A Dallas truck accident lawyer starts with the truck, the company that ran it and the records both keep. Federal rules require covered carriers to hold driver logs, repair files and driver qualification files, and those files can show what went wrong before the crash.
Texas law sets the filing deadline and how shared fault cuts a recovery.
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
- Federal rules require covered trucking companies to keep driver logs, repair files and driver qualification files.
- Texas generally gives truck accident victims two years to file an injury lawsuit.
- The Dallas city charter requires written notice within six months for an injury claim against the city.
- Texas reduces damages by a person’s share of fault and bars recovery for anyone whose share passes 50 percent.
- A claim can name the truck driver, the trucking company and others whose work caused the crash.
- Texas generally gives a family two years from the death to bring a wrongful death lawsuit.
Free case review
Who owns the truck behind the crash?
A Dallas truck accident lawyer will explain which records to request and which deadline controls the claim.
What a Dallas truck accident lawyer does
Dallas truck accident lawyers handle injury claims against commercial truck drivers, the companies that employ them and the insurers behind both. The first step is a preservation letter that asks the company in writing to keep the truck, the trailer, the electronic logs and any black box data.
Our Dallas truck accident attorneys also weigh each insurer’s offer against the medical bills and lost wages, and the client makes the final call on every offer. Look for an experienced truck accident attorney who knows the federal rules, has handled commercial trucking cases and is ready to try a case.
How a truck accident case differs from a car accident case
A truck accident case differs from a car accident case in who the defendants are and what records exist. One company may employ the truck driver while another owns the trailer or loaded the freight.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) says large trucks are often 20 to 30 times heavier than passenger vehicles. It says a tractor-trailer can weigh up to 80,000 pounds fully loaded and that the weight increases the risk of more severe crash damage, injuries and fatalities.
Truck crashes in Dallas and Dallas County
TxDOT counted 3,857 crashes involving a commercial motor vehicle in Dallas County in 2024 and 3,778 in 2025. In 2025, 33 were fatal crashes in which 37 people died, and 130 people had suspected serious injuries. By our count from TxDOT’s county tables, Dallas County ranked second among Texas counties in deaths in these crashes and first in suspected serious injuries in both years.
The count covers reported crashes in which the officer marked the commercial vehicle indicator, not only 18-wheelers, and it says nothing about fault. A county figure is not a count for the City of Dallas.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data on large truck crashes counts 699 large trucks in fatal crashes in Texas in 2024, more than in any other state. NHTSA counts a truck rated over 10,000 pounds as a large truck.
Dallas 18-wheeler and commercial trucking accidents
A semi truck accident, a big rig accident and an 18-wheeler wreck are all large truck accidents. Under the federal safety rules, a commercial motor vehicle includes a truck used in interstate commerce with a weight rating or gross weight of 10,001 pounds or more, among other tests. Our national 18-wheeler accident page explains the tractor and trailer rules in full.
Not every commercial trucking accident involves a big rig. Our Dallas commercial vehicle accident page covers delivery vans and other work vehicles, and our Dallas tow truck accident page explains crashes with tow trucks.
Federal trucking regulations for commercial truck drivers
The FMCSA writes the safety rules for the trucking industry, and trucking companies operate under them. A broken rule does not prove fault by itself. It points to the records worth asking for.
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 after 10 consecutive hours off duty. A driver may not drive after 8 hours of driving time without a consecutive 30-minute interruption. Federal rules also bar a driver from driving when fatigue or illness makes it unsafe. Most interstate carriers must have drivers log their hours electronically and keep the logs and supporting documents for at least six months.
Driver files, testing and maintenance
A motor carrier must keep a driver qualification file for each driver it employs, generally for as long as the driver works for it and three years after. A carrier may not permit an unqualified person to drive. After fatal accidents 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.
A carrier must also inspect, repair and maintain its trucks. Poor vehicle maintenance can show up in truck maintenance records, which a carrier must keep for one year for a truck it controls for 30 days or more.
