What to do after a truck accident in Texas

The first steps, in order

What you do in the first hours protects both your health and your right to compensation.

1. Get to safety and call 911. Report the crash so there is an official police report. Say what happened, but do not guess about fault.
2. Accept medical attention. Truck crash injuries often show up hours or days later. Getting checked protects your health and ties your injuries to the crash.
3. Document the truck, not just the driver. Photograph the truck, the trailer, the company name on the doors, the license plate, and the USDOT number. This is what lets us find who is responsible.
4. Get the scene and witnesses. Photos of the vehicles, the road, skid marks and signs; and the names and phone numbers of anyone who saw what happened.
5. Do not give a recorded statement. The trucking company and its insurer may call fast and sound friendly. You are not required to give them a recorded statement, and it can be used against you.
6. Keep every record. Save medical bills, receipts, and anything related to the crash, and write down how the injuries affect your daily life and work.
7. Call a lawyer quickly. In truck cases, time is evidence. The sooner someone acts on your side, the more can be preserved.

Why a truck accident is different from a car accident

A crash with an 18-wheeler is not just a bigger car accident. Several things change who is responsible and how hard the other side fights:

• More than one party can be responsible. Not only the driver, but also the trucking company, the owner of the trailer, the company that loaded the cargo, or a maintenance contractor.
• Federal rules apply. Commercial trucks follow federal safety rules on driving hours, inspections and maintenance. Breaking those rules can be powerful evidence in your case.
• Bigger insurance, tougher defense. Commercial policies are large, so the insurer has strong reasons to fight hard and to try to limit what it pays.
• The company often reacts within hours. Many trucking companies send their own investigators to the scene quickly. You deserve someone acting just as fast for you.

What not to do

• Do not admit fault or apologize at the scene, even to be polite.
• Do not sign anything from the trucking company or accept a quick settlement before you understand your injuries.
• Do not delay medical care. A gap in treatment is the first thing the insurer uses to pay you less.
• Do not post about the crash on social media. It can be taken out of context.

The evidence that disappears

Trucks carry evidence that a normal car does not: the electronic logging device and on-board data, the driver hours logs, inspection and maintenance records, and sometimes dashcam video. Much of this is controlled by the trucking company, and some of it can be overwritten or lost as the truck goes back into service.

How does Carreras Law Firm help?

We are from the Valley and we fight for the Valley. We move fast to preserve the truck evidence, we find every party that shares responsibility, and we deal with the commercial insurer so you do not have to. We handle your case in Spanish, you speak directly with our team, and we charge nothing unless we win. The consultation is free and with no obligation.