Many Semi-Truck Accidents End Better Than Expected

When a semi-truck and a vehicle collide, the smaller vehicle bears the brunt of the damage.  When the average passenger vehicle weighs in at 4,000 pounds, and the semi weighs in at 80,000 pounds (20 times larger), the impact can demolish the lighter rig.  Semi-truck accident survivors tend to be the exception after these wrecks.

The Car Crash Captain looks at three survivors, what happened, and if anything could have been done to avoid the accident.

Amy Suffers Traumatic Brain Injury

Partway through her first semester in college, Amy had a bright future ahead of her.  During a long weekend, she headed home to spend time with her family.  As she signaled left and waited for oncoming traffic to clear, a semi-truck driver coming behind her didn’t notice her in time.  Despite trying to brake, he slammed into the rear of her vehicle, jostling Amy around inside.  The impact was intense, and Amy struck her head on the frame of the car, but didn’t seem to suffer any other major injuries.

Over the next few days major changes in Amy’s behavior were apparent.  Forgetfulness, fatigue, and irritability popped up; traits not common in the bubbly, intelligent, and friendly college student.

Despite doctors saying all was fine, her parents insisted on further testing.  It was discovered that she suffered from traumatic brain injury – a hidden injury that can often go undiagnosed.

Amy was forced to drop out of college for the remainder of her freshman year as she focused on her health.  Despite the set-back, she was able to recover, and then return to school.  Without treatment, she may not have survived.

Benji Gets Trapped Under a Logging Truck

Benji, a professional chef, was driving in Western Washington on a rainy afternoon.  The highway he was on had the right-of-way, with side streets entering required to stop at posted stop signs.

A logging truck was coming onto the highway.  The driver stopped, then proceeded to make a left-hand turn in front of Benji’s vehicle.  The truck driver stopped in the highway, and despite trying to avoid the collision Benji’s vehicle struck the trailer and slid beneath a loaded logging truck.

The roof collapsed and Benji was stuck.  His survival appeared to be a miracle, but his injuries were severe.  Multiple jaw fractures, broken teeth, and a neck fracture meant he was in for a long and painful recovery – one that could end up setting back his career as a chef.  Without a fully functioning jaw, he wouldn’t be able to work.

He had to take a six-month hiatus from his job.  After two full years, Benji’s health had almost returned to normal, but he was still recovering.

Kaleb is Crushed Between Two Semis

Before dawn, Kaleb was driving down a h6ighway he had traveled many times before.  Today, however, the fog was thick and unknown to him there was black ice on the road ahead.

When the semi-truck ahead of him began to lose control, Kaleb tapped the brakes and felt his pickup begin to lose control as well.  Even at the low speeds of 30 miles per hour, he couldn’t maintain control and aimed the front of his pickup for the back end of the semi ahead of him.

With little time to even collect his thoughts, Kaleb looked behind him and saw the headlights of another semi-truck barreling at him.  He braced for impact and his pickup crumpled around him, trapping him between two massive vehicles.

Somehow, he was enveloped in his own vehicle, virtually unscathed by physical injuries.  He was able to twist and wiggle himself free, climb through a hole in the now annihilated pickup, and make his way to safety.  Check out the news story on CNN for an incredible photo of Kaleb, stuck in his truck, yet alive.

Herbert Law Group Helps You Find Justice

All three of these stories have a common theme: semi-truck accident survivors do exist.  However, surviving doesn’t mean there aren’t injuries.  Often, survivors have severe injuries that can take months, even years, to recover from.

Without proper guidance from a personal injury lawyer that specializes in semi-truck accidents, would you receive the compensation that you need to fully recover from those injuries?  Would your settlement help you recover from injuries to your mental health as well?

That’s why Herbert Law Group is here.  We know what it takes, we understand the recovery process, and we are ready to fight for the compensation you need.

Let’s talk about what happened.  Call us at 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site, and we’ll be in touch for a free conversation where you can tell us how you’re a semi-truck accident survivor.

