Austin is a bustling urban mecca with many productive industries, merchants, and active consumers. Commercial vehicles in Austin are critical cogs in the nation’s supply chain and deliver essential goods and services. Unfortunately, many commercial vehicles like semi-tractor-trailer trucks, tankers, delivery vans, buses, and even local garbage trucks cause serious car accidents with vulnerable motorists in much smaller vehicles. A fully loaded commercial truck can outweigh a standard car by as much as 76,000 pounds.
After a car accident with a commercial vehicle in Texas, dealing with the state’s fault-based insurance system may feel overwhelming, with multiple involved entities denying liability or pointing the finger at others. What are your rights after a commercial vehicle crash in Austin and how can an Austin semi-truck accident lawyer help?
What are the Common Causes of Commercial Vehicle Accidents In Austin?
It takes many individuals, companies, and even government agencies to ensure that a commercial vehicle is well-maintained, safely loaded, and operated by a qualified driver. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) puts regulations in place for most commercial vehicles, since freight carriers and buses commonly cross state lines. When any one of the entities responsible for the safety of a commercial vehicle on the road breaches their duty to take reasonable and required action, the results can be disastrous. Common causes of commercial vehicle accidents in Austin and elsewhere include the following:
- Speeding
- Distracted driving
- Unbalanced or improperly secured loads
- Tailgating
- Failure to yield the right of way
- Unsafe lane changes
- Improper merging
- Aggressive driving
- Defective equipment/mechanical failures
- Inadequate vehicle maintenance
- Unsafe left turns
Poor visibility and inclement weather conditions also contribute to commercial vehicle accidents, but drivers have a responsibility to adjust their speed during poor road or weather conditions.
Who Is Liable After a Commercial Vehicle Accident In Austin?
When motorists suffer serious injuries as well as property damage due to a commercial vehicle involved in an accident, they have a right to seek car accident compensation in Austin from the liable party—typically through their at-fault party’s insurance. Because multiple individuals and entities are responsible for commercial vehicles, it often takes an investigation into all aspects of an accident to determine the liable party or multiple parties that contributed to the accident. These may include any of the following:
- The commercial vehicle driver
- The trucking or busing company
- A city, county, state, or federal agency such as a city transit agency or refuse department
- A negligent truck or bus maintenance company
- A negligent freight-loading company
- The manufacturer of a defective vehicle part or equipment
Proving liability for a commercial vehicle accident requires showing that the at-fault party owed a duty of care to the injury victim and others on the road, they breached their duty to take reasonable precautions, their breach of duty caused the accident, and the injury victim suffered significant damages.
What Compensation Can I Recover in a Commercial Vehicle Accident Claim In Austin?
Accidents sometimes cause serious or catastrophic injury or death to vulnerable motorists, especially when the crash involves a heavy commercial vehicle. Common damages recovered in Austin commercial vehicle accident claims include:
- Reimbursement for past medical expenses
- Future medical costs
- Lost earnings
- Future income loss/diminished future earning capacity
- Compensation for pain and suffering
Depending on the unique circumstances of an accident, additional damages sometimes apply, such as loss of limbs, the loss of vital organs, loss of vision or hearing, disfigurement, or wrongful death. In cases of wrongful death, specialized Austin wrongful death lawyers can help families seek justice and compensation for the devastating loss of a loved one.
How Can an Austin Commercial Vehicle Accident Attorney Help Me?
Car accidents involving commercial vehicles can leave an injured victim at a loss for how to recover their damages. Insurance companies sometimes take advantage of the chaotic aftermath of this type of accident to protect their profits at your expense. Call Shaw Cowart, LLP for experienced representation in this complex accident claim so you can recover the maximum compensation available to you.