Holding Liable Parties Accountable for Austin Commercial Vehicle Accidents

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, there were approximately 494,000 police reported crashes involving large trucks in 2021 alone. In Texas, liability generally falls on the at-fault driver in a car accident, but in the case of commercial vehicle crashes, things are not always as cut-and-dried. In some cases, parent companies responsible for the vehicle, or even third-party contractors such as mechanics can be held accountable.

If you have been the victim of a commercial vehicle accident resulting in property damage, injury, or even death, the Austin TX personal injury attorneys at Carabin Shaw have the experience necessary to secure you the compensation you deserve from all liable parties.

In the immediate wake of any vehicle accident, it is essential that you get whatever medical attention you need and that you contact the police to file a police report. This will assure your safety and also begin a paper trail of documentation that will be key to holding all liable parties accountable. Next, you should not delay before reaching out to an Austin commercial vehicle accident lawyer such as those with our team at Carabin Shaw. The sooner you involve your lawyer in the process, the better job they will be able to do gathering evidence and building your case.

Following your Austin commercial vehicle accident, the police and insurance companies will conduct investigations to determine fault. To make the best case for you, however, your attorney can conduct a separate investigation and collect evidence specifically relevant to your pursuit of compensation.

Some common examples of evidence they will be looking for are:

• Medical records
• Police reports
• Witness statements
• Commercial vehicle records
• Photos and videos

The more of these types of evidence you are able to gather for your lawyer, the better equipped they will be to pursue justice for you.

Powerful companies will generally try to pawn off commercial vehicle accident liability on their drivers. With proper legal counsel, however, you may be able to make the case that these companies are liable for your accident. This can have a major impact on the compensation you are able to obtain, both from insurance claims and litigation.

There are a number of ways that companies can demonstrate negligence leading to vicarious liability in commercial vehicle accidents. Improper screening, training, or supervision of drivers is one common way that a parent company may fail to uphold their duty of care to the public. Improper maintenance of vehicles or equipment is another common form of negligence. In cases of improper maintenance, third-party contractors may be found liable as well.

In cases where vicarious liability can be established, your attorney may be able to secure more substantial compensation. Insurance coverage for commercial businesses is generally much more comprehensive than insurance held by individual drivers. Additionally, instances of gross negligence may entitle you to punitive damages, aimed at dissuading the company from repeating their negligence.

Our attorneys at Carabin Shaw have the skills necessary to help you navigate the legal complexities inherent in seeking accountability following your commercial vehicle accident. Read our many positive Carabin Shaw reviews to rest assured that we can secure you the maximum compensation you are entitled to. We are so confident in our ability to help clients like you that we offer our services on a contingency-fee basis, meaning we do not get paid until we win your case.

Call us now at 800-862-1260 where our English and Spanish speaking staff is available 24/7 to help you set up a free initial consultation. Do not wait to seek the compensation you deserve.

For more information:

• FMCSA
• Texas TDI