Myths Abound – Let’s Get to the Truth about Commercial Vehicle Wrecks

Commercial vehicle accidents aren’t always trucking accidents – although that’s the most common commercial vehicle on the highways.  Because of regulations, laws, and a variety of other factors surrounding these vehicles, the way they’re handled is a little different than a typical motor vehicle accident.  Today, the Car Crash Captain is looking into the myths of commercial vehicle accidents in Texas.

Common Myths and Realities of Commercial Vehicle Wrecks

Myth – The Truck Driver is Always at Fault

After being involved in a wreck with a big rig, there are numerous parties that may be liable for the wreck.  The driver is the first to be examined, as driver error and negligence often leads to wrecks.  However, the trucking company, the maintenance crew, the loading crew, or even another party may be at fault.  There are times, too, when the injured motorist is at fault and the truck driver was following the law.

Myth – You Can’t Sue Trucking Companies

Inexperienced attorneys, and those who don’t work in the legal field, find that large trucking companies have intimidating legal presences.  However, that doesn’t mean they aren’t able to be sued.  If their driver, or their company, was negligent, then they need to compensate the injured party – regardless of how big their legal department is.

Myth – Insurance Will Cover Everything

The truth is that insurance would deny every claim if they could.  Their business model is to collect premiums and make money for their shareholders or policy owners.  Paying out settlements means they aren’t making as much money.  That’s why Herbert Law Group is here – we help “encourage” the insurance companies to pay out what they owe to help fully compensate the injured party.

Myth – Claims Follow the Same Process as Car Wrecks

Claims follow a similar process, however, with a truck wreck there’s a lot more that goes into the overall process.  With multiple parties that may be liable for the wreck, injuries that are often more severe (fatal accidents are much more common), and more regulations to know and understand, the process can take longer and become much more complicated than a regular car wreck.

Myth – It’s Too Expensive to Hire a Lawyer

The truth is actually the opposite.  Personal injury lawyers, including truck wreck lawyers, usually work on a contingency basis.  This means if your case isn’t won or settled, you don’t owe any money.  Even with a 20 or 25% fee, your settlement is larger when using a lawyer than if you try to take things on yourself.  Besides, why spend your energy fighting with insurance and a trucking company’s legal team when you should be resting and healing from injuries?

Myth – You Have Plenty of Time to File a Claim Later

You have time, but “plenty of time” may be a bit subjective.  It’s understood that you might be laid up, injured, or the victim may have passed away.  So, the ability to file a claim is open for up to two years from the date of the accident.  However, the more time that passes, the harder it is to prove negligence – this is why you want to start working with an attorney right away.

Myth – Herbert Law Group Won’t Handle Commercial Vehicle Accidents

Herbert Law Group has extensive experience handling commercial vehicle accidents in Texas.  We don’t just deal with car wrecks and motorcycle wrecks, we’ll help you if you’re the victim of a truck wreck as well.

Reality – Herbert Law Group is on Your Side

Our goal is to make sure you’re well taken care of.  Insurance companies have a tendency to minimize claims and pay out less than what is adequate.  We’re here to fight for you.

Let’s talk about what happened, and we’ll dispel the myths of commercial vehicle accidents in Texas.  We’ll learn what happened, and make a plan to help you receive compensation that fully compensates you for your losses.

Call our offices at 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site and we’ll be in touch with you for a free conversation.

Victims of Commercial Vehicle Accidents Deserve Compensation

After a commercial vehicle accident, there’s a lot going on.  The victim, and their family, are dealing with injuries, death, property damage, and psychological turmoil.  Through it all, they’re expected to navigate the difficult insurance world so they can receive the compensation they deserve.  Insurance companies are counting on the victim being overwhelmed, and they expect them to take a settlement that isn’t quite up to what they need.

What they need is an attorney that specializes in commercial vehicle accidents.  The Car Crash Captain has the information on how victims are protected under Texas law.

Proving Liability in a Commercial Vehicle Accident

Unlike many car wrecks, where the at-fault driver is the one that is ultimately liable for the wreck, commercial accidents are a little bit different.  The liable party may not be the driver, or the liability may fall onto multiple different parties.  They include:

• Maintenance Workers
• Parts Manufacturers
• Cargo Loaders
• Drivers
• Employers
• Trucking Company
• Truck Owner

Some of these may be the same person, or all of them may be different parties.  We’ve written about this in the past; take a look at how to understand liability in a truck accident to learn more about that.

Proving Negligence in a Commercial Vehicle Accident

When you know who is responsible for the wreck, then it’s a matter of determining that the liable party was negligent and they caused the accident.  This is a four-part process.

First, we have to prove that a duty of care was owed to the victim.  This is fairly easy, if you’re sharing the road, you have a duty of care not to injure anyone else that you’re sharing the road with.

Next, we show there was a breach of that duty.  If you’re minding your business and obeying traffic laws, and a commercial vehicle smashes into you, there was a breach of duty.  This could be failure to maintain their lane, running a stop sign or light, or something of the sort.

Third, did that breach directly cause the accident?  It’s easy to prove if a truck runs a red light and T-bones your vehicle.  But what if a truck merges, maybe a little closer than you’re comfortable with, you overreact, lose control, and roll the vehicle?  Is that the trucker’s fault, or yours?

Finally, once the first three are satisfied, were there damages?  These can fall into economic and non-economic damages.  Take a look at attorney Zach Herbert’s post that explains economic and non-economic damages to fully understand these.

Compensation Available to Victims

When the liable party is identified, and negligence is proven, then we can figure out what sorts of compensation are available to victims.

Expenses – Lost wages, medical bills, property damage, and other costs are pretty easy to tally up.

Pain and Suffering – Emotional distress, loss of consortium, and other intangible damages can be a little harder to put a price on.

Punitive Damages – In some cases, the court system may award punitive damages to “encourage” the negligent party to get their act together.  We see a great example in the 1994 case of the McDonald’s hot coffee.  The victim sought compensation to cover medical bills, the court hit the fast-food joint with punitive damages because they didn’t seem to care and didn’t think the problem needed to be remedied.

How Herbert Law Group Helps Victims of Commercial Vehicle Accidents

Considering the fact that if you’re the victim of a wreck like this, you’re likely severely injured – or, you’re dealing with the emotional stress and trauma of planning a funeral for a loved one – will you have the time, awareness, knowledge, and energy to figure out everything we just talked about?

Or will you be so strapped that you just take whatever offer the insurance company gives you?

Most people won’t want to deal with it.  And that’s why Herbert Law Group is here.  We have the experience to deal with it.  We know what to look for, we have previous cases that prove the compensation we seek isn’t out of the ordinary, and we’re ready to help you. Let’s talk about what happened, and determine a plan.  Call our offices at 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form and we’ll be in touch with you for a free initial consultation.

Not All Complications Arise Immediately After a Wreck

Some injuries are easy to see after a wreck.  However, there are many secondary injuries and complications that can arise if you’ve been the victim of a semi-truck accident.  These injuries may show up right away, or they may not show up for years after the wreck occurs.

Let’s see what these injuries and complications look like, and why you need the Car Crash Captain to help you receive compensation that covers injuries now, and any that may come up in the future.

What are Secondary Injuries after a Wreck?

Primary injuries are those that happen during the wreck.  For example, you are rear-ended, and you suffer from whiplash.  The whiplash is a primary injury.

A secondary injury is something that will come up later in life.  It can be a direct result of the wreck, or it can be a result of a previous injury.  Secondary injuries aren’t always physical, but can be mental health issues that come from a prolonged physical recovery.

Some secondary injuries include:

Chronic Pain – Our bodies have the amazing ability to heal themselves.  However, scar tissue and incomplete healing can lead to chronic pain.  Sometimes this pain will last the rest of a victim’s life.

Mental Health – No matter how mentally tough you are, a semi-truck accident will take a toll on your mental health.  PTSD, emotional trauma, trouble sleeping, and more can arise well after the body has healed from physical injuries.

Headaches – Traumatic Brain Injuries rarely heal without ongoing complications.  Headaches, migraines, and other ongoing issues can pop up later in life.

Furthermore, a secondary injury could be one that is caused because of the primary injury.  For example, if the truck wreck caused you to lose a limb, and during the recovery period you fall and break your arm, the broken arm would be considered a secondary injury – if you had both legs, you wouldn’t have fallen.

Examples of Complications that Could Arise

We’ll differentiate the injuries from complications, because the complications aren’t exactly another injury that occurs, but rather issues and difficulties living life as you lived before the wreck.  They include:

Permanent Limp – Once the body has healed, muscles, ligaments, and bones might not be as they once were.  A permanent limp after a truck wreck will cause complications the rest of a victim’s life.

Breathing Issues – Spinal cord injuries can lead to breathing issues.  Struggling to breath may cause hypoxia (not getting enough oxygen) and reduce quality of life.

Difficulty Lifting – Even healed injuries may leave permanent reduced motor skills.  Victims that could once lift heavily without issues, now struggle with small objects.

Why You Need Herbert Law Group

Because secondary injuries and complications often don’t show up for months, or even years, after the wreck, insurance companies will hope you don’t take them into consideration when you’re negotiating a settlement.

This is why you need a semi-truck accident lawyer on your side.  Legal representation from Herbert Law Group means you have a powerful negotiator to help you receive the settlement you deserve – one that will completely cover the losses you have suffered.

Let’s find out what happened, and see how we can help.  Call our offices at 214-414-3808, or fill out our contact form and we’ll reach out to you for your free initial consultation.

Finding Closure After a Devastating Accident

After being injured in a commercial vehicle accident, victims are faced with obstacles to overcome.  They must physically heal from their injuries, and at the same time navigate the difficult process of seeking justice from the at-fault driver.  Even long after the physical injuries heal, the emotional toll can last for years to come.

The Car Crash Captain has some insights on what this long-term emotional toll can look like.

What Toll Does a Commercial Vehicle Accident Take

No matter how you look at it, injuries will have a lasting impact.  Even those that appear to be minor physical injuries can compound over the years.

Physical Injury – Scrapes, bruises, and broken bones will heal.  But no matter how well they heal, complications will arise.  For those who suffer from severe injuries, how much emotional toll do you think they go through as they strive to continue a normal life?

In January 2024, a man in Dallas was hit by a drunk driver.  That accident resulted in his leg being severed from his body.  How long do you think it will take 30-year-old Thomas Toledo to “recover” from his injury?  What toll do you think it will take on his mind as he learns to live the rest of his life with only one leg?

Physical injuries can heal, but the emotional damage tends to last a bit longer and take more time to heal.

Emotional Injury – What emotional injuries come from being involved in a commercial vehicle accident?  There are many that we can see easily, such as PTSD after a wreck, but there are other injuries that may not even have names.

Consider a driver who was driving a small passenger vehicle when they wrecked with a semi-truck.  The enormous truck crushed the car – possibly killing a passenger.  The emotional toll that would take on the driver can be intense; even to the point where they don’t feel safe in any vehicle that’s not a large SUV.

Emotional injuries are often hidden.  They’re harder to see, and may not come to the surface for many months or years after the wreck takes place.  If you were to suffer an emotional toll, would you know how to argue for a settlement that included treatment for them?

Family Injury – Wrecks don’t just affect those who were driving or passengers in the vehicle, they extend far beyond to the victim’s families.

Consider the wife who lost her husband in a wreck, how deep will the emotional impacts be when their marriage is suddenly cut short?

What about the grandparents who lose grandkids, what toll will the death have on their ability to enjoy retirement?

Even if the truck wreck wasn’t fatal, the emotional toll of caring for a loved one that was injured can be extreme – in some cases leading to divorce.  A family split up because of the negligence of another driver.

Wrecks are devastating, and have lasting impacts.  The right lawyer, however, knows how to analyze the situation for these rippling effects that go beyond physical injuries, and extend into the families of the victims as well.

Herbert Law Group Helps Victims find Justice

If you, or a loved one, have been involved in a commercial vehicle accident in Texas, you know the emotional toll those things can take.

It’s important that you focus on navigating these difficult times and healing from injuries.  Don’t waste your energy on insurance companies or impending lawsuits – that’s why Herbert Law Group is here.

We’ll handle the legal stuff for you.  But first, we need to get to know you and find out what happened.  Call our offices at 214-414-3808, and let’s see how we can help you.  You can also fill out the contact form on our site and we’ll be in touch shortly.

The Ripple Effect of a Truck Wreck Goes into the Community

There are obvious impacts of being involved in a commercial vehicle accident – your vehicle is probably totaled, and you have significant injuries that will take a long time to recover from.

However, these accidents can end up with a ripple effect that extends even further into the community.  Some can eventually lead to a change in the laws surrounding commercial vehicles and their operation.  The Car Crash Captain has the details for us.

Effects of Commercial Vehicle Accidents

If you were involved in the wreck, you were at the very least shaken by what happened.  Due to the nature of commercial vehicle wrecks, injuries or even death are often part of the aftermath.  The toll those take on people can extend for quite some time.

Physical and emotional injuries may take years to heal.  Some of those injuries never do, and the injured party is left permanently disabled.

In the community where the wreck took place, there are emotional scars that extend even beyond the parties involved.  Witnesses deal with the trauma of seeing a terrible wreck happen in front of them.  Business owners nearby have the trauma of emergency and cleanup crews working out in front until the area is safe again.  And many of those effects continue to ripple throughout the community.

Ripple Effects of Commercial Vehicle Accidents

One major wreck can upset a community far beyond the time it takes to clean up the mess left behind.

Effects on Roadways – It’s not uncommon for a road to be shut down for an extended period of time after the wreck.  If there was damage to the road, signage, lighting, or more, that road could be shut down for days.  In many areas of the country the resulting detours can route traffic through neighborhoods putting further strain on citizens.

Effects on Business – If the roadway is shut down in front of a business, they’re going to struggle – especially if they rely on customers driving in every day.  Imagine your favorite coffee shop being blocked in by a wreck and the subsequent construction to rebuild – how long could they last without making a sale?

Effects on Extended Families – If your family member was injured or killed in a wreck, you have to re-learn how to live life without them.  Even if it’s an extended family member, reunions won’t be the same, travel will be different, and holidays a little bleaker.

Effects on Laws – Major wrecks lead to legislative change.  The US has strict laws for those who drive commercial vehicles, many of those laws are the result of lessons learned from wrecks.  A wreck that is caused by negligence could lead to a law that helps minimize that factor.

Herbert Law Group Helps Commercial Vehicle Accident Victims

All of these factors can come into play when negotiating a settlement after a truck wreck.  Most insurance companies will hope they aren’t factors that you’ll ever consider, and they low-ball the settlement offer because of it.

That’s why Herbert Law Group is here.  We’re on your side to ensure you get the compensation that you need to recover from this traumatic experience.

Let’s have a quick phone call to find out what happened, and to determine just how we can help.  Our office number is 214-414-3808.  You can also fill out the contact form on our site and we’ll reach out to you.

Equipment Malfunction may Lead to Truck Accidents

Mechanical failures rank high in the causes for fatal truck accidents around the country.  Not only are these issues preventable, but modern technology should be able to alert the driver, truck owner, and others when a failure is about to happen.

For now, however, these issues continue to lead to wrecks that claim lives.  The Car Crash Captain has some insights on what these major malfunctions are, and what can be done to help prevent future truck wrecks.

Driver Negligence is Still the Primary Cause of Wrecks

Despite the fact that most mechanical failures happen because the truck wasn’t inspected or maintained properly (technically this would fall under negligence), other forms of negligence remain the number one cause of major truck wrecks.

• Fatigue – Driving while tired is nearly as dangerous as driving intoxicated.
• Alcohol or Drug Use – Substance abuse remains an issue.
• Driver Error – Risky maneuvers or otherwise failure to yield.
• Road Rage – Intentionally driving dangerously.

When the big rig is found to be at fault, it often is one of these issues that has led to the crash.

What Three Mechanical Failures Lead to Truck Accidents?

Aside from negligence while driving, there are three areas of equipment that malfunction or fail and lead to more wrecks than other pieces of equipment malfunctioning or failing; brake defects, steering issues, and tire failures.

• Brake Defects – Truck brakes have to be tough.  They get red hot while braking and rely on air power to ensure maximum stopping pressure.  When these brakes aren’t maintained properly, they will fail.  That doesn’t necessarily mean they were defective (although defects can lead to early failure), but it does mean that even if the driver was operating safely, the equipment is the “cause” of the wreck.  A study has shown that brake defects were found in 42% of truck accidents investigated.
• Steering Issues – Steering issues were once a major cause in big rig accidents.  These instances have gone down over the years (possibly due to better equipment or better inspections).  However, the remain a big issue when analyzing the underlying cause of truck accidents.
• Tire Failures – How many times have you driven on the highway and there were pieces of tires lying on the side of the road?  Sometimes these tires are even in the middle of the driving lanes.  Semi-trucks have 18 tires that are all taking some serious wear and tear.  If they’re not maintained properly, and replaced when they’re worn, they can, and will, blow out.  A blowout doesn’t always lead to a crash, but they do often enough that they are one of the top three mechanical failures that lead to truck accidents.

Herbert Law Group is Here to Help You

If you have been the victim of a truck wreck, due to mechanical failures, driver negligence, or something else, then we are here to help.  You already have enough to deal with when it comes to healing from injuries, hospital visits, and getting your life back in order.  Let us deal with the insurance and legal stuff.

First, we have to get to know you and understand what happened.  That starts with a free phone call.  Just dial 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site and we’ll reach out to you.

Your Wreck May be an Issue with How Cargo was Secured

There are guidelines that truck drivers and trucking companies have to follow in regards to how loads are secured.  Unsecured cargo, and improperly secured cargo, may be in violation of those guidelines.  If you were involved in a wreck where the cargo wasn’t secured properly, then the Car Crash Captain can help you navigate the difficult world of insurance and legal matters.

Who is Responsible for Unsecured Cargo?

As with many wrecks, liability isn’t always straightforward.  For passenger vehicles, it’s often the vehicle owner or operator that takes on the risk.  But if you’re involved in a wreck with a commercial vehicle, however, liability doesn’t always fall solely with the driver.

Driver Responsibility – Most drivers are responsible to inspect, and sometimes maintain, their own trucks.  This means they are the last set of eyes on the truck itself, and the cargo they’re hauling.  Failing to inspect the cargo before departure can mean something is missed and the liability falls to the driver.

Trucking Company Responsibility – The owner of the rig might maintain some liability.  Depending on how the agreement is structured, the trucking company might assume some, or all, of the liability for adequately securing cargo.

Equipment Manufacturer Responsibility – There are times when the truck driver, carrier, owner, company, and everyone else does what is right, and equipment fails.  In these cases, a dive into what happened is necessary, and the equipment manufacturer may be found liable for selling a product that didn’t meet expectations.

Driver and Carrier Responsibility – Often the liability is divided between two or more parties.  Some of the fault can be found with the driver, some with the carrier, some with the owner of the rig, and more.

Because liability isn’t always clear, it’s important to have a truck wreck lawyer backing you up.  This is especially true if you’re trying to recover from injuries, and you simply don’t have the time and energy to handle the legal issues that can arise.

What can I Expect from an Unsecured Cargo Claim?

