Liability in Commercial Truck Accidents

Harris County Commercial Truck Crash Attorney Helping Victims Establish Liability for Their Injuries

18-wheelers and "big rig" trucks are very large, and they can weigh tens of thousands of pounds. When commercial trucks are involved in accidents, multiple types of serious injuries can occur. Following a truck accident, victims may be unsure of how to proceed as they receive medical treatment and address the effects their injuries have had on their lives. In some cases, it can be difficult to determine who may be held liable for a truck wreck, but by working with an experienced personal injury lawyer, victims can take the correct steps to receive the compensation they need and deserve.

At the Law Office of Shane R. Kadlec, we understand the difficulties that victims of truck accidents often face, and we are dedicated to helping our clients receive compensation for their injuries. Our founder, Attorney Shane Kadlec, has been working with injury victims to address these types of issues for over 25 years, and he has assisted with thousands of cases involving multiple types of injuries. He can help victims determine who was responsible for a truck crash and ensure that they take the proper actions to hold these parties liable and recover compensation that fully addresses their damages.

Liable Parties in Truck Accidents

When a large truck is involved in a crash, there are a number of parties with whom responsibility may lie, including:

• The truck driver: Negligent drivers who make costly mistakes behind the wheel can sometimes be held liable for injuries they cause. Common forms of truck driver negligence include driver fatigue, traffic violations, and drunk or intoxicated driving.
• The company that owned the truck or employed the truck driver: An employer may be held liable for the actions of its employees. If a driver was working for a trucking company, or if their truck was owned by someone else, those parties may be responsible for injuries and damages that occurred because of the driver's negligence.
• The manufacturer of the vehicle: Sometimes, defects in the design and manufacture of a truck may contribute to trucking accidents, and the manufacturer of defective equipment may be held liable for injuries that occur as a result. Manufacturers may be responsible for issues such as failure of a truck's air brakes, tire blowouts, or defective trailer couplings.
• The shipper or loader of the cargo: If the placement of cargo on a truck played a role in making the vehicle difficult to control, the parties who loaded cargo onto the truck may be held liable. A cargo loading company may also be responsible for injuries that occur in accidents caused by dropped cargo.
• Maintenance companies: Trucks can experience significant wear and tear over thousands of miles of travel, and they should be regularly inspected to ensure that any potential issues can be identified and repaired. Failure to perform maintenance properly may lead to issues such as worn brakes that may contribute to an accident. In these cases, a company tasked with maintaining the truck may be held liable for the injuries suffered by victims.

Contact Our Houston Commercial Truck Wreck Attorneys

Following a commercial truck accident, our attorneys can perform an investigation to determine who was at fault and identify all liable parties. We will make sure victims will be able to take legal action against those who were responsible, and we will fight to help them receive compensation that fully covers the damages they have suffered. Contact us and arrange a free consultation by calling 281-962-8949. We assist with commercial truck accident cases in Fort Bend County, Galveston County, the Gulf Coast, Sugar Land, Houston, Harris County, Liberty County, Memorial, Montgomery County, Chambers County, Pearland, Brazoria County, Katy, The     Woodlands, Bellaire, West Houston, and Waller County.