San Antonio Truck Accident Lawyer
Were you involved in a traffic accident involving a truck? Contact our San Antonio truck accident team at George Salinas Injury Lawyers.
Truck accidents are often quite serious and difficult to resolve compared to other types of traffic accidents. It’s common for these accidents to involve multiple victims and severe injuries, as well as significant property damage.
In these types of cases, insurance companies tend to look out for their own interests and leave victims unprotected. In addition to the pain of their injuries, victims must resolve details of the accident that cause them worry, distress, desperation and stress.
- Who’s going to pay for all my bills for hospital stays, medications, doctors and rehabilitation?
- What happens to me and my family if the accident leaves me unable to work?
- What can a truck accident lawyer (that I will probably have to pay for) do for me?
- Can I sue if I’m undocumented?
Don’t worry, we’ll address all these questions on this page. To start, you should know that:
- Truck accident lawyers defend victims against abusive insurance practices.
- When you hire a truck accident lawyer in San Antonio from George Salinas, you won’t pay anything out of pocket due to a payment method called contingency fees.
- Experienced truck accident lawyers will claim both financial and non-financial damages that the injuries caused or are causing you and your loved ones.
- Whatever your immigration status may be, you have the right to be represented by an attorney.
How can our San Antonio truck accident lawyers help you?
After a truck accident, the most important thing is for you and your loved ones to recover from any injuries. For this reason, your first step should always be to seek medical assistance. If necessary, go to a hospital to get properly diagnosed and begin your recovery as soon as possible.
The second step is to determine the circumstances of the accident. In other words, establish fault, collect evidence of negligence and seek compensation that will allow victims to cover economic damages (such as hospital bills, lost wages and vehicle repairs), as well as non-economic damages (such as distress, depression, pain and suffering).
To complete all of these actions and succeed in a San Antonio truck accident lawsuit, you’ll require the help of an expert legal team.
Our clients frequently ask us:
My vehicle is insured, so why do I need a truck lawyer if I get into an accident?
The answer is that insurance companies represent the interests of their company. They often leave victims unprotected through abusive strategies, such as forcing them to sign low-paying indemnities when they’re still in a state of shock.
That’s why a claim or lawsuit related to a truck accident in San Antonio should be handled by an expert legal team, such as George Salinas Injury Lawyers. With us, your case will be in the best hands.
While you and your loved ones focus your energizes on recovering and healing from your injuries, our truck accident lawyers will work to complete all necessary actions to win your case, including:
- Gather solid information and evidence to build a winning case and get you all the compensation that you’re entitled to.
- Find and talk to any eyewitnesses of the accident. We have a team of investigators in charge of finding these witnesses and recording their statements.
- Identify any video recordings that may have captured the accident, whether cameras located on city streets, outside private establishments or from a pedestrian or passenger of another vehicle.
- Relentlessly investigate all the circumstances of the accident and collect the evidence that will establish fault.
- Work with a variety of specialists (such as doctors, mechanics or traffic experts) to provide an accurate diagnosis of the damages suffered, which will allow us to document negligence without a reasonable doubt.
- Make important decisions about your case through a constant, transparent and upfront dialogue with you and your loved ones.
- Seek fair compensation for the accident you suffered. This compensation can be obtained through a settlement agreement directly with an insurance company or by filing a civil lawsuit to be heard in court.
If you or a loved one suffered a truck accident due to someone else’s negligence, contact us. At George Salinas Injury Lawyers, we’re ready to help you, no matter your immigration status. We speak Spanish and English, so call us at 210-225-0909 or by filling out this form. The consultation is free.
Common types of accidents handled by San Antonio truck accident attorneys
Truck accidents are often unavoidable. But sometimes knowing what causes them can help you either avoid them or know what to do when they happen.
That’s why the Texas Department of Transportation carefully analyzes truck accidents reported each year in the state and categorizes them into different types.
Here we’ll explain the main ones:
Head-on truck collisions
Head-on collisions between two vehicles tend to be the most devastating. They usually occur because of gross negligence on the part of one of the drivers, such as drunk driving or running a red light. However, there may also be gross negligence on the part of the company responsible for that truck (for example, the brakes failed due to lack of maintenance).
Falling cargo
Trucks often transport goods in the trailer. The responsible companies must ensure that this load doesn’t represent a risk when the vehicle is in motion. But sometimes this responsibility is ignored. If the products aren’t properly loaded and secured, they can fall on pedestrians, other vehicles or obstruct the road.
Punctured tire
When a tire is punctured, there’s a risk that the truck will roll over due to its weight and size. It’s also possible for the tire to come off and launch into other lanes, becoming a hazard to other vehicles and pedestrians.
Blind spots
In the rearview mirrors of any vehicle, there are blind spots where it’s impossible to see cars or pedestrians along the sides. Due to their large dimensions, trucks have even greater blind spots. That’s why driving them requires specialized training.
