and not the driver — can be sued.

Common Reasons Truck Accidents Occur Due to Company Negligence

The most frequent causes of truck accidents are company policy or decision. The most frequent causes that are directly related to trucking company negligence are as follows:

1. Driver Fatigue – Some companies make drivers drive for more hours than regulation. Fatigue slows down reaction time and creates fatal mistakes.
2. Maintenance – Faulty brakes, tires requiring replacement, and defective lights are the leading causes of accidents. It is the company’s duty to ensure that they are inspected on a regular basis.
3. Overloaded Trucks – It is difficult to halt overladen trucks and the control is poor if trucks are overloaded.
4. Reckless Hiring – Recruiters at times hire drivers with poor safety history or without proper licensing.
5. Improper Training – Driving a commercial truck is an art. Risk-taking driving errors occur due to improper training.

Where such careless practices result in injury, the trucking company could be held liable for medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering.

How a Houston Personal Injury Attorney Proves Trucking Company Negligence

Car crash claims are complicated. They are accompanied by federal trucking regulations, multiple insurance policies, and corporate lawyers on the corporation’s behalf. It’s the job of the Houston personal injury lawyer to find the proof.

This is how an attorney develops a solid case:

• Finding Company Records – Rummaging through records of hiring, training, and safety checks.
• Examining the Driver’s Log – Hours-of-service logs dictate whether the driver was overworked or fatigued.
• Truck Inspection – For mechanical failure or evidence of faulty maintenance.
• Black Box Analysis – Computer data records speed, braking, and other vital data before crash.
• All Parties Concerned Who Were at Fault – Truck owner, maintenance company, or shipper are implicated in some instances.

Schechter, Shaffer & Harris, LLP – Accident & Injury Attorneys weaves all the evidence pieces together to prove company negligence and push maximum settlement.

Why Victims Need to Act Fast

The timing of the lawsuit is crucial in truck cases because the trucking companies operate quickly to protect themselves. The truck can be repaired or replaced, evidence can be altered or destroyed, or victims can be intimidated into accepting low settlements. Most personal injury cases in Texas are governed by a two-year statute of limitations measured from the date of accident. If you wait until this period has expired, you have lost the right to recoup damages. An attorney preserves evidence and makes claims before the time exceeds. The case is stronger if you act immediately and the company cannot cover up the facts.

Damages Victims Can Recover

Truck accident victims of negligent companies can recover for:

• Medical expenses and future medical care
• Lost wages and diminished earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Mental distress
• Property damage
• Wrongful death (for the relatives of accident fatality victims)

No two are alike. Extent depends on extent of injury, liability evidence, and long-term impact.

The Role of Federal Trucking Regulations

Trucking is governed by regulations under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The regulations provide hours of service standards, inspection of maintenance, and driver standards. When a company breaks such laws, it is liable for punishment and blame in case of accidents. For instance, if a company does not inspect brakes or allows drivers to work over working hours prescribed by the law, such evidence confirms the victim’s claim. A Houston personal injury attorney knows such a law and applies it to establish how the corporation broke the law and injured other individuals.

Why It Is Crucial to Hire a Houston Truck Accident Lawyer

Houston truck crash cases differ from automobile accidents. The injuries are more severe, and the challenges are more legal. Truck company insurance companies have the best-of-the-best law firms representing their bottom line. A Houston truck accident attorney from a law firm levels the playing field for victims. The lawyer handles all the negotiations, the gathering of evidence, and the talking. They are trained to battle the defenses of the company and negotiate the biggest settlement. They also free victims from settling for too little less than what they deserve. Victims are able to focus on recovering with the right legal support rather than battling with corporate insurance companies.

Most Important Things to Do After a Truck Accident

Following a truck accident, do the following in order to safeguard your rights:

• Call the police – Obtain an official accident report.
• Seek medical treatment – Even when injuries appear to be minor.
• Take pictures – Record damage, injuries, and road hazards.
• Obtain facts – Obtain driver and business facts.
• Avoid speaking with company representatives – They will attempt to minimize fault.

Contact a Houston personal injury lawyer – Prompt legal advice makes or breaks your case.

Final Thoughts

Trucking companies owe themselves and others a safe ride. When they fail to do so, innocent lives are lost. A Houston truck accident lawyer battles victims against companies and gets them what is rightfully theirs. If you or a loved one was hurt in a truck accident, don’t go it alone. Legal representation can bring justice and monetary compensation.

FAQs About Trucking Company Liability and Houston Injury Lawyers

1. How do I know whether the trucking company was responsible for my crash?

Your lawyer can review such things as driver logs, maintenance records, and company policies. When companies violate safety rules, they are responsible.

2. If the driver was an independent contractor, what then?

Though not an employee, the business operating in the business capacity can be held accountable. Businesses have routes, schedules, and safety policies, which engender responsibility.

3. What is the length of a truck accident case in Houston?

Cases are different. Simple cases can take months. Free cases involving serious injury or corporate obstinacy can take more than one year.

4. Are you still entitled to a recovery if you were even partially at fault?

Yes. Texas has “modified comparative fault.” You may recover damages if you were less than 51% at fault, but your recovery is reduced by the degree of your fault.

5. What do I need to take with me when I go to my initial appointment with a personal injury lawyer?

Take along your medical records, accident photos, police report, witness contact information, and insurance documents. These enable the attorney to begin working on your case immediately.