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?
Why Choose Shaw Cowart LLP for Your Commercial Vehicle Accident Claim?
At Shaw Cowart LLP, we understand the unique complexities of commercial vehicle accidents and the devastating injuries they can cause. These accidents often involve larger vehicles, multiple parties, and intricate insurance issues. Our experienced attorneys are committed to protecting your rights and securing the compensation you deserve.
No Fees Unless We Win
We believe pursuing justice shouldn’t add to your financial stress. That’s why we handle commercial vehicle accident cases on a contingency fee basis—you don’t pay unless we successfully recover compensation for you.
Skilled Negotiators & Fierce Litigators
Commercial vehicle accidents often involve disputed liability, large trucking companies, and complex insurance challenges. Our legal team has the experience to negotiate fair settlements and aggressively litigate when necessary, ensuring you receive the maximum compensation for your injuries and losses.
Investigating Complex Liability
Commercial vehicle accidents can involve multiple drivers, companies, and third-party factors like faulty equipment. These cases require a thorough investigation. We examine every detail of your accident, gather essential evidence, and work to identify all responsible parties to build the strongest case possible.
Get the Legal Help You Need Today
If you’ve been injured in a commercial vehicle accident, don’t navigate the legal process alone. Contact Shaw Cowart LLP today for a consultation, and let us fight for the justice and compensation you deserve.
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.
Serious Injuries Resulting From Commercial Vehicle Accidents In Austin
Because of the heavier weight and larger size of commercial vehicles, motorists in smaller vehicles are vulnerable to the most severe injuries in a crash. According to the National Safety Council, 70% of truck accident injuries and fatalities occur to other motorists rather than truck drivers. Injuries named in commercial vehicle compensation claims in Texas include the following:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Fractures
- Internal organ injuries
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Soft-tissue injuries such as sprains and torn ligaments in shoulders, knees, ankles, and wrists
- Spinal cord injuries
- Burns
- Facial and dental trauma
- Traumatic limb loss
- Lacerations, contusions, and abrasions
If a loved one suffered fatal injuries in an accident with a commercial vehicle in Austin, a wrongful death claim could recover compensation for close family members.
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.