Rear-end truck collisions
It’s very common for two vehicles to collide when one brakes abruptly and the other behind it fails to stop in time. If the vehicles involved are two cars, this type of accident doesn’t usually have serious consequences. However, when trucks are involved, the possibility of serious injuries and significant property damage increases considerably, since trucks are so long and heavy that they can take up to five or six seconds to come to a complete stop.
T-Bone
This type of accident refers to side crashes. They tend to occur primarily at highway intersections (when a secondary road merges into a highly-transited one). T-bone accidents involving trucks are especially dangerous. They can also occur at the intersection between two streets when a vehicle runs a stop sign.
Common causes of accidents handled by San Antonio truck collision attorneys
Speeding, truck driver fatigue, distractions, extreme weather… Here are the most common causes of truck accidents in San Antonio:
- Speeding
The serious risk of this type of accident is that high-speed impacts can lead to a greater likelihood of catastrophic injuries to passengers. In some circumstances, such as extreme weather, trucks must be especially careful with speed. Given their large dimensions, these trucks may be in danger of getting into an accident even when respecting speed limits. - Distracted driving
This category includes any behavior that takes your eyes off the road, including looking at your phone screen to follow GPS instructions to turning to the back seat to catch something that’s fallen. In the case of truck drivers, who spend long days behind the wheel, it’s very important that any phone calls be answered hands-free and that virtual maps are placed at eye level with the road. If they need to eat or drink, drivers should do so when the truck is stopped. - Driving under the influence of alcohol
Alcohol distorts your vision and slows downs reactions and reflexes. The same is true of drugs and certain prescription medications. Some truck drivers resort to these substances in order to endure long drives. Companies are required to test their drivers for drug or alcohol problems and if they fail to do so, they’re considered negligent. - Reckless driving
Reckless driving means adopting careless attitudes, whether caused by distraction or impatience. In the case of truck drivers, often their delivery times are delayed and this pressure causes them to resort to reckless driving behaviors. The most common one is getting too close to the vehicles in front of them, forcing them to go faster or pass them. - Extreme weather
Heavy rains, strong winds and snowfall can fill the streets and highways with ice, sand, mud and water, as well as roadside objects. These extreme weather conditions require drivers to take extreme precautions (slow down, brake gently, proceed with flashers on, and increase the safety distance).
- Poor road conditions
The most frequent type of road damage is potholes. To avoid them, drivers tend to brake abruptly or swerve, causing an accident. However, there are also risks associated with the design of streets and highways that can cause accidents, such as visual obstacles or slopes/curves that are too steep or poorly marked. - Mechanical failure
Often road accidents are due to the fact that one of the vehicles involved has suffered some type of failure, such as a flat tire, a detached part, or failed brakes or engines. Some of these failures may be due to manufacturing defects or the company’s carelessness in not keeping the vehicle well-maintained - Animals crossing the road
Animals are constantly crossing streets and highways. The instinctive reaction is to swerve so as not to run over them. However, this reaction often causes the truck to run off the road or hit the vehicle in the next lane. - Driver fatigue
Truck drivers often have to endure long hours behind the wheel and many companies force them to work shifts where they must drive for several hours without a break. In these cases, current laws require companies to provide drivers with mandatory rest periods.
The risk of fatigued driving isn’t only falling asleep at the wheel, but also losing reflexes and the ability to react well due to excessive fatigue. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration conducted a study that revealed a disturbing fact: drivers who haven’t slept for 18 hours lose reflexes and the reaction capacity equivalent to people who drive with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 (twice the permitted level).
Common injuries suffered by San Antonio truck accident victims
- Broken bones
- Brain injuries, ranging from mild (such as a concussion) to severe (such as hemorrhage or trauma)
- Amputations (i.e. loss of limbs)
- Spinal cord injuries (which can result in partial or general paralysis)
- Burns of various degrees
- Injuries to knees, shoulders, ankles, ligaments, neck, back, thorax, pelvis and abdomen
- Injuries to internal organs (such as liver, pancreas, bladder, lungs or kidneys)
- Injuries resulting from crushing (such as nerve damage)
- Scars and disfigurement
- Deep lacerations
How much money can I get if a San Antonio truck accident attorney wins my case?
The final amount from a successful San Antonio truck accident compensation case depends on numerous circumstances and laws. However, the most important element is the severity of the injuries and how long it will take the victim to return to work.
You should be aware that trucking accident lawsuits aren’t limited to claiming coverage for economic damages, but also for non-economic damages.
Here we’ll explain the three most common expenses in each of these two categories.
Economic damages
- Reimbursement of all medical expenses incurred and coverage of all future medical expenses that will be necessary.
