San Antonio Truck Accident Lawyer

How Can Our Truck and Commercial Vehicle Accident Attorneys in San Antonio Help Your Case?

Since 1993, our law firm has helped clients injured in trucking accidents recover the compensation they deserve. From gathering evidence to communications with insurance companies to representing our clients’ interests in trial, we handle all aspects of your claim so you can focus on getting better.

Trucking accidents are complex, and you do not want to face the trucking company’s lawyers alone. You need someone in your corner with the experience and the resources to demonstrate the validity of your claims. Our results-driven team of attorneys can do that for you.

Remember, Thomas J. Henry works on a contingency fee basis. We believe every victim deserves to be heard, regardless of their ability to afford an attorney. As such, our clients pay us nothing unless and until we win their case. We collect a pre-agreed upon percentage, so there are no hidden fees or surprise expenses.

Who Can Be Sued in a Trucking Accident?

Texas law allows plaintiffs to pursue legal action against any person, entity, or organization that caused or contributed to their trucking accident. This means your lawsuit is not limited to the truck driver. Among those that can be sued in a San Antonio trucking accident lawsuit are:

• The Truck Driver: A truck driver may be sued if a crash was caused by their error or negligence. This includes reckless driving, distracted driving, driving while intoxicated, and other unsafe driving behaviors.
• The Trucking Company: Trucking companies are responsible for the actions of their drivers while on the clock. They can also be help liable for violating state and federal regulations regarding who can drive a truck, how long drivers can drive, and how much weight a vehicle can haul.
• Manufacturers: If a defective part contributed to your crash, you may be able to sue the company that manufactures the part.
• Repair Shops: Shoddy repairs on motor vehicles can be dangerous. This is especially true for large trucks. If a repair shop failed to due quality work, and their failure contributed to your crash, you can seek compensation from them.
• Shippers: If a shipper failed to advise a truck driver or their employer of a dangerous good or hazardous material in their cargo, you may be able to sue the shipper if the product contributed to your injuries or accident.

Determining Fault in a San Antonio Trucking Accident

Determining fault in traffic accidents can be difficult as multiple parties may be at fault for a single truck crash, including the truck driver, the driver’s employer, and the manufacturer of the truck and its parts. Also, because Texas follows a “modified comparative fault” rule, you can still receive compensation even if you are partly responsible for a trucking accident.

A competent truck accident lawyer will take the necessary steps to collect evidence related to your accident and work to determine who can be held responsible for your injuries – whether it is a single person or a collection of negligent parties. Our law firm will explore every avenue possible to ensure you are able to receive maximum compensation for your injuries and to ensure all parties responsible for your injuries are brought to justice.

What to Consider When Hiring a Truck Accident Attorney

Following a truck accident, it is essential that you hire a San Antonio trucking accident attorney who can help you take on the company involved. Most trucking companies are well-prepared for accident-related claims and lawsuits. When you call a trucking accident lawyer in San Antonio, consider the following:

• Does the attorney have trial experience? Make sure your lawyer has significant trial experience and feels at home in the courtroom and understands the nuances of jury interaction. You can bet that the lawyers defending the truck driver and company have argued dozens of cases before judges and jury; you deserve a San Antonio trucking accident attorney who has successfully argued even more.
• Does the attorney have the resources to take on a large company? Many smaller law firms simply cannot keep up with a well-financed trucking company. Thomas J. Henry has the finances, resources, and attorneys to take on the largest companies in the world and has successfully litigated against Fortune 500 and Fortune 100 companies.
• Does my attorney have access to top expert witnesses? Expert witnesses have specialized knowledge that can help support your claim as well as demonstrate the extent and value of your damages. Thomas J. Henry works with leading expert witnesses from multiple industries in order to help our clients secure maximum compensation.

Common Causes of San Antonio Truck Accidents

Just like car accidents, truck accidents can have a variety of causes, and a single crash may involve multiple instances of negligence. A successful San Antonio truck accident lawyer will be able to identify all causes as well as understand how Texas laws and San Antonio city ordinances may affect the value of your claim.

