Trusted Lewisville Truck Accident Attorneys Ready To Fight For You
Texas Is the Deadliest State for Truck Accidents
Semi-trucks are integral to the U.S. economy. Truck drivers spend the majority of their time on the highway, carrying goods across the country. While every state has its share of large highways, no state has as many fatal truck accidents as Texas. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 13% of all fatal truck accidents occur in Texas. For example, in 2019, there were 517 fatal Texas truck accidents.
Of course, not every truck accident ends in a fatality. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, there were over 1,780 truck accidents in 2020 in Tarrant County alone. Of those, more than 350 resulted in serious injury to one or more occupants.
Causes of Lewisville Truck Accidents
In some ways, truck accidents are similar to other motor vehicle collisions. However, certain aspects of the trucking industry increase the risk of accidents. Trucking companies want to ensure that goods arrive on time and, to do this, pay drivers by the mile. Thus, truck drivers face tremendous pressure to cover as much distance as they can each day. As a result, the following types of accidents are the most common.
Drowsy Driving
Federal law regulates the amount of time a truck driver can spend on the road without taking a break. Truck drivers must take short breaks every few hours and can only drive a certain number of hours per day. Additionally, truckers must take longer breaks in between trips to ensure they are well-rested.
However, these regulations conflict with truck drivers’ financial incentives to drive as many miles a day as they can. Thus, it is relatively common for truck drives to falsify rest logs. When a trucker is tired, their reaction time increases, and their sense of judgment becomes compromised. This can increase the chances of a Lewisville truck accident.
Impaired Driving
When a truck driver feels the signs of fatigue setting in, they have a few options. They should pull over to the side of the road and take a nap. However, sometimes, truckers take over-the-counter or illegal drugs to stay awake. While these drugs may help keep a truck driver alert in the short term, they also compromise the trucker’s ability to safely operate the vehicle. Further, once the effects of the drug wear off, the truck driver often experiences a “crash” in their energy level.
Distracted Driving
For most motorists, the thought of spending eight hours on the road for several days straight sounds incredibly boring. It’s no different for truck drivers. To combat the boredom that naturally sets in after a few hours on the road, truck drivers frequently engage in activities that can remove their attention from the road. For example, calling or texting friends and family, playing games on their phone, scrolling social media, or even watching television. Naturally, when a truck driver is distracted, the chances of a Lewisville truck accident greatly increases.
Common Injuries in a Lewisville Truck Accident
Semi-trucks and other large commercial vehicles can weigh up to 80,000 pounds when fully loaded, and reach lengths of more than 70 feet. Given the size of these trucks, it’s no surprise that they are capable of causing tremendous damage when involved in an accident. Some of the most common injuries in a Lewisville truck accident case include the following:
- Broken bones,
- Burns,
- Head (including traumatic brain injuries),
- Neck injuries,
- Disc injuries,
- Spinal cord injuries,
- Soft-tissue damage, and
- Internal organ damage.
While some accident-related injuries are immediately apparent, that is not always the case. Thus, it is common for an accident victim to think they lucked out in avoiding injury, only to realize days or weeks later that something isn’t right. For this reason, it is important to visit the emergency room, urgent care facility, or your primary care doctor as soon as possible after a Lewisville truck accident.
How Are Damages Calculated in Truck Accident Cases?
Those who successfully bring a Lewisville truck accident claim are eligible to receive compensation for their accident-related expenses. When determining the appropriate amount of damages, courts consider an accident victim’s economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages are those expenses directly related to the accident. For example, courts commonly include the following types of economic damages in Lewisville truck accident lawsuits:
- Medical bills;
- Future medical expenses;
- Lost wages;
- Decrease in earning capacity; and
- Property damage.
Non-economic damages, on the other hand, provide accident victims compensation for the less tangible injuries that resulted from the accident. While non-economic damages are harder to pinpoint because they are somewhat subjective, they are crucial to a full recovery. Some of the non-economic damages available in a Lewisville truck accident include:
- Disability;
- Disfigurement;
- Physical pain and suffering; and
- Emotional distress.
Accident victims can prove economic damages quite easily by presenting receipts and invoices for medical treatment, for example. However, non-economic damages require an accident victim to tell a compelling story about how the accident impacted their life. At the Hartley Law Firm, our Lewisville truck accident lawyers have extensive experience negotiating with insurance companies and litigating truck accident cases at trial. With their help, you can rest assured that your case is in good hands.
Who Is Liable in a Lewisville Truck Accident?
After a serious truck accident, injury victims may wonder where to turn to for compensation. While the truck driver responsible for the accident is a natural first choice, what happens if the trucker doesn’t have the assets necessary to fully compensate an accident victim? In most cases, trucking companies are liable for the negligent actions of truck drivers. These trucking companies have insurance policies that provide ample coverage in most cases. However, dealing with a large insurance company after an accident can be overwhelming. Those injured in a Lewisville truck accident should consider reaching out to an experienced Lewisville truck accident attorney who can handle all negotiations with the insurance company.
Contact the Skilled Lewisville Truck Accident Lawyers at Harley Law Firm
Frequently Asked Questions:
How Long Do I Have to Bring a Truck Accident Lawsuit in Texas?
Texas law has a general two-year statute of limitations for most personal injury cases. Thus, the law requires accident victims to file a truck accident case within two years of the accident date. However, it is best not to wait until the statute of limitations time is almost upon you before filing a claim, as a case filed even a day too late will prevent you from recovering anything for your injuries.
Should I Accept a Settlement Offer from the Truck Driver’s Insurance Company?
Most personal injury lawsuits, including truck accident cases, resolve through an out-of-court settlement agreement. However, that does not mean that you should accept the first offer the insurance company makes. Insurance companies routinely low-ball accident victims early on in the process when they know you may not have had the time to look into what your case may be worth. The best practice is to speak with an experienced Lewisville truck accident attorneys to discuss the accident, your injuries, and what you should expect from an insurance company settlement offer.
