The insurance process in a commercial truck accident looks nothing like the process after a standard car crash. The policies are larger, the number of potential insurers is higher, and the adjusters handling your claim are professionals whose full-time job is paying out as little as possible. On the other side, you are recovering from a serious injury, dealing with mounting medical bills, and being asked to make decisions with permanent consequences — often within days of the wreck.
If you were involved in a truck accident on I-35E, I-635, the Dallas North Tollway, or anywhere else in the Dallas metro, this page explains how commercial truck insurance works, what tactics to watch for, and why contacting an attorney before you say anything to an adjuster is not optional.
Right after a Dallas truck crash, do this
Get emergency medical care immediately — delayed treatment is one of the most common arguments insurers use to devalue claims. Call 911 and make sure an official crash report is filed. Photograph vehicle positions, skid marks, truck markings, DOT number, and damage from multiple angles. Get witness names and contact info. Do not give a recorded statement to the trucking company’s insurer before speaking with a lawyer — this is the single most damaging mistake people make in the days after a crash, and it cannot be undone.
Injured in a Dallas truck accident? Call Patterson Law Group at 817-784-2000 for a free consultation. There is no fee unless we win.
How commercial truck insurance works
Unlike a typical car accident — one policy, one insurer — a Dallas commercial truck accident often involves several layers of coverage from different sources.
Federal minimum liability coverage. FMCSA regulations require commercial carriers to maintain minimum primary liability coverage: $750,000 for general freight carriers; $1,000,000 for carriers transporting certain hazardous materials; $5,000,000 for carriers transporting higher-risk hazardous materials. These are federally mandated minimums — larger national carriers that operate on Dallas’s major freight corridors often carry significantly higher limits.
The MCS-90 endorsement. Every carrier operating in interstate commerce must attach an MCS-90 endorsement to their liability policy. This endorsement ensures that even if the policy has exclusions or coverage gaps, the insurer must pay a judgment up to the required minimum limits. It prevents carriers from hiding behind technical policy defenses to avoid paying claims.
Cargo insurance. If cargo spilled or fell and contributed to the crash, or if the load was improperly secured and caused the truck to become unstable, the shipper’s or carrier’s cargo insurance may also be a source of recovery.
Excess and umbrella policies. Many larger carriers carry umbrella policies that provide coverage above their primary limits. In cases involving catastrophic injuries, identifying and pursuing these excess layers is essential to full recovery.
Your own UM/UIM coverage. If the at-fault carrier’s coverage is insufficient to fully compensate your damages, your own uninsured/underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage may provide an additional layer of recovery. Your own insurance company will contest the value of your claim just as aggressively as the trucking company’s insurer.
Why the insurance company is not on your side
The adjuster who calls you after a Dallas truck crash does not work for you. Common tactics you should know about: The quick settlement call — Offering money that seems large but is a fraction of what serious truck accident cases are worth. The recorded statement request — Asking you to describe the accident on tape in a format that can later be used to create inconsistencies or establish admissions about fault. Never give a recorded statement before talking to a lawyer. Broad medical record requests — Seeking wide-ranging authorizations to comb through your prior medical history for pre-existing conditions. Delay — Stringing out the process until financial pressure pushes you to accept whatever is on the table. Social media monitoring — Watching your accounts for posts that can be used to argue your injuries are less severe than claimed.
Once an attorney represents you, the insurance company must channel all communication through that attorney. That alone removes most of the pressure tactics.
How Patterson Law Group handles the insurance process
At Patterson Law Group, we step in between you and the insurance companies from the moment we take your case: we handle all communications with the trucking company’s insurer; we ensure you do not give recorded statements or sign medical authorizations that could be used against you; we identify every applicable insurance policy including primary carrier coverage, excess policies, cargo insurance, and your own UIM coverage; we document your damages comprehensively; and we negotiate from a position of strength, prepared to take your case to trial in Dallas County courts if a fair number is not on the table.
Frequently asked questions
Should I accept the trucking company’s initial settlement offer? Almost certainly not. First offers in serious Dallas truck accident cases are almost always made before the full extent of your injuries is known. Accepting a settlement and signing a release permanently closes your claim, regardless of what happens to your health afterward. Have an attorney evaluate any offer before you respond.
What if I do not have UM/UIM coverage? Without UIM coverage and with a carrier whose primary policy limits are insufficient to cover your total damages, your recovery options may be limited to the available carrier coverage and any other liable parties — cargo loaders, maintenance contractors, or parts manufacturers.
How long does a Dallas truck accident insurance claim take to resolve? It depends on injury severity, the number of parties involved, and how aggressively the insurer contests the claim. Cases that settle before litigation may close in a matter of months. Cases with disputed liability, catastrophic injuries, or uncooperative carriers can extend considerably longer.
What is the deadline to file a truck accident lawsuit in Texas? Texas law generally provides two years from the date of the crash. But do not wait for that deadline — critical evidence disappears quickly and settlement negotiations often take significant time.
Talk to a Dallas truck accident lawyer today
The insurance process after a serious truck accident is not something you should navigate without a lawyer. Patterson Law Group offers free consultations for truck accident victims throughout Dallas and the DFW metro. Call 817-784-2000 or contact us online. There is no fee unless we win.
For more information, visit our main Dallas Truck Accident Lawyer page.