An underride accident happens when a passenger vehicle slides beneath the trailer of a commercial truck — from the rear or the side. It is one of the most violent crash configurations on the road. Because trailer height often exceeds the roofline of a car or SUV, the vehicle’s passenger compartment takes a direct hit at head level. Survivors can suffer catastrophic, irreversible injuries. Many do not survive.
If you or someone in your family was hurt — or killed — in an underride truck accident anywhere in the Dallas metro, you are facing one of the most legally complex crash cases that exists. Patterson Law Group handles underride cases throughout Dallas and Dallas County, and we approach every one with the gravity it demands.
What is an underride accident?
There are two primary types:
Rear underride occurs when a vehicle runs into the back of a trailer and slides underneath it. This is the more common pattern. It typically happens when a truck stops or slows abruptly — pulling off a highway, braking for a ramp, or cutting into a travel lane — and the trailing vehicle cannot stop in time.
Side underride occurs when a vehicle slides beneath the side of a trailer, usually during a broadside collision, a truck’s wide-arc turn across traffic, or after a truck jackknifes and sweeps across multiple lanes. Side underride crashes are especially deadly because a passenger vehicle’s side structure provides far less protection than its front or rear.
Right after a Dallas truck crash, do this
If you were involved in an underride collision — or someone you love was — the steps you take immediately afterward can protect both your health and your legal claim.
Get emergency medical care right away, even if you feel fine — adrenaline masks serious injuries
Call 911 so there is an official crash report on record
Photograph the trailer from the rear and sides — capture the underride guard, its mounting hardware, any deformation, and all reflective markings before the truck is moved or repaired
Get names and contact information for witnesses and the responding officers
Call a truck accident lawyer before speaking with the trucking company or its insurer — evidence in underride cases disappears fast
Seriously hurt in a Dallas underride crash? Call Patterson Law Group at 817-784-2000 or contact us online for a free consultation. There is no fee unless we win.
How underride crashes happen on Dallas roads
The I-635 LBJ Freeway and US-75 (Central Expressway) are two of the busiest commercial corridors in North Texas, and their stop-and-go traffic patterns create exactly the conditions that produce rear underride crashes. A truck that slows abruptly in dense freeway traffic — or one that cuts across lanes on a merge — can become an unlit wall of steel for a following driver who has no time to react.
Late-night freight runs on I-20 and US-175 bring their own hazards: trailers with inadequate lighting or faded reflective tape that are nearly invisible in dark stretches until a following driver is already under them. Trucks navigating the Mixmaster interchange or backing across a Stemmons Corridor loading dock approach can create side underride exposure when a wide turn carries the trailer into oncoming traffic.
The Dallas metro’s density of distribution centers and intermodal freight hubs means commercial trucks are everywhere — but not all of them are maintained to federal standards.
Federal underride guard requirements
The (through NHTSA safety oversight) and FMCSA regulations at 49 CFR Part 393.86 require commercial trailers to be equipped with rear underride guards — steel bars or frames designed to stop a passenger vehicle from sliding under the trailer in a rear collision.
However, the standard has drawn sustained criticism. Studies by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety have found that many guards that technically meet federal minimums still fail catastrophically in real-world crashes, deforming on impact in ways that allow vehicles to slide underneath anyway. And there are currently no federal requirements at all for side underride guards, though some manufacturers have begun installing them voluntarily.
When a guard fails, or when a trailer is missing required equipment altogether, the manufacturer, the carrier, and maintenance contractors can all face liability beyond the driver’s own negligence.
Who is liable in a Dallas underride truck accident?
Depending on how the crash happened, potentially liable parties include:
The truck driver — for stopping or maneuvering in a way that created the underride hazard, or for operating with inadequate trailer lighting
The trucking company — for failing to maintain guards and lighting, or for inadequate driver training on hazard awareness
The trailer manufacturer — if the guard was defectively designed or manufactured, or failed in a way that a properly engineered guard would not
A maintenance contractor — if a damaged or improperly installed guard was not caught and corrected through negligent inspection
In cases where a guard met federal minimums but still failed, there may be a strong products liability claim against the manufacturer — separate from, and in addition to, negligence claims against the driver and carrier. Patterson Law Group is based in Fort Worth and regularly handles cases in Dallas County courts, so we know how Dallas County juries evaluate trucking company conduct.
Texas comparative fault
Texas follows a modified comparative fault rule. You can recover damages as long as you are not more than 50% at fault for the crash. If you bear some share of responsibility — for example, following too closely — your recovery is reduced by that percentage, but not eliminated unless your fault exceeds 50%.
How we investigate underride accident cases
Physical evidence in an underride crash is critical and time-sensitive. At Patterson Law Group, we move immediately to:
Send preservation letters demanding the trailer, underride guard, and all failed components be held before repair or return to service
Document the guard’s condition, mounting hardware, trailer lighting, and reflective markings as of the crash date
Obtain maintenance logs and inspection records for the guard and lighting systems
Engage accident reconstruction and mechanical engineering experts to analyze guard performance and crash dynamics
Pull federal compliance records for the trailer and the carrier
We handle truck accident cases across North Texas every week — not just the occasional case — so we know what evidence exists, how to get it, and how fast it disappears.
Ready to talk to a lawyer about your Dallas underride case? Call Patterson Law Group at 817-784-2000 or reach us online. The consultation is free and there is no fee unless we win.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sue if the underride guard was in place but still failed? Yes. Federal compliance is a minimum floor, not a guarantee of safety. If an underride guard met federal standards but failed in a way that a better-designed guard would not have, there may be a viable products liability claim against the manufacturer. Safety research has documented that many compliant guards fail in real-world collisions. Our team works with engineering experts to assess whether the guard’s design or manufacture contributed to your injuries.
What if the truck had no underride guard at all? A missing required underride guard is a direct violation of 49 CFR Part 393.86 and is powerful evidence of negligence by both the driver and the carrier. We document and pursue this violation as a central element of your case.
How long do I have to file a lawsuit after an underride truck accident in Texas? Generally two years from the date of the crash under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003. But do not use that window as a reason to wait. ELD data, black box recordings, and the physical condition of the trailer can be lost or altered within days. Contact a lawyer as soon as possible to protect the evidence you need.
Talk to a Dallas truck accident lawyer today
Underride crashes produce some of the most serious injuries on Texas roads, and the legal cases that follow are among the most vigorously defended by trucking companies and their insurers. Patterson Law Group offers free consultations for underride accident victims in Dallas and throughout the metro. Call us at 817-784-2000 or . There is no fee unless we win.
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For more information, visit our main Dallas Truck Accident Lawyer page.