Truck Accident Questions
What should I do after a truck accident?
Exchange contact information and take pictures – if you are able to, post-accident, exchange names, telephone numbers, and insurance information with the other driver. If you have a camera or cellular phone, take pictures of the accident scene from various viewpoints as this may serve you later if a lawsuit is filed. Read More
Why are truck accidents typically more injurious than passenger vehicle accidents?
Truck accidents are more likely than passenger cars to cause serious injuries or fatalities. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety indicates 70 percent of the people who die in these truck crashes are occupants of other vehicles, rather than the truck. Read More
What types of vehicles are considered commercial or transport vehicles?
Whether a vehicle is a commercial vehicle or not also matters because there are generally higher minimum insurance liability limits for commercial or transport vehicles than for passenger cars. This results in more funds available to compensate victims. Read More
What should a truck driver do after an accident?
- Stop the vehicle and pull off to the side of the road if the vehicle is not incapacitated
- Call first responders to administer aid and complete and investigation
- If able, place cones, flares, and warning triangles at scene to serve as a warning to oncoming traffic
- Do not admit fault in the accident
Who can I sue in a truck accident?
Victims may file a lawsuit against a driver if the crash victim can prove the driver was unreasonably careless and/or was in violation of federal or state trucking safety rules. There are a wide variety of specific rules to which truckers and trucking companies must adhere to in order to keep the driving public out of harm’s way. Read More
What are the most common types of injuries suffered as a result of a truck accident?
Truck accidents have the propensity to caus`e severe injuries and even death due to the size and weight of trucks and the resulting force of the crash. Severe truck accident injuries are most likely to be suffered not by people in the truck, but by those in passenger vehicles who are involved in a crash with the truck. Read More
How is fault determined in a truck accident?
There are three entities that play a role in the determination of fault:
- Law enforcement
- Insurance companies
- Court system
Is the truck driver automatically at fault if he/she rear-ends another vehicle?
It is a misconception that the person who rear-ends another is automatically to blame for an accident. In the state of Texas, specifically, liability can be apportioned. This means that after a review of all evidence from the accident, all, a portion, or none of the liability can be assigned to either driver. This also means that a truck driver can rear-end a passenger vehicle and be assigned only a portion of the blame as determined by the evidence presented as part of the accident investigation. Read More
What happens when someone dies in a truck accident?
In Texas, 2014 saw 3,189 fatal accidents resulting in 3,534 deaths; up 3.7% from 2013.
Drivers who unintentionally cause accidents that result in the deaths of passengers, occupants of other cars, or pedestrians may find themselves charged with a crime. If you are involved in an accident in which you were the driver of a vehicle and someone dies, it is advisable to seek legal counsel as soon as possible. Read More
How much is my truck accident worth?
Because each case is unique, the answer to that question will vary with each accident. Usually, settlement worth is separated into two financial categories:
- Non-economic Losses – also known as General Damages, include those things not as easily quantifiable such as pain and suffering, anxiety, stress, and the overall, long-term, negative impact of the accident on the victim’s daily life.
- Economic Losses – also known as Special Damages, are easier to quantify in that they include costs of medical treatment, lost wages, property damage, and out-of-pocket costs associated with the accident.
How long after a truck accident can I file a claim?
In Texas car accident cases, there are usually three types of claims; personal injury, property damage, and wrongful death. Each carries a two year statute of limitations. A statute of limitations is the period of time you have to file a claim. In the case of filing suit for an injury claim in Texas, the statute of limitations is two years from the date of injury. Read More
Need more help?
An experienced Austin truck accident attorney from Loewy Law Firm can help after a serious trucking accident. Contact us today to learn more.