Grossman Law Offices PC

18-Wheeler Truck & Commercial Vehicle Accident Attorneys

Welcome to Texas18Wheeler.com, your source for Texas truck accident legal news and information and the home of the Texas 18-Wheeler Accident Lawyers of Grossman Law Offices. Our law firm can be reached day or night by calling 1-855-392-1234 (toll-free).

For the past 20 years, Dallas attorney Michael Grossman and his staff of attorneys, truck accident investigators, paralegals, accident reconstruction experts, and various other administrative staff have worked diligently to preserve the rights of those who are injured or killed in truck accidents in Texas and beyond.

Our attorneys have been recognized by some of America's most prestigious professional organizations.

From our principal offices in Dallas Texas, and our satellite offices in Austin, Corpus Christi, Midland, Tyler, Houston, San Antonio, Little Rock, & Hot Springs (All office visits by appointment only), our attorneys have litigated hundreds of cases and settled thousands more out of court. While there are many Truck accident attorneys and law firms to choose from, thousands of injured Texans have chose our firm over the rest because our experience and results speak for themselves.

There are a few important aspects that separate our Texas 18-Wheeler accident lawyers from the rest:

• We answer the phones 24/7 at 1-855-392-1234. NOT an answering service but an actual member of our staff will answer your call and address your concerns.
• Trucking companies, defense attorneys, and commercial insurance carriers know our reputation for winning truck accident cases and they take our demands seriously.
• Our attorneys have won thousands of cases, are members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and have 20 years of experience in plaintiffs’ trial law.
• We NEVER represent trucking companies; only accident victims.
• We will meet potential clients at one of our offices, their home or office, the hospital, or wherever is most convenient for the client.
• We provide all clients with a free consultation where we clearly, and in plain English, explain their rights, the specific legal ramifications of their particular case, the potential value of their case, and explain from start to finish how the process works and what to expect.
• We keep our clients informed with regard to the status of their case and we are always easy to get in contact with.
• We use the latest technology and investigative techniques to maximize the value of your case.
• MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL We genuinely care for our clients’ well-being. We have formed many professional relationships that have turned into life-long friendships. We treat our clients like family.

Featured Case:

Attorney Keith Purdue of Grossman Law Offices Featured in News Report Upon Filing Wrongful Death Lawsuit

Texas wrongful death lawyer Keith Purdue has filed a wrongful death lawsuit under a 1st party dram shop cause of action against a Dallas Area bar following a fatal accident that claimed the life of a 38-year-old-woman. The decedent’s family hired Grossman Law Offices shortly after her death. Our firm is aggressively pursuing the defendants.

More cases of note for Grossman Law Offices

News & Updates

Family Pursues Wrongful Death Claim After Fatal Tractor Trailer Accident

The negligence of a truck driver has robbed Johnathan Ellsworth’s family of the companionship, support, and love of a father and husband. On Monday, August ... (Read more)

Grossman Law Offices to Handle 18-Wheeler Wrongful Death Claim

After a minor traffic accident with another car, James Little never saw the 18-wheeler that would take his life, forcing his family to seek the help of Texas fatal ... (Read more)

More News >

Override & Underride Truck Accidents

Override and underride accidents can range from dangerous to deadly. Whenever a large amount of steel is coupled with high levels of speed and just a brief moment of inattentiveness, immense damage can occur. Either instance... (Read more)

Intoxicated Driver Truck Accidents

Intoxicated truck drivers may present one of the most dangerous hazards of all on Texas roads. While they should obviously know better than to get behind the wheel of tons of steel that can hurtle down the highway at... (Read more)

Speak With a Truck Accident Lawyer

Our lawyers can handle every aspect of your case, from searching for evidence to putting pressure on the insurance company to offer you a favorable settlement. We’ll do the work so that you and your family can focus on... (Read more)

Were You Hit by a Flatbed Truck?

