A Carrollton truck accident lawyer starts with the truck, the company that ran it and the records both must keep. Federal rules make covered carriers keep driver logs, repair records and driver files that document the driver and the truck.
You pay nothing unless we win. Zinda Law Group offers a free consultation about your truck accident at (800) 863-5312.
Article summary
Key things to know
- Covered trucking companies must keep driver logs, repair records and a file on each driver.
- Texas generally gives you two years from the day a claim accrues to file an injury lawsuit.
- Carrollton sits in Dallas, Denton and Collin Counties, and venue rules decide the court for a case.
- Before Carrollton can be liable for an injury, its city charter calls for written notice within six months.
- Texas reduces damages by a person’s share of fault and bars recovery for anyone more than 50 percent responsible.
- The truck driver, the trucking company and others whose work caused the crash may each be named.
Free case review
Not sure which company owned the truck?
A Carrollton truck accident lawyer can help you learn which carrier ran the truck and which deadline controls your claim.
How Carrollton truck accident attorneys help injury victims
Carrollton truck accident attorneys handle claims against commercial truck drivers and the trucking companies that employ them. Insurance companies often stand behind both, and their insurance adjusters may ask for a recorded statement.
Because evidence can disappear quickly, a Carrollton truck accident lawyer can send a preservation letter asking the carrier in writing to keep the truck and its electronic logs. Our legal team can look for insurance policies that may apply and help weigh offers.
Look for a law firm whose legal team knows the federal trucking rules, is ready for trial and answers your questions directly.
How truck crashes differ from car crashes
A truck accident case differs from a claim after car accidents in who can be sued and what records exist. One company may employ the truck driver, another may own the trailer and a third may have loaded the freight.
Large trucks are often 20 to 30 times heavier than passenger vehicles, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) says. It says a tractor-trailer can weigh up to 80,000 pounds fully loaded, and that weight raises the risk of severe injuries and deaths. That weight is one reason truck accident victims can suffer serious injuries in a car or truck accident with a loaded rig.
Truck accidents in Carrollton, TX and its three counties
The city says Carrollton sits in three counties. TxDOT’s county tables count crashes involving commercial vehicles, while its city table gives no separate truck count for Carrollton, TX.
In 2025, TxDOT counted 3,778 crashes involving a commercial motor vehicle in Dallas County. Denton County had 948 such crashes. Collin County had 684. TxDOT counts a crash when the officer marked the commercial vehicle box on the report, so the figure is not limited to 18-wheelers and says nothing about fault.
For all motor vehicle accidents, TxDOT counted 2,395 reportable crashes in Carrollton in 2025. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) counted 699 large trucks in fatal crashes in Texas in 2024, more than in any other state.
18-wheeler and semi truck accidents in Carrollton
An 18-wheeler wreck, a semi truck accident and a big rig accident are all large truck accidents. Under federal safety rules, a commercial motor vehicle includes a truck carrying property in interstate commerce that is rated or weighs 10,001 pounds or more. Our 18-wheeler accident page explains the tractor and trailer rules.
Commercial vehicles include delivery trucks and tanker trucks. Passengers hurt in a Carrollton bus accident have their own page.
Federal regulations and traffic laws for truck drivers
FMCSA writes the safety rules for interstate trucking companies, and every truck driver must also follow Texas traffic laws.
Hours of service and driver fatigue
A driver of a property-carrying truck may generally drive at most 11 hours inside a 14-hour window that starts on coming on duty after 10 consecutive hours off. Driving is generally not allowed after 8 hours of driving without a consecutive 30-minute break. Federal rules also bar a driver from driving a commercial truck when driver fatigue or illness makes it unsafe to begin or keep driving.
Interstate carriers must generally have drivers record hours on an electronic logging device and keep the logs and supporting documents for at least six months.
Driver files, testing and maintenance
A carrier must keep a driver qualification file on each driver it employs, generally while the driver works there and for three years after. It may not let an unqualified person drive. After a fatal crash on a public road, the carrier of a truck that requires a commercial driver’s license must test its surviving driver for alcohol and drugs as soon as practicable.
Carriers must also inspect, repair and maintain their trucks. For a truck it controls for 30 consecutive days or more, a carrier keeps maintenance records for one year and for six months after the truck leaves its control.
A for-hire carrier hauling nonhazardous freight across state lines in a truck rated 10,001 pounds or more must maintain at least $750,000 in financial responsibility. The Texas minimum for an ordinary car is $30,000 for one person’s injury, so the federal floor for a covered truck is set far higher, and truck claims can involve higher coverage limits. Our truck accident lawyer page covers these federal rules for every state.
Serious injuries in truck accidents
Truck accident injuries can be severe injuries. Physical injuries can need long medical care. Catastrophic injuries can include traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries.
