Being hurt in a traffic accident involving a large truck often means catastrophic injuries with huge medical bills. It is important that you are fully aware of your legal rights and responsibilities as you don’t want to do anything which could negatively affect the amount of compensation you could recover. While I recommend that you seek a consultation with a Fort Worth personal injury lawyer as soon as possible following your crash, I have also collected some of the key information which you need to be aware of immediately.
Truck Driver Negligence
Long haul truckers are professional drivers. As such, they are required to not only hold a valid commercial driver’s license; they must also fulfill a number of other obligations mandated by the US Department of Transportation. Motor carrier companies are responsible to make sure their employees are fit to drive and that their vehicles are properly maintained. Learn more about truck driver license requirements in Texas.
Hours of Service Rules for CDL Drivers
Since 18 wheeler drivers spend so much time behind the wheel, it is necessary for there to be strict guidelines concerning how long they are able to be on duty before obliged to take a break. Unfortunately, due to a shortage of staff and a desire to increase profits, many trucking companies and drivers forge their logs in order to make it appear they were operating within the law when in reality they were not. It is often necessary to have an attorney on your side to uncover proof that they were lying. Learn more about the trucking hours of service laws.
Information on the Big Rig’s Black Box
Almost all semi-trucks are equipped with an electronic control module (ECM) which records a wealth of data concerning the vehicle’s speed, braking and other information which is valuable for a personal injury lawyer pursing a claim for compensation. Unfortunately, a loophole in the law often means that negligent trucking companies intentionally destroy these black boxes soon after a crash when they know it was their driver who was at fault. Hiring a lawyer quickly can sometimes prevent this loss of evidence from occurring. Learn more about tractor trailers’ electronic control modules.
Who is to Blame: The Driver or their Employer?
The relationship between many tractor trailer drivers and the companies they work for are often purposefully confusing. However, as far as your personal injury claim is concerned, regardless of whether they are payroll staff or independent contractors, they are considered statutory employees under Texas law. This means that if the truck driver was at-fault for your injuries, then the trucking company can he held financially responsible for your compensation, which means there is plenty of insurance available to cover your medical costs in full. Learn more about the relationship between truck drivers and motor carrier companies.
How to Make Sure You Get the Full and Fair Compensation You Deserve
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 nowor 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.
Main Office
1310 W. El Paso Street
Fort Worth, Texas 76102
Phone: 817-294-1900
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North Tarrant County Office
9500 Ray White Rd., Suite 200
Keller TX 76244
Phone: 817-294-1900
Toll Free: 800-354-MARK
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Dallas Office
3102 Maple Ave, Suite 400
Dallas, Texas 75201
Phone: 214-327-8000
Toll Free: 800-354-MARK
By Appointment Only Get Directions