If you’ve been injured in a flatbed trailer accident, an attorney from Grossman Law Offices can help protect your rights. We handle every aspect of our clients’ cases from beginning until end, and we keep our clients updated on... (Read more)

Dallas Truck Accident Law Firm

Our lawyers know that this is likely a difficult time for you and your family. You’ve been through a lot since your accident, and you’re probably still facing its consequences every day. Even while you’re still dealing with the other results... (Read more)

Truck Accidents 101

Texas truck accident attorney Michael Grossman discusses the legal ramifications of commercial vehicle accidents and common pitfalls that you may encounter without adequate legal representation.

Commercial vehicles like 18-wheelers, big rigs, semi trucks, and tractor trailers are a necessity for modern life. However, when these types of commercial trucks cause damage in trucking accidents, their dangers are made all too apparent. With their size, their weight, and their speed of travel, commercial vehicles can pose a dangerous threat on America’s highways if their drivers suffer from even a moment of inattention. When a driver exudes extreme negligence, such as driving while intoxicated, then the amount of damage done can be immense, and such a drunk truck driver ought to be held accountable for their negligent behavior. However, even if simple negligence was to blame for a truck driver’s accident, it is likely that civil charges can be brought against the driver, as well as the driver’s employer, in order to hold the liable parties accountable for their negligence in regards to your truck wreck accident. Such civil charges are brought through a personal injury claim in the case that you’re an injured victim or through a wrongful death claim if you’ve lost a loved one due to a fatal truck accident.

If an 18-wheeler accident has caused you injury or has caused you to lose a loved one, are you aware of your legal options? Are you familiar with the ways in which truck accidents differ from otherwise “normal” car accidents? Do you know about the types of challenges that often arise in trucking accident cases? 18-wheeler accident lawyer Michael Grossman presents answers to these questions so that you can seek compensation if you’ve been hurt or have lost a loved one due to a big rig accident.

What Types of Vehicles Are Covered Under The Term “Commercial Vehicles?”

In order to know whether or not you have merit in bringing a personal injury lawsuit or wrongful death lawsuit as a result of injuries or loss sustained in a trucking accident, you may need to be apprised of the types of vehicles that are categorized as commercial vehicles. At its most basic level, commercial vehicles include any type of vehicle that is used by an employee while performing their job. However, there can be a wide range of the types of vehicles that can be involved in commercial trucking accidents. The most notable types are those that are often the largest, like 18-wheelers, semi-trucks, flatbed trailer trucks, big rigs, and tractor-trailers. These are the types of commercial vehicles that are often in the news because the amount of damage they can cause is often quite severe.

However, other types of accidents involving commercial vehicles are also capable of causing great harm when negligent actions are taken. These types run the gamut of industrial, construction, and commercial accidents: tanker truck accidents, bucket truck accidents, delivery truck accidents like those involving FedEx trucks and UPS trucks, cement mixer truck accidents, dump truck and garbage truck accidents, moving van accidents, bus accidents, tow truck accidents, RV accidents, state vehicle accidents, crane truck accidents, utility vehicle accidents, farm truck accidents, and even street sweeper accidents. The list could continue, but, suffice it to say, there are a large number of commercial vehicles on the road in America today. As such, accidents with these vehicles occur quite often, and the people that have been injured or have lost a loved one due to these types of commercial vehicle accidents deserve justice.

What Are My Options in Seeking Justice in a Commercial Trucking Accident?

If you’ve been injured in a semi-truck accident, you can pursue compensation for the financial losses you’ve incurred as a result of that injury by bringing a personal injury lawsuit against any negligent party. In personal injury claims, three criteria must be met in order for such a claim to have merit:

1. The liable party owed a legal duty to the victim and violated that legal duty. In a vast majority of 18-wheeler accident personal injury cases, this most often means that the liable driver violated their legal duty to provide for public safety.
2. The liable party was responsible for the injury. In other words, the liable party’s negligent behavior caused or contributed to the victim’s injury.
3. The victim incurred a financial setback as a result of the injury. Such financial losses are known as damages and can take into account such items as medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost wages. The goal of a personal injury accident case is for the plaintiff, i.e. victim, to be compensated for the damages they’ve incurred because of the accident.

Proving such criteria is often best left to an experienced tractor trailer accident attorney like big rig accident lawyer Michael Grossman. While a legitimate big rig accident personal injury case must have these three criteria, a successful case will be able to fully prove that each of these criteria existed and that the plaintiff is entitled to the full amount of compensation requested.

