Texas Truck Accident Lawyer Blog

A bloody road-rage brawl brought rush-hour traffic to a halt on the 405 Freeway Tuesday night in Huntington Beach, California - and it was caught on tape. See the ABC News story above.

Unfortunately, I've seen far too many instances of truck drivers dangerously engaging in road-rage and injuring innocent drivers. I recently settled a case for a return client whose first case was caused by a rock truck driver who purposefully swerved into my client and dragged him nearly a quarter of a mile. The truck driver then assaulted a witness before police arrived. That case was resolved for $750,000.00 after my client underwent neck surgery.

Continue reading "Trucker road rage caught on tape" »

With the tornadoes and rain we've had in the area lately, what is the impact on a Texas trucking collision if hazardous conditions are involved?

Hazardous driving conditions can be caused by many factors including

• Weather conditions causing slippery roads, flooding, or fallen rocks;
• Poor visibility due to sun glare, rain, snow, fog or improper lighting
• Road design or maintenance issues, including blocked signs, insufficient signage, potholes, drop-offs, bumps, narrow roads and shoulders, insufficient merge zones, and construction related hazards; and
• Miscellaneous hazards such as debris or obstacles in the road or prior accidents

Continue reading "Truck Accidents in Hazardous Conditions" »

Distracted driving caused two 18 wheelers to collide early this morning in Shreveport.

Steven Everitt, 53, of Fort Worth was hauling empty water bottles when he was rear-ended by another 18-wheeler. The driver, whose name has yet to be released, had to be cut from the wreckage and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Continue reading "Fort Worth Truck Driver Involved in Fatal I-20 Crash" »

One of the critical differences between a car/pickup truck and a tactor-trailer is stopping distances. Tractor-trailers can require up to 50% more distance to stop -- assuming the brakes and truck are properly maintained, the weather and road condition are good, and the driver is properly trained.

At a typical highway speed of 60 miles an hour, a tractor-trailer requires 450 feet after the brakes are applied before it can come to complete stop. A football field is only 300 feet by comparison.

I am seeing more wrecks caused by bad brakes, usually due to careless maintenance.The brakes on these massive semi-trucks are responsible for 10 times the amount of stopping power of a car. Truck brakes operate on a compressed pressure air system. The brakes inside the wheel must be in proper "adjustment" in order to be effective to stop an 18 wheeler.

Continue reading "18 Wheeler Accidents And Bad Brakes " »

Many factors can cause trucking collisions. Overloaded and improperly loaded trucks are common -- but hard to prove unless an immediate investigation is conducted by experts. These tractor-trailers violate federal and state law because they require longer braking distances and can cause brake failures, blown tires, and shattered axles. And improperly loaded trucks can cause load shifting which makes them more likely to lock up, jack knife or tip over. Cargo can fall onto the roadway or on top of another vehicle.

When an improperly loaded or overloaded truck is the cause of an accident, a trucking accident attorney will have to prove that this was the cause of the accident and that the shipper, company, driver, or some other entity is liable.

At the Law Offices of William K. Berenson, P.C. we have represented the victims of truck collisions for many years. If you have been injured or a loved one has been killed in a truck accident, we will conduct an immediate and detailed investigation to learn whether the trucking company and its driver caused the wreck.

Under federal law, the maximum weight is 80,000 pounds for a fully loaded tractor-trailer. A study showed that a tractor-trailer that is only loaded to 50,000 pounds is only one-half as likely to be involved in a fatal trucking accident.

Texas Republican representatives Allen Fletcher and Robert Nichols have proposed law that would increase the penalties for the many commerical carriers who are violating the law by exceeding weight limits.Trucking companies obviously overload their trucks to save money. They have to make fewer trips. They save money on driver's pay and gas. But the drivers don't know how to safely drive these dangerous tractor-trailers and innocent drivers next to them have to pay for it.

The new fines increase by $1.00 per pound overweight. Now, a truck that is overloaded by 10,000 pounds only pays $110.00, obviously not a deterrant. The new fine would cost the carrier $10,000.00. I certainly hope this bill passes.

We have been successfully representing people who have been injured by 18 wheelers and other large commercial trucks for many years and would be happy to discuss your case with you at no charge. Please contact us online or call toll free at 1-888-801-8585 or at 817-885-8000. We'll fight to get you the money you deserve.

The U.S. House of Representatives is again debating a bill that will increase the maximum weight six axle commercial trucks can haul on federal highways from 80,000 pounds to 97,000 pounds.

The proposed law has strong support from the powerful trucking and shipping communities, as could be expected. Fortunately it is opposed by many consumer groups, including the AAA, because larger trucks lead to greater safety concerns, not to mention the negative impact on America's aging bridges and highways.

The main problem with increasing load size is that the bigger the trailer, the bigger the blind spot, the greater the instability, and the longer the braking distance.

