Three weeks ago, a semi-truck collided with another vehicle on a U.S. 75 overpass. The truck, which was traveling at highway speeds, drove off the highway overpass, flipped in the air, and burst into flames as it crashed onto the road below. Dashcam footage from cars waiting at the intersection below the overpass captured the incident, in which the driver of the semi-truck died. 

Texas has the tragic distinction of leading the nation in fatal truck accidents. More than 30,000 commercial vehicles get in accidents every year on Texas roads, and several hundred people die in these accidents. If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in a semi-truck crash on Texas roads, it is essential to understand your legal options for recovering compensation. 

When Can I Sue a Truck Driver for Injuries or Death? 

Determining liability is the first step in exploring whether compensation can be obtained for a truck accident, but it can take some work. Sometimes the truck driver is responsible, sometimes the trucking company is responsible, and sometimes the shipping company that loads a truck is responsible for an accident. Sometimes even the person who was injured or killed in the accident with the truck is responsible for the accident. 

It is highly inadvisable for anyone to drive any vehicle while exhausted. Being sleepy can impair a driver’s ability to safely operate a vehicle as much as being drunk can. Recognizing the dangers of drowsy driving, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration set out a series of strict rules called Hours of Service regulations that are designed to prevent commercial truck drivers from driving after long periods of being awake. People - even professional commercial truck drivers - can only drive for so long before they begin to experience “highway hypnosis” and extreme fatigue that can lead to a crash in the blink of an eye. If you have been hit by a semi-truck and need compensation, one of the first things our attorneys will look for is whether there may have been an Hours of Service violation. 

What You Need to Know About Truck Driver Fatigue

Truck drivers must be alert and aware while operating an enormous vehicle that can inflict severe harm on others in the event of a crash. Fatigued driving is negligent driving. If a truck driver’s negligent driving causes a crash in which someone else is injured or killed, the driver or the trucking company may be liable for damages.  

Some facts you should know include: