What Are Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Fort Worth?
Find Out How A Texas Truck Accident Lawyer Can Help You
Large commercial trucks are a common presence on I-20, Loop 820, I-35, I-30, I-45, 287 and Highway 67 and other roadways that connect Fort Worth, Dallas, and other communities throughout the metro area. These trucks have proven to be a particularly dangerous presence, resulting in serious truck accidents. Due to the size and weight of a typical 18-wheeler, even the most minor truck accidents in Texas can involve significant damage and catastrophic injuries to drivers, passengers, or even pedestrians and bicyclists attempting to cross an intersection. Coby L. Wooten, Attorney at Law, P.C. has years of experience working with people injured in truck accidents. All too often, these accidents can be traced back to the negligent or careless behavior of the truck driver involved in the crash or the truck company that put the truck on the road. We've handled cases involving a variety of different factors, from distracted truck drivers and fatigued drivers who violate hours-of-service regulations, to drunk truck drivers, to trucking companies that put unsafe vehicles on Texas highways. To find out more about causes of truck accidents in Texas, click on the following:
- Fatigued truck drivers
- Distracted truck drivers
- Impaired truck drivers
- Poorly maintained trucks
- Trucking company negligence
It's a common sight on highways surrounding Fort Worth and Dallas: a semi-truck or 18-wheeler slowly veers out of its lane, quickly and violently swerving back into its lane. Truck drivers often work long hours and experience fatigue. When drivers push themselves to exhaustion, they are more likely to cause a catastrophic truck accident on Texas roadways. These truck drivers often face pressure from big trucking companies to deliver their cargo quickly and might even be encouraged to break the rules regarding mandatory breaks in order to make a profit. Attorney Coby L. Wooten knows that fatigued truck drivers pose a risk to everybody on the road. Occupants of smaller vehicles, bicycle riders, and pedestrians are at high risk of suffering serious injury when a truck driver falls asleep at the wheel. Fatigued truckers can easily lose control of their vehicle. The truck could jackknife, swerve, or roll over into oncoming traffic, across lanes of traffic, or onto the shoulder of a highway. Catastrophic head-on collisions, multi-vehicle pileups and high speed rear-end accidents can be the result.
Distracted driving is a growing problem in Fort Worth, Dallas, and across Texas. When the driver of a 50-foot-long, 80,000-pound big rig is distracted, there's a very high risk of a catastrophic truck accident. Occupants of smaller vehicles, bicycle riders, and pedestrians are at high risk of suffering serious injury when a truck driver takes his or her eyes off the road. Distracted truckers can easily lose control of their truck. The truck could jackknife, swerve, or roll over into oncoming traffic or onto the shoulder of a highway. Head-on collisions, multi-vehicle pileups and high speed rear-end accidents can be the result. Attorney Coby L. Wooten understands that truck drivers are faced with more distractions than ever before. Texting and driving is against the law across the nation for commercial truck drivers. A recent federal law prohibits truckers from using any kind of handheld cell phone or texting device while operating a commercial vehicle, even while stopped in traffic. But truckers face many other distractions that could take their eyes off the road and their hands off the wheel. These distractions include:
- Operating a GPS device in the truck
- Communicating with truck company dispatchers or other drivers
- Operating MP3 players or radios
- Eating or drinking
- Talking to passengers
A truck accident caused by a distracted driver can happen in seconds. However, accident victims might be left with injuries that take years to recover from physically, emotionally and financially. Getting truck accident victims the money they rightfully deserve after a truck accident can be very difficult. A driver may deny any wrongdoing. A trucking company - and their insurance provider - may try to say you caused the accident. When you're left with long-term injuries that result in skyrocketing medical bills and lost wages, that's not fair.
Drivers who make the choice to drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs cause some of Fort Worth's most serious accidents. When that driver is behind the wheel of a 50-foot-long, 80,000 pound 18-wheeler or semi-truck, the consequences resulting from the truck driver's actions can be deadly. Unfortunately, accidents involving truckers who drive while impaired by alcohol and other substances is common. In addition, many trucking companies hire truck drivers with a prior record of driving under the influence. Attorney Coby L. Wooten, P.C. knows that impaired drivers pose a risk to everybody on the roadway. Occupants of smaller vehicles, bicycle riders, and pedestrians are at high risk of suffering a serious injury when an impaired trucker causes a serious truck accident. Drunk or drugged truckers can easily lose control of their truck. The truck could jackknife, swerve, or roll over into oncoming traffic, across lanes of traffic, or onto the shoulder of a highway. Catastrophic head-on collisions, multi-vehicle pileups and high speed rear-end accidents can be the result. Accidents involving impaired truckers happen when you least expect them. The injuries resulting from their actions can leave victims dealing with severe injuries that lead to skyrocketing medical bills and lost wages from missing work in addition to their pain and suffering. Often, the investigation, which includes drug testing, begins immediately. An experienced lawyer can get this information before it disappears. We know how to pore over accident reports, medical records and investigate the trucking company that employed the impaired driver. We know how to ask the right questions. We know how to collect the right evidence and build a successful legal strategy. For example, we will check U.S. Department of Transportation exam records to determine if the driver was medically qualified to operate a commercial motor vehicle.
