Due to its proximity to Austin, San Antonio and New Braunfels, a great deal of commercial truck traffic flows through Canyon Lake. Unfortunately, the higher the number of trucks on the roads, the greater the number of truck accidents. In 2017 alone, nearly 200 crashes involving commercial motor vehicles occurred in Comal County, the Texas Department of Transportation reports.
For more than a quarter century, the attorneys of Burch Law Firm have protected the rights of those who have suffered catastrophic – and costly – injuries due to the careless and reckless actions of truckers and trucking companies who cause these accidents. We know how victims and their families can easily get overwhelmed by the medical expenses, lost wages and other harm which these crashes cause. That is why our truck accident attorneys work directly with clients to address their issues and pursue the maximum amount of compensation for them.
If you recently suffered injuries in a trucking accident in Canyon Lake, contact us to discuss your case. You will speak with an attorney – not a staff member – who will review your crash in a free consultation and explore all of your legal options. If we agree to work together, we will begin an immediate investigation.
Why Do You Need to Investigate a Canyon Lake Truck Accident Right Away?
In most tractor-trailer accidents, the drivers and passengers in the other cars suffer the more severe injuries. An 18-wheeler weighing 80,000 pounds simply dwarfs a much smaller and lighter passenger vehicle. Because of the severity of damage that a tractor-trailer causes, the trucker, trucking company and their insurers know the stakes are high. They act quickly and aggressively to protect their interests after a crash. You need an experienced Canyon Lake truck accident lawyer to do the same for you.
At Burch Law Firm, we will quickly act to preserve, gather and analyze evidence that will help us to determine why your truck accident happened and identify who is to blame for it. That evidence may include:
- Photos from the accident scene (and video if available)
- Inspections of the tractor-trailer and all other vehicles involved
- GPS data
- Electronic data recorder (EDR, or “black box”) data
- Cell phone records
- Breathe, blood or urine test results
- Driver logbooks
- Inspection and maintenance records
- Bills of lading and other shipping documents
- Witness statements
Our legal team will take all necessary steps, including seeking court orders, so we ensure that we have a complete picture of the tractor-trailer crash and its effect on your life and the lives of your family members.
What Can an Investigation Reveal About Your Truck Crash?
By conducting a thorough investigation, Burch Law Firm will identify the cause of a trucking accident as well as the party (or parties) who should be held legally responsible, or liable, for it. In addition to collecting evidence, we also consult with experts in fields such as engineering, accident reconstruction and trucking safety. Through the years, some of the common causes of truck accidents that we have seen in our investigations include:
- Truck driver negligence – Despite their training and experience, some truck drivers engage in dangerous conduct such as speeding, making aggressive and reckless maneuvers, driving while distracted, driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol and driving while overly fatigued.
- Trucking company negligence – Trucking companies can often be held liable based on the wrongful conduct of their drivers as well as for their own negligence. For instance, they may hire drivers without adequate background checks, fail to properly supervise drivers, neglect inspection and maintenance of their trucks and force or encourage drivers to engage in dangerous behavior such as driving while overly fatigued.
- Mechanic negligence – Mechanics may be liable for failing to exercise reasonable care when they inspect and make repairs to commercial vehicles, which in turn allows unsafe vehicles to be on the road.
- Freight broker negligence – A freight broker can contribute to an accident by connecting companies in need of having goods shipped with trucking companies, or carriers, who are unqualified to haul the freight.
- Shipper negligence – In many cases, a truck accident happens because of the way cargo is loaded at a warehouse or other facility. The shipper may be liable for crashes that are caused by overweight or unsecured loads.
- Truck manufacturer negligence – A crash may be traced to defectively designed or manufactured parts such as brakes, tires, wheels, steering columns or couplings.
In some situations, multiple factors may contribute to a crash, and many different parties may share responsibility. At Burch Law Firm, we investigate every aspect of a trucking accident in order to identify all sources compensation and pursue the maximum amount for our clients. We know how important that compensation will be to our clients as they move forward with their lives.
Why Do Violations of Regulations Matter in a Truck Accident Claim?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has regulations that cover nearly every aspect of the interstate trucking industry, and states like Texas have enacted rules as well which govern the intrastate trucking industry. These rules are meant to promote safety and prevent accidents. They address areas such as:
- Distracted driving – FMCSA rules ban texting while driving and using hand-held phones, and drivers cannot make calls with a cell phone unless they need to hit only one button in order to dial.
- Fatigued driving – The FMCSA’s hours-of-service regulations restrict the number of hours that drivers can spend on the road without a break.
- Hiring and supervision of drivers – The rules require work history and driving record checks, pre-hire drug screening, road tests and medical certification.
- Inspection, repair and maintenance of vehicles – FMCSA rules prohibit vehicles from being “operated in such a condition as to likely cause an accident or a breakdown of the vehicle.”
- Size and weight limits – State and federal rules are designed to prevent dangerous cargo shifts or cargo spills.
If a trucker or trucking company violates these or other safety rules, and the violation causes an accident, the trucker or trucking company can be held liable. That is why it is important to work with a law firm that knows the ins-and-outs of these regulations as well as how to identify when violations have occurred.
Contact Our Canyon Lake Truck Accident Attorneys
At Burch Law Firm, we have more attorneys than support staff members for a reason: We want our clients to work directly with an attorney who will give them the personalized attention they deserve. We also charge no costs or fees unless we recover compensation for our clients. To learn more about how we can help you after a trucking accident in Canyon Lake, call or reach us online today and get started with a free consultation.
