Injured as a Passenger in an Austin 18 Wheeler Accident? Carabin Shaw Attorneys Can Help

Over one-third of all commercial vehicle crashes in Austin, Texas, result in injury. And when an 18-wheeler is involved, you might witness especially alarming wreckage, scattered debris, and multiple rushing emergency vehicles. If you were a passenger in a vehicle that collided with a semi-truck, a lawyer can help clear the confusion of the legal process that follows the initial chaos.

To prove the impact of a commercial driver’s negligence, the Austin truck accident attorneys at Carabin Shaw gather the details of your crash. Their investigation focuses on evidence for two key points: the extent of your injuries and the accident’s cause.

The Federal Highway Administration uses the KABCO scale to classify accident severity. The scale consists of five levels of crash injury:

• Fatal injury
• Suspected serious (such as a laceration or broken bone)
• Suspected minor (bruises, cuts, and other small injuries)
• Possible (pain, nausea, or complaint unaccompanied by physical evidence)
• None

The report of a possible or minor injury in an 18 wheeler collision in Austin TX can still serve as early evidence of more severe issues emerging later. That’s why it’s so important to report and receive medical care for all concerns, even those that seem small when post-accident adrenaline is high.

Your attorney notes whether the following serious injury risks contributed to your Austin 18-wheeler accident:

• Multi-lane roads like I-35
• Highway curves
• Lack of curbs
• Speeds above 40 miles per hour
• Work zone on shoulder or median

These factors are associated with higher likelihood of serious injury, but many adverse conditions—like wet surfaces or traffic—can actually make big rig drivers more cautious. Therefore, negligence often plays a bigger role when environmental conditions are favorable.

As a passenger, you have several options for pursuing compensation. Your Austin 18 wheeler passenger injury lawyer helps you follow these typical steps:

1. File insurance claims against at-fault parties. In a commercial vehicle accident, you have a higher likelihood of recovering full compensation when the company who owns the 18-wheeler covers the driver’s actions.
2. If insurance denies fault or provides insufficient coverage, pursue a personal injury lawsuit. Your legal claim is likely based on negligence, but our team also builds valid cases against someone’s intentional harm, product defects, and wrongful death.
3. Settle your case out of court, the most common resolution in personal injury litigation.

Finally, you may take your case to court for justice, if you decide it’s worth the cost, time, and risk of an unfavorable ruling.

Carabin Shaw reviews highlight the value of experienced guidance when choosing which course of action to take. Your team helps you find a legal solution that maximizes financial support and counteracts your less tangible losses. On top of that, we offer our services on a contingency-fee basis, so you don’t incur high upfront fees that are difficult to pay.

Even minor injuries can require lengthy recovery times, and actual financial losses stack up quickly. You should seek damages for anticipated future medical care, such as lengthy rehabilitation. In addition, consider your loss of earning capacity, especially if you have lasting impairments that affect your working life.

The distress of injury often isn’t quantifiable through bills or paychecks, but your Austin 18 wheeler accident attorney knows how to calculate this type of damage. Pain, suffering, and disfigurement are a few examples of non-economic damages you might recover in insurance or legal claims.

Our English and Spanish-speaking staff is available 24/7. Call the toll-free number 800-862-1260 to take control of a situation that left you vulnerable as a faultless passenger. Schedule a free initial consultation with our Austin-based team today!

For more information:

• DOI.org
• TX DOT
• FHWA