Some of those issues are demanding.  Some take time to prove and process.  As the victim, you may receive backlash from the insurance company that is supposed to be paying your claim.

Insurance Issues – Inevitably insurance issues will arise.  These companies are in the business of collecting money, not paying out big claims.  They’ll diminish, reduce, and try to get you on record saying something that could show that you caused the wreck.  Regardless of how it all goes down; the initial settlement offer likely won’t be one that fully covers your needs.

Criminal Charges – Depending on what happened, there could end up being criminal charges filed against the driver, the trucking company, or another negligent party.

Negligence Claims – The at fault party might come back and try to place some, or even all, of the blame on you.  Long before this happens, you need to guard your words and make sure that you’re not posting online or admitting anything on a recorded line.

Herbert Law Group has Your Back

Because of the complexity of these cases, it’s best to start off with an accomplished Texas truck wreck lawyer.

Herbert Law Group is on your side.  We’ll handle the hard stuff and ensure that your case goes smoothly.  You handle the difficult process of recovering from your injuries.

When it’s all said and done, we work hard to get you the maximum settlement amount, so you don’t have financial worries due to someone else’s negligence.

Let’s get things started with a phone call so we know what happened.  Call our office at 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site and we will reach out to you.

How Your Mental Health Could Decline After a Wreck

The aftermath of a truck wreck is intense.  There’s a whole lot to deal with including property damage, healing from injuries, and trying to figure out how to get life back on track.  Many people don’t realize the psychological impact that comes with surviving a truck wreck.

Let’s see what we need to consider when this does happen.  The Car Crash Captain has some insights for us so we can maximize recovery times.

Understanding the Psychological Impact of a Truck Wreck

When you’re in a wreck there is obviously going to be property damage.  It’s going to take money to replace your vehicle and any personal items inside the vehicle.  Those damages are easy to figure out.

You will also have medical bills.  Those are also easy to figure out and seek compensation for them.

But there’s a whole “hidden” world of mental health that is affected as well.  The psychological impact of this wreck isn’t going to go away any time soon.  And without professional help to work through the emotions that come from this, you may never recover.  Unfortunately, insurance companies often hope you don’t consider these impacts, and they can end up offering a settlement that isn’t nearly what you need.

What if You were in the Wreck and Survived?

If you were driving, or even in the vehicle, and you survived the crash, how would that impact you?  There would obviously be fears, trauma, and emotions to work through.  But it can go much deeper than that.

PTSD isn’t limited to those coming off the battlefield.  Trauma has many different forms, and dealing with PTSD after a devastating truck wreck is a real thing.  There will be fears of driving again, especially around other big rigs.

Survivor guilt is a real issue.  What if you survived, but your passenger did not?  You may feel terrible about “causing” their death – even though the wreck wasn’t your fault.

Depression can set in, especially if you’re unable to heal fully from your injuries.  You may lament that you have to walk with a limp the rest of your life because of someone else’s negligent behavior.

The psychological trauma of surviving a wreck can run deep.  It’s only when you have a competent professional helping you deal with those events can you truly heal and move on.

What if Your Loved One did not Survive?

There’s another issue that comes up after a deadly truck wreck.  What if you survived, but your loved one did not?

If both of you were in the vehicle, and you had to witness the death of someone close to you, how would your mental health handle that?  A truck wreck that results in death is not a peaceful end of life – it’s quite often very gruesome.

Even if you were not in the vehicle, and you got word that the wreck occurred.  Your loved one was going about their daily business, and they were suddenly taken from you.  The psychological impact would be devastating as you’re plagued with “what ifs” surrounding the loss.

It’s never easy to lose someone close to you.  It’s even harder when it could have been prevented had the other driver been more mindful of their actions on the road.

Come to Herbert Law Group for Expert Advice

This mental anguish that comes after a wreck can fall under “Pain and Suffering.”  Even if you attend therapy and those visits are wrapped into the medical part of the claim, this mental anguish can last for years after the loss occurred.

