Texas leads the nation in truck accidents. Many of these big rig collisions happen when trucks move in and through some of the state’s largest cities, including Waco. Truck accidents tend to be violent and devastating, especially when smaller vehicles are involved.
If you’ve been injured in a Waco truck accident, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact the experienced legal team at Lorenz & Lorenz, PLLC, to learn about your legal rights and options. Since 2001, our Waco personal injury attorneys have been fighting to protect the rights of accident victims like you. We understand how important money is after an accident with a semi. Our Waco truck accident lawyers will do everything in our power to get cash in your hands as fast as possible.
Your initial consultation is free, so do not hesitate to call our Waco law firm for help today. Our team will review your case and answer any questions you have.
Why Should I Hire a Waco Truck Accident Attorney?
You need time to recover and focus on yourself after an accident. You can’t do that if you’re struggling to negotiate a settlement with a truck driver, trucking company, or their insurer. Fortunately, you don’t have to handle your injury claim on your own. When you hire an attorney, you give yourself time to get better and put yourself in a better position to get the money you deserve.
Here’s what you can expect when you trust our lawyers to help you after your Waco truck accident. We will:
- Investigate your accident carefully to determine the cause(s)
- Pursue compensation from anyone who contributed to your injury
- Protect you when truck drivers or insurance companies try to blame you for the big rig crash
- Fight to stop insurance companies from manipulating you into accepting a lowball offer and
- Work with experts to make sure that your case is valued properly.
- Represent you in a truck accident lawsuit if other parties are unwilling to reach a favorable settlement
Our goal is to give you the time you need to recover while obtaining a settlement or award on your behalf. We’ll be your biggest advocates and stand by your side throughout the entire process. Call us to get started on your personal injury case today.
How Common Are Truck Accidents in Waco, Texas?
Trucks are everywhere on Texas roads. Unfortunately, accidents involving large trucks, tractor-trailers, and big rigs aren’t uncommon. In one recent year, there were 24,784 accidents involving tractor-trailers, 18-wheelers, and semi-trucks across the state. Approximately one out of every four of those truck accident cases resulted in an injury. Just under two percent, or 433 accidents, were fatal.
Leading Causes of Truck Accidents in Waco
Truck accidents happen every day in and around Waco. In fact, injury-causing trucking accidents are much more likely to occur in urban areas like Waco. Why? Trucks are much more likely to share the road with smaller vehicles, motorcycles, bicyclists, and pedestrians in a city than on a rural highway. As a result, the risk of accidents and injuries increases significantly. Accidents involving a big rig can happen for a variety of reasons.
Truck Driver Negligence
Many times, accidents happen because big rig drivers are negligent. Examples of negligence in a serious truck accident might include:
- Driving under the influence of drugs
- Speeding
- Tailgating other vehicles
- Making unsafe lane changes or turns
- Failing to yield the right of way, and
- Failing to look for other vehicles and pedestrians.
Fatigued Truck Drivers
Tired drivers also contribute to a staggering number of accidents. Truck drivers, by law, are required to stop and rest every so often. Federal regulations state that drivers “are allowed a period of 14 consecutive hours in which to drive up to 11 hours after being off duty for 10 or more consecutive hours.”
In other words, drivers can only log 11 hours behind the wheel at one time, and only if they’ve been off the road for at least 10. Some drivers, paid by the distance they travel, ignore these safety regulations to make more money. They don’t realize how tired they are and put others at risk. Fatigued drivers are more likely to fall asleep behind the wheel or lack the reflexes necessary to drive safely.
Other Negligent Drivers
Truck drivers aren’t always to blame for accidents. Other liable parties can include drivers who were negligent and contributed to the crash.
Examples might include:
- Speeding
- Drunk driving
- Making unsafe lane changes around a big rig
- Failing to yield the right of way to a truck
- Tailgating a tractor-trailer
- Stopping short in front of a truck.
Trucks are large, heavy vehicles that don’t react like small passenger cars. It can take a truck traveling 55 MPH more than 390 feet (and four full seconds) to come to a complete stop. Engaging in dangerous behavior around a truck can increase the risk of a devastating collision. An experienced truck accident lawyer can investigate your trucking accident to determine who is responsible for your injuries.
Other Causes of Truck Accidents
Sometimes accidents happen even when everyone is careful and well-rested. Other causes of truck accidents can include:
- Environmental factors, such as road conditions or weather
- Hazards in or around the roadway
- Poor lighting, or
- Defects in vehicles or equipment.
It might be possible to hold the government or a product manufacturer responsible for semi-truck accident injuries in these situations.
Proving Fault in Waco Truck Accidents
In the unfortunate event of a truck accident in Waco, the most crucial factor in your pursuit of compensation is demonstrating the fault, or negligence, of the other involved party. This process often involves a thorough investigation of the accident, analysis of traffic laws, and an understanding of the circumstances leading to the mishap.
At our law firm, our competent truck accident lawyers play an essential role in deciphering the details, collecting evidence, and building a robust case to prove the fault lies with the other party, whether it’s a truck driver, trucking company, or other entity. This process can involve accessing accident reports, interviewing witnesses, gathering medical documentation, consulting with reconstruction specialists, and more.
Remember, establishing fault in your truck accident claim is not a task you should navigate alone. Our qualified legal team is prepared to stand by your side, meticulously piecing together the aspects of your case. We are committed to unmasking the truth, demonstrating negligence clearly, and fighting tirelessly for the compensation you’re rightly entitled to after a truck accident in Waco, Texas.
Truck Accident Injuries
Few accidents are as violent and catastrophic as those involving trucks. At Lorenz & Lorenz, our truck accident attorneys are prepared to help you fight for compensation for all of your truck accident injuries, including:
Some of the common injuries resulting from truck accidents include, but aren’t limited to:
- Head and Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs): These can occur even if the head doesn’t directly strike an object, as the abrupt stop of a collision can cause the brain to impact against the inside of the skull.
