Find The Best Truck Accident Lawyer in Texas (March 2025)

How Much Does a Truck Injury Lawyer Cost in Texas?

Most Texas truck injury lawyers represent clients under a contingency fee agreement. In exchange for a percentage of any compensation they recover on your behalf, they will pursue your case without charging you for their time. If they don't win, you don't pay.

The costs associated with pursuing a personal injury or wrongful death case after a truck accident can be significant. These include court filing fees, expert fees, court reporter charges, postage and numerous other expenses. Ask who is responsible for paying these costs and how they will be paid. While some attorneys waive these fees if they don't recover on your behalf, others will hold you responsible regardless. Some will require you to pay them as they accrue.

Types of Truck Accident Cases in Texas

More than 200,000 of the millions of U.S. truck drivers are proud residents of Texas. They drive a wide variety of vehicles to transport commercial goods and passengers, including:

• Semi-trucks.
• Tractor-trailers.
• 18-wheelers.
• Commercial buses.
• Delivery vehicles.
• Dump trucks.

Although these large trucks are vital to Texas' economy, their risks to road users are a serious concern. Because of their massive size and weight, trucks can be difficult to maneuver and control. Although most truck accidents can be prevented by following proper safety precautions and trucking industry regulations, not all commercial truck drivers have the experience and skill to operate these vehicles safely. Most truck accidents are caused by:

• Driver negligence.
• Poor truck maintenance.
• Truck malfunctions or defects.
• Improperly loaded cargo.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulates the maximum on-duty hours as well as required off-duty periods for truckers. Drivers are legally obligated to comply with these requirements along with the Texas Hours of Service (HOS) Regulations when driving in the state. Unfortunately, some truckers exceed the hours of service or fail to take required breaks. This can lead to exhaustion, inattentiveness and mistakes on the road.

Trucking companies may compound the problem by setting delivery deadlines or expectations that are impossible to meet safely. Economic pressure can lead to dangerous driving practices and safety lapses, like missed equipment checks or hasty, improper loading. All these factors contribute to preventable truck accidents.

The cause of a truck accident is typically a key issue, because many accidents have numerous contributing factors. Drivers can be liable for negligent or reckless behavior like drowsy driving, driving too fast for conditions and distractions like texting while driving. Defective vehicle parts or malfunctioning safety features may support a product liability lawsuit. An improperly secured load may be the result of lax safety policies at a loading dock.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Texas Truck Accident?

A truck accident lawsuit is usually more complex than a lawsuit for your typical car crash. In most cases, a car accident lawsuit has just one defendant: the at-fault driver.

In a truck accident case, you’ll likely file a lawsuit against the truck driver. However, most of the time, there are other liable parties as well. Your attorney can review your case and look for potentially liable parties, which might include the following:

• The truck driver
• The trucking company
• The loading company
• Repair shops

In most cases, truck accident lawsuits name multiple defendants.

Common Injuries in Texas Truck Accidents

Even relatively “mild” car accidents can cause life-altering injuries. Given the considerable size difference between commercial trucks and passenger vehicles, truck accidents often lead to very severe injuries like these:

• Spinal cord injuries, including paralysis
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Fractures
• Vertebral fractures, ruptured discs and other back injuries
• Internal bleeding and crush injuries
• Major lacerations

It’s important to keep in mind that some injuries may not show symptoms right away. For instance, even some traumatic brain injuries might not bother you in the hours and days immediately after the accident. Even if you don’t think you’re badly hurt, you should always call 911 to summon emergency personnel after a car accident.

Average Truck Injury Settlement in Texas

Truck-auto accidents often involve severe, debilitating injuries and mountains of medical bills. In addition to steep charges for hospital stays, victims may need extensive rehabilitation, physical therapy and long-term medical treatment. Being unable to work during this lengthy recovery period can lead to financial devastation, and permanent limitations can reduce their future earning capacity. They may need to modify their home or vehicle with special assistance devices and engage household help. Victims can suffer serious mental distress and PTSD.

