The Most Common Causes of Commercial Vehicle Accidents in McAllen | Help for Victims

McAllen is a major hub for commercial trucking in Texas, thanks to its strategic location on the US-Mexico border. The highway system is usually teeming with big rigs, semi-trucks, tractor-trailers, delivery vans, box trucks, construction vehicles, and more, and motorists must exercise extreme caution when traveling the roadways. Unfortunately, even the most careful drivers can be involved in accidents for a variety of reasons, some of which may not be their fault.

A crash with a commercial vehicle can leave you severely injured, unable to work, and unsure where to turn for help. That’s where the McAllen car accident attorneys at Carabin Shaw come in. We help accident victims seek justice and compensation for their injuries and related losses. If you’ve recently been in a serious collision caused by another's negligence, our team of experts offers free case reviews in English or Spanish to evaluate your legal options. Carabin Shaw staff are available 24/7 at 1-800-862-1260 or contact us online to learn more.

McAllen’s Hidalgo County had nearly 750 accidents involving commercial vehicles in 2024 alone. Many of those crashes led to severe injuries or fatalities. Numerous parties may be involved in one of these accidents, from the truck driver to freight handlers who load cargo onto the trucks.

Common causes of truck crashes that could be attributed to the truck driver include:

• Driver fatigue
• Distracted driving
• Reckless or aggressive driving
• Speeding or tailgating
• Driving under the influence

Trucking companies are also responsible for road safety by ensuring their drivers have sufficient training and their vehicles are properly maintained. Causes of truck accidents that might involve the trucking company include:

• Hours of service violations
• Inadequate driver training
• Inadequate vehicle maintenance
• Improper hiring practices

Other parties that might be liable for a commercial vehicle crash include maintenance contractors, parts distributors, cargo loaders, and even street construction crews. These are some of the causes our lawyers encounter when filing personal injury claims for our clients:

• Malfunctioning trucks and mechanical failures
• Overloaded or improperly secured cargo
• Vehicle defects
• Unsafe road conditions

Trucking companies and their employees must comply with state and federal regulations governing the operation of work vehicles. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration establishes and reinforces federal laws, while the Texas Department of Public Safety oversees state regulations. Your McAllen commercial vehicle accident lawyer will investigate your crash to determine the cause and identify the responsible parties who may have violated state or federal guidelines.

Your attorney will begin the investigation process by gathering key evidence that will help them reconstruct the accident and the various factors at play, such as:

• Photos and videos of the accident scene
• Eyewitness testimony
• The police report of the accident
• Hours of service (HOS) logs
• Cargo manifests and loading records
• Vehicle maintenance records
• Employment records

In some cases, your lawyer may identify more than one accident cause and multiple responsible parties. Under Texas’s proportionate responsibility rule, you can seek damages from all at-fault parties based on their portion of fault for your accident.

Identifying the cause of your big rig crash is just the first step. Next, your commercial truck accident attorney will use the evidence to show the at-fault party’s negligence led directly to your injuries. Negligence involves proof that the party owed you a duty of care to keep you safe on the road and breached that duty through their actions or inactions.

Once you establish negligence, you can seek damages from the at-fault parties for your medical bills, lost wages, and other losses related to your injuries. Check out our law firm’s client reviews to see how we’ve maximized compensation for accident victims like you.

The size and weight of commercial vehicles often lead to severe, life-changing injuries in crashes, even at low speeds. When you are traumatized and in pain after your accident, you should not have to navigate the complexities of the legal aftermath alone.

Our compassionate experts at Carabin Shaw offer our services on a contingency-fee basis, so you pay nothing unless we win your case. Call us toll-free at 1-800-862-1260 or contact us online now to schedule your FREE case review!

For more information:

• Texas Department of Transportation
• Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
• Texas Department of Public Safety
• Texas Statutes 33