Truck Accidents

San Antonio sees more truck accidents than most other cities in the U.S. If you were injured in an accident involving a 18-wheeler or commercial truck, we will fight to win you maximum compensation.

San Antonio Truck Accident Lawyer

Being involved in a truck accident in San Antonio can be a life-changing event. These accidents often cause serious injuries and leave victims dealing with physical pain, emotional stress, and financial challenges. If you’ve been injured in a truck accident, you may have questions about what to do next, how to cover your medical bills, and how to get the compensation you deserve.

Why You Need a San Antonio Truck Accident Lawyer

Truck accidents can be more complicated than regular car accidents because they often involve multiple parties, like the truck driver, the trucking company, and even the truck’s manufacturer. Each of these parties might try to avoid responsibility, making it harder for you to get fair compensation. A skilled San Antonio truck accident lawyer can help you navigate this complex process. They know the laws that apply to truck accidents and can handle negotiations with insurance companies on your behalf.

 

What a San Antonio Truck Accident Lawyer Can Do for You

  • Investigate the Accident: A truck accident lawyer will gather evidence, such as police reports, witness statements, and any available video footage, to build a strong case.
  • Handle Insurance Companies: Insurance companies often try to settle for less than you deserve. A lawyer can handle all communications with the insurance companies to make sure you get fair compensation.
  • Determine Liability: Truck accidents can involve multiple responsible parties. Your lawyer will identify who is liable and hold them accountable.
  • Pursue Compensation: This can include medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages. Your lawyer will fight to get you the full amount you are owed.
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Don’t Let The Insurance Company Take Advantage of You
If you have been injured, you deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, you deserve to make informed decisions, and you deserve the opportunity to enforce your legal rights. The physical, emotional, and financial consequences of a truck crash can impact your life for years to come. We are here to protect you against the insurance companies and make sure you have the support and financial resources you need now and in the future.

Important Facts About 18-Wheeler AccidentsSan Antonio truck accident lawyer

The number of 18-wheeler accidents in the United States has been increasing every year since 2009. Each year, over 100,000 people are hurt in truck and bus accidents, and thousands of these accidents result in unnecessary deaths. Statistics from the Department of Transportation show that Texas has more truck accidents than any other state by a wide margin. On average, more than one person loses their life each day in Texas due to commercial truck or 18-wheeler accidents.

There are several reasons why the rate of serious and fatal truck accidents is so high, especially in Texas. Commercial trucks are heavy, difficult to handle, and take a long time to stop. Mistakes made by trucking companies and drivers, such as not securing cargo properly or driving for too many hours without a break, can lead to devastating accidents. Texas is also home to the West Texas oil fields and the Port of Houston, which handle huge volumes of cargo. With San Antonio acting as a key gateway on some of the nation’s busiest trucking routes, the high level of truck traffic makes accidents more likely.

Contact a San Antonio Truck Accident Lawyer Right Away

If you want to recover financial compensation after an 18-wheeler accident, it’s crucial to start an investigation as soon as possible. Evidence can quickly disappear, witnesses’ memories may fade, and your chance to prove who was at fault could be lost. When you reach out to us, we’ll arrange to meet with you as soon as possible—often on the same day you call. If you decide to hire us, we’ll start investigating right away to gather the evidence needed to support your claim and secure your financial recovery.

When investigating truck accidents in San Antonio or throughout Texas, some of the issues we look for include:

  • Truck Driver Negligence – Truck drivers sometimes engage in risky behaviors that can lead to accidents. This includes speeding, merging into other vehicles’ blind spots, following too closely, driving while distracted, and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and driving while fatigued. These forms of negligence are common causes of 18-wheeler collisions.
  • Cargo Loading Errors – Improperly loaded cargo can make it hard for truck drivers to maintain control of their vehicles and can cause cargo to spill onto the road. Mistakes like failing to secure cargo properly, not pressurizing liquid cargo, unevenly distributing weight, and exceeding a truck’s weight limit can lead to serious accidents and injuries.
  • Safety Violations – In addition to Texas traffic laws that apply to all drivers, truck drivers and trucking companies must follow strict federal safety regulations. These include rules that limit how many hours a truck driver can work without taking a break, which are meant to reduce the risk of accidents caused by fatigue and other safety issues.
  • Truck Defects or Inadequate Maintenance – Problems with the truck itself, such as defects or lack of proper maintenance, are also common causes of serious accidents. Faulty brakes, worn-out tires, and other mechanical issues can lead to dangerous situations on the road. We investigate all potential truck-related issues that might give our clients the right to seek financial compensation.
  • Trucking Company Negligence – Besides issues like cargo loading errors, safety violations, and poor truck maintenance, trucking companies can be held responsible for other types of negligence. This includes hiring drivers without enough experience and not properly training their drivers. These mistakes can put everyone on the road at risk.
  • Passenger Vehicle Liability: It’s important to remember that in a truck accident, the truck driver or trucking company isn’t always the only party at fault. Drivers of cars, pickup trucks, or SUVs might also make mistakes that cause or contribute to the accident. Identifying all responsible parties is crucial to ensuring fair compensation.

