The Plano truck accident lawyers at NMW Law Firm help people hit by 18-wheelers, delivery trucks, and other commercial vehicles on the Dallas North Tollway, US-75, and the roads around Collin County.
A crash with a commercial truck is not the same as a regular car wreck, and the legal rules that apply are not the same either.
Federal trucking regulations, multiple insurance policies, and a roster of possibly responsible parties make these cases more complex from day one.
Our team builds the file the way commercial trucking cases require, then pushes the trucking company and its insurer toward fair compensation.
Call (833) 758-4437 today for a free case review. We will walk through what happened, what evidence may still be out there, and what your next move looks like.
Get a Free ConsultationHow Do Plano Truck Accident Lawyers Help After a Crash With an 18-Wheeler?
Plano truck accident lawyers help by investigating the crash under federal trucking rules, finding every party who may be liable, and going after the right insurance policies before the evidence disappears.
NMW Law Firm steps in early, because trucking companies often have rapid-response investigators on the scene within hours of a crash.
Commercial trucking cases turn on records that the public never sees. Electronic logging device data, driver qualification files, maintenance histories, and dispatch records may all show that the driver, the motor carrier, or someone else broke the rules that caused your injuries.
Our team handles these steps for truck accident clients in the Plano area:
- Sending letters that legally require the trucking company to preserve evidence
- Pulling police reports, dashcam footage, and any video from nearby businesses or traffic cameras
- Reviewing federal records on the driver and motor carrier through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration database
- Identifying every party who may be liable, including the driver, motor carrier, broker, shipper, or maintenance contractor
- Filing suit in Collin County District Court when the trucking company's insurer refuses to negotiate fairly
A truck accident case is part personal injury claim, part federal regulatory case, and part fight against a trucking company that has done this many times before. Call NMW Law Firm at (833) 758-4437 to talk through what happened.
What Makes a Truck Accident Case Different From a Car Accident Case in Texas?
A truck accident case differs from a car accident case in Texas because commercial trucks are governed by a separate set of federal rules, often involve multiple liable parties, and almost always involve much higher insurance limits.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration sets rules that cover everything from driver hours of service to truck maintenance to drug testing.
Those rules give injured people legal tools that do not exist in regular car accident cases.
| Issue | Standard Car Accident | Commercial Truck Accident |
| Governing rules | Texas traffic and tort law | Texas law plus Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations |
| Possible defendants | At-fault driver and their insurer | Driver, motor carrier, broker, shipper, maintenance company, and others |
| Typical insurance limits | Texas minimum 30/60/25 | Federal minimum of $750,000 or more depending on cargo |
| Key evidence sources | Police report, witness statements, photos | Electronic logging device, driver qualification file, maintenance records, telematics |
| Investigation timeline | Days to weeks | Hours, because trucking companies move quickly to control the scene |
Each of these differences shapes the legal strategy. A truck accident lawyer who treats the case like a regular car wreck may miss the records, the deadlines, and the defendants that actually drive the value of the claim.
Who May Be Liable in a Plano Commercial Truck Accident?
Liability in a Plano commercial truck accident may rest with more than just the driver, because federal and state law allow injured people to pursue the motor carrier, the broker, the shipper, and other parties whose actions contributed to the crash.
Identifying every responsible party often matters more than identifying every cause, because more defendants usually mean more insurance available to pay your losses.
Each potential defendant brings a different theory of liability and a different insurance policy into the case. The parties who may share responsibility in a Plano truck crash include:
- The truck driver, for negligent driving, fatigue, distracted driving, or drug or alcohol use
- The motor carrier that employs or contracts with the driver, for negligent hiring, training, supervision, or pressure to violate federal rules
- The broker or shipper, for selecting an unsafe carrier or loading the cargo improperly
- The maintenance contractor, for failing to repair brakes, tires, or other safety-related systems
- The truck or parts manufacturer, when a defect caused or worsened the crash
A full investigation pulls each of these threads. When more than one defendant is on the hook, the case has more leverage and more sources of recovery than a single-driver case.
What Evidence Matters Most in a Plano Truck Accident Lawsuit?
The evidence that matters most in a Plano truck accident lawsuit includes the truck's electronic logging device data, the driver's qualification file, dispatch records, and the trucking company's maintenance history. Much of this evidence sits in the trucking company's own files, and it does not stay there forever.
Federal rules under 49 C.F.R. Part 395 require motor carriers to keep hours-of-service records for six months. After that, the company may legally destroy them unless someone has sent a written demand to preserve them.
Records and Data Your Attorney Pursues Early
Truck accident attorneys move quickly to lock down records that a regular car accident case would not need. The materials worth pursuing in the first weeks include:
- Electronic logging device (ELD) data showing driving hours, speed, and rest breaks
- The driver qualification file required under 49 C.F.R. Part 391
- Post-crash drug and alcohol testing results
- Maintenance, inspection, and repair records for the truck and trailer
- Dispatch logs, bills of lading, and load assignments tied to the trip
Every one of these documents may help show whether the driver was overworked, undertrained, or sent out on the road in a truck that never should have left the yard.
Without a preservation letter sent quickly, much of this proof may vanish before the claim is ever filed.
What Damages Are Available After a Truck Accident in Plano?
Damages available after a truck accident in Plano cover both your financial losses and the personal toll of the crash.
Texas law allows injured people to seek compensation for medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and other losses tied to the crash.
