A Plano truck accident claim often starts with the truck, the company that put it on the road and the records each one keeps.
Texas law then sets the filing deadline and how shared fault reduces a recovery.
You pay nothing unless we win. Zinda Law Group offers a free consultation about a truck accident at (800) 863-5312.
Article summary
Key things to know
- Covered trucking companies must keep driver logs, repair files and driver qualification files under federal rules.
- A Texas truck accident victim generally has two years to file an injury lawsuit.
- A claim against the City of Plano has its own written notice rule, separate from the lawsuit deadline.
Free case review
Which company sent that truck onto the road?
A truck accident attorney can tell you which records to ask for and which deadlines govern your claim.
What our Plano truck accident attorneys do
A personal injury claim after a truck crash may involve the driver, the trucking company and their insurers, depending on the facts. A lawyer can send a preservation letter asking the trucking company in writing to keep the truck, the trailer, the electronic logs and other truck data such as black box records.
Each insurance offer can be weighed against the medical bills, lost wages and other losses before the client decides, and legal guidance can help with that comparison. The initial consultation is free, and the legal process can start with the records already in hand. Choose experienced truck accident lawyers who know the federal and Texas trucking rules, have handled commercial trucking cases and are prepared for trial.
Truck crashes compared with car accidents
A truck accident case differs from a crash between two passenger vehicles in who the defendants are and what records exist. The truck driver may work for one company while another owns the trailer and a third loaded the cargo.
NCTCOG reported in 2020 that an expanded lane rule for trucks with three or more axles covers US 75 from SH 121 South to the Collin/Grayson County line. Those trucks may use the inside lane there only to pass. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) says large trucks have large blind spots and long stopping distances compared with passenger vehicles. It says a tractor-trailer can weigh up to 80,000 pounds when fully loaded.
Truck crashes in Plano and Collin County
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) counted 694 crashes involving a commercial motor vehicle in Collin County in 2024 and 684 in 2025. In 2025, 7 of those crashes were fatal and 7 people died, and 22 people had suspected serious injuries. The count covers reported crashes where the officer marked the commercial vehicle indicator, not only 18-wheelers.
In 2024, NHTSA counted 5,340 people killed in crashes involving large trucks in the United States. It counted 699 large trucks in fatal crashes in Texas, more than in any other state. NHTSA says 70 percent of the people killed in large truck crashes in 2024 were in other vehicles. Large trucks were 9 percent of the vehicles in deadly crashes that year and 10 percent of vehicle miles traveled.
Plano sits in both Collin County and Denton County, so the county figure is not a count for the city you live in. Collin County’s district courts and its seven county courts at law sit in McKinney. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Sherman Division, holds court in Sherman and in Plano. For the City of Plano itself, TxDOT counted 5,557 reportable crashes of all vehicle types in 2025.
Semi trucks, tractor trailer rigs, 18-wheelers and box trucks can be commercial trucks, depending on their use. Under the federal safety rules, a commercial motor vehicle includes a truck used on a highway in interstate commerce to carry people or property. One test is a weight rating or gross weight of 10,001 pounds or more, so a loaded rig in an 18-wheeler accident usually qualifies.
Federal regulations for commercial truck drivers
The FMCSA writes the federal regulations for commercial trucks and the trucking industry, and any truck accident lawyer compares the carrier’s files with them. A rule violation alone does not settle who was at fault in your crash.
Driver fatigue and federal driving hours
A covered interstate driver of a property-carrying truck may generally drive at most 11 hours, inside a 14-hour window that starts when the driver comes on duty after 10 consecutive hours off. Weekly limits also apply, and Texas rules for trucks that stay inside the state differ. Absent an exception, a driver may not drive more than 8 hours without a consecutive 30-minute interruption in driving. Federal rules also generally bar a driver from driving when fatigue or illness makes it unsafe, which can include a driver without adequate rest.
A covered driver generally logs hours on an electronic logging device, and short-haul drivers and trucks built before 2000 are among the exceptions. The carrier keeps those records of duty status and supporting documents for at least six months from receipt.
Driver records, drug tests and truck repairs
A covered carrier must keep a driver qualification file for each driver it employs. It must also systematically inspect, repair and maintain its trucks. For a truck it controls for 30 consecutive days, it generally must keep maintenance records for one year and for six months after the truck leaves its control. Those truck accident records can show your lawyer whether regular truck inspections took place, and negligent maintenance can show up in them.
After a crash on a public road in commerce that causes a death, the employer must test surviving drivers for alcohol and drugs. The rule covers drivers under the federal commercial license rules who were performing safety-sensitive functions, subject to federal exceptions.
