Quick Answer
One driver died and another was hospitalized in critical condition after a multi-vehicle crash involving an 18-wheeler in Dallas on Oct. 5. The collision happened on southbound Central Expressway near I-635. Dallas Fire-Rescue separately reported that three people were taken to hospitals.
A crash involving an 18-wheeler turned fatal Monday afternoon, Oct. 5, on Dallas’ Central Expressway near the High Five Interchange.
Local news reported that the collision occurred around 12:30 p.m. on southbound U.S. 75, just before I-635. One person died at the scene. It is unclear exactly how the accident ocurred.
On This Page
- What happened in the Dallas 18-wheeler crash?
- Why the sequence of impacts matters
- Preserving evidence after a commercial truck crash
- Injury and wrongful death claims in Texas
- Frequently asked questions
- Talk to a Texas truck accident lawyer
What happened in the Dallas 18-wheeler crash?
Dallas police reported one driver dead and another hospitalized in critical condition, according to CBS Texas.
FOX 4 cited Dallas Fire-Rescue in reporting three hospital transports. Its preliminary account described two or three vehicles involved, including the tractor-trailer.
DFW Scanner reported that southbound Central Expressway remained closed as of 4 p.m. Monday.
Why the sequence of impacts matters
In a multi-vehicle collision, where the vehicles stop does not necessarily show how the crash began. One impact can push a vehicle into another lane or into a second vehicle. A later collision can add to the damage and injuries.
A reconstruction examines the sequence: where each vehicle was traveling, when the first contact occurred and what happened next. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s crash investigation program illustrates this approach by examining vehicle damage, crash dynamics and available event data recorder information.
For a civil claim, those findings help connect a driver’s conduct to the harm. A driver who caused the first collision may bear responsibility for later impacts. Another driver’s conduct may also contribute. The analysis depends on what the evidence shows about each person’s actions.
Chapter 33 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code allows responsibility to be divided among parties whose conduct caused or contributed to the harm. An injured person’s damages generally are reduced by their percentage of responsibility. Under that framework, a person found more than 50% responsible cannot recover damages.
Our article on commercial truck blind spots and responsibility explains how evidence can test a driver’s account of a collision.
Preserving evidence after a commercial truck crash
Evidence collection should cover every vehicle involved. A recording from a car behind the crash, for example, may show a movement that the truck’s forward-facing camera missed. Photographs taken before towing can document vehicle positions and contact points.
Depending on the vehicles and equipment, useful evidence may include:
- Video: Original dashcam recordings can help establish timing and lane positions.
- Vehicle damage: Inspection and photographs can help distinguish separate contacts.
- Electronic data: Available crash or vehicle-system data may help evaluate speed and braking.
- Witness accounts: A witness may have seen the first impact rather than only the aftermath.
- Truck records: Driver logs and supporting records can help examine the driver’s work and driving schedule.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration explains that carriers must retain required duty-status records and supporting documents for six months from receipt. That retention period makes prompt preservation requests valuable. Driver logs serve a different purpose from crash recordings; they do not, by themselves, establish the sequence of impacts.
A lawyer handling a commercial truck accident claim can identify relevant records and seek to preserve them while the injured person focuses on treatment.
Injury and wrongful death claims in Texas
An injured person’s claim may address medical expenses, lost income and other legally recoverable losses caused by someone else’s negligence. The claim requires evidence connecting the negligent conduct to the injuries.
When negligent conduct causes a death, Texas law provides a separate path for certain surviving family members. Under Chapter 71 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code, a wrongful death action benefits the deceased person’s surviving spouse, children and parents. The estate may also have a survival claim, which addresses claims the deceased person could have pursued.
Our wrongful death attorneys can explain the distinction and review the evidence needed for each claim.
Frequently asked questions
Can more than one driver be responsible for a truck crash?
Yes. Texas law allows responsibility to be divided when the evidence shows that more than one person’s conduct contributed to the harm. Several vehicles being involved does not mean every driver shares fault.
Who can bring a wrongful death claim in Texas?
The surviving spouse, children and parents may bring a wrongful death action under Chapter 71. One or more of them may bring it for the benefit of all eligible beneficiaries. A survival claim is distinct from the family’s wrongful death claim.
What should I keep after a multi-vehicle collision?
Keep original photographs and videos, witness contact information, the police report number, medical records and communications from insurers. Preserve the original recording files so their timestamps and other available information remain intact.
Talk to a Texas truck accident lawyer
Knowing what to do after you lose a family member to an 18-wheeler accident can feel impossible. Between medical bills, trying to pursue legal action and answering questions from the insurance company, it’s hard to know what steps to take.
The Law Offices of Hilda Sibrian has represented injured Texans since 2004. Attorney Hilda Sibrian and our truck accident team serve clients throughout Houston, Pasadena, Baytown, La Porte and the surrounding communities. Call our office today or fill out our online contact form for a free consultation.
Call 713-714-1414 or contact our office for a free consultation. We assist clients in English and Spanish.
