Experienced Attorneys are Most Successful in Texas Truck Accident Cases

Almost any “jack-of-all-trades” law firm will take your truck accident case. But how many of them can truthfully claim they specialize in handling 18-wheeler and other commercial vehicle accident cases?

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The experienced Houston, Texas truck accident lawyers of Grossman Law Offices have successfully argued plaintiff-truck accident rights for the past 20 years and have won hundreds of these cases.

Commercial vehicles come in many forms. And it makes little difference if the case surrounds injury and/or wrongful death claims against rock haulers, dump trucks, all manner of construction vehicles, moving vans, buses, tankers, and numerous other types and configurations of commercial vehicles, we have successfully litigated against all such defendants. Despite the variety of commercial vehicles, these types of cases often have a few common denominators:

  • They are generally larger and can inflict more harm than passenger cars.
  • They are governed by different laws than are passenger vehicles.
  • Lastly, and most importantly, they are owned by valuable corporate entities (and local government entities) that will mount aggressive defenses with one objective in mind: denying injured plaintiffs fair compensation.

We believe in fighting (and beating them) at their own game of intimidation and - if-necessary – aggressive litigation. This is the only route to your vehicle accident case’s success. You must select a law firm that has the experience, resources, knowledge, and a well-won reputation among your opponents to beat them at trial, or to force them into a fair settlement that they would otherwise exert great expense and effort in order to wiggle-out of paying.

When you choose Grossman Law Offices to represent you in your commercial vehicle accident case, you benefit from the clear advantage of two decades of experience from a law firm that has successfully argued hundreds of truck accident victories (and thousands of successful personal injury cases altogether).

Our experience tells us that you will benefit from the wealth of information that begins below, which will make you a better client, and give you a higher percentage of winning your Harris County, Texas trucking or commercial accident claim and help you understand some of the major obstacles you’re likely to encounter on the route to your successful injury case.


Houston Truck Accident Attorney

Injured in a Truck Accident in Houston, Texas? Our Experienced Accident Injury Attorneys are Here to Help

Through tragic or catastrophic news stories, people understand that trucking accidents usually cause considerably more damage than regular passenger car accidents.

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What is less well known is the fact that, in legal proceedings when a victim seeks compensation through a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit, trucking accidents are considerably different than car accidents. The most monumental mistake victims of trucking accidents can make is to approach a trucking accident claim in a similar fashion as a car accident claim. In the legal world, the differences are staggering. Houston truck accident attorney Michael Grossman offers the following informative article on why this is often the case, and why enlisting our legal help in your 18-wheeler accident case can be a beneficial first step in seeking compensation for your pain or loss.


The Big Difference: Multiple Liable Parties

One of the main and most significant of differences between semi-truck accidents and passenger-vehicle only accidents is the likely involvement of multiple liable parties in Houston 18-wheeler wrecks. While there can sometimes be multiple defendants in passenger vehicle only accidents, such a scene occurs much more often in collisions involving 18-wheelers. This occurs because Texas trucking companies can be held vicariously liable for their drivers’ negligent behavior under the legal notion of “respondeat superior.” Furthermore, Texas trucking companies are required by state law to have insurance coverage on their drivers and truck. What this means is that, more often than not, an 18-wheeler accident that causes an injury or loss of life will have, at the very least, three liable parties, or defendants: the driver, the driver’s employer, and the employer’s insurer. When a trucking insurer becomes involved, 18-wheeler accident cases take on a noticeably more challenging aspect in regards to successfully litigating a personal injury or wrongful death claim against the trucking company.

Furthermore, there can be even more liable parties depending on the specifics of the accident. If cargo falls off of a tractor-trailer, or a load shifts within a semi-truck’s hold and causes an accident, an outside cargo-loading company, if used by the trucking company, can be held partially liable for any resultant injuries or deaths. If a truck crashes into an overpass and causes an injury or death because the driver was following a prescribed route as planned by an outside route-planning company, that company could be held partially liable. If a mechanical failure occurs, such as a brake failure, then the manufacturer of that part could be held partially liable. If an 18-wheeler driver is drunk, Texas dram shop law allows for the alcohol-serving establishment to be held liable if proven of negligence in their care for their patron or for public safety. Additionally, if another driver or entity caused the 18-wheeler accident, that driver or entity could also be held partially liable. With so many possible liable parties, ensuring that each one is properly identified is a vitally important step towards seeking full compensation for your injuries or loss. When Grossman Law Offices takes an accident case, we will conduct a thorough investigation into the accident scene so that the truth of the cause of the accident is known and all liable parties are brought to justice.


The Next Big Difference: High-Dollar Insurance Policies

Trucking insurance policies are generally about 50 times as valuable as a normal car insurance policy. This has to be the case since severe and enormous damage can be accomplished through even a momentary lack of concentration on the part of an 18-wheeler driver. However, this can complicate an 18-wheeler accident case since, with so much money at stake, the insurance carriers will employ ruthless tactics to avoid a large payout. Insurers exist to turn a profit, and this is often achieved by seeing to it that large insurance policy claims are denied, or, at the very least, severely lessened. This is quite the opposite from fender-bender insurance claims where the insurer is much more likely to fairly compensate you for sustained property damage since the costs are relatively low and the stakes aren’t so high. As such, having Houston truck accident attorney Michael Grossman on your side, with his twenty years of experience in litigating semi-truck accident cases, can prove to be a strong legal ally that will defend your rights so that you can receive full compensation despite an insurance company’s tactics.

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Aggressive Insurance Adjusters and Ready to Respond Defense Attorneys

Commercial insurance policy adjusters are the most aggressive adjusters in the industry. This is not an entry level position; rather, these adjusters are promoted to work on commercial policies after years of proving that they are capable and efficient at seeing claims result in the smallest of payouts. Furthermore, the more money these adjusters save for their insurance company, the more money they likely stand to make. In other words, they have a vested interest in denying your claim and will work with their own best interests in mind, which, more often than not, relates to their own bottom line as well as that of their employer. By enlisting the help of Houston truck accident attorney Michael Grossman, you can be sure to have legal experience on your side that will work with your best interests in mind, even against the most aggressive of insurance adjusters. Because of our two decades of experience in dealing with these particular kinds of adjusters, we’re wise to their ways, so we can help prevent you from being taken advantage of by their tactics.

Commercial insurance providers that insure large trucks have a team of defense attorneys on contract and likely on speed-dial. As soon as a trucking accident occurs, these attorneys are dispatched to the accident scene to discover anything they can utilize in order to build a case against you. These attorneys will also likely have a vested financial interest in protecting the insurance carrier. They will likely prove to also be quite aggressive in their means to prove your liability in the accident. By shifting even a percentage of blame onto you, they could stand to save their clients quite a sizable sum. If they can somehow shift a majority of the liability onto you, the case could be dismissed, resulting in no compensation whatsoever for you. Ensure that you have a fighting chance against such an aggressive defense by contacting Houston truck accident attorney Michael Grossman at 1-855-392-0000 (toll free). We will go toe-to-toe against these types of attorneys and will act just as aggressively, when necessary, in order to get you fair compensation.


The Unethical Practices of Some Truck Drivers or Self-Insured Trucking Companies

Most 18-wheeler drivers stake their entire livelihoods on their ability to earn a living by driving a truck. This results in a scenario where the truck driver is under a great deal of pressure to say whatever they have to in order to protect their job. As you can imagine, it’s not much of a stretch of the imagination to see how a truck driver may be inclined to give an inaccurate account of their own fault in the accident. Insurance companies welcome the opportunity to deny claims based on the statement from their own driver. However, Grossman Law Offices has many years of careful depositions and thorough investigations that have proven time and time again the truth, or falsehood, of a truck driver’s story.

Some trucking companies may be self-insured, meaning that they hold aside a portion of their assets to cover themselves in the event that a claim is made. However, this can sometimes lead to unethical behavior on their part since they’re not governed by the rules and regulations that are in place for traditional insurers. As such, we’ve been contacted when an injured victim seeking compensation from a self-insured trucking company has experienced some form of unethical behavior, like being threatened in some manner, hearing about witnesses being badgered, or learning about evidence being manipulate or even deleted. When this occurs and Grossman Law Offices is contacted to help with such a claim, we will pursue certain legal actions in order to compel the unethical company to start acting rightly so that the injured victim or bereaved family has a fair opportunity to recover compensation from the negligent trucking company. In many instances, an aggrieved party can save themselves from hours of frustration by contacting us before attempting to deal with a self-insured trucking company on their own.


Why Do I Need Legal Help in my Houston Semi-Truck Accident Case?

