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Determining Whether The Negligent Truck Driver Was Impaired


If you are ever injured in an auto accident caused by a driver who was under the influence of either alcohol or a controlled substance, it is important that you consult with a Fort Worth personal injury lawyer who can gather the appropriate evidence and make sure that the negligent motorist's insurance company pays you the full compensation that you deserve. If the impaired driver was a commercial truck driver, however, the stakes are raised considerably, making the hiring of an experienced Texas truck wreck attorney an absolute necessity.

Texas laws concerning truckers who are suspected of driving drunk or while using an illegal drug are very strict. Truckers are prohibited from possessing any kind of alcohol while on duty and may not consume any alcohol with the four hours preceding them either reporting for work of being in control of or operating a commercial vehicle such as an 18 wheeler truck, tractor trailer or semi. Similarly, a driver may not use any controlled substance while on duty and performing any role which requires them to perform a safety-sensitive function. The only exemption to this rule is if the trucker's physician has previously advised the trucking company employing the driver that the medication will in no way impair their ability to safely operate a truck.

A motor carrier is not allowed to permit a trucker to drive if they have a reasonable suspicion that the driver has been using either alcohol or a controlled substance within four hours of arriving for work. A truck crash trial lawyer will be able to obtain the necessary court order to gather copies of any and all alcohol and controlled substance tests performed on the driver by their current employer, and to correspond with the driver's previous workplaces regarding past use of both alcohol and controlled substances.

Post-Accident Testing For Alcohol, Drugs and Controlled Substances

Texas law mandates that any commercial truck driver involved in a collision must be subjected to a breath or blood test for alcohol and a urine test for controlled substances if the accidents results in a fatality or if an investigating offer issues a citation where bodily injury has occurred. By law, the post-accident screening must occur as soon as possible after the crash. If the truck driver's employer decides to cancel a scheduled test, then your lawyer is able to use that as evidence in your case to prove that the commercial trucking company was aware of the fact the driver was using either alcohol or a controlled substance at the time of the wreck and then attempted to cover it up.

For a free consultation with the experienced commercial truck wreck attorneys at the Anderson Law Firm, please call today in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. You may call us toll free nationwide at 800-354-6275 or else contact us online.


Other Articles You Might Be Interested In:
Winning Your Texas Truck Accident Claim: What You Need To Know
Obtaining the Police Report After You Texas Truck Accident
Fit To Drive? The Physical Requirements of Truck Drivers in Texas
Texas Crime Victim Compensation Fund Available For Drunk Driving Victims
Out of State Truck Accidents: Getting Started on Your Personal Injury Claim




The Anderson Law Firm offers free no obligation consultations to people injured in accidents or who have suffered physical harm as a result of someone else's actions. We do not charge you to initially discuss your situation and establish whether you have a claim to pursue. You can call us and discuss your case over the phone, we can set up an appointment for you to come into our office, or we can visit you in your home anywhere in the metroplex.

If after meeting with us you decide that we are the best personal injury lawyer for you, then we will enter into a contingent fee agreement. This means that we only get paid when we win a settlement or jury verdict in your favor. You don't pay us anything up front. We will cover all expenses spent working on your case. Only when we win for you will you need to pay us. If we don't win, then you owe us nothing.

Contact us online now or call us 24 hours a day toll free on 1-800-354-MARK (1-800-345-6-275). You can also call us locally in Fort Worth on 817-294-1900 or in Dallas on 214-327-8000.


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