- Compensation for wages lost due to the inability to work as a result of the accident.
- Reimbursement of funeral expenses (if any) and compensation to loved ones who were financially dependent on the person who lost their life during an accident.
Non-economic damages
- Pain and suffering
- Distress and depression
- Loss of companionship and/or consortium
What do San Antonio truck accidents attorneys recommend that I do after an accident?
Here are the five steps you should take after a truck accident:
- Seek medical attention. Even if you feel fine, make sure you and your loved ones are checked by a doctor.
- Call an experienced truck crash attorney from George Salinas Injury Lawyers.
- Don’t sign any documents or issue any statements. Avoid speaking to any insurance company representatives.
- Don’t state that you’re fine. (As we’ve mentioned, even if you feel fine, some injuries take days to show up, such as damage to internal organs.)
- If your injuries aren’t serious and you’re in the right frame of mind: take photographs documenting the circumstances of the truck accident from various angles (including your injuries). Ask for and write down the names and phone numbers of others involved. If applicable, ask for a copy of the police report.
How long do my San Antonio truck crash lawyers have to file for compensation?
State laws establish the time period available to truck accident victims to file for compensation.
In Texas, the average time frame is two years. Some accidents, particularly those involving trucks operated by government agencies or public institutions, are subject to different rules that require claims to be filed in much shorter periods.
However, victims of truck accidents need medical attention and financial compensation from the moment the incident happens. That’s why it’s always advisable to call a San Antonio truck accident lawyer immediately and not let a day go by.
Remember that the longer it takes to claim compensation, the more difficult it will be to reconstruct the circumstances under which the accident occurred and prove both the seriousness of the injuries you suffered and the liability of the negligent party. So, the sooner you contact an experienced truck accident attorney, the better your chances of getting compensation.
How long can it take for San Antonio truck crash lawyers to resolve my case?
After the official compensation claim is filed, negotiations begin. In almost all cases, this involves reaching an agreement with insurance companies.
In an ideal scenario, the insurance company accepts the negligence of the party it represents, offers a fair settlement and within a few weeks the case is resolved to the satisfaction of all involved, especially the victims.
However, this rarely happens. Insurers tend to delay as long as possible and often try by various means to pay out as little as possible. In these scenarios, truck accident cases can take several years.
Some our clients ask us:
Are victims left unprotected while their case is being resolved?
Luckily, there are compensation schemes where victims can receive partial economic benefits that allow them to cover their medical expenses and lost wages while a final verdict in their case is being decided.
In order to enjoy these benefits, it’s important that victims have the help of a legal team specialized in truck accident cases.
Contact our San Antonio truck accident lawyers
If you or a loved one suffered a truck accident injury due to someone else’s fault or negligent action, contact us. At George Salinas Injury Lawyers, we’re ready to help you. We speak Spanish and English, so go ahead and contact us at 210-225-0909.
You’re not alone. Our team of San Antonio truck accident lawyers will fight to get you financial compensation that helps you recover from your accident.
FAQs
To hire a personal injury lawyer in San Antonio, you won’t pay a thing! At George Salinas Injury Lawyers, our teams work on a contingency fee basis. This means that we don’t charge you anything upfront for handling your case.
To be clear, you don’t have to pay us at any time during the legal process, no matter how long it takes. Once you win the lawsuit, you’ll get financial compensation and we’ll receive a minor percentage of the total amount to pay for our services.
Absolutely! If you were injured in a truck accident in Texas, you’re entitled to compensation that will allow you to recover without financial worries – regardless of your immigration status.
Your employers (if you were injured on the job) or insurance company agents (both yours and the other driver’s) will probably tell you that it’s a bad idea to sue if your immigration status is unclear. However, you shouldn’t be afraid. You’re entitled to compensation and you’re not alone. At George Salinas Injury Lawyers, we guarantee the privacy of your personal information.
If the truck accident injuries you suffered keep you bedridden, don’t worry. We just need you or a loved one to call us and we’ll visit you at the hospital, your home or wherever you’re recovering. If your condition prevents you from moving, we’ll come to see you as many times as necessary to gather information about the truck accident and consult you about the different legal avenues that the case may present.
We’ve won millions of dollars in compensation for our clients and specialize in truck accident cases caused by negligent parties. George Salinas’ career as a San Antonio personal injury lawyer is impressive. He was selected in the top 100 best lawyers in the U.S. by The National Trial Lawyers (2019) and in 2020 he was named a “Texas Super Lawyer.” Our firm’s staff is fully bilingual (we speak both Spanish and English) and we offer free consultations to evaluate each case.
Negligence in a truck accident case is directly related to the violation of traffic regulations by any of the drivers involved. In other words, if the cause of the accident involves behaviors such as speeding, distracted driving, driving under the influence or reckless driving, we’re talking about negligence.