Personal injury and wrongful death cases involving 18-wheelers simply have too many variables for a non-attorney, or even an inexperienced lawyer, to be able to adequately handle so that a successful outcome resulting in fair compensation can be reached. Furthermore, with such a stout defensive team likely working the claim or case, a self-represented plaintiff will likely be skewered in court, despite the fact that they might have a good understanding of the law. The law must also be properly applied in court, and missing a deadline or not knowing how to respond to certain unique situations in the court room can lead to a case’s dismissal. Essentially, with such a sizable sum of compensation likely at stake, choosing to self-represent is a very risky choice. By enlisting the help of Houston truck accident attorney Michael Grossman, you will have twenty years of hard-earned experience and a well-earned and respected reputation on your side.


When Should I Contact an Attorney if I’ve Been in a Houston 18-Wheeler Accident?

By the time you have found your way to this website, your Houston accident is likely being investigated by the liable party’s insurance company, an aggressive adjuster has been assigned to the case, and the insurance company’s defense attorneys have started building a case against you. When dealing with such a coordinated effort against you, it becomes readily apparent that you will need a team of your own to have any chance of success. Our experienced truck accident lawyers of Houston would like to be that team. Our aggressive and experienced lawyers have spent the last 20 years devoting their time and expertise to our clients to make sure that trucking companies and their insurance companies fairly compensate our clients for the pain they have caused them.

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Furthermore, by contacting Houston truck accident attorney Michael Grossman and his team at Grossman Law Offices, a comprehensive investigation can be made into your Houston semi-truck accident so that all liable parties can be identified and held accountable for their negligent actions. By waiting even a day longer to contact us, you could be jeopardizing your case’s likelihood of success. Evidence goes missing with time, or can even be manipulated, and witnesses may forget key details or may not be able to be tracked down should too much time pass between the accident and the action to enlist legal help. Contact us today at 1-855-392-0000 (toll free) for a free consultation so that you can start the process to seek compensation for your injury or loss as a result of a Houston Texas 18-wheeler accident.


Helpful Information

Our Houston Texas truck accident attorneys have written the following informational articles to help you further understand 18-wheeler accident cases:


Some of Our Most Recent Successful Cases
$875,000.00 Recovery - Commercial Vehicle Accident (Back Injury Requiring Surgery)
Plaintiff suffered a back injury resulting in spinal fusion surgery when her car was rear-ended by an 18-wheeler. The defendants argued that the accident was unavoidable, thus denying liability. Litigation commenced and the case was satisfactorily resolved soon thereafter.
Total Recovery:
$875,000.00
Attorney Fees:
$288,750.00
Litigation Expenses:
$2,500.00
Confidential Recovery - Wrongful Death / Commercial Vehicle Accident
(policy limits) Our firm was hired by the wife and children of a retired Army Colonel who was killed in an underide 18-wheeler accident. In addition to being a decorated veteran, the decedent worked both professionally and on a voluntary basis to establish numerous learning institutions and vocational programs for at risk youths. The accident occurred as the decedent was traveling on a rural highway when an 18-wheeler failed to yield the right of way and made a rolling stop through a stop sign.

This placed the trailer of the 18-wheeler in a position whereby it blocked the entire roadway and shoulder, leaving the decedent no option but to collide with the trailer. Witnesses on the scene attempted to revive him but to no avail. Furthermore, while two female eye witnesses struggled to pry open the decedent's door to provide emergency care, the truck driver stayed in his truck and offered no assistance. Despite what appeared to be an incredibly apparent case of negligence on behalf of the defendant, defense counsel refused to accept liability resulting in rather lengthy litigation.

The defendants initially denied the claim based on the allegation that the decedent was speeding and the truck driver therefore could not adequately gauge the amount of time he had to pause at the stop sign. The physical evidence contradicted this notion entirely, notwithstanding the fact that even if the decedent had been contributorily negligent, that would not have outweighed the severe degree of negligence on the part of the defendant. Nevertheless, our attorneys were able to conclusively refute this argument based on eye-witness testimony and the testimony from police investigators who calculated the decedent's speed to be precisely at the posted speed limit. In a desperate and largely unprecedented move, the defendants then designated the state as a responsible third party.

Generally speaking, a defendant will often threaten to designate a third party in order to leverage their position but it is rare that such an arbitrary and arguably frivolous designation is actually carried out. However, that is precisely what occurred and the state was thusly incorporated into the lawsuit by the defendants. The basis of the defendant's argument was that the state erected a large street sign that obstructed the truck driver's view of approaching traffic.

