A truck accident lawyer builds your claim from the truck, the trailer and the records behind them. Federal law covers the trailer’s rear guard, its brakes, its tires and how the cargo is secured.
You pay nothing unless we win. Zinda Law Group offers a free consultation about your crash at (800) 863-5312.
Article summary
Key things to know
- An 18-wheeler is a truck tractor pulling a semitrailer, and federal safety rules cover both.
- Federal rules address the trailer’s rear guard, cargo securement, brakes and tires.
- Texas reduces damages by a person’s share of fault and bars recovery for anyone more than 50 percent responsible.
- A Texas injury lawsuit generally must be filed within two years.
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Was it a tractor trailer that hit you?
A personal injury lawyer can tell you which truck and trailer records matter and what the filing deadline is.
What a lawyer does after an 18-wheeler crash
A truck accident attorney handles injury claims against negligent truck drivers and the trucking companies behind them. Gathering evidence starts with a preservation letter, sometimes called a spoliation letter. It asks the company to keep the truck, the trailer, the electronic logs and the driver qualification file.
The lawyer also answers the insurers and checks each offer against your medical records, medical bills and lost wages.
Not every truck accident case involves a tractor trailer. Our San Antonio truck accident lawyer page covers crashes with any commercial truck. Our national 18-wheeler accident page explains these crashes in other states.
What counts as an 18-wheeler
People call the same vehicle an 18-wheeler, a tractor trailer, a semi truck or a big rig.
Federal safety rules define a truck tractor as a self-propelled commercial motor vehicle designed or used primarily for drawing other vehicles. A semitrailer is a towed vehicle, other than a pole trailer, built so that part of its weight rests on the vehicle pulling it.
Federal weight limits cap gross vehicle weight on the Interstate System at 80,000 pounds, and the bridge formula can set a lower figure.
Trailer and equipment rules after a tractor trailer crash
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) writes the equipment rules, and they can show what was wrong with the truck or the trailer. A violation does not prove fault by itself.
Rear impact guards and underride
In a rear underride crash, a vehicle slides under the back of a trailer. Federal rules require a rear impact guard on most trailers and semitrailers rated at 10,000 pounds or more and built on or after January 26, 1998. The bottom of the guard may generally be no more than 22 inches off the ground.
Cargo securement and improperly loaded trailers
Federal rules require a commercial truck’s cargo to be loaded and secured so it does not leak, spill, blow or fall from the vehicle.
Brakes and tires
A commercial truck must have brakes adequate to stop and hold the vehicle or combination. Some brake rules have listed exceptions.
Federal rules bar operating a truck on a tire that is flat or has an audible leak. Front tires on a truck tractor need at least 4/32 of an inch of tread in the major grooves.
After a tire blowout, the tire and the repair file are evidence in a truck accident case.
Driver records after an 18-wheeler accident
Interstate carriers must generally have drivers record their hours on an electronic logging device. Carriers must keep required logs and supporting documents for at least six months after receiving them.
Our main truck accident lawyer page covers the hours of service limits, driver qualifications and drug and alcohol testing after a crash.
18-wheelers on local highways
TxDOT’s San Antonio District profile names I-35, I-10, I-37, Loop 410, Loop 1604, US 90 and US 281 among its project corridors.
TxDOT’s I-35 NEX project page says the corridor from N. Walters Street to FM 1103 currently carries about 231,300 vehicles of all kinds a day.
Texas had more large trucks in fatal crashes than any other state in 2024, by NHTSA’s count.
TxDOT recorded 2,684 crashes involving a commercial motor vehicle in Bexar County in 2024. Eighteen of them were fatal. That counts reported crashes involving any commercial vehicle, not just 18-wheelers, and says nothing about fault.
Who can be held liable for an 18-wheeler accident
A truck accident with a tractor trailer raises complex liability issues, because multiple parties can stand behind a single truck.
Establishing negligence starts with the truck driver. Truck drivers who speed or break other traffic laws can be held liable for the harm they cause.
The trucking company has duties of its own under federal rules. It must inspect and repair its trucks. It may not require or permit a driver to haul cargo that is not properly secured. A claim may name the company for an employee’s negligence within the scope of employment, or for company negligence that caused the crash.
A lawyer also looks at the driver’s record and at the company’s choice to provide adequate training.
Other potentially liable parties include the vehicle owner, third party maintenance providers and the maker of a defective part. Each can be held accountable when its work or its product caused the crash. You can pursue compensation from more than one of them in the same claim.
Filing deadlines
Questions about how much time you have?
How shared fault works after a truck accident
Texas law calls its fault rule proportionate responsibility. A person can recover damages when 50 percent or less responsible, reduced by that percentage.
The insurance companies for the driver or trucking company may argue that the injured person shares the blame. The police report records what the truck driver and other drivers said, and the carrier’s records help answer the rest.
Our Texas truck accident lawyers page covers the state rules in more depth. Elsewhere in the state, we have 18-wheeler pages for Fort Worth and Waco. A separate FAQ explains how long you have to file a truck accident claim.
What a claim against a trucking company can cover
Accidents between large commercial trucks and passenger vehicles often cause serious injuries. A personal injury claim asks the liable parties to pay for what the crash cost.
- Medical expenses, including future medical care
- Lost wages and lost earning capacity
- Pain and the limits that severe injuries put on daily life
- Damage to the vehicle
Our FAQ explains ways to handle medical bills while a claim is open. After a fatal truck accident, our San Antonio wrongful death lawyer page explains a wrongful death claim.
Our truck accident lawyers do not quote an average settlement. Whether accident victims recover compensation depends on the injuries sustained, the proof and how fault is shared.
When you are ready
Talk through the next step.
Free consultation with a San Antonio 18-wheeler accident attorney
The case evaluation page takes your details online. Our San Antonio truck accident lawyers go over the crash, the records to request and the deadline that applies. When you hire us, our legal team walks you through the entire process and answers your questions.
Zinda Law Group is a personal injury law firm with an office at 18756 Stone Oak Parkway, Suite 200, San Antonio, TX 78258. Our San Antonio personal injury lawyers page covers the office and the other serious injury cases we handle.
Our firm works on a contingency fee basis, so there is no out-of-pocket cost to secure the legal representation you need.
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