Truck accident statistics show that every year 18-wheeler truck accidents injure over 150,000 people and kill over 5,000. As many drivers have observed, Texas has its fair share of 18 wheelers. We have successfully represented injured persons in Houston and across Texas who were injured as a result of serious trucking accidents.
18 wheeler semi accidents should not be handled the same way as a normal car wreck. There are many regulations that apply to trucks and trucking companies which do not apply to the average driver. It is critical that 18 wheeler car wrecks are handled by an attorney who has an in depth understanding and experience in handling these matters. In most instances, the trucking companies hire top notch truck accident attorneys who can easily out maneuver a lawyer who is not familiar with the specific truck accident law in this area and does not have experience in how to handle truck accident law.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) established the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) which govern interstate trucking operations. Intra-state trucking operations are usually covered by State law which closely mirrors the FMCSR. These regulations are extremely detailed and complicated. It is critical that a trucking accident attorney handling a truck wreck case have a backwards and forwards understanding of the FMCSR and State law.
For example, the FMCSR have extensive rules regarding the following areas:
Without a serious and comprehensive understanding of the above regulations (as well as many others) the attorney simply would not be prepared to fight the insurance company's well experienced and aggressive lawyers.
We file numerous 18 wheeler accidents every year. Insurance companies have access to Court filings and they know that when we file a lawsuit, it is not our first time around the block.
We receive many of our 18 wheeler truck wreck cases as referrals from other law firms. This is because we have a proven track record of obtaining favorable results for our clients – and other lawyers know it.
It is critical that persons injured in a truck wreck hire an appropriate attorney as quickly as possible. Unlike the average car wreck, there is usually a great deal of evidence that can only be obtained shortly after the accident. We work to obtain the black box data from the truck and send our professional trucking experts to inspect the damaged vehicles as soon as possible. In many cases, extremely valuable information is obtained in our expert's initial investigation.