TRUCK ACCIDENTS - PEARLAND, TX

Pearland Truck Accident Lawyers

If you’ve been injured in a Pearland truck crash, you may be entitled to compensation. Trucking companies and their employees have a responsibility to keep other drivers safe on the highway. When they fail to fulfill this responsibility, they can be held liable for their actions.

Because of their size and weight, large trucks such as 18-wheelers, big rigs, tractor trailers or box trucks, can be particularly dangerous on our roadways. And in an accident, these vehicles pose unique challenges that can only be overcome with experienced legal counsel. Some of these challenges have to do with the extensive damage and injuries that large trucks can cause. Extensive damages cost liable parties money, so they’re motivated to fight claims aggressively. Other challenges result from the complex system of state and federal laws that govern commercial vehicles.

At the West & West, we’ve been protecting the rights of truck wreck victims since 1992. Our experience helps us maximize settlements to ensure victims and their families are taken care of now and in the future.

Call our Pearland truck accident attorneys today at 713-222-9378 for a free consultation, or tell us about the crash online.

Our lawyers work on a contingent-fee basis, which means you don’t pay anything unless we win your case.

Why You Need a Lawyer? Big Trucks, Bigger Accidents

Pearland Truck wrecks come with a mess of regulations and corporate interests that typical car crashes don’t. Because of their commercial function and the risks they pose, trucks are subject to regulations beyond those that apply to personal vehicles. Some truck regulations are federal and apply nationwide.

Other rules vary from state to state and thus depend on the exact location of the accident. This makes for a complex legal situation in the event of a crash – one that requires an experienced truck accident attorney to navigate successfully.

The trucking industry is as complicated as the legal system. It consists of many moving parts: a large distribution chain that includes drivers, employers, cargo loaders, maintenance crews, and parts manufacturers. Each link of the chain has an important role to play in the transportation of goods across the county. And they each play an important role in the overall safety of the industry’s operations.

When part of the chain is compromised, liable parties can be held responsible for damages. In some cases, multiple parties are liable for a truck wreck. When trucking companies are potentially liable, they hire powerful teams of attorneys to defend their financial interests. The multiple insurers involved act just as aggressively to conserve their money.

It’s common to have multiple insurance companies negotiating settlements after an accident involving a large truck. Unfortunately, without an experienced Pearland truck crash attorney, victims could miss out on important sources of compensation.

Luckily, Pearland attorneys with the necessary industry knowledge, like ours at West & West, will know how to investigate your accident, prove the at-fault parties are liable and demand a comprehensive financial settlement for your case.

Trucking Laws, Rules, and Regulations

Generally, CMVs and ‘large trucks’ refer to vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) greater than 10,000 pounds. This might include several types of vehicles, such as semi-trucks, tractor-trailers, flatbeds, 18-wheelers, buses, large shuttles, delivery trucks, etc.

These vehicles often include features that make them particularly dangerous on the road and in an accident. For example:

• Trucks require longer stopping distances.
• Cargo can shift and affect the maneuverability of a truck.
• Large trucks often transport dangerous or hazardous materials.
• CMVs are often equipped with air brakes (as opposed to hydraulic brakes), which can be dangerous if not properly maintained.

Because of these and a number of other features, operating and maintaining a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) isn’t easy. It comes with responsibilities that exceed what’s expected of other drivers and enforced by both state and federal regulations. These regulations address the heightened risk that CMVs pose to other drivers on the road. They are meant to minimize the possibility of large truck drivers causing collisions with personal vehicles.



For example, commercial truck drivers:

• Are required to maintain a current commercial driver’s license
• May not exceed daily driving limits
• Can’t drive fatigued
• May not drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• May not overfill a truck beyond its maximum
• Are responsible for regular brake and tire inspections

Furthermore, there are rules and regulations that reach beyond driver behavior—these rules must be followed by other members of the supply chain to ensure safety on our roadways. For example:

• Trucking companies must make sure that hazardous materials are appropriately labeled, classed, described, packaged, and marked.
• Employers must routinely have their drivers submit to drug and alcohol testing.
• All trucking companies must maintain a mandated level of insurance.
• Records of maintenance must be kept and organized.
• Employers can only hire healthy, qualified, English-speaking drivers; they must also keep a record of each driver’s route, their hours, traffic violations, crashes, and drug screening test records.

There are lots of ways things can go wrong in the trucking industry. But if these rules are followed closely, it may help to limit drivers’ and their employers’ liability in the event of a crash.

On the other hand, if a driver or trucking company fails to follow all of the applicable rules and regulations, they may be held liable for any injuries or damages they cause. If you have been involved in a Pearland truck crash, an experienced Pearland truck accident attorney at West & West can conduct an investigation into whether any regulations were broken and how it contributed to the crash. From there, we can help you determine the best path to compensation for the damages you have suffered.

Contact West & West

If you’ve been in an accident involving a large truck or CMV, you don’t have to fight the truck driver or trucking company on your own. A West & West attorney will stand by your side and help you secure the compensation you deserve from these well-resourced companies. We’ll protect you from their aggressive, money-conserving tactics.

Pearland truck crashes often result in complex legal disputes with multiple insurance companies. An experienced injury lawyer can protect your rights and help ensure no money is left on the table.

If you’ve been injured in a Pearland truck accident, our truck wreck lawyers have the knowledge and resources you need to secure compensation.



Even if you are unsure of whether you want to pursue legal action at this time, we can talk you through the legal options available to you for financial recovery. We understand that you have difficult decisions to make in the aftermath of your accident. We want you to be informed, so we offer free, no-obligation consultations to all potential clients.