Federal rules also require cargo to be properly secured and distributed so it does not spill or fall from the truck.
A for-hire interstate carrier hauling nonhazardous freight in a truck rated 10,001 pounds or more must maintain at least $750,000 in financial responsibility. Some oil and hazardous materials carry a higher minimum.
Truck accident injuries
Truck crashes can cause serious injuries. They can include traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, neck pain, broken bones and severe burns.
Accident victims with serious injuries can also face lost income while they recover. A head or back injury from the crash can support a Plano brain injury or Plano spinal cord injury claim. Medical mistakes during that treatment are a separate Plano medical malpractice claim.
Who is liable when multiple parties share the blame
A Plano truck crash may have multiple parties at fault.
Truck driver logs, the crash report and other records can help show speeding, distracted driving or hours-of-service violations. They can also point to other 18-wheeler driver error by the truck driver. A claim may name the trucking company for an employee’s negligence within the scope of employment or for its own negligence, subject to Texas limits on claims against employers.
Improper loading can place fault on a cargo loader. Trucking companies that skip required maintenance may share fault, and so may a repair shop or a truck manufacturer for negligent work or a defect. When multiple parties are liable, a claim can seek to recover compensation from each one.
How shared fault cuts a Plano truck claim
A claimant who is partly responsible, at 50 percent or less, can still recover damages, reduced by that percentage. A claimant found more than 50 percent responsible recovers nothing.
Filing deadlines
Questions about how much time you have?
Deadlines to file a truck accident claim in Texas
Texas sets the main filing deadlines, and Plano’s city charter adds a written notice step.
| Claim | General deadline | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Personal injury lawsuit | Generally within two years after the claim accrues | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 16.003(a) |
| Wrongful death lawsuit | Generally within two years after the death | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 16.003(b) |
| Claim against Plano’s city government | Written notice to the city manager or the city secretary within six months after the injury | Plano charter section 11.06, as printed on the city’s notice of claim form |
| Texas Tort Claims Act notice | Generally within six months of the incident for a claim against a government body, a city charter can set its own period, and actual notice can excuse it | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 101.101 |
The charter text on the city’s form also says no lawsuit for an injury may be brought against the city until 30 days after the notice is filed. Each rule has exceptions, as of October 2026, and a missed deadline can end the right to sue. The first two rows apply to a Texas truck accident claim anywhere in the state, and the last two apply only when a government body is a defendant.
Insurance claims, lost wages and other losses
A claim can seek monetary compensation for these losses from the responsible parties.
- Medical expenses, from emergency care to physical therapy and future care
- Lost wages, measured from pay records, and lost earning capacity
- Pain, emotional trauma and the limits serious injuries put on daily life
- Vehicle repairs, handled as a property damage claim
Emotional trauma, including PTSD, counts among these losses. Paying medical bills from a settlement is one more step after a case resolves.
Texas calls punitive damages exemplary damages and generally requires clear and convincing proof of fraud, malice or gross negligence. No truck accident compensation figure is promised for a Plano truck claim, because the value depends on the injuries, the proof and how fault is shared.
When a crash is fatal, a Plano wrongful death claim belongs under Texas law to the surviving spouse, the children and the parents.
What to do after a truck accident in Plano
- Get medical care. See a doctor as soon as you can and keep your medical records.
- Call 911. The police report can record where the accident occurred, the driver and the carrier.
- Gather evidence. Photos of the crash site, the damage and the carrier name on the cab are essential truck accident evidence.
- Wait on recorded statements. The trucking company’s insurer may ask for one, so talk to experienced truck accident lawyers before talking to insurance companies.
When you are ready
Talk through the next step.
Talk to our Plano law office and legal team
To start, the case evaluation page takes the crash details online. Plano truck accident attorneys can go over the crash, the records and the deadlines, handle legal proceedings and negotiate with insurers. How long a semi-truck case lasts, and when settling a truck accident claim makes sense, are common questions at that first call.
To the north, truck claims also come from McKinney on US 75 and from Frisco along SH 121. South of Plano, US 75 leads into Dallas, where Dallas truck lawyers handle crashes on the same freeway.
Zinda Law Group is a personal injury law firm with an office at 6010 W Spring Creek Parkway, Suite 112, Plano, TX 75024. Its Plano personal injury lawyers also take Plano dog bite claims.
Our firm works on a contingency fee basis, so there is no out-of-pocket cost to secure the legal representation you need.
Founder and CEO
John C. (Jack) Zinda
Jack founded Zinda Law Group and focuses his practice on catastrophic personal injury, 18-wheeler accidents and wrongful death.
