Semi-truck accidents are among the most dangerous collisions on the road. A semi-truck’s size and weight significantly increase the risk that an accident will cause severe injuries or fatalities.
When smaller cars are involved in collisions with semi-trucks it is all too common for their passengers to face various severe injuries. In the aftermath of these accidents injured parties face the overwhelming stress of physical and psychological recovery, lost wages from taking time off work, and navigating insurance and medical systems.
If you’ve been injured in an accident with a truck, contact Shaw Cowart LLP today to schedule your free consultation.
Shaw Cowart LLP: Kyle’s Trusted Legal Advocates
We know the difficulties injured parties face after a trucking accident. Our experienced attorneys work with individuals to understand the specifics of your case. This information helps us effectively advocate for our client’s rights to receive full compensation for their injuries and loss.
Since the circumstances of your case are unique, we take the time to investigate your claim. This investigatory process includes assessing all relevant evidence, including:
Compliance
Trucking companies and their employees are required to abide by federal regulations set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). This includes safety regulations related to the number of hours truckers drive without a break, training truck drivers, truck size/weight, truck inspections, securing cargo, and other safety measures.
Dash Cam Footage
Many semi-trucks have dash cam footage that can provide critical evidence to establish driver liability. Obtaining and analyzing this footage can assist in proving your case and provide clear causation for the injuries you sustained.
How to Prove Liability
Before plaintiffs can recover damages for injuries sustained in a semi-truck accident, they must establish legal liability. In Texas, liability is proved by showing the following elements are met:
- Duty: Semi-truck drivers owe others on the road a duty of reasonable care when operating commercial vehicles. Semi-truck drivers must obey traffic laws, and federal semi-truck safety regulations, and refrain from using cell phones or engaging with other distractions while driving.
- Breach: Semi-truck drivers breach this duty when they act – or fail to act – in accordance with reasonable care. This could involve breaking traffic laws, failing to pay attention, engaging in distracted driving, or violating applicable semi-truck safety regulations.
- Causation: To recover, plaintiffs must show their injuries were caused by a semi-truck driver’s negligent breach of his or her duty of care to the plaintiffs. For example, if a semi-truck driver runs a red light, hits another car and the driver sustains injuries, the driver can establish the semi-truck driver’s act of running the red light caused his or her injuries.
- Damages: Plaintiffs can only recover compensation if they can prove harm. This can be either physical harm or property damage.
Injured in a Semi-Truck Accident? Call Shaw Cowart TODAY
When a passenger car collides with a semi-truck, devastation is the natural result. Unfortunately, parties injured in these accidents face a cascade of stress, ranging from difficulty recovering from physical and psychological injuries to mounting medical bills, and lost wages from taking time off work.
After a semi-truck accident, you need an advocate by your side to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve for your loss. The attorneys at Shaw Cowart LLP can help. We will assist you in understanding your claims and all legal options available to you.
Schedule a free and confidential case evaluation today.