Aggressive and Experienced Houston Truck Accident Attorneys
What seperates Fitts Zehl from many other personal injury law firms is our experience successfully resolving cases through trial and settlement, our willingness to go to court, and the personal attention that we devote to each of our clients.
Since 2006, the personal injury lawyers at Fitts Zehl have recovered millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts on behalf of clients located all over Texas and the United States who were injured in 18 wheeler accidents and commercial vehicle accidents. When we take your case, our truck accident experts immediately visit the scene and examine the vehicles involved, enabling them to recreate the accident and prove, through precise measurements and calculations, that the owner and/or driver of the 18 wheeler was responsible for the accident. We then consult with our team of nurses and doctors to determine the extent of our clients' injuries so that we can create a damage model that fully compensates our client and his family for his injuries. If the insurance company tries to settle the case for anything less than the amount of damages that our medical team has determined are necessary to fully compensate our client, we take the case to trial.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident involving an 18-wheeler or other large commercial vehicle, contact our Houston law office today by calling 866-586-8988.
Truck Accident Statistics
There are well over 100,000 accidents involving 18-wheelers and other large commercial trucks in the United States each year, causing nearly 5,000 deaths and 90,000 injuries annually. Over 18,000 truck accidents took place in Texas alone between January and November of 2008.
According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics, Harris County has consistently led the state in the number of fatal truck accidents, with an average of 36 accidents per year between 2003 and 2007. It is followed by Dallas County, Bexar County, and Tarrant County. Given these numbers, it is important for drivers to understand and recognize the risks they face every day when sharing the road with eighteen-wheelers and other large commercial trucks.
Complex Cases
Accidents and rollovers involving 18-wheeler trucks present unique legal challenges. Semi truck owners are often headquartered in different states and legal jurisdictions. Accidents involving large trucks frequently produce a high degree of injury and property damage. And because 18-wheelers are regulated by the federal government, these complex cases often involve government commercial trucking regulations as well as state tort and insurance law.
Negligence in Truck Accident Cases
Trucking companies are required by law to ensure that their equipment and employees do not pose a danger to others. If you or a loved one has been injured in an 18-wheeler truck accident, we will immediately investigate the big rig accident with our experts, determine if it was caused by negligence, and pursue damages for the injuries related to the truck accident.
Common forms of negligence in 18-wheeler truck accident cases include:
- Overworked and fatigued drivers
- Driver negligence and drunk driving
- Vehicle code or regulatory violations, failure to maintain log book documenting any mechanical problems
- Failing to properly screen employees by hiring drivers with poor driving records can constitute negligence.
- Drug use and intoxication while driving. We can work with experts to prove that an accident would not have occurred if the driver had been sober.
- Poor truck maintenance. Brake, tire and other failures cause accidents that could have been prevented if the vehicle had been properly maintained.
We work with financial experts, accident reconstruction experts, health care planners, and medical experts to precisely estimate past and future injuries and expenses. We have recovered millions of dollars to cover costs associated with nursing care, hospitalization, in-home care, medical equipment, home and vehicle modifications, physical and occupational therapy, future surgeries, lost wages, loss in quality of life, and in fatal accidents, a wrongful death settlement.
Visit the Motor Vehicle & Truck Accident Data Center
Types of Injuries
While any automobile accident can lead to serious injury, wrecks involving 18-wheeler trucks tend to be even worse due to the sheer weight of the vehicles involved. When a car and an 18-wheeler collide, the results are often catastrophic. The types of injuries seen include:
- Brain Injuries
- Broken Bones
- Spine Injuries, including paraplegia and quadroplegia
- Loss of Limb
These injuries can be devastating and, in many cases, life-altering. In order to successfully earn compensation for your damages, you will need an attorney who can do more than just evaluate the facts of your case and determine how much you are entitled to. You will need an attorney who can take the facts of your case and effectively convey them to a jury. Placing the jury in YOUR shoes is the only way to make them understand just what happened and why you deserve to be compensated. The 18-wheeler wreck attorneys at Fitts Zehl, LLP have the knowledge, experience and determination required to successfully prosecute your claim and hold the responsible party accountable.
Contact an Experienced Truck Accident Lawyer Today
We offer a free initial consultation and are available for evening and weekend appointments. We work on a contingency-fee basis so that you pay nothing unless we win. Our offices are centrally located in the Galleria Financial Center. To contact a lawyer, call 866-586-8988.