Texas follows a modified comparative fault rule under Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code § 33.001.
You may recover damages as long as you are not more than 50 percent responsible for the crash. Your recovery is reduced by your share of fault.
Damages a Plano truck accident lawyer may pursue include:
- Past and future medical care, including surgery, rehabilitation, and assistive equipment
- Lost wages and reduced earning capacity if injuries affect your ability to work
- Property damage to your vehicle and personal items
- Pain and suffering, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment of life
- Wrongful death damages for families who lost a loved one in the crash
In cases involving gross negligence, such as a driver under the influence or a motor carrier that knowingly violated federal safety rules, Texas law may also allow punitive damages. Those damages are meant to punish the wrongdoer, not just compensate the victim.
How Long Do You Have to File a Truck Accident Lawsuit in Texas?
You have two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit in Texas, under Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code § 16.003. Wrongful death claims in Texas also generally follow a two-year limit, measured from the date of death rather than the date of the crash.
Why the Real Deadlines Are Often Much Sooner
The lawsuit deadline is only one clock. Federal record-keeping rules give motor carriers as little as six months to keep certain hours-of-service records, and trucking insurers often try to settle quickly before the injured person knows the full extent of the injuries.
A truck accident attorney sends preservation letters within days of taking the case to stop key evidence from being lost. That single step often controls whether the strongest proof in the case is still on file when discovery starts.
Ask NMW Law Firm About Plano Truck Accident Cases
How much does it cost to hire a Plano truck accident lawyer at NMW Law Firm?
It costs nothing upfront. NMW Law Firm handles truck accident cases on a contingency fee, which means attorney fees come out of the settlement or verdict only if we recover money for you.
The initial consultation is free, and the firm advances case-related expenses, with reimbursement coming from the recovery at the end.
Can I still file a claim if I was partly at fault for the truck crash?
You may still recover compensation after a Plano truck accident if you were partly at fault, as long as your share of fault is 50 percent or less under Texas law. Your total recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault.
Trucking insurers often try to push fault onto the injured driver to lower payouts, and pushing back on that argument is one of the first jobs a truck accident lawyer takes on.
What if the truck driver was an independent contractor and not a company employee?
If the truck driver was an independent contractor, the motor carrier may still be liable depending on how the work was controlled and how the driver was treated.
Federal rules and Texas case law look beyond labels and focus on the real working relationship.
A careful investigation often shows the carrier had enough control over the driver to be on the hook for the crash.
Does NMW Law Firm handle truck accident cases outside of Plano?
Yes. NMW Law Firm represents truck accident clients across the Dallas-Fort Worth area and throughout Texas from offices in Plano, Houston, San Antonio, and El Paso.
Our team handles cases involving 18-wheelers, delivery trucks, oilfield vehicles, and other commercial vehicles, no matter where in Texas the crash happened.
FAQs for Plano Truck Accident Lawyers
How long do I have to sue a trucking company after a crash in Texas?
You have two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit against a trucking company in Texas, under Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code § 16.003.
Wrongful death claims generally follow a two-year limit, measured from the date of death. Federal record-keeping deadlines often run much sooner, which is why early action matters.
Who pays for my medical bills after a truck accident in Plano?
Medical bills after a Plano truck accident may be paid through your own health insurance, personal injury protection (PIP) coverage on your auto policy, MedPay coverage, or the at-fault trucking company's insurance once the case settles.
Many medical providers also accept treatment under a letter of protection, which delays payment until the case resolves.
What if the trucking company offers me a settlement before I hire a lawyer?
A pre-suit settlement offer from a trucking insurer is often far below what the case is worth, because the insurer knows you have not yet seen the records that show fault and damages.
Accepting that offer usually requires signing a release that ends your right to pursue the case. A free consultation with a truck accident lawyer is a low-cost way to see what the case may actually be worth.
How long do truck accident cases take to resolve in Plano?
A Plano truck accident case may take anywhere from several months to two years or more, depending on the severity of injuries, the willingness of the trucking insurer to negotiate, and whether the case goes to suit.
Cases involving disputed liability or catastrophic injuries often take longer, because the evidence and damages take more time to develop.
What if a family member died in a truck crash in Plano?
Surviving spouses, children, and parents may file a wrongful death claim under Texas law after a fatal Plano truck crash. Compensation may cover funeral costs, lost financial support, and the loss of companionship.
These cases often involve gross negligence claims against the trucking company, especially when federal safety rules were broken.
Can I sue the trucking company directly, or only the driver?
You may often sue both the driver and the trucking company in a Texas commercial truck case. Theories like negligent hiring, negligent training, negligent supervision, and negligent retention let injured people hold the carrier directly accountable for putting an unsafe driver on the road.
More defendants generally mean more insurance available to pay the claim.
Get Your Plano Truck Accident Case Moving Today
A loaded 18-wheeler weighs more than twenty times what a passenger car weighs. The trucking company on the other side of your claim knows that, and they know exactly how to push back on injured people who do not have legal help.
NMW Law Firm levels the file, not the legal field. Our Plano truck accident lawyers work commercial trucking cases across Collin County and the wider DFW area on a contingency basis, with no fee unless we recover money for you.
We move on the evidence early, build the case under federal trucking rules, and pursue every party who may share responsibility.
Call our Plano office at (833) 758-4437, or send a message through our contact page to start your case today. Records get destroyed and witnesses move, so the sooner we get to work, the more we may put in your file.
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