Truck Accident Lawyers in Longview

According to the NSC, Texas is one of the leading states to have the most deaths caused by truck accidents in the entire country, with a staggering 643 fatalities occurring in 2020 alone.

The saddening reality is anyone in Longview can have their lives changed forever in the second it takes for a truck driver to make a careless mistake. If you are a truck accident victim, consult with a trustworthy truck accident lawyer as soon as possible to get the legal support you need.

Our team of truck accident lawyers at Sloan Firm have over 150 years of combined experience advocating for the citizens of Longview and others who suffered from injuries after a truck accident. We know how burdensome dealing with insurance companies and major trucking companies is and have the tools and knowledge to ensure that they are held accountable and that you get the justice owed.

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Common Causes of Truck Accidents In Longview, TX

Commercial truck drivers work long sleepless hours. They spend most of their time on heavily populated and high-traffic roadways like Interstate 20, Highway 80, and Highway 259. While their job is crucial to keeping the bustling community in Longview thriving, a simple mistake can endanger residents who are taking their early morning commute to work or carpooling their kids to school at a moment's notice. Unfortunately, there are several risks and room for error when operating massive trucks, all of which can lead to deadly consequences.

The most frequent factors that lead to commercial truck collisions include the following:

Fatigue or sleep deprivation
Inattention or distractions
Unfamiliarity with the road
Use of mind-altering drugs
Equipment failure
Maintenance issues
Speeding
Overweight cargo
And others

What Makes Truck Accidents So Dangerous?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that in 2020, accidents involving large trucks were fatal for 71% of the occupants in other vehicles and only 17% of those in the trucks. There is a drastic difference between the fatality rates in truck collisions, so what exactly makes these wrecks much more dangerous for the passengers in regular vehicles?

Weight and size are the main factors that make commercial trucks like 18-wheelers and semi much more deadly than regular passenger vehicles. In the simplest terms, the larger and heavier a vehicle is, the harder it is to control, which also means it takes significantly longer for the driver of these vehicles to slow down and speed up.

This reduced reaction time increases the chances of a truck driver being in a collision, making an accident that would hypothetically be avoidable for two regular vehicles nearly impossible to avoid. The enormous weight and size difference also makes injuries inflicted on passengers occupying the smaller vehicle during these collisions much more damaging and life-threatening. For example, an accident between two regular vehicles resulting in a few broken bones could be fatal under the same circumstances if one of the parties was operating a large truck instead.

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Common Truck Accident Injuries

Unfortunately, passengers in smaller vehicles, like cars and SUVs, are much more likely to suffer life-changing and debilitating injuries and even death in the worst-case scenario. The severity of injuries a person can sustain during a commercial truck accident depends on the severity of the accident itself, but the personal injuries most commonly seen include:

Amputations
Either occurring instantaneously during the accident or as a result of another injury that calls for surgical removal after the fact, amputations are among the most severe injuries. The road to recovery is continuous throughout one's life, requiring long-term rehabilitation and prosthesis.
Head and Brain Injuries
One of the most common truck accident injuries, traumatic brain injuries, often disables a victim for the rest of their life. Whether it be a concussion, hemorrhage, or contusion, those suffering from head trauma are known to battle mental health problems and memory loss.
Broken Bones and Fractures
While broken bones are not uncommon, they are typically more severe if inflicted during a collision with a commercial truck. Depending on the break, whether it be a minor fracture or comminuted (shattered) bone, treatments like casts and physical therapy are costly and complete recovery and rehabilitation are not guaranteed.

What Can I Include In My Longview Truck Accident Claim?

Besides the relief that comes with obtaining justice, filing a truck accident claim gives you a chance to be rewarded with well-deserved monetary relief for the physical and mental strife you have experienced due to the truck accident. The damages you could receive compensation for include hospital expenses, insurance bills, therapy, property damages, and lost wages.

Recovery and finding normalcy after an accident is a challenging feat on its own, and handling complicated matters such as filing a claim for compensation adds unnecessary stress, which can hinder the healing process. Allow a seasoned truck accident attorney to access your case and assist in pursuing your claim so you can focus on what matters most- recovery.

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Navigating HB 19 and How It Changes Truck Accident Claims

Texas law is constantly changing and evolving. Due to the high rate of truck collisions in the state, there have been adjustments to proceedings in truck accident injury lawsuits. If you or a loved one has recently been in a truck accident in Texas, it is crucial to know how House Bill 19 could affect your case.

What is Texas House Bill 19?
Under specific circumstances, this new legislation allows motor companies to request a two-part trial rather than one when facing a lawsuit over an accident involving one of their company trucks. The first part would consist of the jury deciding on compensatory damages, which are things like medical bills. The second part would then involve the jury deciding punitive damages, which are damages set in place as punishment for a company’s poor conduct and usually exercised through some form of rewarding the other party.