If you’ve lost a loved one due to a fatal 18-wheeler accident, compensation for your loss can be pursued through a wrongful death claim with the help of a fatal truck accident attorney. In such a claim, two types of damages can be sought, known as survival damages and wrongful death damages. Survival damages relate to what the decedent would have incurred had they lived through the accident and take into account such items as medical expenses, lost wages, lost future earnings, pain and suffering, property damage, and mental or emotional duress. Wrongful death damages relate to the damages incurred by the family members seeking compensation as a result of their loss and can include such items as hospital bills, funeral expenses, pain and suffering, loss of consortium, and loss of financial support.

A knowledgeable flatbed trailer accident attorney like Michael Grossman will ensure that all damages are fully calculated so that an aggrieved family can be fully compensated for their loss. While tanker truck accident attorney Michael Grossman and his team at Grossman Law Offices understands that no amount of money can replace a lost loved one, the compensation received by an aggrieved family can help restore their financial health so they do not have to suffer further as a result of economic hardship caused by their loss. This can prove especially true in tragic accidents where the sole wage-earner for a household has lost their life.

Texas Fatal Truck Accident Attorney Michael Grossman on the Challenges of Trucking Accident Cases

By enlisting the help of competent and confident Texas truck wreck attorney Michael Grossman, you will have twenty years of hard-earned experience on your side, defending your rights with your best interests in mind so that you can stand to receive full and fair compensation for your injury or loss. Truck accident attorney Michael Grossman will work to ensure that you understand your legal options at all times, but having a grasp on some of the possible legal challenges that often exist in trucking accident cases can prove to be beneficial as well. As such, the following sections detail many of the ways in which trucking accident personal injury and wrongful death cases often present certain challenges along the legal pathway to compensation.

There’s Likely More Than One Liable Party

In commercial vehicle accidents like dump truck accidents or flatbed trailer accidents, there is often more than one party that could be held liable for any injuries or loss of life sustained in the accident. In these instances, the parties that were not at the scene of the accident when it occurred are said to have carried vicarious liability. In Texas, there is a legal notion known as “respondeat superior” which holds that an employer is responsible for the actions of their employees. In regards to commercial vehicle accidents, this means that a trucking company would be a liable party, i.e. an additional defendant, in a trucking accident personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit. In other words, if you’ve been injured in a wreck with a bucket truck like a cherry-picker, then the employer of the driver of that bucket truck could be held accountable in a civil suit for that driver’s negligent behavior. When this happens, contacting an experienced semi truck accident attorney like Michael Grossman can prove to be a beneficial first step towards seeking compensation for your pain or loss.

Furthermore, additional liable parties can also exist depending on the particular details of the accident. If a flatbed trailer accident occurs because the cargo was not properly loaded or secured by an outside cargo-loading company, that third-party company could be held liable in a civil suit brought by a flatbed trailer accident attorney. Some delivery truck companies and other commercial vehicle companies employ an outside route planning company. If this third-party company is negligent in their duties and that negligence results in a wreck, they could also be an additional defendant. If a moving van accident happens because of a defective mechanical part, the manufacturer could be held liable. If a part is found to be faulty, the entity responsible for maintaining the truck could be held liable.

When an 18-wheeler driver is drunk and causes a wreck that leads to injury or death, there are some states that have dram shop laws that can allow for an alcohol-serving establishment to be held liable for that accident if they can be proven to have been negligent in their care for their patron or for public safety. Texas dram shop attorneys with prior experience in such cases, like 18-wheeler drunk driver lawyer Michael Grossman, will then work to see whether or not an alcohol-serving establishment played any role in contributing to the crash. Dram shop laws exist since intoxicated individuals, essentially, cannot be allowed to make certain decisions for themselves due to their inebriated state. As such, an alcohol-serving establishment cannot over-serve a patron past the state’s legal blood alcohol content level, nor can they knowingly allow an inebriated person to drive off of their property. When such a chain of events contributes to an 18-wheeler accident fatality or injury, the bar or restaurant can be yet another liable defendant.