Several months of intense litigation were required to before the defendant finally acquiesced in regard to this argument. The argument was finally abandoned by the defendants when in the first mediation our attorneys presented video footage shot (in a controlled setting) from the perspective of an 18-wheeler driver which showed that the sign simply did not obstruct enough of the roadway in order to be a hazard. The case was ultimately resolved through litigation.
Total Recovery:
Confidential
Attorney Fees:
Confidential
Litigation Expenses:
Confidential
$200,000.00 Recovery - Automobile Accident (Closed Head Injury)
Recovered for car accident victim who suffered a closed head injury.
Total Recovery:
$200,000.00
Attorney Fees:
$66,666.00
Litigation Expenses:
$1,500.00
$41,000.00 Recovery - Commercial Vehicle Accident (Soft-Tissue Injuries)
Recovery for client who suffered soft tissue injuries when she was struck by an 18-wheeler.
Total Recovery:
$41,000.00
Attorney Fees:
$13,666.00
Litigation Expenses:
$135.00
$19,000.00 Recovery - Commercial Vehicle Accident (Pulled Muscle)
Recovery for client who sustained a pulled muscle in an 18-wheeler accident.
Total Recovery:
$19,000.00
Attorney Fees:
$6,270.00
Litigation Expenses:
$100.00
$210,000.00 Recovery - Automobile Accident (Neck Injury Requiring Surgery)
Our client was injured in a motor vehicle accident when an employer driving a company vehicle failed to yield the right of way and collided with the plaintiff's vehicle. The defendant's employer was sued for negligence soon thereafter. The defendants alleged that the company should not be held liable for the actions of the employee.

They claimed that the employee was not in the course and scope of his employment at the time of the accident. Through discovery, our attorneys learned that the defendants had a policy, both written and implied, whereby employees of the company were allowed to drive work vehicles after hours.

Furthermore, our attorneys argued case law that expanded the definition of course and scope which showed that the defendant was indeed "on the clock" when the accident occurred.

As a result, the defendants conceded liability and turned their defenses toward the alleged damages. They claimed that our client had a preexisting condition that was responsible for her current state.

We deposed the emergency room physician who assessed the client and recommended surgery regarding the medical necessity of the surgical procedure and the proximate cause of the plaintiff's condition. He testimony unequivocally defeated these arguments. The case was satisfactorily resolved through litigation.
Total Recovery:
$210,000.00
Attorney Fees:
$70,110.00
Litigation Expenses:
$3,787.00
$75,000.00 Recovery - Commercial Vehicle Accident (Soft-Tissue Back Injuries)
Recovery for client who suffered soft tissue back injuries when he was rear ended by a delivery truck.
Total Recovery:
$75,000.00
Attorney Fees:
$25,000.00
Litigation Expenses:
$100.00
$530,000.00 Recovery - Commercial Vehicle Accident (Back Injury Requiring Surgery)
Plaintiff, a delivery driver, suffered a back injury resulting in spinal fusion surgery when he was injured in an accident involving falling cargo from an 18-wheeler. The defendants cited the plaintiff's failure to take evasive action as a source of contributory negligence and litigation commenced accordingly which culminated in an acceptance of liability and eventually satisfactory resolution.
Total Recovery:
$530,000.00
Attorney Fees:
$210,000.00
Litigation Expenses:
$5,000.00
$250,000.00 Recovery - Wrongful Death / Commercial Vehicle Accident
(policy limits) A young mother was killed in an accident involving two commercial vehicles, one an 18-wheeler. The accident occurred as the young woman was a passenger in a vehicle that was traveling down a highway in the early morning hours. Without warning, the vehicle in which she was a passenger collided with a stalled 18-wheeler that parked in the right of way, resulting in catastrophic injuries that claimed the young woman's life soon thereafter.

The authorities initially faulted the driver of the vehicle in which the victim was a passenger, stating that he was using an electronic device rather than paying full attention to the roadway. However, the 18-wheeler was indeed blocking the roadway and plaintiff alleged that the vehicle did not follow the requirements of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Act in regard to providing adequate reflective or laminated warning at specific intervals. Further, the plaintiffs alleged that the defendant failed to remove his vehicle from the roadway when he first noticed signs of mechanical failure.

Had he simply moved to the shoulder of the road, plaintiffs argued, his lack of adequate warning signs would have been inconsequential. An initial settlement has been obtained in this case, yet litigation has commenced in full against the remaining defendant, and is currently ongoing.
Total Recovery:
$250,000.00
Attorney Fees:
$78,000.00
Litigation Expenses:
$370.00
$145,000.00 Recovery - Commercial Vehicle Accident (Back and Neck Injury)
Recovery for driver struck from behind by 18-wheeler: Driver sustained back and neck injury.
Total Recovery:
$145,000.00
Attorney Fees:
$48,333.00
Litigation Expenses:
$2,696.00

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