Because every case is different, there is no reliable way to estimate the average settlement value of a truck accident case. An experienced truck injury attorney can use their knowledge of past cases and relationships with insurers. They will examine the facts of your case and help you understand its strengths and weaknesses.

To estimate the value of your truck injury case, an attorney will consider many types of damages, including the expenses you've already incurred, the anticipated future costs related to your injuries and the effects your injuries have had on your career, family and personal life. In wrongful death cases, the effect of the decedent's loss on their survivors is a significant factor.

What Compensation Can You Receive in a Texas Truck Accident Case?

If you file a truck accident lawsuit, you may be able to recover compensation for the various financial and non-financial losses you’ve suffered. This compensation is called “damages” in the legal realm, and it’s generally divided into two categories.

The first is economic damages, which cover medical costs and other financial losses.The second is non-economic damages. These compensate you for pain and suffering and other non-monetary losses. Here’s a look at the specific types of losses you could be compensated for:

Economic Losses

When most people consider the financial losses suffered after a truck accident, they think of medical bills. Medical expenses can quickly spiral out of control, even if you have insurance. Lost income is another major loss you might be compensated for.

After your accident, make sure you keep a record of all accident-related expenses. The more documentation you have, the easier it will be to recover the compensation you deserve.

Non-Economic Losses

The term “pain and suffering” is often used as a catch-all for non-economic losses. Compensation for pain and suffering may include payment for physical pain, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life and even the long-term impact of disfigurement.

Filing a Truck Injury Lawsuit in Texas

A truck injury lawsuit allows an injured person, or the survivors of a person killed in a truck accident, to pursue compensation for their damages from the responsible parties. You may have claims against more than one party for causing an accident. An experienced truck injury attorney can help you understand your options and work with you to develop the best recovery strategy.

Texas law imposes a two-year statute of limitations on wrongful death and personal injury cases. In most cases, you must file a lawsuit within two years of a trucking accident, or you will lose your chance. Consulting with an experienced personal injury as soon as possible after an accident also helps position your case more favorably for success. As time passes, evidence gets lost or destroyed, people's memories fade and it is much harder to present a good case.

An injured person can still pursue a Texas personal injury claim if they are partially at fault for the occurrence under the modified comparative negligence doctrine as long as they are less than 51% at fault. The total amount of any award they recover in court will be reduced by the percentage of their fault. If the plaintiff's fault is more than 50%, however, they cannot recover anything.

How Does a Truck Accident Lawsuit Work in Texas?

To file a Texas truck accident lawsuit, the injured person or the personal representative of the deceased files a complaint in civil court and serves it on the party or parties they are trying to hold responsible. Once the defendant responds, the parties exchange evidence and prepare for trial. Other parties may be added to the litigation, and the case may be transferred to a different court. Lawsuits involving truck accidents are often handled by federal rather than state courts.

Truck accident cases can take years to resolve. During that time, the judge assigned to the case will hold hearings in court to ensure the case is progressing appropriately and settle disputes between the parties as they conduct investigations and exchange evidence. Formal and informal settlement negotiations will also take place, often including mediation or arbitration sessions.

If the parties cannot reach a settlement agreement, they will present their evidence to a judge or jury during a trial. At its conclusion, the judge or jury will issue a verdict, or decision, on each of the plaintiff's claims against each defendant. If the plaintiff is successful on any of their claims, the jury will determine how much money to award to compensate them for their damages.

How to Hire a Texas Truck Injury Attorney

Truck accident cases often involve severe injuries and catastrophic damage claims. It's crucial that you hire an experienced truck accident lawyer with the resources to pursue your claim. Once you have found a few possibilities through referrals or research, schedule interviews with a few different attorneys. Most Texas truck injury attorneys offer free initial consultations.

These meetings can help you understand the strength of your case and get an idea of how each lawyer will work with you. Pay attention to each attorney's communication style and ensure you feel comfortable speaking candidly with them. Before you enter into a representation agreement, make sure you read and understand the contract carefully.