Dallas Truck Accident Lawyer

Truck Accident Lawyer Dallas, TX

Were you hurt in a truck accident in Dallas, TX?

Plaintiff-focused truck accident attorneys preparing every case with dedication.

If you were injured in a crash with a commercial truck, our Dallas, TX truck accident lawyer can investigate the crash and pursue the companies responsible. Kelso Law has stood up for injured Texans since 2012, and we handle truck cases on a contingency basis. Reach out to our team to schedule a free review of your case.

Truck Accident Lawyer Dallas, TX

A truck accident claim is a legal case brought by an injured person against the parties at fault for a crash involving a large commercial vehicle. That can mean the driver, the motor carrier that employed them, a maintenance contractor, or a company that loaded the cargo. The aim is compensation for medical care, lost income, and the broader cost of a serious injury.

A tractor-trailer can weigh many times what a passenger car weighs, so the injuries tend to be severe and the dollars at stake are high. Commercial carriers also keep records that ordinary drivers never have, such as logbooks, inspection reports, and electronic data. A Dallas truck accident attorney knows to move fast to preserve that evidence before it is lost or overwritten. The sooner an attorney sends a preservation letter to the carrier, the better your chances of holding the right parties accountable.

Types of Truck Accident Cases We Handle in Dallas

We represent people hurt by commercial trucks throughout the Dallas area, from delivery vans to fully loaded eighteen-wheelers. The cause of the crash often points to who should be held responsible. These are the truck accident cases we see most.

  • Jackknife crashes. When a trailer swings out of line with the cab, it can sweep across several lanes. Brake problems, speeding, and improper loading all contribute. We examine whether the driver or the carrier created the conditions for it, from rushed delivery schedules to skipped maintenance.
  • Underride collisions. A smaller vehicle that slides beneath a trailer can suffer catastrophic harm. Missing or inadequate guards may be part of the story. We look at the truck’s equipment as well as the driver’s conduct.
  • Rear-end and following-distance crashes. A loaded truck needs far more room to stop than a car does. Drivers who tailgate or speed cannot stop in time. These collisions frequently involve clear fault on the trucking side, though the carrier’s insurer may still dispute how serious your injuries are.
  • Tire blowout and equipment-failure wrecks. A blown tire or failed brake can send a truck out of control. Poor maintenance is often behind it. We pursue records that show whether worn tires or skipped inspections played a role.
  • Wide-turn and blind-spot crashes. Trucks have large blind zones and need extra space to turn. A driver who turns without checking can crush a vehicle beside them. Establishing where each vehicle sat before impact is key.
  • Fatigued-driver crashes. Federal hours-of-service rules limit how long a trucker can drive, yet some push past those limits. Logbooks and trip records can reveal it. We request that data early, before it disappears, and we compare it against the driver’s trip records for gaps and inconsistencies.
  • Cargo-related crashes. Loads that are overweight, unbalanced, or poorly secured can shift and cause a wreck. Responsibility may fall on a separate loading company. We trace each link in the chain, from the shipper to the company that loaded and secured the freight.
  • Rideshare and delivery-vehicle crashes. Not every commercial crash involves a big rig. Box trucks and delivery vehicles cause serious harm too, and the same questions about employer liability apply. We identify every party that may owe you compensation.

Why Choose Kelso Law as my Truck Accident Lawyer in Dallas, TX?

A Trial Record That Carries Weight

Founding attorney Rhiannon Kelso represents injured people and their families, not the corporations and insurers on the other side. She has taken more than 25 cases to a jury verdict, and the firm has secured millions of dollars in recoveries for clients. Trucking insurers pay attention to that history. A firm willing to try a case tends to be offered fair value far sooner than one that is not. Rhiannon belongs to the Dallas Bar Association and is admitted before the federal district courts throughout Texas.

Experience Across Serious Vehicle Crashes

Truck cases sit within our broader work as a personal injury lawyer in Dallas, TX, alongside car accident and motorcycle crash claims. That breadth helps when a wreck involves several vehicles and several insurers. We take truck cases on contingency, so there are no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. And we keep you informed about your case as it moves.

Understanding Truck Accident Cases

Truck claims reward early, thorough work. The sections below explain what tends to drive the result and where these cases differ from an ordinary car wreck. They also show why early legal help can make a measurable difference.

Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Truck Accident Cases

Damages describe the harm you can be paid for. Liability is the question of who is at fault, and in truck cases more than one party often shares it. Texas applies a rule of proportionate responsibility, under which an injured person can recover only if their share of the fault is 50 percent or less. Cross that line, and recovery is barred, which is why a careful fault analysis matters. In truck cases, spreading responsibility across the driver, the carrier, and others can also affect how much you ultimately recover.

