Houston Commercial Driver Accident Attorney

Driving a commercial motor vehicle can be a stressful job. Not only are you charged with safely operating a vehicle that is larger, bulkier, and potentially a bigger safety hazard than most other vehicles on the road, you also face the responsibility of meeting tight deadlines while following strict federal and state regulations.

When you consider adding the additional burden of being involved in an accident in your commercial vehicle, it can become overwhelming. Now you also face injury recovery, medical bills, and determination of liability. An experienced legal advocate can help you sort through your case and aggressively pursue the compensation you need to address your losses.

Legal Help After a Commercial Driver Accident

The skilled Houston commercial driver accident lawyers at Ben Bronston & Associates have over 30 years of combined litigation experience in Texas, with many of those years dedicated to servicing personal injury cases like yours. If you are a commercial driver and have been injured in an accident in the Greater Houston area – contact our dedicated legal team today.

With over 30 years of combined litigation experience, we’ve assisted hundreds of people injured because of the carelessness or criminal behavior of other parties. We don’t request payment unless you receive your settlement and your first consultation is free.

Definition of Commercial Driver in Texas

Any vehicle driven intrastate in Texas that meets certain requirements qualifies as a commercial motor vehicle. These requirements are laid out in Texas TN. Code Ann. §548.001 and include:

  • Vehicle is self-propelled or towed
  • Vehicle has gross weight, registered weight, or gross weight rating of more than 26,000 but less than 48,000 pounds
  • Vehicle is used on a public highway to transport passengers or cargo
  • Vehicle is not a farm vehicle
  • Vehicle may be a school activity bus
  • Vehicle is designed and/or used to transport more than 15 passengers, including the driver
  • Vehicle is used to transport hazardous materials in a quantity regulated by the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act

If you drive a vehicle that meets these requirements in Texas, you are required to have a commercial driver’s license, or CDL, and are thus defined a commercial driver in Texas. Depending on the details surrounding your employment and/or the accident, a personal injury suit to recover damages from an accident could become complicated. An experienced Houston commercial driver accident attorney can help you sort through the details and pursue maximum restitution.

General Causes of Commercial Driver Accidents

Because commercial motor vehicles like 18-wheelers are so large and heavy, most public attention goes to the commercial driver of that vehicle when it comes to attributing fault for the accident. However, statistics show that over 72% of accidents involving trucks are the fault of the other vehicle. This doesn’t even account for accidents caused by company negligence or other types of Cm’s that are not at fault for an accident.

Some of the common causes of commercial driver accidents in Houston are:

  • Vehicle manufacturing defect
  • Poor vehicle maintenance by company
  • Extensive pressure on driver to defy state and/or federal guidelines
  • Extensive deadline pressure by company
  • Other vehicle was not driving at safe speed for the conditions
  • Other vehicle cut you off
  • Other vehicle stayed in your blind spots or “no zones”
  • Other driver did not give you sufficient space for driving and/or stopping
  • Driver squeezed into the space between your vehicle and the curb while you were turning
  • Other driver’s failure to yield
  • Other driver’s failure to stop

Any one of these scenarios could result in a severe accident with serious injuries. An experienced auto accident attorney will be able to locate the fault you need to pursue damages from the appropriate parties.

In a Houston Car Accident with a CDL

If you are a commercial driver and have been severely injured in an accident involving the CMV you operate in Harris County or the surrounding counties of Montgomery, Liberty, Galveston, Brazoria, or Fort Bend, contact Ben Bronston & Associates today. Our Houston commercial driver accident attorneys will fight for maximum restitution in your case.