Involved in an 18 Wheeler Accident?

If you were injured or someone you love was killed in an 18-wheeler or large truck accident, you need help. There are unique laws and regulations that are designed specifically to protect motorists from the negligent acts of truck drivers and trucking companies, but fault must be properly proven. It's extremely important to have an experienced and knowledgeable attorney who can meticulously scrutinize all of the facts leading up to an accident in order to prove the truck driver's negligence. An experienced San Antonio accident attorney can help you recover the cash compensation you are entitled to for your injuries or for the death of your loved one.  Call us now to schedule a free consultation with an experienced San Antonio 18 wheeler truck accident lawyer.

18 Wheeler Truck Accident Information:

Over 500,000 trucking accidents occur every year in this country and the injuries sustained by those lucky enough to survive are usually horrific. Of these, approximately 5,000 trucking accidents result in fatalities. In fact, 18-wheeler trucking accidents account for one of every eight traffic deaths.  Common causes of 18 wheeler accidents are:  

1.  1.  Blind spots 

2.  Brake or mechanical failure

3.  Debris or articles in the road

4.  Drive exhaustion or fatigue

5.  Excessive speed and failure to follow the rules of the road

6.  Tire failure or separation

7.  Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol

8.  Unsecured freight shifting in the payload section

9.  Unsafe driving practices

There are many reasons why 18-wheeler accidents are so catastrophic. The pressure for speed and efficiency by trucking companies and the deregulation of the trucking industry are both major factors.  18-wheeler drivers are typically required to work long hours with little or no sleep. Large trucks consistently break the speed limit in order to deliver goods quickly - adding fuel to an already dangerous fire. The sheer size of an 18-wheeler makes for a massive impact and hinders the ability of the truck to make sudden stops. The results are too often fatal.

Big Rig Accidents:

Alarmingly, big rig accidents have increased each year as unsafe driving, oversized loads, and various other treacherous practices put the public and the truck operators in danger. Because of the commercial greed and pressure from trucking companies to deliver goods as quickly as possible, as well as the deregulation of the trucking industry, these type of accidents account for one out of every eight traffic fatalities. This intense sense of urgency proves to be a deadly one - federal crash statistics have determined that 20% of big rig accidents are due to excessive speed.

Big rig accidents are especially dangerous for nearby vehicles. Due to the large size of trucks, a trucking accident can greatly endanger the lives of other smaller vehicles unnecessarily when truck operators fail to consider proper trucking accident prevention. In fact, most of the deaths and injuries involve the passengers of vehicles, while truck drivers usually escape trucking accidents with little or no personal injury.

Interstate Trucking Accidents:

As our nation's interstates mushroom exponentially to keep up with the vast expansion of the commercial and recreational travel population, trucking accidents have become nearly epidemic. The mix of incredibly fast interstate speeds and monstrous size of these trucks - a big rig truck typically weighs 80,000 lbs and ranges about 67-75 feet long - is a volatile and deadly recipe for disaster.

The presence of these trucks on interstates continues to grow - approximately 7% of all the vehicle miles driven in the nation are done so by big rig drivers today. As the competition for trucking contracts increases (over 200,000 new trucks were registered last year), drivers are under increased pressure to deliver their goods faster, even if it means falsifying log books and breaking the law. Fatigue also becomes a huge issue - in a recent survey, almost 20% of truckers admitted to falling asleep at the wheel at least once in the previous three month period.

If you have survived an interstate trucking accident, you've been through enough. The pain of injuries compounded with a mountain of medical bills can be overwhelming, and you should be compensated for your suffering.  An experienced San Antonio auto accident attorney can help you recover compensation for your injuries – call now to speak to a San Antonio, Texas 18 wheeler truck accident lawyer or simply fill out our free case review form above.

An experienced San Antonio accident lawyer can help you recover compensation for your injuries – call now to speak to a San Antonio, Texas 18 wheeler truck accident lawyer or simply fill out our free case review form above.