- Spinal Cord Damage and Paralysis: These can be the consequence of damage to the spinal cord or vertebrae, potentially leading to paralysis or loss of feeling in certain parts of the body.
- Fractures and Broken Bones: These can happen in various areas of the body due to the force of impact, requiring extensive medical treatment and rehabilitation.
- Burns: These can occur if a vehicle catches fire or from exposure to hazardous cargo from a commercial truck.
- Internal Injuries: These can affect organs, blood vessels, or the rib cage, frequently caused by blunt trauma or penetration injuries.
It’s pertinent to seek immediate, comprehensive medical care following any truck accident. The immediate documentation and thorough treatment of these injuries conducted by medical professionals is not only essential for health but serves as vital evidence in your claim for compensation.
At our firm, we understand the immense physical, emotional, and financial burden these injuries can impose. Our dedicated legal team will work relentlessly to ensure that the extent and impact of these injuries are fully conveyed and factored into the compensation you receive for a truck accident in Waco.
Don’t hesitate to call a Waco truck accident lawyer for immediate assistance after your big rig crash. We’re available to help you 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. If you can’t make it to us because your injuries are too severe, we’ll come to you.
Liability for Truck Accidents
It’s important to investigate your crash to identify all possible causes. Why? In Texas, more than one person can be liable for your injuries. This might include:
- Truck drivers
- Drivers of other vehicles on the road, including motorcycles and bicycles
- Pedestrians
- Trucking companies
- Truck manufacturers, or
- Government agencies.
Our attorneys will carefully analyze your accident and identify who might be to blame. We’ll pursue the money you deserve from anyone who caused you harm.
Dealing with Insurance Companies After a Truck Accident
After a truck accident in Waco, dealing with insurance companies is a substantial part of the process in seeking the rightful compensation you deserve. This process, however, can be complex and stressful, especially when struggling with injury recovery or loss.
Insurance companies, although there to provide financial protection in the aftermath of accidents, are businesses at the end of the day and will often strategize to minimize their payout. They may dispute the extent and severity of injuries, challenge the necessity and cost of medical treatments, or attempt to attribute some blame to you, reducing your eligible compensation.
Our legal team understands these tactics and is prepared to counter them. Mastering the art of navigating claims, your truck accident attorney will assertively communicate with the insurance company, ensure your claims are adequately documented and valued correctly, and negotiate determinedly toward a settlement that suits your best interests.
Furthermore, we understand the nuances of Texas’s comparative fault law, ensuring that any attempt to unfairly attribute blame to you is met with a rigorous defense. It’s critical to remember that when dealing with insurance companies post-accident, you should have a dedicated legal ally like ours in your corner. We are committed to making your needs and welfare the priority, whereas the insurance company’s interest is in protecting their bottom line.
Damages Available to Big Rig Accident Victims
Injured in a truck accident in Waco? We’ll fight to get you all of the money you deserve. Monetary damages can be available for:
- Medical bills
- Rehabilitation
- Nursing care
- Medically-necessary home modifications
- Lost wages and income
- Loss of earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life, and more.
Call our legal team for help after your truck accident. We’ll do everything we can to get you every last penny you need and deserve.
Frequently Asked Questions About Waco Truck Accidents
What should I do immediately after a truck accident in Waco?
First and foremost, it’s important that you prioritize your safety and well-being. If necessary, seek immediate medical attention. Even if you don’t think your injuries are serious, it’s still advisable to see a healthcare professional, as some injuries may not be immediately apparent.
Contact the police to report the accident. They will document the scene and create an accident report, which could be crucial to your case. Collect as much information as possible from everyone involved, including witnesses, and take pictures of the scene, the vehicles involved, and any visible injuries. Lastly, consult a lawyer before speaking to any insurance company. Statements you make may impact your claim.
How long do I have to file a claim after a truck accident in Texas?
In Texas, you typically have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. This period, known as the statute of limitations, means that if you don’t file a lawsuit within this timeframe, you may be denied the right to compensation. There can be exceptions to this rule in certain circumstances, so it’s important to consult an attorney as soon as possible following the accident.
What if the accident was partially my fault? Can I still receive compensation?
Texas operates under a “modified comparative negligence” rule. This means you can still receive compensation if you were partially at fault for the accident. However, your compensation will be reduced by the percentage of your fault. Speak to a qualified truck accident lawyer to discuss how you can recuperate the maximum compensation for your accident under the circumstances.
What types of evidence are useful in a truck accident claim?
Various types of evidence can strengthen your truck accident claim and even help determine fault. Some useful types of evidence include police reports, medical records, photographs of the accident scene and injuries, witness statements, any surveillance video, and documentation of lost wages. In some cases, experts may be brought in to provide testimony or recreate the accident scene.
Can I afford a lawyer for my truck accident case?
Yes, you can. Our law firm operates on a contingency fee basis, meaning our fees come from a percentage of the compensation we recover for you. If we don’t win, you don’t pay us anything.
This arrangement ensures you have access to legal representation, regardless of your financial circumstances, and motivates us to secure the best possible outcome for your case. Understandably, having experienced legal representation can significantly impact the amount of compensation you receive.
Call a Waco Truck Accident Lawyer at Lorenz & Lorenz, PLLC
Truck accidents can be devastating. The injuries can be debilitating and cause excruciating pain. If someone else caused your truck accident, you may have the right to hold them accountable. The experienced attorneys at Lorenz & Lorenz can help. You only have a short period of time in which you can file a lawsuit, so don’t hesitate to contact our Waco law office today to schedule your free consultation.