A for-hire carrier hauling nonhazardous freight in interstate commerce in a truck rated 10,001 pounds or more must maintain at least $750,000 in financial responsibility. Insurance, a surety bond or approved self-insurance can satisfy it.
Our truck accident lawyer page covers these federal rules for every state.
Truck accident injuries
Truck accident injuries can be severe, and some need long medical treatment. They include traumatic brain injuries, neck injuries, spinal cord injuries and paralysis. Broken bones, crush injuries, internal organ damage and severe burns can also result.
Catastrophic injuries can end a career or require lifelong care. Truck accident victims who see a doctor the same day also create treatment records for the claim.
Who can be held liable in a Dallas truck accident case
A Dallas truck accident case often has multiple parties. Our Dallas truck accident attorneys match each failure to the party that owed the duty, and the jury assigns each liable party a percentage.
The truck driver and the trucking company
The semi truck driver comes first. Lawyers check speeding, distracted driving and hours-of-service violations against the logs, phone records and the crash report. A claim may name the company for an employee’s negligence within the scope of employment or for its own negligence, subject to Texas limits on employer claims.
Loaders, repair shops and manufacturers
Improper loading can place fault on a cargo loader, such as a cargo loading company hired to secure the freight. A maintenance contractor, a repair shop or a truck manufacturer may share fault for negligent work or a defect that played a part. More than one liable party can be named, and a claim can pursue compensation from each at fault party.
How shared fault works in Texas
A claimant who is 50 percent or less responsible can still recover compensation, reduced by that percentage. Recovery is barred for a claimant more than 50 percent responsible.
Filing deadlines
Questions about how much time you have?
Deadlines to file a truck accident claim in Texas
Texas generally requires a personal injury lawsuit to be filed within two years of the day the claim accrues, and a wrongful death lawsuit within two years of the death. A claim against the city carries a separate written notice period, which the city’s charter sets at six months. Our Texas truck accident page sets out the state rules, and a truck accident lawyer can say which deadline fits.
What a truck accident claim can cover
Injury victims can ask the responsible parties to pay for what the crash cost.
- Medical expenses, including future medical care
- Lost wages and lost earning capacity
- Pain, emotional trauma and the limits serious injuries put on daily life
- Vehicle damage and other property damage
Two of these losses have their own pages, lost wages and property damage. Texas calls punitive damages exemplary damages and allows them only on clear and convincing proof of fraud, malice or gross negligence. An FAQ on punitive damages explains them. We do not quote an average settlement, because it depends on the injuries, the proof and how fault is shared.
When a truck accident in Dallas is fatal
Wrongful death claims in Texas belong to the surviving spouse, the children and the parents. Any one of them may file for all of them. A personal injury claim survives the injured person’s death and passes to the heirs, legal representatives and estate. Our Dallas wrongful death page covers these cases in more depth.
What to do after a truck accident in Dallas
Truck accidents happen fast. After a truck collision, the evidence will not wait.
- Get medical care. See a doctor the same day, even if you feel fine.
- Call 911. The police report records the truck, the driver and the carrier’s name.
- Gather evidence. Photograph the accident scene, the damage and the name on the truck’s door.
- Keep your records. Save bills, repair estimates and proof of lost wages.
- Wait on recorded statements. A trucking company’s insurance adjuster may ask for one, so talk to a lawyer first.
When you are ready
Talk through the next step.
Free consultation with a Dallas truck accident lawyer
The Dallas truck accident FAQs below answer common questions about cost, fault and city claims. If you are ready to start, the case evaluation page takes your details online. Our Dallas truck accident attorneys go over the crash, the records worth asking for and the deadline, and they deal with the insurance companies. Our truck accident lawyers also handle cases in nearby cities, with a page for Fort Worth.
Zinda Law Group is a personal injury law firm with an office at 2626 Cole Avenue, Suite 367, Dallas, TX 75204. Our Dallas personal injury lawyers page covers the other 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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