Austin 18-Wheeler Accident Attorney

A semi-truck or commercial vehicle may have hit you on I-35, MoPac, or another Austin-area road. We handle 18-wheeler and commercial vehicle crashes across Austin and Travis County as your Austin 18-wheeler accident attorney, bringing honesty, personal attention, and real experience to every truck case.
Truck cases move fast. A carrier’s insurer often calls within hours, and some proof of what happened will not stay on file forever. Learn more about Breeland Injury Law, or contact us at 512-764-3380 so we can start on your case today.
What Does an 18-Wheeler Accident Attorney Handle?

As your 18-wheeler accident attorney, we handle crashes with semi-trucks, tractor-trailers, delivery trucks, and other commercial vehicles, including wrecks on busy roads like I-35 and MoPac Expressway. This scope covers a lot of ground. It runs from a jackknifed rig on the highway to a delivery truck that ran a red light.
A truck crash is not the same as a car crash. Federal safety rules govern truck drivers, and trucking firms follow rules car drivers do not, which means the company, not just the driver, is often the real target of a claim. Injuries also tend to be worse, since a loaded truck weighs far more than a car.
Who Can Be Held Liable After a Texas Truck Accident?
More than one party can be legally responsible for a Texas truck accident. The driver, the trucking company, and sometimes a maintenance contractor or cargo loader can each be partly at fault.
The Driver
A driver who follows too closely, drives tired, or ignores bad weather can be negligent, or legally careless. Under the federal rule on driving in bad weather, a truck driver must slow down in snow, ice, fog, or rain. A driver who keeps highway speed in weather like that breaks a federal safety rule.
The Trucking Company
The trucking company can also be liable, apart from the driver. It may have hired an unsafe driver, skipped truck maintenance, or pushed a driver past safe hours.
Federal rules cap how long a driver can stay on the road without rest. Under the federal hours-of-service rule, a driver needs 10 hours off duty before driving again and cannot drive past 14 hours after coming on duty, or more than 11 hours total in that stretch. An electronic logging device tracks those hours, but carriers only keep these records for a set time, not forever. Once that time runs out, the proof of a violation can be gone, which is why a truck case needs those records pulled fast.
We bring the same honesty, transparency, and personal attention to a truck case that we bring to any injury case.
What Compensation Can I Recover After an 18-Wheeler Crash?
Texas law lets an injured person recover several categories of damages after a truck accident, reduced only by their own share of fault, if any, through a personal injury claim:
- Medical bills, current and future
- Lost wages and reduced future earning capacity
- Damaged property
- Pain and suffering
A serious crash can mean years of future medical costs. A spinal injury or a brain injury, for example, can lower how much you earn later in life.
Texas follows a shared-fault rule. Under Section 33.001 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code, you cannot recover any damages if your own share of fault is greater than 50%. Below that line, your recovery is simply reduced by your own percentage of fault.
Reckless conduct can also lead to exemplary damages. These are extra money meant to punish a defendant, on top of standard compensation. One example is a carrier that pushed a driver into breaking hours-of-service rules.
Section 41.003 of the Civil Practice and Remedies Code requires clear and convincing proof of fraud, malice, or gross negligence to win them. That is a higher bar than ordinary negligence.
A truck’s insurance policy does not always pay for a serious injury in full. Underinsured motorist coverage is added coverage on your own policy. It applies when the other driver’s insurance falls short and can help close that gap.
This matters most in a high-value, long-term injury claim. It helps to know what coverage you carry from the start.
How Long Do I Have to File a Truck Accident Claim in Texas?
Texas gives you two years to file a personal injury lawsuit over a truck accident, starting on the day of the crash, not the day you are diagnosed. Missing the deadline generally bars the claim, no matter how serious the injury is.
The same hours-of-service and logging device records mentioned above do not wait two years either. Carriers can clear them out much sooner, so saving that evidence early protects a claim as much as filing on time does.
Can My Family File a Claim If a Loved One Died in a Truck Crash?
Yes. A wrongful death claim exists when a truck accident causes a fatal injury through someone’s careless or wrongful act, whether that’s the driver, the company, or both.
The law on who can sue for wrongful death lets a surviving spouse, child, or parent bring the claim, and any one of them can sue for the benefit of all. If none of them sues within three calendar months of the death, the estate’s executor can step in instead. The family can ask the executor not to do this.
A wrongful death claim must also be filed within two years. That clock runs from the date of death, not the date of the crash. Wrongful death claims after a fatal truck crash get the same personal attention we bring to any truck case.
Why Austin Turns to Breeland Injury Law for a Truck Case
Matt Breeland spent the first eight years of his career defending insurance companies in personal injury cases before switching sides in 2016 to represent injured Texans exclusively. That background gives him a working knowledge of how a trucking company’s insurer will try to minimize your claim.
As lead trial counsel, Matt obtained one of the top 100 jury verdicts in Texas in 2019, ranking in the top 50 for cases involving motor vehicles. Texas Super Lawyers has recognized him as a Rising Star every year from 2017 through 2021 and named him to its main list in 2023 and 2024.
Beyond the record, we keep our approach personal. A free consultation is the first step to talking through a truck case, and you can read more about Matt’s background on the attorney bio page.
FAQ: Austin Truck Accident Questions
Do I Need a Police Report to File a Truck Accident Claim in Texas?
A police report is not legally required to file a claim, but it is one of the strongest pieces of early evidence available. It documents the officer’s on-scene observations, any citations issued, and basic facts like vehicle positions and weather conditions. Without one, you can still pursue a claim, but you will need to rely more heavily on photos, witness statements, and other records.
What Should I Do If the Trucking Company Contacts Me After a Crash?
Insurers move quickly after a truck crash, often sounding helpful while gathering statements it can use later. You are not required to give a recorded statement or sign anything before you understand your rights. Taking down the caller’s name and information, then following up with your own attorney before responding further, protects you from an early statement being used against your claim.
Can I Still Have a Claim If the Truck Driver Was Also Injured in the Crash?
Yes. The driver’s own injuries do not change whether the driver or the trucking company was at fault for causing the crash. Fault is determined by what happened on the road, not by who was hurt worse. A driver’s injuries are a separate matter handled through their own insurance or workers’ compensation coverage.
Does My Own Car Insurance Cover a Crash With a Commercial Truck?
Yes. Underinsured motorist coverage applies on top of whatever the truck’s policy pays, not instead of it, so a low truck-insurance payout does not cancel out your own coverage. Ask your insurer directly whether your policy includes this coverage, since some drivers carry it without realizing it, and confirm the dollar limits before you rely on it to fill a gap.
Talk to an Austin 18-Wheeler Accident Attorney
We are ready to review your Austin-area truck accident case and explain your options clearly.
We built our practice on honesty, transparency, and personal attention. This is how we talk with every client about a truck accident: plainly and without pressure. Call our office at 512-764-3380 to schedule a free consultation, or contact us online.
Learn more about Breeland Injury Law. As your Austin 18-wheeler accident attorney, the sooner we hear from you, the sooner we can start protecting the evidence your case may need.
Count On Austin
Attorney Matt Breeland
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