A truck accident claim may seek compensation for:

  • Emergency treatment, surgery, and ongoing medical care
  • Wages you lost and future earnings a lasting injury takes from you
  • Pain, suffering, and diminished quality of life
  • Property damage to your vehicle
  • The added costs that come with catastrophic injuries

Crashes involving large trucks kill thousands of people on American roads every year, as federal data shows. In most fatal truck crashes, the people who die are in the smaller vehicle, not the truck. That imbalance is why these claims so often involve life-altering injuries.

What Are Important Aspects of a Truck Accident Case?

Several features set truck claims apart from a standard collision. Understanding them early helps you avoid losing ground.

  • Evidence vanishes fast. Logbooks, dashcam footage, and electronic control data can be overwritten unless someone moves to preserve them.
  • More than one party may be liable. The driver, the carrier, and a maintenance or loading company can each bear a share.
  • Carriers respond immediately. Many rising traffic deaths involve commercial vehicles, and trucking companies often send investigators to the scene within hours.
  • Recovery sources vary. When an at-fault driver cannot pay, commercial and underinsured policies may still apply.

What Is the Truck Accident Case Timeline?

No two truck cases run on the same clock, but most pass through the same stages. Here is what the process usually looks like.

  • Medical care and stabilizing your recovery, which always comes first
  • Investigation and evidence preservation, often beginning with a letter to the carrier
  • A demand to the insurer once your injuries and losses are documented
  • Negotiation, which settles many claims
  • A lawsuit and, if needed, trial when the carrier refuses a fair resolution

What Should You Bring to Your Truck Accident Consultation?

Bring whatever you have gathered so far. Missing pieces are normal, and we can help track down the rest.

  • The police or crash report
  • Photos and any video from the scene
  • The name of the trucking company, if you have it
  • Your medical records and bills to date
  • Insurance details for everyone involved

You will meet with us for free, and you will walk away knowing whether you have a claim and what to do next. We will also explain how to read your medical bills and how our fee works.

What Are Important Texas Legal Resources for Truck Accident Cases?

These resources point you to the Texas laws behind an injury claim. Use them as a research starting point, not as legal advice for your specific case.

Reach Out to Kelso Law to Schedule a Consultation

Speak with a Dallas truck accident lawyer about your crash and what your claim may be worth. You pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you, and the first consultation costs nothing. We will look at the facts, answer your questions, and lay out the next step. Contact us when you are ready, and we will follow up promptly to arrange your review.

Truck Accident Statistics in Dallas

truck accident lawyer in Dallas, TXA collision with a loaded commercial truck is nothing like an ordinary fender bender. An eighteen-wheeler can weigh 20 to 30 times what a passenger car weighs, so the person in the smaller vehicle absorbs most of the force. That physics is why truck wrecks leave so many people with lasting harm, including spinal cord injuries and worse.

Dallas sits at the crossing point of several major freight corridors, which puts heavy trucks on local highways around the clock. More trucks mean more exposure for every driver near them. The figures below, drawn from separate state and federal sources, show the scope of the problem.

  • Nationwide, NHTSA data recorded 5,472 people killed and 153,452 injured in crashes involving large trucks in 2023, and most of those killed were in other vehicles, not the truck.
  • In Texas, TxDOT crash records counted 39,393 commercial-vehicle crashes in 2024, with 3,857 of them in Dallas County alone.
  • A fully loaded tractor-trailer needs up to two football fields to stop, and FMCSA safety data counts about 12 million large trucks and buses registered to operate nationwide.

Each number represents people whose lives changed in an instant, many of them through no fault of their own.

Mistakes That Can Damage Your Truck Accident Claim

A strong truck case can be undercut by ordinary missteps in the days after a crash. Most are avoidable once you know what to watch for, which our Dallas truck accident lawyer can help with.

  1. Waiting to act. Trucking companies often send investigators to the scene within hours, and logbooks, dashcam footage, and electronic data can be overwritten on a set schedule. The longer you wait, the more evidence slips away. Early help from a Dallas truck accident attorney exists partly to lock that record down.
  2. Giving a recorded statement. An adjuster may call within days, friendly and eager to hear your side. You are not required to give a recorded statement, and the insurance companies on the other side use those recordings to minimize what they pay. Speak with a lawyer first.
  3. Skipping medical care. Some injuries feel minor at first and worsen over days. Gaps in treatment give a carrier room to argue you weren’t really hurt. Seeing a doctor promptly protects both your health and the record tying your injuries to the wreck.
  4. Posting on social media. A single photo or comment can be pulled out of context to suggest you are fine. It’s better to stay quiet online while a claim is pending.
  5. Taking the first offer. An early check can look like a lifeline, but it rarely reflects the true cost of a serious injury. Once you sign a release, you usually cannot reopen the claim, even if your condition worsens. Understanding your damages before you agree is the whole point.
  6. Trying to go it alone. Commercial carriers keep legal departments built to defend these claims. Facing that alone puts you at a disadvantage, which is why knowing when to hire an attorney matters. Our Dallas truck accident attorneys can meet you and help you determine what type of legal help you need.
  7. Missing the deadline. Texas gives most injury victims a limited window to file suit. Let it pass, and even the strongest case can be dismissed on a technicality.
  8. Assuming one insurer is the whole story. A truck wreck may involve the driver, the motor carrier, a maintenance shop, and a company that loaded the freight. Settling with one before the full picture is clear can cost you.