Continue reading "Heavier 18 Wheelers To Be Allowed?" »

Here's a tragic story highlighting how dangerous drivers can be around 18 wheelers and fuel trucks, and how it's not always the trucker's fault.

Three and two girls were killed in a fiery crash Sunday at a rural intersection outside of Dumas in the Panhandle. The young male driver of a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze ran the stop sign at the intersection with a Farm-to-Market Road, causing his vehicle to be "t-boned" by an oncoming 2012 Volvo tractor-trailer.

The driver of the tractor-trailer suffered severe third degree burns to his entire body and is in critical care in a Lubbock hospital.

I've handled cases involving oil tanker collisions and they can be grisly. Here is a photo of another Volvo tractor-fuel tanker that crashed into my clients in a Ford Mustang a few years ago. (see third entry down) I filed suit and settled the case just prior to trial for a large sum of money after learning that the commercial truck had been improperly maintained and that its driver was unqualified.

Please contact my office if you have unfortunately been involved in a collision with a truck and have any questions. I'll fight to get you the money you deserve.

Yesterday an 18 wheeler that had been speeding and tailgating a Ford Expedition crashed into its rear on I-65 south of Louisville, killing a husband and wife and their three children, as well as another adult.The couple's two adopted children were seriously injured. The Expedition exploded upon impact.

Continue reading "Six People Killed In Tractor Trailer Crash in Kentucky" »

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the rate of truck
accidents and fatalities has increased.

In 2011, the most recent year for which data are available, 3,757 people died in collisions with trucks. That's an 11.2 percent increase over 2009. Nearly three times as many people die in truck accidents as die in aviation, boating and railroad accidents combined.

The nearly 11 million trucks that travel U.S. roads each year make up only 4.7 percent of all passenger vehicles, yet are involved in 12.4 percent of all fatal crashes. Fatalities (per miles driven) are 17 percent higher for trucks than for passenger vehicles.

This escalating safety issue is driven by an economic model that is fundamentally unsound. Truck drivers - compensated by miles driven, not hours worked - are pushed to ignore safety measures, delay repairs and drive in a fatigued state. Despite the significant and increasing amount of money devoted to trucking inspection, the task of reducing the risks from dangerous trucks is proving too much for regulators. There are simply too many dangers for inspectors to catch. The civil justice system is vital in holding negligent trucking companies accountable,

The civil courts provide compensation to those killed or injured by unsafe trucks. However, archaic insurance rules undermine the economic incentives to safety provided by the courts. The insurance market itself is unable to function properly - offering lower premiums to safe companies and higher premiums to companies with dangerous histories - because
outdated minimum insurance levels keep premiums artifi cially low for even the most
dangerous companies.

Waco police are searching for an older model blue truck-tractor that sideswiped a 2008 Mercury 4-door sedan yesterday, then left the scene.

The driver of the car, a 30 year old woman, was injured and had to be rushed to the hospital.

Continue reading "18 Wheeler Hit And Run On I-35 " »

One in eight fatal accidents in the United States are caused when tractor trailers crash into other vehicles.

I was just hired to represent a man who fortunately was not killed but was seriously injured, so I thought I'd share a few facts about them to alert you to their dangers. They can weigh 80,000 pounds, take 40 percent or longer than an automobile to stop, create strong wind turbulence, can easily jack-knife, and are sometimes driven by inexperienced, unqualified , or rushed people.

Take extra care when driving near a tractor trailer. Always keep your distance by leaving enough room for braking and maneuvering. Stay out of their blind spots. Be careful when passing. Get out of their way if they are tailgating you.

The fact that there is a strong relationship between a commercial truck driver's poor driving and his chances of being in a future crash was itemized by a two year study conducted by the American Transportation Research Institute in Virginia.

ATRI examined different things that a poor driver does that greatly increase his chances of crashing into my client's vehicles (like the one above).

Continue reading "18 Wheel Drivers WIth These Violations More Apt To Be In Future Ones: New Study" »

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A commercial truck driver, Kenneth Hutchinson, 46, from Granbury was killed early today when the 18 wheeler he was driving overturned in the 10000 block of Old Granbury Road near Benbrook Lake in south Fort Worth.

Continue reading "Fort Worth 18 Wheeler Crash Kills Driver" »

I usually see an 18 wheeler colliding with a passenger car or truck but the reflex of the driver in jumping through his shattered windshield was extraordinary.

I am happy to report that I just met with a client to hand him a large check.

Last year an tractor trailer had passed this gentleman on I30, changed lanes, and caused him to run into a wall. Then the trucker claimed that my client had changed lanes into his 18 wheeler. I sued and made the trucking company pay my client a large amount of money. And I got him even more money when I was able to make medical providers greatly reduce their outstanding medical bills. My client said that he was "extremely happy."

Here are some similar results.

Continue reading "Another Good 18 Wheeler Accident Recovery For My Client" »