Edinburg Truck Accident Lawyers

Truck Accident Statistics in Edinburg

Truck crashes are a major problem in Edinburg and the Rio Grande Valley region. According to data from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), there were over 600 commercial truck accidents just in Hidalgo County in 2022.

Some alarming truck accident statistics for the Edinburg area include:

• In 2022, 69 truck crashes in Edinburg were registered, with 37 injuries and 2 truck accident fatalities.
• 20% of all truck traffic crashes in Edinburg involved speeding.
• Truck accident injuries tend to be much more severe than regular car crashes. Over 50% of individuals injured in commercial truck collisions suffer incapacitating injuries.
• Rollover truck crashes frequently eject passengers and result in traumatic brain injuries or spinal cord damage.
• Changing lanes when unsafe is a factor in nearly 15% of fatal truck crashes in TX. Truckers driving long shifts without adequate rest leads to impaired reaction times and crashes.
• Tractor-trailers have a much larger blind spot than passenger cars. Unsafe lane changes and merge collisions are common truck accident causes.

These sobering statistics show why it is critical to have an experienced truck accident attorney on your side if you’ve been injured by a semi-truck or 18-wheeler in the Edinburg area. The trucking companies and insurers will fight to minimize settlement offers. Our Edinburg truck accident lawyers will level the playing field.

Sources:  FMCSA, NHTSA.

What To Do After a Truck Accident in Edinburg

Being in a collision with a semi-truck or 18-wheeler can be a terrifying and overwhelming experience. Here are some important steps to take after a trucking accident:

• Seek Medical Attention:  This is the top priority, even if you don’t think you suffered serious injuries. Symptoms of concussions, organ damage, and other trauma sometimes take hours or days to manifest. Getting promptly checked out creates a record of your condition.
• Report the Crash:  Notify local police so that an official report can be filed documenting the details of the collision. Make sure the report lists all parties involved.
• Document the Scene:  If possible, take photos of the vehicles involved, skid marks, injuries, and any hazardous conditions that may have contributed to the crash. These can help prove liability later.
• Exchange Information:  Get the truck driver’s name, trucking company, license plate, insurance details, and DOT number. Also provide the other party with your auto insurance information.
• Obtain Witness Info:  If anyone saw the crash occur, get their contact details including names, phone numbers, and addresses. Witness statements are crucial.
• Hire a Lawyer:  Contact one of our experienced Edinburg truck accident lawyers immediately. An attorney can conduct a scene investigation, preserve evidence, and handle communications with insurers. This protects your rights.

Taking these steps quickly after a truck crash can maximize the value of your injury claim and make building a negligence case much easier. Don’t talk to the trucking company’s insurer until you have legal representation.

Who Can File a Claim After a Truck Accident in Edinburg?

After a catastrophic truck collision, sorting out who has the right to pursue injury claims can be confusing. Here is a breakdown of who may be eligible to seek compensation:

• Injured Victims:  Anyone directly injured in the accident, either as a vehicle occupant, motorcyclist, cyclist or pedestrian can pursue claims for medical expenses, lost income, disability and pain and suffering damages.
• Family of Deceased Victims:  If the truck accident resulted in a wrongful death, specified surviving family members such as spouses, parents, and children of the deceased may be able to file a claim through an estate.
• Vehicle Owners:  Even if you were not present during the truck crash, as the owner of a damaged vehicle you can pursue compensation for repair costs and diminished value through property damage claims.
• Uninjured Passengers:  Occasionally passengers who were not directly harmed in a truck wreck may be able to seek damages related to emotional trauma from witnessing crash injuries and fatalities.
• Unborn Children:  A fetus injured in utero in a truck collision may have legal rights to pursue injury claims after birth for disabilities caused by the truck accident.

Having experienced Edinburg truck accident lawyers can help determine who is eligible to pursue claims and ensure all legal options are being fully utilized after a commercial trucking disaster. Do not leave money on the table.

Most Common Truck Accident Injuries in Edinburg

When a 80,000 pound semi-truck collides with a small passenger car or pickup, the occupants of the smaller vehicle frequently suffer catastrophic injuries. Here are some of the most common truck accident injuries we see at our Edinburg law firm:

• Traumatic Brain Injuries:  The violent impact of a truck crash commonly causes the brain to slam against the interior skull, leading to concussions, bleeding, and contusions. TBI can result in permanent disability.
• Spinal Cord Injuries:  Spinal fracture, pinched nerves, and vertebrae dislocation are common in high-speed truck collisions. Severe spinal cord injuries often lead to paraplegia or quadriplegia.
• Amputations:  When a limb gets crushed between two colliding vehicles or under a truck, amputation is often necessary. Losing an arm or leg drastically impacts quality of life.
• Internal Organ Damage:  Being jolted violently in a truck accident can rupture or lacerate organs like the liver, kidneys, spleen, bladder, etc. This massive internal bleeding requires surgery.
• Severe Burns:  Friction burns from skidding on asphalt and burns from post-crash fires are risks in truck wrecks. 3rd degree burns require extensive skin grafting.
• Orthopedic Injuries:  Shattered bones, torn ligaments, herniated discs, and other orthopedic trauma is common in truck crashes. Multiple surgeries and physical therapy are often needed.

Any of these truck accident injuries can lead to permanent disability, disfigurement, loss of income, and reduced quality of life. Our experienced Edinburg truck accident lawyers will fight to recover fair compensation for your injuries when a negligent trucker causes a crash in Edinburg or elsewhere in South Texas.

Common Types of Truck Accidents in Edinburg

While no two truck crashes are exactly alike, there are several types of collisions with commercial vehicles that we see often in Edinburg and the Rio Grande Valley:

• Rear-end Collisions:  One of the most common truck accidents we see is when a truck rear-ends a passenger vehicle stopped at a light or in traffic. Their longer stopping distance makes trucks prone to these collisions.
• Sideswipe Crashes:  Dangerous lane changes are a frequent cause of truck sideswipe accidents that can push a smaller vehicle into guardrails or oncoming traffic.
• Rollover Wrecks:  Top-heavy tractor-trailers are prone to rollovers when turning or swerving abruptly. Ejected passengers often suffer traumatic brain injuries.
• Underride Collisions:  When a car slides under a truck during an impact, devastating injuries occur as the top of the car shears off.
• T-bone Intersection Crashes:  Running red lights or stop signs often results in deadly broadside truck collisions in intersections.
• Pedestrian Accidents:  Truck drivers with large blind spots can easily strike pedestrians crossing streets, on road shoulders, or in parking lots.
• Bicycle Collisions:  Truck side mirrors that are not properly adjusted frequently clip cyclists traveling alongside trucks, dragging the rider under tires.

Our experienced Edinburg truck accident lawyers have seen the aftermath of every type of collision imaginable between passenger vehicles and commercial trucks. We know how to investigate truck crashes and build strong injury cases in Edinburg and throughout South Texas.

Determining Fault in an Edinburg Truck Accident Claim

Figuring out who was at fault and responsible for a truck crash is not always straightforward. Multiple parties may share liability. Here are some factors our attorneys look at to establish negligence:

• Truck Driver Negligence:  Did the trucker fail to properly signal, yield right of way, or account for blind spots? Was the driver impaired, fatigued, or distracted by a cell phone or GPS device at the time of impact? Reckless driving by the truck operator is a major source of liability.
• Trucking Company Negligence:  Did the trucking outfit fail to properly train or supervise the driver? Have there been prior safety complaints or accidents involving this company’s trucks? Negligent hiring, training, maintenance, and fleet management can implicate the carrier.
• Mechanical Defects:  Was there an undiagnosed issue with the truck’s brakes, tires, lights or other critical components? Defective semi-truck parts that result in malfunction and cause a crash are the responsibility of the manufacturer and fleet manager.
• Dangerous Roads/Signage:  Poorly designed intersections, lack of properly marked lanes, and unrepaired potholes are examples of potential government liability for truck wrecks due to hazardous road conditions.
• Negligence of Other Drivers:  While trucks are usually the at-fault party in collisions due to their size, car drivers can also bear some responsibility in rare cases. Their actions will be evaluated.

Our seasoned Edinburg truck accident lawyers will complete an exhaustive investigation to identify every source of liability and hold all negligent parties fully accountable. You deserve maximum compensation.

