Rear-End Truck Accident

Large commercial vehicles are everywhere in Texas, especially in major freight hubs like Houston. Every day, thousands of massive semi-trucks drive up and down our roads, most of them obeying the law and driving safely. Nevertheless, there are negligent and careless people out there who give professional truck drivers a bad name.

These dangerous truckers can cause terrible injuries, resulting in expensive medical bills, property damage, lost time from work, and long-lasting pain and suffering. When trucking companies allow this to happen, they can be held liable for the injuries that result.

A rear-end crash between a semi-truck and a passenger vehicle can leave victims with serious and potentially life-threatening injuries. If this has happened to you, please call The Law Offices of Hilda Sibrian™ today to learn more about your rights and to schedule a free consultation with a Houston rear-end truck accident attorney.

 What Causes Rear-End Truck Collisions in Houston?

There are many factors that can quickly lead to a serious rear-end crash involving a semi-truck. If you’ve been rear-ended by a commercial truck, the accident may have been caused by:

• Speeding – Many people who are rear-ended by a commercial truck in Houston are seriously hurt because the truck driver was going too fast to stop. There’s a reason why the applicable traffic citation in these cases usually reads, “failure to stop or slow down to avoid an accident.” Semi-trucks take much longer to stop than regular cars, and truck drivers should absolutely know this and plan accordingly by slowing down to allow stopping room.
• Distracted driving – Federal motor carrier laws strictly prohibit truck drivers from texting and driving, using handheld devices, or being otherwise distracted by electronic devices. Texas law also sets strict prohibitions on the practice. Nevertheless, it remains one of the leading reasons why innocent people are rear-ended.
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs – Impaired driving is more than just getting drunk or using illegal narcotics. Sometimes, truck drivers use powerful over-the-counter medications or prescription drugs to get to sleep (or stay awake). They may also be on medications that make them drowsy.
• Fatigued driving – A drowsy truck driver turns a relatively safe and controllable vehicle into an 80,000-pound projectile, travelling upwards of 70 miles per hour, without anyone at the controls.
• Tailgating – Tailgating in a tractor-trailer vehicle is just about the most reckless thing a truck driver can do, essentially putting innocent motorists and their families in direct danger.
• Mechanical failure – Poorly equipped semi-trucks, bad brakes, and trailers left in disrepair are all examples of mechanical problems that can prove deadly.
• Reckless driving – Finally, some truck drivers allow the stress, time away from family, and odd work hours to make them aggressive and antagonistic toward others on the road. This can prove lethal when a driver uses a large commercial vehicle to threaten or intimidate others.

Injuries in a Houston Rear-End Truck Crash

Trucking collisions are usually far more severe than regular car crashes. Injuries can include, for instance:

Many trucks crash end up being fatal for those involved. If you have lost a family member in a fatal rear-end truck crash, you may be able to pursue justice through a wrongful death claim.

Compensation for Rear-End Truck Accident Injuries

After a trucking collision in Texas, the compensation you can obtain will depend on the losses you have suffered. Some of the common types of compensation we seek include:

How Can a Houston Rear-End Truck Accident Attorney Help?

For those who are rear-ended by a semi-truck, negotiating a truck accident settlement may seem tough. On one hand, you want to be fully compensated for the injuries you suffered. On the other hand, you may not like the idea of filing a lawsuit or having to go to trial. There’s good news, though. The vast majority of cases handled by skilled trucking accident lawyers never go to court. This is for several reasons.

First, insurance companies usually understand that when you are represented by a competent and experienced personal injury attorney, you have the ability to pursue your case all the way to trial. If the insurance company chooses not to pay or the trucking company is unwilling to resolve the claim out of court, you have the option of forcing the matter forward and presenting your case to a jury of regular everyday Texans who will hear the evidence and be able to make the decision.

By yourself, the trucking company and insurance carrier know that you probably won’t be able to get the case moved forward. Therefore, the trucking company and its insurance carrier will have no incentive to pay. They can just wait and run down the clock on the statute of limitations.

When you hire The Law Offices of Hilda Sibrian™, you can count on having an experienced Houston rear-end truck accident lawyer on your side. We immediately put the defendant and their insurance company on notice that we will not hesitate to take a case to trial to force them to pay. Fortunately, most of the time we are able to negotiate a favorable outcome without needing to do so.

Talk to a Houston Rear-End Truck Accident Attorney Today

To pursue a favorable Houston rear-end semi-truck accident settlement, it’s important to have a knowledgeable lawyer on your side right from the start. Trucking companies move quickly to protect their interests, and so should you.

At The Law Offices of Hilda Sibrian™, we’ve been recovering full and fair compensation for truck accident victims for more than 15 years. Our clients have come to trust that we will fight tooth and nail for the compensation they deserve.

It all starts with a free initial case evaluation, during which you can discuss your injuries and the crash with an experienced Houston truck accident attorney. Ask questions, get answers, and put your mind at ease. There’s no risk or obligation, but time is definitely limited. So don’t delay. Give our devoted truck accident injury team a call today.