A Waco truck accident lawyer begins with what the crash left behind: the truck, the trailer, the driver’s logs and the carrier’s repair records. The personal injury law firm Zinda Law Group has an office on Bosque Boulevard in Waco and takes truck accident claims against drivers and motor carriers.
Zinda Law Group offers a free case review at (800) 863-5312.
Article summary
Key things to know
- McLennan County had 378 crashes involving a commercial motor vehicle in 2024 and 423 in 2025, according to TxDOT’s county tables.
- A Texas truck accident case generally has a two-year filing deadline, and a city claim has its own notice rule.
- Under the general federal rule a truck driver takes a 30-minute interruption from driving after 8 driving hours, except qualifying short-haul drivers, and Texas has its own intrastate rule.
- A Texas claimant more than 50 percent responsible recovers nothing, and a claimant at 50 percent or less has damages reduced by that percentage.
Free case review
Hurt in a commercial truck accident in Waco?
Name the road, the time of day and the company on the cab door, and we will explain which records to request first.
What a Waco truck accident attorney does after the crash
A Waco truck accident attorney investigates the crash, identifies each party that may be held responsible and deals with the insurance companies. A truck accident law firm can ask the carrier in writing to preserve evidence, including the truck, its electronic logs and the driver’s file.
Commercial truck cases involve commercial insurance coverage, and an adjuster can ask injury victims for a recorded statement early. An accident lawyer can answer those calls and review the records for driver fatigue and distracted driving. The lawyer can also weigh a fair settlement offer against medical bills and lost wages, and account for property damage.
Truck accident figures for Waco
TxDOT’s city tables count every kind of vehicle. They show 3,048 reportable crashes in the City of Waco in 2024, and 4 were fatal. For 2025 the count was 3,096, and 13 were fatal. In 2024, 90 people had suspected serious injuries in those crashes.
None of these is a Waco truck count, because the tables have no truck column.
McLennan County’s table counts crashes in which an officer marked a commercial motor vehicle. It shows 378 of those commercial vehicle cases in 2024 and 423 in 2025. A mark does not show fault. NHTSA counted 5,340 U.S. deaths in crashes involving large trucks in 2024, and Texas led all states with 699 large trucks in fatal crashes.
Highway projects near Waco
TxDOT’s Waco District names the Interstate 35 corridor as its priority. TxDOT’s December 2024 district profile lists a $265 million widening of the interstate from 12th Street to Loop 340 and a $215 million rebuild of U.S. 84.
Who is held responsible in a truck accident case
More than one party can answer for a truck wreck, as multi-vehicle truck accidents show. A Texas employer, including a trucking company, is vicariously liable for negligence an employee commits in the course and scope of employment.
Commercial vehicle litigation involves federal safety regulations, and a carrier cannot let a driver operate a commercial truck whose cargo is not properly distributed and adequately secured against shifting that affects stability or maneuverability. According to FMCSA, a tractor-trailer carrying a full load can weigh 80,000 pounds, and that weight raises the risk of severe injuries in a collision with a passenger car.
A truck accident lawyer uses those duties to decide whose records to request. A Waco 18-wheeler crash or a smaller commercial vehicle crash can raise the same federal rules, depending on the vehicle and the trip.
Driver hours and trucking industry records
Federal hours-of-service limits let a property-carrying driver drive 11 hours within a 14-hour window, which opens at the driver’s on-duty time after 10 consecutive hours off. A commercial driver may generally not drive after 8 driving hours without a 30-minute interruption. Texas has its own rule for covered intrastate trips, with 12 driving hours after 8 consecutive hours off.
Records made before the accident occurred show how the truck was kept and driven. Federal rules generally require drivers to log duty hours electronically, and the retention periods for required records are minimums.
- Records of duty status for at least six months
- Driver vehicle inspection reports for three months
- The driver qualification file, generally for the length of employment and three years after
- Maintenance records for a year and for six months after the truck leaves the carrier’s control
A carrier cannot put an unqualified person behind the wheel. The commercial driver’s license rules depend on the vehicle. After serious accidents in which someone dies on a public road in commerce, a carrier must test a surviving driver covered by the federal testing rules as soon as practicable.