How does HB 19 affect my truck accident claim?
Splitting the trial between compensatory and punitive damages does not necessarily help motor vehicle companies avoid accountability for their truck drivers who caused the accident in the courtroom. Instead, the division of trials only acts as an extra step for victims seeking compensation, prolonging the process and potential rewards they could grant through punitive damages.

With the introduction of House Bill 19, it is more important than ever to have an attorney who knows the ins and outs of the law and can effectively navigate your case through these changes.

Contact a Longview Truck Accident Lawyer You Can Trust

If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident near Longview, consult with the seasoned lawyers at Sloan Firm. We know firsthand that the proceedings after an accident can be very confusing, and there to guide you every step of the way. After an initial consultation, our thorough process consists of conducting an in-depth investigation of the crash, identifying guilty parties, sorting through legal paperwork, and seeking the maximum compensation you deserve.

We care about your well-being and will handle your case with the utmost care, working diligently to ensure that you obtain justice. When working with us, you can have peace of mind knowing that we will answer any question regarding your case and keep you updated on all progress made. Contact us today for a free consultation.

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Truck Accident FAQs

: Some of the most common causes of truck accidents include:

Distracted Driving

Improperly Trained/Unqualified Driver

Driver Fatigue

Aggressive Driving

Failure to Follow Minimum Safety Rules/Rules of the Road

Alcohol and other substance use
: It may not come as a surprise that the majority of big truck/18-wheeler wrecks are not the sort of wrecks where those involved walk away sustaining little to no injury. Many big truck and 18-wheeler wrecks that occur are caused by entirely preventable causes, including:

Distracted Driving – Distracted driving is a major cause of big truck wrecks in Texas. Whether the distraction is from talking on a cell phone, texting, streaming a movie/show and/or video while driving, or in the form of a different distraction, any distraction that takes a big truck driver’s eyes and/or attention off the roadway is a serious hazard to the other motorists on the road.

Truck driver fatigue – This occurs when the truck driver is tired, and typically while working longer hours than legally allowed. State and federal minimum safety rules limit the number of hours a driver can be on duty in a day and in a week; however, these limits are often violated by big truck companies and their drivers.

Aggressive Driving/Speeding/Failure to Yield Right of Way/Failure to Keep A Safe Following Distance – Aggressive and unsafe driving choices like failing to yield the right of way, ignoring traffic lights and signs, failing to maintain a single lane, following too closely, and passing illegally are all dangerous choices made by big truck and18-wheeler drivers daily and are extremely dangerous to other motorists on the road. This is a significant factor in traffic wrecks across the United States, and particularly in Texas.

Driving under the influence – Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is still a major cause of wrecks, despite the fact that some big truck and 18-wheelers drivers undergo random drug testing and medical exams.

Failure to properly load or secure cargo – If the driver does not follow the minimum safety rules when securing or loading cargo, this can cause an unequal distribution of weight and/or a shift in weight which makes it more likely for a wreck to occur.

Driving in adverse weather conditions – The minimum safety rules require big truck drivers to alter their driving (and/or get off the road) when they are faced with adverse weather conditions. The reason is that these big trucks take much longer to stop than normal passenger vehicles. Driving in conditions with poor visibility/traction due to fog, rain, sleet, ice, snow, or smoke, among other adverse weather conditions, greatly increases a big truck driver’s chances of causing a wreck.
: In addition to the tractor-trailer 18-wheelers, trucking accidents can also involve garbage and dump trucks, flatbed trucks, oilfield trucks, delivery trucks, box trucks, tow trucks, and tanker trucks.
: Yes, big truck accidents are often caused by the trucking company’s failure to follow the minimum safety rules regarding hiring and training a truck driver. The minimum safety rules are found in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and require that the trucking company, before putting a driver on the road in a big truck, ensure that the truck driver is qualified to drive. The trucking company has common sense responsibilities, such as

obtaining a copy of the truck driver’s driving record

reviewing the driving record

performing a road test

ensuring that the truck driver knows the basic safety rules of driving a big truck, etc. Many times after a serious big truck wreck, an investigation reveals that the truck driver should never have been hired in the first place because his driving history demonstrates an unsafe and dangerous driving history.
: Some big truck wrecks are caused by defects on the truck itself. Many times, these defects are due to the trucking company and truck driver performing poor maintenance, or no maintenance at all. For example, big truck wrecks are commonly caused by

bald and/or poorly maintained tires

improperly calibrated brakes

and failure to properly install retro-reflective tape

Injured in a Longview Truck Accident?