A prompt exam by medical professionals can create medical records of the injury, and later treatment notes become the medical documentation insurance companies may review.
Who may be liable for a truck accident in Carrollton
A truck accident in Carrollton can involve more than one responsible party. Our truck accident attorneys start determining liability by matching each failure to the party that owed the duty. At trial, the trier of fact can assign a share of responsibility to each party the evidence supports, including a settling person or designated responsible third party.
The truck driver and the trucking company
Speeding, distracted driving and hours of service violations are checked against logs and police reports. Accident reconstruction experts may study the scene and truck data. The trucking company may also be named for an employee’s negligence within the scope of employment or for its own negligence, such as keeping negligent drivers on the road, within limits Texas law sets.
Loaders, repair shops and manufacturers
A cargo loader may share fault for bad loading. Repair shops and parts manufacturers may share fault for poor work or an equipment defect. Determining liability across several companies is where legal counsel earns its place.
How shared fault works under Texas law
Texas law reduces a claimant’s damages by that person’s percentage of responsibility for the crash. A claimant 50 percent or less responsible can still recover compensation. A share above 50 percent bars any recovery. Our FAQ on how fault is determined explains what evidence goes into that percentage.
Filing deadlines
Questions about how much time you have?
Deadlines after a truck accident in Carrollton
Under the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code, wrongful death claims generally have two years from the death, and the city charter adds notice for city claims.
| Claim | General deadline | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Injury lawsuit | Two years after the claim accrues | Section 16.003(a) |
| Wrongful death lawsuit | Two years from the death | Section 16.003(b) |
| Injury claim against the City of Carrollton | Notice to the city within six months after the injury | Charter Section 10.05 |
Missing the deadline can bar the lawsuit. Minors are an exception: for a person under 18 at accrual, the years before 18 generally do not count. Our FAQ on the truck accident filing deadline covers those time limits.
The notice goes to the city manager or city secretary and must state the time, place and manner of the injury, its full extent and the amount claimed. A Carrollton truck accident lawyer can say which deadline fits, and our Texas truck accident page sets out the state rules.
Which court may hear a Carrollton truck accident case
Carrollton spans Dallas, Denton and Collin Counties, but venue rules, not the city line, decide where a lawsuit is filed. Our truck accident attorneys can explain which court fits, like a Dallas County civil district court, and handle the insurance companies.
Damages in a truck accident case
Texas law lets truck accident victims seek economic and noneconomic damages from the responsible parties. A Carrollton truck accident lawyer can document each loss and help you weigh offers from insurance companies.
- Medical expenses, including medical care you will need in the future
- Lost wages and lost income from reduced earning capacity
- Physical pain, mental anguish and the limits a serious injury places on daily life
- Property damage, including your vehicle and other personal property
For medical expenses already incurred, Texas limits recovery to the amount actually paid or incurred. Our pages on lost wages and property damage explain two of these losses. Texas allows exemplary damages, often called punitive damages, only on clear and convincing evidence that the harm resulted from fraud, malice or gross negligence. We do not quote an average settlement, because every personal injury claim depends on the injuries, the proof and how fault is shared.
When a truck accident is fatal
A Texas wrongful death claim belongs to the surviving spouse, children and parents of the person who died. The personal injury claim itself survives the injured person’s death and passes to the heirs, legal representatives and estate. Our Carrollton wrongful death page covers these claims in more depth.
What to do after a truck accident in Carrollton
- Get medical care. Seek care promptly, even without pain.
- Call 911. The police report can record the truck, the driver and the carrier’s name.
- Document the accident scene. Photographs should show the spot the accident happened, the vehicles and the name on the truck’s door.
- Keep the records. Save mounting medical bills and repair estimates.
- Wait on recorded statements. Talk with a truck accident lawyer before giving one to the insurance companies.
Our guide on steps after a truck accident covers each step.
When you are ready
Talk through the next step.
Free consultation with a Carrollton personal injury lawyer
For legal support after the crash, the case evaluation page takes your details online. Once hired, our legal team gathers the records, works to recover compensation and deals with the insurance companies.
Zinda Law Group is a personal injury law firm with a law office at 2340 E Trinity Mills Rd, Suite 300, Carrollton, TX 75006. A Carrollton personal injury lawyer at that law office can help with other personal injury cases from the same crash. Our Carrollton personal injury page covers the legal services we offer accident victims in Carrollton, TX.
This law office also handles truck cases in nearby cities, with pages for Dallas truck accidents and Plano truck accidents.
Our firm works on a contingency fee basis, so there is no out-of-pocket cost to secure the legal representation you need.
John (Jack) Zinda
Founder / CEO
Over 100 years of combined experience representing injured victims across the country.
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Partner
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