A fully-loaded 18-wheeler can do a great deal of damage when it collides with a passenger vehicle. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), traffic crashes involving large trucks killed 4,094 people and injured 116,000 in the most recent year for which statistics are available.
Large truck accidents can cause serious, catastrophic, or fatal injuries, particularly to occupants of other vehicles. Our experienced truck accident attorneys in Houston lead by Willie D. Powells III and his associates are tough advocates for 18 wheeler accident victims.
In a complex truck accident case involving federal regulations and multiple potentially responsible parties, it is crucial to have an experienced truck accident lawyer by your side as soon as possible. The trucking company may have a team of lawyers and insurance adjusters on the scene momentarily after an accident involving one of its drivers. Trucking company representatives will fight to protect the driver and limit the company’s liability for your injuries.
Hiring a truck accident attorney may be much more affordable than you think. Attorney Willie Powells takes on truck accident cases on a contingency fee basis and is able to help many people achieve justice and full compensation without the need to pay any upfront costs.
You must take the following steps after a truck accident:
In the interest of public safety, trucking companies and their drivers are subject to a host of federal regulations. Among other things, these regulations cover:
Despite the regulations, trucking companies and drivers are sometimes negligent, and other motorists suffer as a result. The trucking company may fail to properly maintain brakes, tires, and other essential equipment. A driver may be speeding, following too closely, driving fatigued, or disregarding the rules of the road.
Based simply on the laws of physics, people in passenger vehicles are likely to suffer serious injuries in a crash with a tractor-trailer. Common injuries in this type of collision include:
Truck accidents in Houston can be more complex than typical auto accident cases. Complexities arise in:
IIn order to prove negligence, you’ll have to show that:
A good truck accident lawyer can help to establish these facts by performing a thorough investigation. This may mean delving into the truck driver’s personal life, requesting truck maintenance records, or taking extensive photographs.
A good truck accident lawyer can help negotiate compensation far beyond what you might be able to get on your own. An at-fault trucker’s insurance company may try to rush the settlement process to get you to accept a lower sum, but you don’t have to take it. A good attorney will deflect lowball offers and ensure that you are not being taken advantage of. What’s more, a lawyer can help to keep communication professional when you might be feeling very angry and upset about the accident.
Researchers assigned the following associated factors in the following percentages to large trucks in the study that were involved in accidents:
At The Law Offices of Willie D. Powells III and Associates, PLLC in Houston, we have the skills, knowledge, and resources to properly investigate your accident, thoroughly prepare your case, and provide the clear guidance you need after a serious truck accident. We can give your case the care and attention it deserves, protect your rights, and fight tenaciously to secure full and fair compensation for your losses. If you wish to learn more, contact us today and schedule a meeting with one of the best truck accident lawyers Houston has to offer.
In a large study of the causes of 18 wheeler accidents published by FMCSA, researchers found that, of the large trucks involved in single and multiple-vehicle accidents, more than half (55%) were at fault for the crash.
The three major “critical events” assigned to large trucks were:
Willie Powells works on a contingency fee basis. This means that you don’t pay any legal fees unless compensation is recovered for you. Your compensation may be recovered through a settlement or be awarded by a jury. A percentage of the compensation will cover your attorney fees. In other words, the fees are contingent on winning compensation.
The length of your truck lawsuit will depend on the following factors:
It is important to remember that by hiring an attorney, you not only significantly improve your chances of recovering compensation but receiving an amount that reflects the full scope of the impact upon your health, life, and future.
If you were not responsible for more than 50 percent of the accident, you could still seek compensation from a truck accident. Attorney Willie Powells can explain how comparative negligence works, how your case will proceed, and the amount of compensation that should be pursued, even if you were partly responsible for the accident. If you wish to learn more, contact our truck accident lawyer in Houston today.
Large trucks and 18 wheelers have more blind spots than normal motor vehicles. Avoid driving in the following areas:
Be careful when passing a big rig. You must remember the following: