Irving Truck Accident Lawyer

Several major highways run through and around Irving, Texas, including I-635, SH-114, SH-161, and SH-183.  These and other Irving highways are heavily traveled by massive, powerful 18-wheelers and other commercial trucks, which can cause terrible, potentially fatal accidents if the driver fails to pay attention and obey traffic laws.

Financial compensation may be available to the survivors of commercial trucking accidents in Irving, as well as the surviving spouses and family members of wrongful death victims.

If you lost a loved one to a careless or reckless truck driver, or if you were hurt in a truck crash in Irving, the experienced personal injury lawyers of Queenan Law can fight for compensation on your behalf.  To discuss your personal injury claim or wrongful death case in a free case evaluation, call our law offices at (817) 476-1797.

Were You Injured in an 18-Wheeler Wreck on SH-183 or I-635 in Irving, TX?

Unfortunately, 18-wheeler accidents tend to result in extremely serious injuries.  Commercial vehicles are much heavier and more powerful than passenger vehicles, so if a collision occurs, safety devices such as airbags and seatbelts may be unable to prevent debilitating injuries from occurring. Our decades as personal injury attorneys in Irving, Texas have afforded us very extensive experience with all types of injuries.  We are familiar with the medical expenses various injuries can lead to, and know what types of complications victims may experience during the recovery process. We bring our detailed knowledge of medical expenses to every claim and lawsuit we handle in order to maximize the value of your case.  Our objective is to see that you receive the compensation you need to get high quality care for your injuries.

Types of injury claims we handle in truck accident cases include, but are not limited to:

• Amputation
• Back Injuries
• Bleeding
• Blunt Force Trauma
• Broken Bones
• Burn Injuries
• Concussions
• Cuts and Lacerations
• Dislocated Joints
• Facial Injuries
• Head Injuries
• Neck Injuries
• Nerve Damage
• Organ Damage
• Paralysis
• Permanent Scarring
• Skin Abrasion (“Road Rash”)
• Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI)
• Sprains and Strains (Soft Tissue Injuries)
• Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)
• Whiplash
• Wrongful Death

How to Sue Trucking Companies for Injuries in Irving, TX

When you are hit by a truck, it may be possible to file a lawsuit against the trucking company.  Typically, auto accident lawsuits are filed against the driver who directly caused the crash – which would mean the driver of the truck instead of the trucking company.  However, trucking companies can be sued under a few conditions.  Your Irving truck accident attorney can help you figure out if you can sue the trucking company in your case.

Suing a Truck Driver’s Employer

Employers are typically held liable for mistakes their employees make on the job.  The same is true in the case of negligence that causes injuries.  Trucking companies can typically be held responsible for their employees’ mistakes behind the wheel under a rule called “respondeat superior.”  This legal doctrine allows employers to be sued when their employees commit negligence during the scope of their job duties, i.e., while driving (in the case of truck drivers).  This means you can sue the trucking company alongside their driver.

Unfortunately, this does not work in every case.  Many truck drivers are employed as independent contractors, or they are independent owner-operators who are essentially their own trucking business.  These drivers are not employees, so this rule does not apply to them, and there is no trucking company you can sue for the driver’s mistakes.  However, all drivers are required to carry auto insurance, and these drivers typically carry additional insurance to cover accidents and property damage.  This means there is still usually coverage available for your injuries.

Suing for Negligent Hiring and Retention

Trucking companies are responsible for who they decide to hire and place behind the wheel.  Companies should screen their potential hires for safety.  Any drivers that have a history of causing serious crashes, driving under the influence, or assaulting others with a vehicle should be rejected as applicants.  When trucking companies hire these drivers anyway or fail to run background checks, they could be held liable for negligent hiring.

Similarly, trucking companies should not keep bad drivers on staff.  If a driver caused a serious crash or was arrested for DUI, but then the trucking company kept them on as a driver, they could be liable for any future issues.  By that point, they were on notice that the truck driver was dangerous, so they are responsible for later mistakes their driver might cause.

Suing for Accidents Caused by Equipment Failure

When trucking companies hire drivers, they often furnish them with trucks from their own fleet.  Some truckers own their own trucks but still work for companies – though many truckers working as employees at a trucking company use a vehicle from the company’s fleet.  Trucking companies are responsible for maintaining their fleet of vehicles, so any malfunctions or equipment issues are typically their fault.

Sometimes, trucking companies may be able to shift the blame to third-party companies such as the maintenance company that repaired or performed work on their trucks or the manufacturer of the truck.  However, you may be able to initially sue the trucking company, then they can go back to court later after you get paid, and they can determine whether someone else shared liability with them.