Wheel Blowout Accidents:

When tire tread becomes defective or old, there can be a sudden tire failure or rupture, causing a lightening quick, extremely dangerous loss of control. This then causes the back end of the truck to swing out or "fishtail", resulting in the vehicle skidding out and sliding sideways in the direction of travel. When this occurs, the truck can often trip and go airborne, starting a rollover. A blowout can also cause the truck to violently stop moving - leaving a deadly pile-up behind it.

If you have been hurt in wheel blowout accident, you can receive monetary compensation for your suffering. Whether the accident is caused by faulty materials or driver negligence, you have the right to fight back. Don't waste any time before pursuing rightful compensation for your loss. An experienced San Antonio accident lawyer can help you recover compensation for your injuries – call now to speak to a San Antonio, Texas 18 wheeler truck accident lawyer or simply fill out our free case review form above before it's too late - due to varying statute of limitations constraints, your case can be terminated before you start.

Jack Knife Accidents:

Jack-knifed trucking accidents are especially perilous, both for the driver and nearby passengers or pedestrians. A jack-knife refers to the dangerous situation that occurs when a large 18 wheel truck goes into a skid and the trailer swings out and stops to form an angle of 90 degrees. The chances of this happening increase in inclement weather.  Jackknifing generally occurs when the drive wheels are locked when they reach a slick spot while the front wheels and the trailer keep rolling forward. These horribly destructive accidents can cause multiple car pile-ups on the freeway, often with many casualties.

If you've been the victim of a trucking accident, don't waste time before seeking the reparations you deserve for experiencing such a traumatic event. An experienced and knowledgeable accident attorney can help you maneuver through the complex legal system to fight for the cash compensation you deserve.  

Truck Under Ride Accidents:

Tractor-trailer under ride accidents occur when a passenger vehicle hits the back of a truck whose base is higher than the car, putting small family passenger cars in particular danger. These accidents happen because the height of the front of the car is too small to hit the bed of the truck, often falling 10 to 20 inches below. This height discrepancy puts the bed of the truck right at the head/chest level of the passengers within the car and injuries in these accidents tend to be catastrophic, if not fatal.

Truck driving inattention can be especially deadly. There's no excuse for the unnecessary death of thousands of innocent people and you shouldn't be held financially accountable for someone else's dangerous behavior. An experienced San Antonio auto accident lawyer can help you recover cash compensation for your injuries.  Call now to speak to a San Antonio, Texas 18 wheeler truck accident lawyer or simply fill out our free case review form above.

Drunk Truck Driver Accidents:

Each year thousands of motorists and big rig drivers are killed or maimed by the negligent operation of trucks. One of the most common and deplorable characteristics of fatal truck accidents is the impairment of the driver. In 1999, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimated that 30 percent of all traffic deaths occurred in accidents in which at least one driver or non-occupant has a BAC of .10 or higher and at least some alcohol was present in 38% of all fatal crashes - an especially sobering statistic in relation to trucking accidents.

Unfortunately, alcohol is not the only deadly substance that leads to these kinds of accidents. A study by the Insurance Institute for Traffic Safety (IITS) of interstate tractor-trailer drivers found that 15% of all drivers had marijuana, 12% had non-prescription stimulants, 5% had prescription stimulants, 2% had cocaine, and less than 1% had alcohol in their systems. Due to the intense pressure for time efficiency, a National Transportation Safety Board investigation of fatal truck accidents found that stimulants were the most frequently unidentified (15%) drug class among fatally injured truck drivers.

Driving while intoxicated is inexcusable and deadly, and the risks are amplified for truck drivers. If you've been injured by an accident due to an impaired truck driver, you deserve to be rightly compensated for your traumatic experience.

Our office is based in San Antonio and we are currently accepting auto and truck accident cases throughout Texas, including San Antonio, New Braunfels, San Marcos, Austin, Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Seguin, Boerne, and Corpus Christi.