Texas consistently ranks among the highest in the country for 18-wheeler and semi-truck accidents.
With so many commercial trucks on San Antonio roads, it’s easy to forget just how much danger they represent. Most drivers assume everyone around them is following the rules. But given the sheer size and weight of these massive vehicles, a single negligent truck driver can cause injuries that change your life in an instant.
The personal injury lawyers at Patterson Law Group are dedicated to fighting for full and fair compensation for anyone hurt in a San Antonio truck accident due to the negligence of a commercial driver.
If you suffered serious injuries in an 18-wheeler or semi-truck accident in Texas, call Patterson Law Group today at (817) 784-2000.
What Causes Most 18-Wheeler Accidents in Texas?
Too many people are seriously hurt or killed in 18-wheeler accidents each year. What makes it even harder to accept is that so many of these crashes come down to preventable, negligent behavior like:
- Speeding
- Distracted Driving
- Failure to Obey Traffic Signs and Laws
- Mechanical Failure or Improper Vehicle Maintenance
- Tire Blowouts
- Violations of DOT Regulations
- Failure to Exercise Caution in City Limits
- Shifting Loads
- Fatigued Truck Drivers
- Failure to Take Required Breaks
- Failure to Properly Log Hours
- Texting While Driving
You should never be left facing financial hardship because of an accident that wasn’t your fault. The San Antonio truck accident lawyers at Patterson Law Group are committed to standing up for injured victims and pursuing the fair compensation they are owed.
If you suffered serious injuries in an 18-wheeler or semi-truck accident in Texas, call Patterson Law Group today at (817) 784-2000.
18-Wheeler Accident Statistics: What the Numbers Show in Texas and Beyond
Recent figures show that more than 500,000 commercial truck crashes happen throughout the United States each year, counting everything from box trucks to full tractor-trailer rigs like 18-wheelers.
Of those collisions, somewhere between 160,000 and 170,000 resulted in deaths or life-altering injuries.
The number of trucks caught up in injury crashes has grown by 15% since 2016. From 2020 to 2021, fatalities climbed by 17%, and when you zoom out over the past decade, trucking accidents as a whole have surged by 47%. There is some encouraging news, though. The most current data shows that injury crashes have actually been declining. In 2023, large trucks were involved in 114,552 injury crashes, marking a 4.7% reduction from the year before.
FMCSA data tells us that 5,375 trucks and buses played a role in fatal crashes in 2023, reflecting an 18% jump from 2020. Fatal crashes have been on a downward trend since hitting their peak in 2022.
Over a period of just under four years, 18-wheeler accidents across the country left 330,750 people with injuries and took the lives of 22,787 others.
- 2018: 151,170 people injured
- 2019: 159,359 people injured (+5.4%)
- 2020: 141,613 people injured (-11.1%) [pandemic-related decline]
- 2021: 154,813 people injured (+9.3%)
- 2022: 160,619 people injured (+3.8%) [highest in the dataset]
- 2023: 153,452 people injured (-4.5%)
Data from NHTSA
Research from the National Safety Council highlights another sobering reality: when large-truck crashes turn fatal, it’s most often the people in other vehicles who pay the price. Other vehicle occupants account for 72% of deaths, while truck occupants make up 17%, and non-occupants such as pedestrians and cyclists account for the remaining 11%.
When it comes to 18-wheeler and semi-truck accidents, no state in the country sees more of them than Texas. Looking at the period between 2020 and June 2024, commercial trucks were involved in:
- 86,222 total accidents
- 83,281 non-fatal accidents
- 2,941 fatal accidents
Across that stretch, 47,987 Texans were hurt and 3,326 lost their lives in crashes involving 18-wheelers or semi-trucks. In 2022 by itself, TxDOT documented 1,673 injuries severe enough to be classified as very serious.
San Antonio Data (Bexar County):
Bexar County carries an enormous volume of commercial truck traffic every single day. San Antonio sits at the junction of three Interstate Highways and four U.S. Highways, among them Interstate-35, Interstate-37, and Interstate-10, all of which have earned reputations as some of the most treacherous freeways in Texas.
Looking at 2022 alone, 18-wheelers and semi-trucks were tied to 2,250 accidents throughout Bexar County. Breaking those crashes down:
- 20 were fatal
- 22 people were killed
- 734 people were injured
- 37 people sustained serious injuries
Truck driver negligence can take many forms, and the consequences for everyone else on the road can be devastating. If an 18-wheeler accident has turned your life upside down, the personal injury attorneys at Patterson Law Group are here to fight in your corner and pursue every dollar of compensation you are owed.
2024 data is preliminary and subject to change. Data is accurate as of August 2024.
Get the help you need after an 18-wheeler accident in Texas. Call Patterson Law Group at (817) 784-2000 any time, day or night.
How Patterson Law Group Takes on the Insurance Companies
After a commercial truck accident, you can expect to hear from an insurance company representative sooner than you might think.
Before you say a word to anyone from that company, you need to know your rights.
