Austin Truck Accident Lawyer

Truck Accidents in Austin, Texas

Truck accidents aren’t just bigger car accidents. They can cause catastrophic injuries, often leaving victims facing life-altering challenges and expenses.

Common causes of truck accidents in Austin include:

• Driver fatigue and hours-of-service violations
• Overloaded or improperly secured cargo
• Poor maintenance or brake failures
• Speeding and aggressive driving
• Impaired or distracted driving

Accidents involving commercial trucks often involve multiple liable parties, potentially including the truck driver, their employer, the trucking company, or even the truck manufacturer.

These complex cases also require knowledge of federal trucking regulations, black box data, and corporate insurance practices. That’s why it’s critical to work with a law firm that handles truck accident cases regularly.

When a negligent truck driver or trucking company cuts corners on safety, the risk to passenger vehicles sharing the road skyrockets. Holding trucking companies accountable requires swift action and a strong legal strategy. That’s precisely what Applewhite Law Firm delivers.

Types of Truck Accident Cases We Handle

Not all truck accidents are the same, and neither are the injuries and losses they leave behind. Our capable team of legal professionals represents clients hurt in collisions involving:

• 18-wheelers
• Big rigs
• Box trucks
• Commercial trucks
• Other commercial vehicles
• Concrete mixing trucks
• Delivery trucks
• Dump trucks
• Flatbed trucks
• Garbage trucks
• Large trucks
• Livestock trucks
• Refrigerated trucks
• Semi-trucks
• Tanker trucks
• Tractor trailers
• Tow trucks

When these massive vehicles get into crashes, the destruction can be tremendous. A fully loaded truck can weigh 20–30 times more than a passenger car, leaving victims in smaller vehicles with devastating injuries when collisions happen on Texas roads.

Leading Causes of Truck Accidents in Austin

Truck crashes often involve multiple layers of negligence. Based on the truck accident cases we’ve handled, some of the most common causes include:

• Driver fatigue: Long hauls and unrealistic delivery schedules make for exhausted truckers, who can make critical mistakes behind the wheel.
• Distracted driving: Phone use, GPS adjustments, and eating while driving can take a trucker’s attention off the road with deadly results.
• Improper cargo loading: Unbalanced or unsecured loads can lead to rollovers, jackknifes, or debris falling into traffic.
• Aggressive driving: Speeding, tailgating, and unsafe lane changes are reckless behaviors that are even more dangerous behind the wheel of an 80,000-pound vehicle.
• Poor vehicle maintenance: Worn brakes, blown tires, and mechanical failures often trace back to companies neglecting basic maintenance.
• Hazardous weather: Rain, ice, and heavy winds call for extra caution, something not every trucker practices when deadlines loom.
• Drug or alcohol impairment: Although trucking companies enforce strict testing, impaired driving still happens, greatly increasing the risk of collisions.
• Inadequate driver training: Handling a large commercial truck requires skill. When companies cut corners in training, everyone on the road pays the price.

Common Types of Truck Accidents in Austin

Truck accidents can arise in countless ways, but some patterns are more common than others. We often see:

• Rear-end crashes caused by large trucks unable to stop in time
• Head-on collisions from crossing into oncoming traffic
• Jackknife accidents, where the semitruck trailer swings out of control
• Rollovers due to speeding, shifting cargo, or sharp turns
• Underride crashes, where passenger vehicles slide under trailers
• Wide-turn accidents that crush vehicles caught in blind spots
• Lane departure incidents from distracted or drowsy driving
• Tire blowouts and equipment failures that lead to loss of control
• Loading and unloading accidents that injure drivers or bystanders
• Fuel tanker explosions in high-impact crashes

These cases are frequently influenced by manifold liability and federal trucking regulations, making it even more important to work with a truck accident attorney who has ample experience in handling accidents involving commercial trucks.

Truck Accident Injuries

Truck crashes don’t just cause broken bones — they can impose lifelong physical, emotional, and financial burdens. Many of the clients we represent after trucking accidents are coping with:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
• Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
• Severe neck and back injuries
• Multiple fractures and orthopedic injuries
• Third-degree burns and disfigurement
• Internal bleeding and organ damage
• Limb amputations
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and emotional trauma

Recovering from these injuries isn’t just about healing physically. It’s about managing mounting medical bills, missing work, adjusting to new limitations, and reckoning with the mental toll of the crash.

You shouldn’t have to do that alone. We’ll tend to the legal and financial battles so you can focus on what matters most: your recovery. From coordinating with medical providers to negotiating fair compensation, we’re here to lift that burden off your shoulders.

What to Do After a Truck Accident in Austin

If you’ve suffered injuries in a crash involving a commercial truck, your first step should be to get immediate medical treatment, even if you think you’re okay. Once you’ve been checked out thoroughly and received clearance from your doctor, begin gathering documentation like photos, witness statements, and the official police report.

Finally, speak with a qualified truck accident attorney in Austin who can protect your rights and begin constructing your truck accident claim while the evidence is still fresh.

Types of Compensation You Might Recover from a Truck Accident Lawsuit

If another party’s negligence caused the crash, you're entitled to pursue full compensation for what you've lost — and what you’ll continue to face as you adjust to the next phase of your life.

Depending on the specifics of your truck accident case, you may be able to recover:

• Medical expenses: Including emergency care, surgeries, hospital stays, rehab, and future medical needs.
• Lost wages: Paychecks missed while recovering, plus future lost earning potential.
• Pain and suffering: Physical pain and emotional distress due to your injuries.
• Disfigurement or disability: Lasting physical limitations or visible injuries from the crash.
• Property damage: Repairs or replacement for your vehicle and other affected belongings.
• Punitive damages: In cases where a negligent truck driver or trucking company acted especially recklessly.

Every truck accident claim is different. As a seasoned Austin truck accident lawyer, Ashley Applewhite’s job is to uncover the full scope of your losses — not just what’s on paper — and help you obtain the compensation you truly deserve.

Truck Accident Liability in Texas

Truck accident cases are rarely simple. Unlike the majority of car accidents, trucking collisions may involve multiple parties, including the driver, the trucking company, cargo loaders, maintenance crews, and even parts manufacturers. Determining who’s responsible is anything but straightforward.

Several factors combine to complicate liability in trucking cases:

• Multiple parties may share fault: More than one company could be responsible, depending on how the crash happened.
• Federal regulations apply: Commercial truck drivers must follow strict rules set by the FMCSA, and violations often play a role in accidents.
• Evidence disappears fast: Black box data, maintenance logs, and driver records must be preserved quickly.
• Deadlines matter: In Texas, you have only two years to file a truck accident claim.
• Insurance companies fight hard: Big policies mean aggressive defense teams focused on minimizing what they owe.

Our team knows how to overcome these challenges. From preserving evidence to identifying and taking action against every responsible party, we’ll manage the legal maneuvering so you can focus on getting back on your feet.