Insurance coverage on a commercial truck
Federal rules set a $750,000 minimum for a for-hire carrier hauling general freight across state lines in a truck rated 10,001 pounds or more. For some loads of oil and hazardous materials the federal minimum is $1,000,000 or more. Texas requires a minimum of $500,000 in liability insurance for covered intrastate carriers with a gross weight, registered weight or rating over 26,000 pounds, per TxDMV’s All Others category. A minimum is what the law demands, not what a commercial truck claim is worth.
Texas rules for truck accident litigation
Under Texas truck accident law, a defendant’s timely motion in a commercial vehicle case requires two phases, with liability and compensatory damages tried first and exemplary damages afterward. Special rules cover some employer negligence claims.
Texas juries in truck accident litigation assign a percentage of responsibility to each claimant, defendant, settling person and designated responsible third party. This comparative fault system bars a claimant whose share is over 50 percent.
Compensation for truck accident victims
Texas divides compensatory damages in a truck accident claim into economic damages, which cover actual economic or pecuniary loss, and non economic damages. Non economic damages cover losses such as physical pain and suffering, mental anguish and disfigurement. The CDC lists motor vehicle crashes among the common ways people get a traumatic brain injury. Serious injuries support claims for both kinds of damages.
Economic damages in a personal injury claim seek to recover money for these losses.
- Medical expenses, capped at what was actually paid or incurred
- Lost wages
- Future medical expenses
- Property damage to a vehicle
Exemplary damages need clear and convincing proof that the harm came from fraud, malice or gross negligence. Ordinary negligence does not meet that burden.
After a fatal truck crash, a claim for the surviving spouse, children and parents may include wrongful death damages. The injured person’s own claim survives the death. A Waco wrongful death lawyer reviews the legal options with each family member.
Filing deadlines
Questions about how much time you have?
Deadlines for a Waco truck accident claim
| Claim | Deadline | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Personal injury lawsuit | Two years after the claim accrues, with exceptions. | Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code 16.003(a) |
| Wrongful death lawsuit | Two years from the death, with exceptions. | Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code 16.003(b) |
| Claim against the City of Waco | Under the charter, a sworn claim statement must reach the City Secretary within 30 days after the injury. | Waco Charter, Article XI, Section 7 |
That rule applies to a claim against the City itself, such as after a crash with a city vehicle. State law has an actual-notice exception, so ask a lawyer promptly about notice.
Courts for a Waco truck accident case
McLennan County has six district courts, the 19th, 54th, 74th, 170th, 414th and 474th. The federal court for McLennan County is the Waco Division of the Western District of Texas. A Waco truck accident lawyer can name the court.
What to do after a truck crash in Waco
- Get medical care. Call 911, seek medical care as soon as possible, and tell the doctor that a commercial truck accident caused the injury.
- Ask for the carrier’s name. Request the police report on the truck accident and look for the truck driver and the motor carrier.
- Photograph the scene. Capture the truck accident scene and get witness contact details.
- Save your records. Keep medical records, repair estimates and pay stubs together for your law firm.
- Talk to a law firm before the adjuster. Give the trucking company’s insurance companies no recorded statement first.
When you are ready
Talk through the next step.
Free consultation with a Waco truck accident law firm
Zinda Law Group is a law firm with an office at 7215 Bosque Boulevard, Suite 107, Waco, TX 76710. It serves clients across Central Texas. Ask a Waco truck accident attorney about your legal options in a free consultation, including the lawyer’s readiness to try the case and knowledge of the McLennan County courts. A claim can recover money for medical bills and lost wages, and the free case evaluation form sends the details online.
The firm’s personal injury attorneys handle motor vehicle accidents such as Waco car accident and Waco motorcycle accident claims. A crash at a job site can lead to a Waco construction accident claim, and the Waco personal injury team reviews other personal injury cases. Injuries from an animal attack go to the Waco dog bite team. A Temple truck accident claim or a Killeen truck accident claim follows the same state deadlines.
Our firm works on a contingency fee basis, so there is no out-of-pocket cost to secure the legal representation you need. That’s our No Win, No Fee Guarantee.
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.