Fighting for your rights is not something you should have to endure during your time of trouble.  Don’t waste your energy on this.  Instead, let Herbert Law Group do the heavy lifting for you.  You focus on your mental health; we’ll focus on getting a settlement that is sufficient to take care of your needs.

It all starts with a free phone call.  Simply get in touch with our office at 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site, and we’ll see how we can help reduce your burden.

Commercial Vehicles Must Follow Strict Regulations

We know that commercial truck drivers (and other commercial vehicle drivers as well) have a set of regulations they have to follow.  These aren’t arbitrary; they were designed from years of data by experts that understand how people and heavy equipment work together.

Often, however, some companies see those regulations as cutting into their profits.  Sometimes truck drivers themselves feel they are better drivers and can “fudge” the rules just a bit.  Today, the Car Crash Captain is looking at three regulations that are often violated, and can have a significant impact on your truck accident case.

Driver Rest Periods

Most people know that semi-truck drivers have to take rest periods.  But do you know what those are?  They’re actually quite confusing – something that a driver or trucking company may try to exploit if they are in a wreck.

• Drivers may only drive for 11 hours at a time… but only after they have been off-duty for 10 hours.
• They also have to drive those 11 hours within a 14-hour window – then take a break.
• Every 8 hours of driving, drivers have to take at least a 30-minute break.
• In a 7-day period, maximum driving hours cap out at 60 hours; in an 8-day period, they cap at 70 hours.

Unless, of course, you’re transporting people.  Then there are different rules.  Check out our previous post on the hours of operation, and see the official trucking regulations on the FMCSA website.

If you’ve been injured in a wreck with a semi-truck, and that driver has violated any of the hours of operations regulations, then your case has to be handled differently.  A Texas truck wreck lawyer will know what to do – but do you know what to do?

Vehicle Maintenance Schedules

Because most commercial vehicles are big and heavy, they can cause a lot of damage, death, or injury if they fail.  To help prevent this, the FMCSA has created a schedule of repairs and maintenance to ensure that rigs on the road are operating safely.

There is, however, quite a bit of leeway.  Things that could be open to interpretation.  Items like inspections of emergency windows, doors, and marking lights on passenger buses have to be every 90 days.  Other maintenance issues come down to “make sure it gets done.”

The legal documents for inspection, repair, and maintenance, say, “Every motor carrier and intermodal equipment provider must systematically inspect, repair, and maintain, or cause to be systematically inspected, repaired, and maintained, all motor vehicles and intermodal equipment subject to its control.”  That gives a bit of wiggle room – would an inspection have prevented the failure, or was this something completely random?

It’s also important to know that unless you thoroughly understand these laws and how they can be violated, will you be able to argue for your case?  Will you be able to do that if you’re recovering from major injuries, or mourning the death of a loved one?

Cargo and Rig Weight Limits

While weight limits seem like they should be clearer, they really are not.  There are multiple weight categories depending on the vehicle and driver.

Drivers must be certified as A, B, or C weight class commercial groups.  It all depends on if the rig, with combined trailer or vehicle-in-tow is over a certain weight – check out the FMCSA site to see what those groups are.

For the absolute maximum size, though, the FMCSA says that commercial motor vehicles (CMV’s) operating on interstate highways cannot exceed 53 feet in length, and weigh no more than 80,000 pounds.  Unless, of course, they fall into the exceptions categories.

When you’re in a wreck, do you know if the driver is certified to operate that vehicle?  Are they in the right driver weight class?  Is the vehicle properly permitted or have they exceeded their weight limit?

Herbert Law Group Knows Trucking Regulations

Trucking regulations can be confusing.  They’re even more confusing when you’ve gone through a traumatic experience and you’re trying to heal – mentally and physically.

That’s why an experienced truck wreck lawyer in Texas is necessary.  Someone that will help you understand what’s going on, argue for you, and bring you the settlement you need to heal completely.

Let’s talk about what happened, and develop a game plan.  Call the Herbert Law Group offices at 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site and we’ll reach out to you.