Dallas Truck Accident Lawyer FAQs

How Much Does a Dallas Truck Accident Lawyer Cost?

Our Dallas truck accident lawyers handle truck cases on a contingency basis. You pay no attorney fee unless we recover money for you, through a settlement or a verdict. There’s no retainer and no hourly billing. Our fee is a percentage of the recovery, put in writing before we begin. That structure lets you take on a national trucking company and its insurer without paying anything upfront. We walk through how contingency fees work at your first meeting, so nothing about the cost catches you off guard.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Dallas Truck Accident?

Often more than one party. The driver may be at fault, but so may the motor carrier that pushed an unrealistic schedule, a shop that skipped maintenance, or a company that loaded the freight badly. A distracted driving trucker adds another layer. Proving negligence against each one takes real investigation, and sorting out liability early matters, since spreading fault across defendants affects what you recover.

How Long Do I Have to File a Truck Accident Claim in Texas?

For most Texas injury cases, the deadline is two years from the date of the crash. Miss it, and a court can dismiss your claim regardless of its strength. Narrow exceptions exist, but counting on one is risky. Because truck evidence disappears quickly, waiting hurts you twice. Our Dallas truck accident lawyers suggest reviewing the statute of limitations early and letting us preserve records while they still exist.

What Is My Dallas Truck Accident Claim Worth?

It depends on the severity of your injuries, your medical costs, lost income, and how fault shakes out. Texas uses modified comparative fault, so your recovery drops by your share of the blame and disappears above 50 percent. Beyond medical bills and lost wages, a claim can include pain and suffering and the long-term cost of a lasting injury. Our Dallas truck accident lawyers build the number from documentation, not guesswork.

What If the Truck Driver Was Uninsured or Underinsured?

Commercial policies are usually larger than a private driver’s, but coverage disputes still happen. When the responsible party can’t fully cover your losses, your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage may apply, the same protection that matters after a crash with an uninsured driver. We identify every policy that could contribute before anyone settles.

How Long Will My Truck Accident Case Take?

There’s no single timeline. A clear claim with strong evidence can resolve in months, while a disputed case with serious injuries may take a year or more, especially when a carrier’s lawyers dig in. We won’t push you to settle before your treatment is complete, because the full scope of your recovery drives the value. Our overview of case timelines explains each stage.

Important Resources for Dallas Truck Accident Cases

What Texas Legal Resources Apply to Truck Accident Claims?

Texas handles truck claims through the same negligence, deadline, and damages rules that govern other injury cases. These resources help Dallas residents research the law on their own before they meet with our Dallas truck accident attorney.

  • The Texas State Law Library offers plain-language guides and links to the statutes behind injury claims.
  • Texas Law Help explains the filing deadlines that apply to Texas injury lawsuits.
  • What an injured person can recover is addressed in the Civil Practice and Remedies Code’s Chapter 41 damages provisions.

What Local Resources Help After a Dallas Truck Accident?

After a truck crash in Dallas, TX, these local offices can help you report the wreck and get care. Listing them is not an endorsement, and we have no affiliation with either.

About Kelso Law PLLC

Our founder, Rhiannon Kelso, built Kelso Law PLLC around a conviction she holds firmly: an injured person has the right to put their case before a jury, not simply take whatever an insurer offers. She is a member of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, and over the years our firm has recovered more than $20 million for injured clients across the state. Trucking carriers and their insurers defend these claims hard. Injured families deserve a firm that answers a lowball offer with real preparation, which our Dallas truck accident lawyer provides.

What Our Clients Say

★★★★★

“I was involved in a bad motor vehicle accident. The other driver tried to blame me for it so I hired Ms. Kelso to fight for my case. I highly recommend Ms. Kelso for any personal injury case. She is very experienced, dedicated and obtained the best outcome for me.”

— Felix Chavez

Read more reviews on our Google Business Profile.

Additional Resources for Dallas Truck Accident Cases

Contact Kelso Law PLLC

If a commercial truck left you injured in Dallas, TX, we’re ready to look at your case. Our consultations are free, and we take truck accident claims on a contingency basis, so you owe no fee unless we recover for you. In that first meeting, we’ll go over how the crash happened, identify the companies that may be responsible, and give you an honest read on your claim. Contact us when you’re ready to schedule a consultation with our Dallas truck accident lawyer.

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