How Our Edinburg Truck Accident Lawyers Can Help You

After a serious collision with a commercial truck, having an experienced attorney on your side is critical. Here are some of the key ways a knowledgeable lawyer can help:

Safety Tips from Our Edinburg Truck Accident Lawyers

While truck crashes often cannot be avoided due to the negligent actions of truck drivers, there are some defensive driving steps motorists can take to help reduce the risks:

• Maintain extra distance from trucks:  Leave ample room to account for their longer stopping distance.
• Avoid lingering in blind spots:  Trucks have very large blind spots on all sides. Don’t “camp out” alongside trucks for prolonged periods.
• Beware of wide right turns:  Be cognizant that truck trailers will swing very wide on right hand turns. Give them space.
• Pass quickly and carefully:  When passing truckers, execute the maneuver promptly to avoid lingering in their blind areas.
• Allow merges:  Trying to race a truck entering your lane is extremely dangerous. Slow down and make room for merges.
• Drive defensively at intersections:  Scan thoroughly for approaching trucks before progressing on a left turn across traffic.
• Avoid distractions:  Focus on your driving at all times, particularly in areas with high truck traffic.
• Maintain your vehicle:  Ensure brakes, tires, and lights are functioning properly to avoid impairing your ability to respond.
• Buckle up:  Safety belts and properly adjusted headrests can help prevent severe injuries in a crash.

No amount of defensive driving can completely prevent a collision with an erratic or negligent truck driver. But proactive motorists can help reduce risks. Contact our Edinburg truck accident lawyers if you’ve been injured.

Why Choose Our Truck Accident Firm?

Our Proven Process

Here is what you can expect when you choose Thompson Law to handle your truck accident case:

• Free case review:  We’ll listen to what happened and provide honest advice about your options
• Collecting evidence:  Our investigators will gather police reports, photos, video footage, EDR data, and other evidence
• Proving liability:  We’ll work with experts to show the truck driver and trucking company’s negligence caused your crash
• Valuing your claim:  Our legal team will calculate current and future medical costs, lost income, pain and suffering and other damages
• Aggressive negotiation:  We’ll demand top-dollar settlement from the insurance companies
• Trial readiness:  Our attorneys are always prepared to take your case to court if needed

Our Edinburg truck accident lawyers will fight tirelessly to help you recover damages for medical bills, lost income, permanent disability or disfigurement, property damage, pain and suffering, and loss of companionship or consortium. Our goal is maximum compensation.

Contact Our Truck Accident Attorneys in Edinburg, TX

Call Our Edinburg Truck Accident Lawyers Today!

If you or a loved one has been injured or lost their life in a catastrophic truck accident in the Edinburg area, please do not wait to get experienced legal help on your side. The sooner our truck accident attorneys can start investigating your crash and building your injury claim, the better.

At Thompson Law, we offer free case evaluations so you’ll know exactly where you stand. Our attorneys will examine the details of your collision, provide honest insight on fault and liability, and discuss your options for recovering full compensation. We have helped hundreds of clients secure millions in verdicts and settlements after being seriously harmed by negligent truckers and unsafe trucking companies.

We move quickly to gather police reports, preserve crucial evidence from the crash scene, obtain witness statements, download EDR data from the truck, thoroughly photograph damage, and consult with subject matter experts. Our team has the expertise and resources to handle every aspect of documenting and demonstrating exactly how the truck driver, carrier, manufacturer or other parties caused your accident through negligent actions.

Don’t leave money on the table or get pressured into accepting an inadequate settlement offer. Having aggressive legal representation levels the playing field and ensures the defendants and insurance companies take your claim seriously. Too often truck crash victims suffer permanent disability, lost income, trauma, and huge medical bills that burden them for years. You deserve full compensation.

Contact our experienced Edinburg truck accident lawyers today.  The sooner you have us in your corner, the stronger your case will be. We will fight tirelessly for you.

Frequently Asked Questions About Truck Accident Injury Claims

How long do I have to file a truck accident lawsuit in Texas?

You normally have two years from the date of the collision to pursue your claim before it is barred under Texas law. Our attorneys act swiftly to meet deadlines.

What key evidence helps prove my truck crash case?

Police reports, truck driver logs, inspection records, crash photos, video footage, EDR data, medical records, lost income documentation, and other evidence prove liability and damages.

Who may share liability for my truck accident injuries?

The truck driver, trucking company, automaker, parts supplier, other drivers, or government entities like transportation departments may bear responsibility depending on case specifics.

What are common truck crash injuries?

Common truck injuries include spinal cord damage, traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, burns, amputations, and wrongful death. An attorney will pursue your full compensation.

How can hiring a lawyer help my truck accident case?

Experienced lawyers deal with insurers and corporate defendants so you can focus on recovery. We build strong legal claims and maximize settlements.