The Woodlands Truck Accident Attorney

You Deserve Quality Legal Representation

The aftermath of a car accident is exhausting and can be difficult to deal with. At Scott Law Firm, we want to help you get through this difficult time. Lawsuits with large corporations are much harder to win due to their extensive resources, and an inexperienced lawyer can cost you more money over time and can even cost you your case. Instead of putting your future at risk, choose a team that has the skill and knowledge you need.

Call Scott Law Firm today at (936) 243-4299 to speak to our truck accident lawyer in The Woodlands at your free initial consultation.

What to Do Immediately After a Truck Accident

First off, tell the police officers everything you know about the truck accident. Once you finally get home after all of the chaos, make an appointment to see a doctor. If you saw an urgent care doctor after the accident, you should still go see your doctor within the next few days after the accident. Try to take notes on how your body is feeling. Often, whiplash and other issues take a few days to become apparent. These appointments will help you get better and help to document your injury.

Additionally, find a reputable truck accident lawyer servicing The Woodlands. Look for legitimate reviews and testimonials. It is crucial that they have experience with commercial trucking accidents and not just standard car accidents. Truck accidents are more complex due to the number of parties involved.

After getting a personal injury attorney you can trust, they will help you sort out the rest. You may need new means of commuting to work and some insurance companies will provide a rental car. Additionally, you might need paperwork to get time off of work if you’ve been injured.

Why You Need a Truck Accident Lawyer

It doesn’t matter how safe of a driver you are if the person driving next to you is driving recklessly. An accident with a commercial truck can leave you feeling shocked, injured, and overwhelmed. Right after a truck accident, you should speak with a Montgomery County police officer to file a report. Commercial truck accidents involve local, state, and federal investigative agencies. There may also be other parties involved including big trucking companies, multiple business owners, drivers, insurance companies, and vehicle manufacturers to name a few. This is true for the rest of the country as well. This makes these accidents more complex than your typical auto accident.

While it may seem like a simple thing to file a claim when you get into a truck accident, but we want you to know that it’s a lot different than filing a car accident claim.

Common Injuries from Trucking Accidents

Commercial trucks are big and heavy so it is not surprising that truck accidents typically result in severe personal injuries. Whiplash and soft tissue injuries are common in truck accident cases.

However, there are more serious personal injuries that can occur including:

• Head and brain injuries
• Crushed limbs
• Serious spinal injuries

Any severe injury may require surgery and rehabilitation treatment to regain your health. As a result, the mounting medical bills quickly add up and can be very stressful. Our legal team understands this and will work to get you the compensation you deserve for your pain and suffering.

If you have been injured or hospitalized and are unable to travel, we can come to you! Enjoy peace of mind knowing that your legal team will be taking care of your case while you heal.

Working with Insurance Companies

Scott Law Firm has worked on many truck accident cases in Texas. Our legal team understands how difficult it can be to work with insurance companies. Unfortunately, there is an imbalance of power between yourself, the insurance companies, and trucking companies. Working with an experienced truck accident lawyer in The Woodlands will help ensure they don’t use their power to take advantage of you. We understand what it takes to work with insurance companies so that you are properly compensated for your medical bills, loss of wages, and pain and suffering. Scott Law Firm will handle the paperwork filled with legal terminology that insurance companies may try to trick you with.

Common Causes of Commercial Truck Accidents

Many things can cause a truck accident. Fatigue is one of the biggest reasons why these accidents occur. Unfortunately, truck drivers often have strenuous deadlines that they must meet and unfortunately, may drive fatigued. Additionally, commercial vehicles often have large blind spots. People need to be aware of blind spots and avoid them. Another issue with heavy commercial trucks is that they are harder to stop due to their weight. When a car cuts off a truck and suddenly brakes, the truck cannot brake at the same speed. Sometimes, trucks do not have a balanced load and this can make driving extremely difficult if the load shifts.

Avoiding Commercial Truck Accidents

Commercial truck accidents are not always avoidable; however, there are some things that you can do to reduce the odds of an accident with a large truck. The most important thing you can do to avoid an accident is to not drive in a truck’s blind spot. If you have to drive in their blind spot, try not to stay there for a long time. If you must pass a truck, the more distance between you and a truck reduces the likelihood of an accident.

Next, be aware. Do not drive when you are fatigued and look for signs of fatigue in other drivers. If you notice that a truck is drifting often, try to put as much distance between yourself and them as possible. Sometimes very strong winds make trucks go out of their lane, so in these circumstances, avoid driving near them as well. If trucks are driving recklessly or unsafe, consider calling highway patrol.

Service Rules for Truck Drivers

Property-Carrying Drivers:

• 11-hour driving limit: May drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty
• 14-hour limit: May not drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty, following 10 consecutive hours off duty; off-duty time does not extend the 14-hour period
• Rest breaks: May drive only if 8 hours or less have passed since the end of driver’s last off-duty or sleeper-berth period of at least 30 minutes; this does not apply to drivers using either of the short-haul exceptions in 395.1(e)
• May not drive after 60/70 hours on duty in 7/8 consecutive days: A driver may restart a 7/8 consecutive day period after taking 34 or more consecutive hours off duty
• Sleeper Berth Provision: Drivers using the sleeper berth provision must take at least 8 consecutive hours in the sleeper berth, plus a separate 2 consecutive hours either in the sleeper berth, off duty, or any combination of the two

Passenger-Carrying Drivers:

• 10-Hour Driving Limit: May drive a maximum of 10 hours after 8 consecutive hours off duty
• 15-Hour Limit: May not drive after having been on duty for 15 hours, following 8 consecutive hours off duty; off-duty time is not included in the 15-hour period
• 60/70-Hour Limit: May not drive after 60/70 hours on duty in 7/8 consecutive days
• Sleeper Berth Provision: Drivers using a sleeper berth must take at least 8 hours in the sleeper berth, and may split the sleeper berth time into two periods provided neither is less than 2 hours

Who Is Responsible for My Accident?

It can difficult to determine who is at fault for an accident and states vary in how they make this decision. Usually, if you rear-ended someone then you are at fault. However, in other situations, it is not so clear. Also, truck drivers are held to higher standards than regular citizens.

Our The Woodlands car accident lawyer at Scott Law Firm will help you navigate this challenging situation. Contact us today to begin with a free initial consultation.