How Parker Law Firm Injury Lawyers Helps After a Bedford Truck Accident
A Bedford truck accident lawyer starts an independent investigation right away so the trucking company’s version of events isn’t the only one. Large truck crashes involving 18-wheelers, tractor-trailers, semi-trucks, tankers, and other commercial vehicles often cause catastrophic injuries and wrongful deaths because of the size and weight of the trucks.
Brad Parker has represented injured people in Northeast Tarrant County since 1985. He is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and holds an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
When you hire us, we:
- Investigate how the crash happened and identify every responsible party
- Demand that the trucking company preserve its records and electronic data
- Follow the findings of local, state, and federal investigations
- Work with accident reconstructionists, trucking safety professionals, doctors, and economists as needed
- Document your damages and calculate what your case is worth
- Handle the insurance companies and negotiate for you
- Take your case to trial if the other side won’t pay fairly
What Happens Right After a Truck Crash?
The first call a truck driver makes after a crash is usually to the dispatcher, not 911. That call sets the trucking company’s response in motion: its insurer can send investigators, lawyers, and reconstruction professionals to start building a case that limits the company’s responsibility.
Semi-trucks and 18-wheelers pass through Hurst, Euless, Bedford, and the rest of the Dallas–Fort Worth area every day. When one is in a crash, the people in the smaller vehicle are the ones most likely to be hurt.
That is why it matters to have your own lawyer investigating early. We work to secure:
- The truck’s electronic control module (“black box”) data
- Driver logs and hours-of-service records
- Dashcam, traffic camera, and nearby business video
- Maintenance, inspection, and repair records
- Load and shipping documents
- Driver hiring, training, and drug testing files
- Witness statements and the police report
What Causes 18-Wheeler and Semi-Truck Accidents in Bedford?
Most truck crashes come down to a driver’s mistake or a trucking company that cut corners. State and federal rules limit truck size and weight, require special licenses, and cap driving hours, but violations still happen. Common causes include:
- Driver fatigue and hours-of-service violations
- Distracted driving
- Speeding and following too closely
- Inexperienced or poorly trained drivers
- Poor maintenance, including brake and tire failures
- Overweight trailers and unsafe or unsecured loads that cause lost load crashes
- Sudden braking or turning that leads to jackknife accidents
- Hazardous material transport
- Dispatchers routing trucks onto roads not suited for them
- Defective truck parts, road defects, and bad weather
According to the Texas Department of Transportation, there were 2,174 commercial motor vehicle crashes in Tarrant County in 2021, and 23 people died in them.
Who Is Liable for a Truck Accident in Texas?
Liability in a truck accident can extend well beyond the driver. Depending on the facts, responsible parties can include:
- The truck driver, for speeding, failing to yield, distraction, fatigue, or impairment
- The trucking company, for its driver’s conduct on the job and for its own negligent hiring, training, scheduling, or maintenance
- Loaders and shippers, when cargo was overloaded or not secured
- Dispatchers, when they sent a driver on an unsafe route or schedule
- Repair and maintenance shops, when poor work led to a mechanical failure
- Manufacturers of defective brakes, steering, tires, or other parts
- Government entities, when a dangerous road condition contributed
- Other motorists
Most truck cases rest on negligence. We gather the evidence to show who owed you a duty, how they broke it, and how that caused your injuries. Learn more about commercial vehicle accidents and how truck crashes differ from car crashes.
Common Truck Accident Injuries
Truck accidents tend to cause severe injuries because a loaded tractor-trailer is many times heavier than a passenger car. Our clients’ injuries often include:
- Traumatic brain injuries and concussions
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Back and neck injuries
- Broken bones
- Internal injuries
- Burns
- Amputations
- Disfigurement and scarring
Many of these injuries require long-term care, which is why accurate damages calculations matter so much in truck cases.
How Much Is My Bedford Truck Accident Case Worth?
The value of a truck accident case depends on your injuries, your losses, the evidence of fault, and the insurance available. Commercial carriers generally carry higher liability limits than ordinary drivers, and more than one policy may apply.
You may recover:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages and lost earning capacity
- Rehabilitation and long-term care
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Physical impairment and disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
If a loved one died, the family may bring a wrongful death claim.
What if I share fault? Texas uses modified comparative fault. If you were 50% or less responsible, your damages are reduced by your percentage of fault. If you were more than 50% responsible, you recover nothing. Trucking insurers often try to push blame onto the other driver, so we build the evidence to answer that.
What Is the Statute of Limitations for a Truck Accident in Texas?
In Texas, you generally have two years from the date of the crash to file a truck accident lawsuit. Wrongful death claims generally have two years from the date of death.
The practical deadline is much shorter. Electronic data, video, and driver records can be lost within days or weeks. Claims involving a government vehicle or road defect may require notice within six months or less. Contact a lawyer as soon as you can.
About Brad Parker
Bedford Truck Accident FAQs
How much does a truck accident attorney cost in Bedford?
Parker Law Firm Injury Lawyers handles truck accident cases on a contingency fee. You pay nothing upfront, and you don't owe attorney's fees unless we recover compensation for you. The fee is a percentage of the recovery agreed in writing before we start, and our fee will never exceed your recovery.
Can I sue the trucking company and not just the driver?
Often, yes. A trucking company can be responsible for a driver's mistakes made on the job, and for its own failures, such as hiring an unqualified driver, pushing unrealistic schedules, or skipping maintenance. Loaders, repair shops, and parts manufacturers can also share responsibility. We investigate every one of them.
Why should I contact a lawyer quickly after a semi-truck crash?
Trucking companies usually send investigators and lawyers to the scene soon after a crash. Important evidence, including the truck's electronic data, driver logs, and dashcam video, can be overwritten or lost. A lawyer can send a preservation letter and start an independent investigation while the evidence still exists.
Are truck accident cases different from car accident cases?
Yes. Commercial trucks are governed by state and federal rules on driver hours, licensing, weight, cargo, and maintenance. Violations of those rules can help prove fault. Truck cases also tend to involve more serious injuries, higher insurance limits, and more parties, which makes them more complex.
How long do I have to file a truck accident lawsuit in Texas?
In Texas, you generally have two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit. If a government vehicle or road defect was involved, notice may be required within six months or less. Evidence in truck cases disappears quickly, so it's best to act soon.
Visit Our Bedford Office
Parker Law Firm Injury Lawyers – Bedford Office
2317 Plaza Pkwy #100, Bedford, TX 76021
- Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Saturday – Sunday Closed