As you can tell, one of the main differences between otherwise “normal” passenger-vehicle only car wrecks and commercial truck accident wrecks is the involvement of multiple liable parties, many of whom are likely not even involved at the scene of the accident. In such instances, it’s often in the best interests of the aggrieved party to seek the legal help of an experienced 18-wheeler accident lawyer to ensure that all liable parties are identified and held accountable for their negligent behavior.

There’s Likely a High-Dollar Insurance Policies on the Line

When trucking employers are involved in a trucking accident case, they will more often than not be insured by a high-dollar insurance policy. In fact, these insurance policies are often worth more than 50 times what their passenger-vehicle counterparts would be. This has to be the case since tow trucks, construction trucks, 18-wheelers, and other commercial vehicles are often so large and capable of creating so much damage when things go wrong. As a result, trucking insurance companies will put up quite a stout fight in order to not have to pay out such a sizable sum in compensation to an injured victim or a bereaved family. Since these insurers exist to make a profit, this is most often most easily done by seeing large-sum insurance policies settled for much less than what is fair, or seeing them completely denied. In either instance, an aggrieved party will likely be awarded little to no compensation without the help of an experienced Texas 18-wheeler accident attorney like Michael Grossman.

There’s Likely Highly Experienced Insurance Adjusters Working The Claim

As part of defending their assets, trucking insurance companies will use their most experienced insurance adjusters to work the claim. These adjusters have made a reputation for themselves within their company by being able to get large-value insurance policies denied or severely lessened. By utilizing certain tactics that prey on the vulnerable or naive, these insurance adjusters often have ulterior motives, like bonuses or a promotion, that can lead them towards working for their own gain regardless of a victim’s actual need for compensation.

Without the help of a veteran litigator of 18-wheeler accident cases like tractor trailer accident attorney Michael Grossman, a victim working against such insurance adjusters is likely going to be taken advantage of and not even know about it until it’s too late. If such a victim agrees to a settlement that has been offered by an insurance company without an attorney’s involvement, such a settlement, while it may seem enticing because it’s relatively quick money, will likely be far less than what a fair settlement, as mediated by a victim’s lawyer, would be. Additionally, when such a settlement is agreed to, it most often means that the victim has also signed away their rights to pursue any legal action against the negligent trucking company or their insurer. Once it has gotten to this point, there is little to nothing that even an experienced big rig accident attorney can do.

There’s Likely an Aggressive Defense Team Working the Case

Commercial trucking companies are poised for action when an accident occurs, simply because they occur with a rather shocking regularity. Although most trucking companies take safety as a top priority for their organization, accidents still happen. As a result, trucking companies and their respective insurers are ready to deploy defense attorneys to visit an accident site as soon as possible in the aftermath of an 18-wheeler accident. In so doing, they can begin building a robust case against a victim, often before the victim may have even given thought to contacting their own semi truck accident attorney. Without proper investigative help in the form of an experienced semi truck accident lawyer, a victim often stands little to no chance of being able to fully investigate their own accident scene. Truck accident lawyer Michael Grossman and his team at the truck wreck law firm of Grossman Law Offices has two decades of experience in conducting thorough investigations into 18-wheeler accident sites. With years of past knowledge to work on and current trends in investigative techniques at our disposal, we will work to ensure that a robust case is built in your behalf so that the truth of a semi-truck accident is known and that all liable parties are identified in order to be held accountable for their negligent behavior.

A Truck Driver May Lie to Protect Their Job

In our twenty years of litigating 18-wheeler accident cases, we’ve seen many semi-truck drivers choose to lie about their liability in a commercial vehicle wreck. This is most often done simply because these truck drivers do not want to lose their jobs, especially if the extent of the damage they caused was severe or loss of life occurred. However, through our careful and tactful depositions conducted on truck drivers and our investigative prowess at the scene of an accident, we’re often able to deduce whether or not a truck driver is lying. Texas truck accident lawyer Michael Grossman can prove to be a valuable asset in your 18-wheeler accident case in such instances.