Some causes your attorney may consider when investigating potential accident causes and developing your case are:

• Poor or improper training
• Distracted driving
• Driver fatigue
• Drowsy driving
• Poor vehicle or equipment maintenance
• Speeding
• Erratic or reckless driving
• Drunk driving
• Unsafe following distance
• Improper lane change

It is important that your attorney and their team look at every angle of your accident to ensure all negligence and fault is accounted for. This best ensures a favorable outcome for your case while also setting you up to receive maximum financial compensation for your injuries and damages.

Where Do Most San Antonio Trucking Accidents Occur?

Trucking accidents can occur anywhere normal car crashes occur. However, due to the nature of commercial trucking, they do tend to be more common on major highways and interstates. This includes:

• Interstate 10– I-10 runs right through the heart of downtown San Antonio, alongside the Alamodome, and serves as a major transportation route for commercial trucks moving goods and products between East and West Texas and beyond.
• Interstate 37– I-37 is the main roadway for commercial trucks traveling between San Antonio and Corpus Christi. Like I-10, traffic can become congested, particularly in northbound lanes entering San Antonio.
• Interstate 35– Also called the PanAm Expressway, I-35 runs southwest to Laredo and serves as a transportation line for goods and products coming in from Mexico. It also runs northbound through Austin all the way up to Minneapolis, Minnesota.
• 410 Loop– Loop 410, also called the Connally Loop, is a beltway that wraps around San Antonio, allowing for a more direct line of commercial traffic to the different areas of the city.

Injuries Commonly Suffered in Truck Accidents

Truck accidents can result in a multitude of serious and debilitating injuries. Among those we commonly see at Thomas J. Henry are:

• Spinal cord and back injuries
• Fractures and soft tissue injuries
• Neck injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
• Injuries to vital organs
• Burn injuries
• Death

Damages You May Recover in Your Trucking Accident Lawsuit

The damages you are entitled to following a truck accident will depend on the circumstance surrounding your accident and injuries. While damages may vary from case to case, among the most common recovered by truck accident victims are:

• Medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Vehicle repair costs
• Future medical bills
• Pain and suffering
• loss of companionship
• Loss of consortium
• Wrongful death

Injured in a Trucking Accident? Contact an Experienced San Antonio Truck Crash Attorney

Thomas J. Henry has been representing victims of negligent truck drivers and transportation companies for more than 24 years. Our San Antonio commercial vehicle lawyers are committed to the success of our clients and have built a reputation for securing favorable settlements and verdicts against large transportation companies.

Contact us today for a FREE case consultation with a licensed San Antonio personal injury attorney. Let us help you get the compensation you deserve. Attorneys are standing by. Our firm has experienced truck wreck attorneys in San Antonio ready to assist you 24/7, nights and weekends.

Our San Antonio Personal Injury Law Offices

• Phone number: 210-874-2615 (attorneys available 24/7 to assist you)
• Address: 5711 University Heights Blvd #101, San Antonio, Texas 78249

Types of commercial trucks we handle

Not every truck crash is the same. The vehicle involved shapes how the collision happens, who may be responsible, and which safety rules apply. As a full-service commercial truck practice, our San Antonio truck accident attorneys handle claims involving many types of large vehicles, including:

• 18-wheelers and semi-trucks: the tractor-trailers that dominate Texas highways. For crashes involving these rigs, see our San Antonio 18-wheeler accident lawyers page for tractor-trailer-specific guidance.
• Dump trucks: heavy, top-loaded vehicles common around San Antonio construction sites and roadwork.
• Delivery and box trucks: local and regional freight vehicles that share neighborhood streets and parking lots.
• Tanker trucks: vehicles carrying fuel, chemicals, or other liquids, where shifting loads and hazardous cargo raise the stakes.
• Tow trucks: recovery vehicles that operate in traffic and on shoulders.
• Flatbed trucks: open-deck trucks whose unsecured or oversized loads can create serious hazards.
• Garbage and refuse trucks: frequent-stop vehicles that operate close to pedestrians and cyclists.