  • Road Defects, Weather Conditions, and Other Factors – Poor road conditions like potholes, low shoulders, and pooling water, as well as bad weather, can contribute to commercial truck accidents. If any of these factors played a role in your crash, we can help hold the responsible parties accountable for your injuries and damages.
Frequently Asked Questions

What makes 18-wheeler accidents so deadly?

Typical passenger vehicles weigh about 3,000 pounds. A fully-loaded tractor-trailer can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds. When you combine this weight with speeds and slower braking times truck accidents can be far more dangerous, even deadly.

What should I do after a truck accident?

Immediately after an accident your first concern should be your safety. Contact local law enforcement and report the accident. Make sure you provide as much detail for the police report as possible but avoid taking any fault for the accident.

The steps you should take include:

  • Take photographs of the area including the damage to the vehicles involved
  • Obtain names and contact information of witnesses to the accident
  • Make a note of road conditions – if they were wet, dry, etc.
  • Obtain contact information and insurance information from the truck driver
  • See a doctor as soon as possible. Oftentimes, injuries are masked so this is crucial

Once you have been seen by a physician, contact a personal injury attorney. In most cases, it is a good idea to do this before you contact an insurance adjuster. Keep in mind, insurance companies are going to ask you a lot of questions and it is often better to refer them to your attorney. Insurance adjusters are responsible for making sure you get as little compensation as possible, they’re going to attempt to get you to admit fault, accept a lower settlement or claim your injuries existed before the accident.

Who can I collect from in a truck accident lawsuit?

Every accident is different and truck accidents are more complicated than most auto accidents. The driver of the 18-wheeler can be sued for your injuries if they were at fault. However, other at-fault parties could be the owner of the tractor trailer, the employer of the truck driver, the municipality for poor road conditions or the manufacturer of the truck if there was a defect in the truck.

The only way to determine who may be held financially liable is to talk to your truck accident attorney and make sure they know the extent of everything that occurred during the accident.

What types of compensation can be recovered following a truck accident?

In most cases, you should be entitled to reimbursement for medical expenses and wages lost while you recover from your injuries following a big rig accident. There may be other damages we can seek including future lost wages, pain and suffering and future medical bills. The severity of your injuries following a truck accident will play a factor in your final settlement.

What laws apply to truck drivers that may play a role in my case?

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has strict regulations that apply to commercial vehicles and drivers. Some of these include weight restrictions, break times for drivers and training hours a driver must receive. There are also strict maintenance requirements for tractor trailers traveling on the roadway. Any violations could result in the driver or the driver’s employer being held accountable for injuries suffered in an 18-wheeler accident.
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Determining Fault in 18-Wheeler Accident Cases

Figuring out who is at fault in a commercial truck accident can be complex. Proving fault is essential in all personal injury cases, but it can be particularly challenging with 18-wheeler accidents. If a truck driver is clearly under the influence of alcohol, the blame usually falls on the driver. However, what happens if the brakes fail, a tire blows out, or the truck tips over? These situations make determining fault more complicated.

If a mechanical failure occurs because the truck wasn’t properly maintained, both the trucking company and the maintenance company could be held responsible for any injuries. This also applies to rollover accidents. Trucks are equipped with stabilizing equipment to prevent tipping. If this equipment fails due to improper loading or poor maintenance, the companies involved could be liable.

In some cases, the trucking company might also share responsibility if a driver falls asleep at the wheel and causes an accident. It’s not uncommon for drivers to say they were rushing to meet delivery deadlines when an accident occurred. There are strict regulations requiring rest breaks for 18-wheeler drivers. If a trucking company is pressuring its drivers to skip breaks and drive too fast, it could be held jointly responsible for any injuries that result from a big rig accident.

We Have the Experience to Win Big Truck Accident Cases

Truck accident cases often involve complex state and federal regulations that apply to commercial vehicles, making these cases more complicated than they might first appear. There are usually many factors to consider, and getting fair compensation requires a deep understanding of how truck accident cases work in Texas. At our San Antonio personal injury law firm, we have the experience and resources needed to handle these challenging cases successfully.

If you’ve been injured in an accident involving an 18-wheeler or other commercial vehicle, contact San Antonio truck accident lawyer Eric Ramos at (210) 404-4878 or schedule an appointment online as soon as you can. The sooner you have someone fighting for your rights, the better your chances of a positive outcome. Insurance companies won’t wait for you to fully recover before trying to settle, so time is crucial. And remember, you won’t pay any fees unless we win a settlement for you.

Eric Ramos Law, PLLC Reviews

Eric Ramos Law, PLLC

Personal Injury Lawyer San Antonio

Office

7979 Broadway #207, San Antonio, TX, 78209

Email

info@ericramoslaw.com

Phone

(210) 404-4878

Open Hours

24/7

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