Trucking Companies May Be Self-Insured

Self-insured trucking companies can often pose particular problems because they’re not affiliated with a traditional insurer. As such, they don’t have to hold themselves up to the same standards, rules, and regulations that these insurers do. While traditional insurers can pose a particular type of challenge in 18-wheeler trucking accident cases, as previously mentioned, self-insured trucking companies can present a different type of challenge that can be much more infuriating to an aggrieved party seeking compensation for their injury or loss. Our 18-wheeler accident law firm has been contacted on numerous occasions where an aggrieved party has been treated unethically by a self-insured trucking company. This treatment has taken the form of witnesses badgering, evidence tampering, and plaintiff threatening. When Grossman Law Offices takes such cases where a plaintiff is experiencing that kind of treatment, we will pursue legal options to compel the negligent company to begin acting justly so that the plaintiff has a fair opportunity to seek compensation for their injury or loss. By enlisting the help of tractor trailer accident lawyer Michael Grossman before attempting to deal with such a trucking company, an aggrieved party could save themselves from many hours of frustration in seeking compensation.

Do I Really Need the Help of an 18-Wheeler Accident Lawyer?

Even if you have a full understanding of the laws surrounding your particular 18-wheeler accident case, that doesn’t mean that you’ll be able to see a successful outcome to a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit in a truck accident case. Knowing the law and being able to apply the law are two sides of the same coin; both must exist in order for a plaintiff to have the greatest opportunity at receiving full and fair compensation. Furthermore, experienced trucking accident lawyers spend years in court building up a solid reputation based on the outcome of their cases. Truck wreck attorney Michael Grossman has 20 years of such experience, and has built such a reputation that insurance adjusters and defense attorneys alike are often loathe to meet him in court because of his past history as a successful legal representative for his clients. In fact, many insurers and defense lawyers have offered our clients fair out-of-court settlements simply because they’d rather not meet our dedicated trucking accident attorneys in court. In other words, utilizing the help of our 18-wheeler accident law firm can often provide for a much more substantial opportunity at receiving full and fair compensation for your injury or loss than if you chose to self-represent.

When the immense challenges of an 18-wheeler case are taken into account as a whole, from the experienced insurance adjusters and defense attorneys working the case, to the large sum of compensation at stake, to the sheer number of defendants that will likely be involved, 18-wheeler accident cases are intricate at best and complex at worst. Relying on your own knowledge and likely limited legal experience is quite a risky move when the entirety of what’s at stake is known. Since settlements in truck accident cases can range from hundreds of thousands to the millions of dollars, choosing the right truck accident lawyer is an important decision. We believe that we have the knowledge, experience, and reputation that can help you get the compensation you deserve so that you can get back to living your life.

Furthermore, enlisting the help of a semi-truck accident attorney as soon as possible in the aftermath of an 18-wheeler accident can prove to be beneficial to your case since relevant evidence can go missing over time. In fact, trucking companies in certain states are legally allowed to destroy truck driving records within a certain amount of time, meaning that a vital piece of evidence could go missing, legally, if steps aren’t taken in a short amount of time after an 18-wheeler accident has occurred in order to prevent that from happening. In other instances, evidence can be conveniently “misplaced” by those who would rather not get caught. As such, contacting an experienced tractor trailer accident lawyer as quickly as possible after an accident can help prevent such evidence from disappearing over time.

The 18-Wheeler Accident Attorneys at Grossman Law Offices Can Help You

By contacting our 18-wheeler accident law firm at 1-855-392-1234 (toll free), you can get a free consultation in which we’ll answer your pressing questions and listen to the details of your accident case. We’ll also provide you with your legal options and help inform you about any possible hurdles we may see in your particular case. If hired, our tractor trailer accident attorneys will conduct a thorough investigation of the semi-truck accident scene where necessary, ensuring that all evidence gathered is done so that it’s presentable in court. Our semi-truck accident lawyers will get relevant testimony from eye witnesses where applicable so that a robust case can be built on your behalf.

Suffering a severe injury or a severe loss due to an 18-wheeler accident doesn’t have to result in further financial suffering. Let the Texas truck accident attorneys of Grossman Law Offices help you get fair compensation day.