Suing for Trucking Regulation Violations

Many trucking companies encourage their drivers to break the law in order to meet deadlines and deliver more cargo.  Trucks are not allowed to exceed weight limits, and drivers are usually limited in the number of hours they can drive.  Some trucking companies have been held responsible for refusing to pay drivers unless they falsified driving logs to hide the overages.  Companies also overload trucks beyond their weight limit or require unmeetable deadlines, pushing drivers to violate rules.  If these regulations were violated at the trucking company’s bidding, that could give you cause to sue them for the resulting accidents and injuries.

How Truck Accidents Happen in Irving, TX

Many truck accidents happen in the same sorts of ways that other car accidents happen.  Others can be pinned on issues that are somewhat unique to large trucks and 18-wheelers.  No matter how your accident happened, our Irving truck accident attorneys may be able to investigate the crash and work to hold the at-fault driver and trucking company responsible for your injuries.

Speeding

Many truck accidents are caused by speeding drivers.  Some companies put speed limiters in their trucks so their drivers cannot go over the speed limit, but others encourage drivers to speed to meet short deadlines.  In any case, speeding is against the law, and truckers can typically be held liable for injuries they cause because of their speeding.

Drugged Driving and DUI

Many truck drivers rely on drugs to keep alert during long shifts.  This could include reliance on illegal drugs like cocaine, but it may also involve reliance on prescription drugs such as Adderall.  In any case where drug use impaired the driver’s ability to handle a vehicle safely, they could be held liable for the resulting crash.

Alcohol is more clear-cut: driving with too much alcohol in your system is illegal.  While some drugs might be allowed, such as prescription drugs, too much alcohol is always illegal.  Drivers might rely on a few beers to give them a “buzz” on long shifts, but that could make them unsafe behind the wheel.

Fishtailing and Jackknife Crashes

When cargo is improperly loaded in the trailer of a tractor-trailer, the trailer can begin to sway side to side.  Sometimes drivers can get this under control by slowing down or adjusting their steering.  Other times, it results in the trailer folding against the cab, causing the truck to crash without actually hitting anything.  This often causes the truck to collide with other cars on the road – or it blocks traffic and causes other drivers to crash into the truck.  In many cases, trucking companies and drivers can be held liable for improperly loaded cargo if such mistakes led to the crash.

How Much Compensation Can a Truck Crash Victim Get from a Lawsuit or Settlement?

Without knowing the details of the accident in which you were injured, it is impossible to provide an estimate of what your claim or case may be worth.  In order to get a clear idea of the value of your case, you will need to speak with a knowledgeable Irving 18-wheeler accident attorney who has experience handling these types of cases. Truck drivers, trucking companies, and other parties may be held liable for injuries and fatalities that are caused by accidents resulting from recklessness or negligence.  Negligence is a complex concept that involves a few different elements, but put simply, it is the careless failure to take the actions that were necessary to avoid a foreseeable accident.  Some examples of ways a trucker or trucking company may be negligent or reckless include:

• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
• Driving while fatigued, or falling asleep behind the wheel.
• Failing to check mirrors for other vehicles.
• Failing to inspect and repair trucks with defective parts.
• Failing to signal properly.
• Failing to secure external cargo, such as lumber, which can fly off a truck and strike a nearby vehicle, injuring the driver or passengers inside.
• Hiring drivers with records of DUI or auto accidents.
• Ignoring red lights or stop signs, or violating other traffic laws.
• Speeding excessively.
• Tailgating (following other drivers too closely).

Your attorney’s role is to prove that the trucker, and, in some cases, additional parties, acted with negligence, leading to an accident and the resulting injuries or fatalities.  In order to prove that a truck driver was negligent, your attorney can analyze evidence such as medical records, photographs of the accident site and vehicle damage, security camera footage, eyewitness testimony, vehicle maintenance records, and other pieces of information.

Irving Truck Accident Attorneys Handling Wrongful Death and Injury Claims

When you are represented by the Irving big rig accident lawyers of Queenan Law, you can expect personalized, compassionate representation and around-the-clock support.  You are not just another case to us; you are a person who was wronged and deserves justice for the suffering you and your loved ones have been forced to endure.  We know how difficult it can be to truly heal when you do not have a sense of closure, so we work aggressively to hold careless truckers accountable for their actions. Queenan Law handles all types of Irving truck crashes, including but not limited to:

• Chain Reaction Accidents
• Head-On Collisions
• Highway Accidents
• I-635
• Loop 12
• SH-114
• SH-161 (President George Bush Turnpike)
• SH-183
• Lane Change Accidents
• Off-Ramp Accidents
• Parking Lot Accidents
• Rear-End Collisions
• Rollover Accidents
• Sideswipe Accidents
• T-Bone Collisions

For a free case review, call Queenan Law at (817) 476-1797.  If you cannot travel due to your injuries, we can come to your location in Irving.