Commercial Vehicle Accidents in Texas VS. Auto Accidents

If you have been injured in an 18 wheeler accident near Dallas Texas, you are likely considering legal action. You may have been in accidents involving passenger vehicles that you were able to settle through insurance, but a commercial vehicle accident is much different. Truck accidents can cause more severe injury and vehicle damage as well as present more legal complications. An accident involving an 18 wheeler, truck, or other commercial vehicle may prove overwhelming to manage while victims recover from injuries and other damage.

Carabin Shaw’s team of truck accident lawyers in Dallas is here to help. Outlined below are a few key differences between general auto accidents and commercial vehicle accidents. Read over this information, and give our law office a call at 1-800-862-1260 now for a free case review and initial consultation to discuss the specifics of your potential injury claim.

Accidents involving commercial vehicles differ greatly from those involving only passenger vehicles, and the process of pursuing a personal injury claim after an 18 wheeler crash in Dallas may be very different from experiences you’ve had with more minor accidents. Some of these differences include:

Passenger vehicle accidents, especially at high speeds, can cause serious injuries. However, due to the sheer mass of commercial motor vehicles (CMV), a CMV accident is more likely to result in devastating injuries such as:

• Lacerations
• Broken bones
• Concussion, whiplash, and CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy)
• Disfigurement
• Loss of mobility

If you have suffered from any of the above or have experienced another serious truck accident injury in Dallas, look for a personal injury lawyer to help you pursue a claim as soon as possible.

Liability is simple in a passenger vehicle accident. The liable party will be either one driver, both drivers, or neither. However, a CMV accident introduces another party: the driver’s employer.

Commercial drivers are employed by trucking companies, who have the responsibility of ensuring to their best ability that their drivers will operate with the utmost care. A negligent act on the part of the driver can often indicate similar negligence on the part of their employer.

Some ways that an employer can be a liable party after an 18 wheeler crash in Dallas include:

• Failure to ensure that the driver holds a Commercial Driver License (CDL)
• Failure to perform adequate background checks on drivers
• Encouraging drivers to under-report hours driven on timesheets, which can lead to exhaustion
• Failure to properly inspect and maintain vehicles
• Failure to provide driver with the equipment necessary to secure potentially hazardous cargo

If you believe that any of the above could have been a factor in your accident, contact a truck accident lawyer in Dallas to help you determine liability.

If you have been involved in a minor accident in Dallas Texas with another passenger vehicle, you likely settled it one of two ways: by filing an insurance report, or with an exchange of cash and a handshake agreement after assessing the damage. You probably did not have to involve an attorney.

After a truck accident injury in Dallas, you will likely need professional legal representation. You might not only be requesting a settlement for damages to your vehicle, but for hospital bills, which can be much more expensive. You will likely face opposition from your opponent and their insurer as they face a more significant financial threat.

For this reason, an attorney with experience in truck accident litigation will be essential. A skilled lawyer will be able to help you name a specific number for your damages and to negotiate an appropriate settlement. Keep in mind that your opposition will likely have extensive legal representation at the ready, and, without counsel of your own, you could easily find your claim to be unsuccessful.

If you are still unsure about commercial vehicle accidents in Texas versus auto accidents or what your next step should be if you have recently been involved in a collision, call Carabin Shaw today at 1-800-862-1260. Our law firm offers a free consultation to discuss whether or not your case is likely to be viable and what your next steps should be.