Trucking companies have a legal responsibility to maintain their vehicles. These companies are responsible for fixing mechanical problems, addressing safety issues, and providing their employees with vehicles that are safe to drive. But in a rush to meet deadlines, ship cargo quickly and maximize profits, some trucking companies often overlook the required daily inspection of their fleet of vehicles and willfully ignore safety issues to keep trucks on the road. When a trucking company fails to maintain its trucks, the potential for a serious truck accident dramatically increases. Trucking company negligence is often at the root of many serious accidents in Texas. There's no excuse trucking companies can offer to justify keeping dangerous vehicles on the road. Attorney Coby L. Wooten has decades of experience dealing with negligent truck companies that fail to address safety issues. If you've been injured in a Dallas or Fort Worth truck accident and you suspect a poorly maintained truck was to blame for your accident, you have rights. You might be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Trucking companies must be held accountable for their negligent behavior. Proving that a truck company failed to maintain a truck can be extremely difficult. Although trucking companies are required to keep records to show that they've taken steps to prevent maintenance problems such as brake failure and tire blowout, many truck companies neglect to do so. In fact, some truck companies deliberately fail to maintain safety and maintenance records as a means of finding a way around government-mandated regulations designed to prevent serious truck accidents. Truck drivers by law must perform pre-trip and post-trip inspections. These inspections involve checking vehicle's parts and systems. Truckers must file reports, and we will ask to review them after an accident. An experienced truck accident lawyer in Fort Worth may be able to help prove trucking company negligence by opening up an investigation into a trucking company's safety records and maintenance documentation. Contact Coby L. Wooten, Attorney at Law, P.C. today. We know how to find the right evidence to build a successful legal strategy. We know what questions to ask. We're familiar with the tactics big trucking companies and their insurance representatives use to minimize your compensation.
Trucking companies have a responsibility to keep trucks well-maintained, address maintenance issues, hire safe drivers and monitor their hours behind the wheel. But companies don't always follow the rules. Sometimes, trucking companies cut corners, resulting in serious truck accidents. Sometimes, they intimidate their drivers to put profits ahead of people. An 18-wheeled, 80-ton vehicle requires special care and maintenance. A few ways that trucking companies can be found negligent include:
- Using poor quality truck engine parts, trailer parts, or truck equipment
- Unsafe or inadequate truck maintenance procedures
- Maintaining out-of-date or incomplete safety records
- Failing to enforce a trucker's driving log, leading to truck driver fatigue
- Hiding known evidence of truck driver substance abuse problems
- Hiring truckers with DUI or distracted driving collision records
- Improperly documented vehicle maintenance records
- Lack of black box GPS locator on the truck, which could determine the speed of the truck at the time of the crash and how long the vehicle was on the road
Negligent trucking companies must be held accountable for their actions. Due to the massive size and weight of semi-trucks, 18-wheelers, and other commercial vehicles, when a truck company fails to hire responsible drivers or maintain their vehicles, serious accidents can occur. Some truck companies may willingly turn a blind eye to a driver's substance abuse, fail to address mechanical issues, and hide evidence of any wrongdoing whatsoever.
You have rights. Contact attorney Coby L. Wooten today
Negligent truckers and trucking companies must be held accountable. When a truck company fails to hire responsible drivers or maintain their vehicles, serious accidents can occur. Don't underestimate the seriousness of your case. What may seem like a simple, straightforward legal matter can turn out to be much more complicated. That's why we're here. Contact Coby L. Wooten, Attorney at Law, P.C. to discuss your legal options with a Fort Worth truck accident attorney who gives honest answers to difficult questions. We know how to find the facts and uncover the true cause of your truck accident. Case results matter - and so do you. Call (866) 408-0940 to schedule an appointment at our Fort Worth office. Serving families in Fort Worth, Dallas, Arlington and throughout Texas.