Houston Rear-End Truck Accident Lawyer

If you were rear-ended by a commercial vehicle in Houston, you may be dealing with painful injuries and wondering how to make ends meet if you’re too hurt to work. If the crash was not your fault, you have the right to demand money for your losses by filing a personal injury claim with the help of a knowledgeable truck accident attorney.

At Pines & Goldenzweig, PLLC, our Texas truck accident lawyers are ready to help you seek justice and fair compensation if a negligent truck driver or trucking company caused you harm. Contact us today to learn more about your legal options in a free initial case review with no upfront costs.

Common Causes of Rear-End Accidents

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, over 150,000 large trucks were involved in crashes in a recent year. It is estimated that rear-end collisions constitute nearly 20% of commercial truck accidents. Here are some of the most common causes of rear-end crashes:

• Distracted driving – Drivers who are focused on phone messages, passenger conversations, or other distractions frequently crash into the backs of other vehicles because they do not have their full attention on traffic.
• Driving under the influence – Intoxicated drivers are significantly more likely to cause rear-end accidents because alcohol and other drugs tend to cause problems with depth perception, spatial awareness, and reaction time.
• Drowsy driving – When drivers are excessively fatigued, they can cause devastating rear-end accidents by failing to brake in time to avoid hitting stopped traffic.
• Reckless driving – Reckless drivers who speed, race, lane weave, and tailgate often fail to leave themselves enough time to react to sudden changes in traffic, which can substantially increase the likelihood of rear-end wrecks.
• Aggressive driving – Violent rear-end accidents can occur when aggression boils over into road rage.
• Driver error – Drivers who are young, inexperienced, or confused may contribute to rear-end collisions by failing to yield the right of way, monitor their blind spots, or signal their intent before turning or merging.
• Defective vehicle parts – When critical car or truck parts such as brakes, wheels, or steering systems are poorly manufactured or maintained, they can fail and contribute to rear-end crashes caused by loss of driver control.
• Poor road conditions – Poor road conditions such as inadequate drainage, large potholes, insufficient lighting, or missing traffic signs can cause rear-end crashes by leading to loss of driver control or confusion.

Common Injuries Sustained in Rear-End Truck Accidents

When a truck crashes into the rear end of another vehicle, the violent transfer of energy can leave vehicle occupants with catastrophic injuries. Some of the most common types of injuries to occur in rear-end truck accidents include:

• Head injuries and traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
• Facial injuries and dental trauma
• Permanent scarring and disfigurement
• Neck and shoulder injuries
• Back and spinal cord injuries
• Arm, elbow, wrist, and hand injuries
• Dislocated and fractured bones
• Partial or total paralysis
• Abdominal injuries and internal bleeding
• Amputation and loss of limbs
• Soft tissue strains, sprains, and tears
• Bruises, lacerations, and puncture wounds
• Thermal, chemical, and friction burns
• Leg, knee, ankle, and foot injuries
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Other emotional and psychological injuries
• Wrongful death

Who Can Be Found at Fault for Rear-End Truck Accidents?

Truck accidents tend to be significantly more complicated than standard car accidents due to the sheer number of parties involved. There are usually many different entities invested in the operations of a commercial truck, and any of them can share in the liability for a truck accident.

Any of the following parties may be at fault in a Houston rear-end truck accident case:

• The truck driver – The driver may be at fault if they were distracted, drowsy, impaired, or otherwise negligent in causing the crash.
• The trucking company – The company that hired the driver can be held vicariously responsible for the driver’s actions. Trucking companies can also be liable for hiring unqualified drivers or failing to keep their trucks in good shape.
• A cargo loading team – A cargo loading team can be at fault if a loss of control accident occurred after the cargo team overloaded a truck or failed to balance or secure cargo in the truck’s trailer properly.
• A repair service provider – A truck mechanic, maintenance provider, or repair shop can be responsible if a defective truck component that should have been identified, repaired, or replaced contributed to the crash.
• A truck parts manufacturer – If the failure of a truck component contributed to the crash, a manufacturer could share fault if it designed, assembled, labeled, or distributed the component in a negligent manner.
• A government agency – If egregiously bad road conditions contributed to the accident, the government agency responsible for maintaining local roads could be at fault.

Recoverable Damages from a Rear-End Truck Accident

The term “damages” refers to the compensation you can recover for your losses in a personal injury case such as a rear-end truck accident lawsuit. Depending on the circumstances, you may be entitled to compensation for:

• Medical bills for the treatment of your accident-related injuries
• Lost wages from missed time at work
• Projected losses in future earning potential
• Pain, suffering, and lost quality of life
• Repair or replacement costs for damage to vehicles and other property
• Incidental costs of traveling to and from medical appointments