Aggressive and Experienced Houston 18 Wheeler Accident Lawyers
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.
Call one of our Truck Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation: 1-800-993-4887
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident involving an 18-wheeler or other large commercial vehicle, contact one of our experienced 18 Wheeler Accident Lawyers at 1-800-993-4997 or by clicking here.
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
Federal and state laws require Trucking companies to ensure that their equipment and drivers do not pose a danger to others. Many of these safety rules are contained in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, which specify how many hours a driver may drive in a 24 hour period and how often the truck must be inspected.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an 18-wheeler truck accident, we will immediately investigate the accident with our experts, determine if it was caused by negligence, and ensure that the trucking company does not destroy the evidence that establishes that the Truck driver was at fault.
Common forms of negligence in 18-wheeler truck accident cases include:
- Overworked and fatigued drivers
- Driver negligence and drunk driving
- Safety rule violations and failure to maintain log books documenting the number of hours the truck driver has been on the road
- Failing to properly screen employees by hiring drivers with poor driving records can constitute negligence.
- Drug use and intoxication while driving.
- Poor truck maintenance: Brake, tire and other failures often 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. These expects have enabled us to recover millions of dollars to cover costs associated with medical expenses, loss of income and wages, medical equipment, pain and suffering, physical and occupational therapy, future surgeries, loss in quality of life, and in fatal accidents, damages for wrongful death.
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 most commonly seen include:
- Brain Injuries
- Broken Bones
- Spine Injuries, including disk herniations, paraplegia and quadroplegia, and
- Loss of Limbs
These injuries can be devastating and, in many cases, life-altering. In order to successfully recover compensation for your damages, you will need an attorney who can quickly evaluate the facts of your case, establish how the truck driver and the trucking company were at fault, determine the full extent of your damages, and effectively convey the facts 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 accident attorneys at Fitts Zehl have the knowledge, courtroom experience and resources necessary to ensure that you receive the maximum damages available to you under the law.
Contact an Experienced Truck Accident Lawyer Today: 1-800-993-4887
We offer a free initial consultation and are available for evening and weekend appointments. Because all of our lawyers work on a contingency-fee basis, you pay nothing unless we win. Our offices are centrally located in Galleria Tower I. To contact one of our lawyers for a free, no committment consultation, click here or call 1-800-993-4887.