Whatever type of truck was involved, we investigate the vehicle, the driver, and the company behind it. If your crash involved a passenger vehicle or a bus instead, our San Antonio car accident lawyer and San Antonio bus accident lawyers teams can help.

How San Antonio truck crashes happen: accident types and causes

Large trucks fail in specific ways, and understanding the mechanics of a crash often points to its cause. Common commercial truck accident types include:

• Jackknife: the trailer swings out of line with the cab, often after hard braking or on slick roads.
• Underride: a smaller vehicle slides beneath the truck body or trailer, one of the most severe crash types.
• Rollover: a loaded truck tips onto its side, frequently tied to speed, sharp maneuvers, or shifting cargo.
• Tire blowout: a failed tire sends the truck out of control and scatters debris across the lane.
• No-zone and blind-spot crashes: a truck merges or changes lanes into a vehicle the driver cannot see.
• Wide-turn crashes: a truck swinging wide to turn strikes vehicles or people beside or behind it.

Behind these crashes are causes we investigate in every case: driver fatigue, speeding, distraction, impairment, improper or overloaded cargo, poor maintenance, brake failure, inadequate driver training, and unsafe scheduling that pushes drivers past federal limits. Many of these causes trace back to the trucking company, not just the driver. To learn more, read our guide on whether your trucking accident was caused by negligence.

Who is liable for a San Antonio truck accident, and how we prove fault

Truck accident claims often involve more than one responsible party. Texas law allows an injured person to pursue anyone whose negligence contributed to the crash. In a commercial truck case, that can include:

• The truck driver, for negligent or unsafe driving.
• The trucking company, for negligent hiring, training, supervision, scheduling, or vehicle upkeep.
• A manufacturer, if a defective part such as a brake, tire, or coupling failed.
• A maintenance or repair provider, if poor service left the truck unsafe.
• A shipper or cargo loader, if improper loading caused or worsened the crash.

Identifying every responsible party matters, because it can determine the insurance coverage available to you. Proving fault takes fast, thorough investigation: securing the vehicle, gathering records, and reconstructing how the crash happened. Our San Antonio truck accident attorneys build each case to show exactly who did what and why it caused your injuries. For more, see our blog on who is liable: the driver or the trucking company, and connect with our broader San Antonio personal injury lawyers team for related claims.

Evidence that decides truck accident cases

Truck cases are won or lost on evidence, and much of that evidence is controlled by the trucking company. Some of it can be overwritten or lost within days. Key evidence in a commercial truck claim includes:

• Electronic logging device (ELD) and event data recorder (black box) data, which can show speed, braking, and hours behind the wheel.
• Hours-of-service logs, which show whether the driver exceeded the federal driving-time limits set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
• Driver qualification files, training records, and drug and alcohol testing.
• Truck inspection, maintenance, and repair records.
• Cargo and loading documentation.
• Dashcam footage, the police report, and witness accounts.

Because this evidence can disappear, one of the first steps we take is sending a spoliation letter, a formal notice that requires the company to preserve records and the vehicle itself. The sooner we are involved, the more we can protect. To understand how these cases come together, read how to win your San Antonio truck accident lawsuit.

What to do after a San Antonio truck accident

The steps you take after a crash can protect both your health and your claim. If you are involved in a truck accident in San Antonio:

1. Get to safety and call 911. Report the crash and request medical help.
2. Seek medical care right away, even if you feel unhurt. Some injuries appear hours or days later.
3. Document the scene if you can: photos of the vehicles, the truck markings and license plate, road conditions, and your injuries.
4. Get contact information for the truck driver and any witnesses.
5. Do not give a recorded statement to the trucking company or its insurer before speaking with a lawyer.
6. Keep records of your medical treatment, expenses, and time missed from work.
7. Contact a San Antonio truck accident lawyer as soon as possible, so evidence can be preserved and deadlines protected.

Texas generally gives injured people two years from the date of the crash to file a claim, so acting early matters.