These representatives will come across as friendly and helpful. Their questions may seem routine, but don’t be fooled. Insurance adjusters are trained to use your own words against you, carefully steering the conversation in ways that give them grounds to reduce or deny the compensation you are rightfully owed.
Reaching out to a truck accident lawyer was the right move. Patterson Law Group will take on your personal injury claim and go toe to toe with the insurance company on your behalf. We have spent decades representing people hurt in motor vehicle accidents and we know exactly how adjusters operate and what it takes to win truck accident cases.
Insurance companies have one goal after a crash, and it has nothing to do with your recovery. They want to close your case as fast as possible and pay out as little as they can get away with.
At Patterson Law Group, your interests come first. We work hard to make sure you are fully and fairly compensated for everything you have been through. You are not a file number to us. You are a person who deserves to be made whole, and we will fight to make sure that happens.
You don’t have to face this alone. Call Patterson Law Group at (817) 784-2000 for experienced, compassionate legal representation that puts you first.
Who Can Be Held Liable in a Texas 18-Wheeler Accident?
After a serious truck accident in Texas, every party that played a role in causing it needs to be held accountable.
Commercial trucking operations are subject to strict regulations, and when those rules are broken, more than one party can share responsibility for what happened. Potentially liable parties in an 18-wheeler accident include:
- The Truck Driver
- Trucking Companies
- Maintenance Companies
- Third-Party Hiring Companies
- Truck Manufacturing Companies
- And Others
At Patterson Law Group, we dig deep into the details of your case to uncover every contributing factor. We start with the driver and their conduct leading up to the crash, looking at whether the accident could have been avoided. From there, we examine the company that employed the driver, including their hiring and training practices. We also review manufacturer records and maintenance history to determine whether a mechanical issue played a part due to neglect or improper upkeep.
Our truck accident attorneys keep pulling at every thread until all negligent parties are identified, giving you the strongest possible path to the full compensation you are owed.
What Compensation Can You Recover After a Texas Semi-Truck Accident?
In Texas, if you were hurt in an 18-wheeler accident that wasn’t your fault, you may be able to recover compensation for both financial and non-financial losses.
Financial Losses (Economic Damages)
Economic damages are straightforward to calculate and can cover things like:
- Medical Expenses (Emergency care, ambulance fees, hospital bills, ongoing treatment, rehabilitation, and more)
- Lost Wages (Income you missed out on while recovering from your injuries)
- Loss of Earning Capacity (When your injuries prevent you from returning to your previous job or working at all)
- Property Damage (Damage to your vehicle, loss of pets, and damage or destruction of personal belongings inside the vehicle)
- Loss of Companionship (If a loved one died in the accident, Patterson Law Group can file a wrongful death claim on your family’s behalf)
Non-Financial Losses (Non-Economic Damages)
Non-economic damages are harder to quantify but just as real, and can include:
- Pain and Suffering
- Emotional Distress
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life
- Disfigurement
- Loss of Consortium
In rare and especially serious cases, a court may also award punitive damages against the at-fault driver or company. These are sometimes called punishment damages because their purpose is to penalize gross negligence and discourage the same behavior in the future.
What Is My Texas Truck Accident Case Worth?
The value of your case depends heavily on the severity of your injuries. Someone who suffered a life-altering spinal cord injury, for instance, would likely recover significantly more compensation than someone who walked away with a broken arm.
To get a better sense of what your case may be worth, reach out to Patterson Law Group to speak with an experienced semi-truck accident attorney.
Hurt in an 18-Wheeler Accident in San Antonio? Patterson Law Group Can Help
If you were hurt in an 18-wheeler or semi-truck accident anywhere in Texas, Patterson Law Group is ready to help.
Our experienced truck accident attorneys have represented injury victims across the state, including cities like:
- San Antonio
- Laredo
- Austin
- Victoria
- Corpus Christi
- Dallas
- Fort Worth
- Midland
- Odessa
- Beeville
- Kenedy
- Rockport
- Houston
- El Paso
- Beaumont
- McAllen
- Floresville
- Del Rio
- Uvalde
- Boerne
- Seguin
- Pleasanton
And every community in between.
At Patterson Law Group, We Put Clients First
At Patterson Law Group, protecting our clients’ rights and putting their needs above everything else is at the core of everything we do. We offer:
- 24/7 Live Chat and Phone Lines – Accidents don’t happen on a schedule, and neither do we.
- Flexible Appointments – If you can’t come to us, we’ll come to you, whether you’re recovering at home or still in the hospital. Online appointments are also available for your convenience. And of course, you’re always welcome to visit us at our San Antonio office.
- No Fees Unless We Win – We work on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing unless we recover a settlement or jury verdict on your behalf.
- Additional Support – We can help arrange transportation to medical providers in the area when needed. We also handle property damage claims at no charge and have Spanish-speaking staff available to serve you.
Our legal team has the experience and resources to pursue the maximum compensation available to you and your family after a serious 18-wheeler accident. Call Patterson Law Group today at 817-784-2000 to schedule your free consultation. No fees, no obligations, just straightforward legal guidance from people who care.
We are here when you need us.
