Need An 18-Wheeler Accident Lawyer in Austin?

Have you been injured in an accident involving a big truck in Austin, Cedar Park, Leander, Pflugerville, or surrounding communities? 18-wheeler accidents have devastating injuries and property damage, and you may need an attorney who specializes in truck accidents to get you the compensation you deserve. Funk and Associates can help.

Types of Compensation Available

Medical expenses add up, from immediate treatment to long-term medical costs.

Victims of 18-wheeler accidents can get payment if the trucking company or the driver are found negligent.

Many crash injury victims we work with have had to pay out of pocket for surgeries, rehabilitation, and ongoing medical care. Funk and Associates fights for compensation for these expenses so you and your family aren’t ruined.

Lost wages are another critical aspect. Accidents can result in significant time off work, impacting your current income and future earning capacity. Compensation for lost wages ensures that victims can maintain financial security while recovering from their injuries. 

Pain and suffering encompass the physical and emotional distress caused by the accident. This type of compensation acknowledges the profound impact that injuries can have on your quality of life. Finally, punitive damages may be awarded to hold the trucking company accountable for particularly egregious behavior, serving as a deterrent against future negligence.

Why 18 Wheeler Accidents Are Different

First, You Need To Understand That Truck Accidents Are Different

Busy streets like U.S. 290, Loop 360, Mopac, Research Bouldard and (of course) the dreaded I-35 are among the most dangerous streets in Austin. Accidents involving 18-wheelers and other large trucks can be devastating.

Understanding the common causes and impacts of truck accidents helps highlight the necessity of specialized legal assistance.

Truck accidents are fundamentally different from regular car accidents. Think about it … The size and weight of trucks cause more severe damage and injuries. These differences often lead to more complex legal and medical issues. Specialized knowledge is required to handle these unique challenges effectively.

In Austin, truck accidents can include jackknife accidents, rollover incidents, and underride collisions. Each type presents distinct hazards and legal considerations. 

Victims may suffer from broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, and spinal cord damage. These injuries can lead to long-term disabilities and significant medical expenses. The severity of these injuries underscores the need for expert legal representation.

The size and weight of these trucks often lead to severe injuries and significant property damage. Legal representation is crucial after such incidents to ensure fair compensation and proper handling of the complexities involved. Statistics show a high incidence of trucking accidents in Austin and across Texas, highlighting the need for specialized legal assistance.

Trucking accidents are inherently complex due to the multiple parties involved, such as the driver, trucking company, and potentially manufacturers. Navigating the legal and insurance processes can be overwhelming for victims. This complexity underscores the importance of having an experienced attorney to guide you through each step and advocate for your rights.

Role of an 18-Wheeler Accident Lawyer

An 18-wheeler accident lawyer plays a vital role in holding trucking companies accountable for their actions. These companies often have robust legal teams, making it essential for victims to have equally strong representation. Ensuring fair compensation for injury victims is a primary goal, requiring thorough investigation and evidence gathering.

Investigating the accident scene is a crucial first step. A lawyer will collect evidence, such as photographs, witness statements, and police reports, to build a strong case. Determining fault involves analyzing this evidence and identifying all liable parties, whether it’s the driver, the trucking company, or the truck manufacturer. 

Navigating insurance claims can be a pain here in Texas; it can be even worse when dealing with aggressive insurance companies from out of state (when the trucking company is a national business, for example). 

Funk’s experienced attorneys will handle communications with insurers, negotiate settlements, and ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve.

Funk and Associates: Austin’s Best 18-Wheeler Attorneys

Funk and Associates stand among Austin’s top 18-wheeler accident attorneys due to their expertise in federal trucking regulations and Texas state laws. Our deep understanding of these legal issues ensures that all aspects of your case are handled with precision and care. Access to expert witnesses in Austin, such as accident reconstruction specialists and medical experts, strengthens the case. These professionals provide insights and testimony that can significantly impact the outcome of your claim. Funk and Associates leverage these resources to build compelling cases for their clients. We work hard for you!

Common Causes of 18-Wheeler Accidents

Driver negligence is a leading cause of 18-wheeler accidents. Factors such as fatigue, distracted driving, inadequate training, and impaired driving contribute to these incidents. Holding drivers accountable for their actions is essential for justice and prevention of future accidents.

Commercial trucking negligence also plays a significant role. Mechanical failures and poor maintenance are common issues that can lead to accidents. Company policies, such as pressures to meet deadlines, often result in unsafe practices. Addressing these systemic problems is critical for improving road safety.

Unique Challenges in 18-Wheeler Accident Cases

18-wheeler accident cases come with unique challenges, such as complex liability issues. Multiple parties, including drivers, companies, and vehicle manufacturers, may be involved. Identifying and proving the liability of each party requires thorough investigation and legal expertise. 

Gathering and preserving evidence is another significant challenge. Important data from electronic logs and black boxes must be collected and analyzed. These devices record crucial information about the truck’s operation and can provide key evidence in establishing fault.

State and federal compliance add layers of complexity to 18-wheeler accident cases. Proving negligence within these regulatory frameworks demands a deep understanding of the law and meticulous preparation of the case.

Call Funk and Associates Today!

The consequences of being hit by an 18-wheeler can be dire. Injuries range anywhere from strains, broken bones, paralysis, and death. Therefore,  accidents involving 18-wheelers or other commercial vehicles can be extremely complicated and you may need a personal injury lawyer in your corner. The importance of legal assistance in 18-wheeler accident cases cannot be overstated. Having a skilled attorney on your side ensures that all legal avenues are explored and that you receive fair compensation for your injuries and losses. Funk and Associates offer professional help in Austin, Texas, with a proven track record of handling 18-wheeler accident cases. If you need expert legal representation, Funk and Associates will give you comprehensive support and dedicated advocacy. Contact Funk and Associates for a free consultation to discuss your case and learn how we can help you navigate your 18-wheeler accident claim.

These legal cases are complicated due to the injuries you may sustain, or have sustained, and they are also complicated due to the difficult process that you may or are going through. 

For instance, the recovery from physical injuries sustained from an 18-wheeler can range from a few months to years, to unfortunately, never being the same again. There is also the psychological aspect that one suffers due the recovery process. Furthermore, the injuries you sustain from an 18-wheeler claim, may prohibit or diminish your ability to do your job for many years to come.  Loss of income is an integral part of any 18-wheeler recovery.  

Additionally, the process of finding the correct party and/or insurance company to go after is not as easy as reading a police report.  There are parent companies, shell companies, lease holders, and multiple insurance carriers to deal with.   Sending the requisite letters needed to establish your claim against the driver of the 18-wheeler, the company that he/she may be working for and protecting potential evidence that may disappear/be destroyed should not be taken lightly.

As previously mentioned, there is the issue of insurance coverage. How much funds are available in a policy that covers 18-wheelers and other commercial vehicles is a very difficult question to answer. The 18-Wheeler will have their insurance provider. If the 18-Wheeler or commercial vehicle were hauling a trailer, the trailer itself may have its own insurance coverage, and there may even be additional umbrella and excess coverages. There can also be further coverage within your own policy known as Uninsured/Underinsured motorist coverage, along with Personal Injury Protection. 

If you, a friend, or loved one was hit by an 18-Wheeler or any other commercial vehicle, it is incredibly important that you know and understand your rights against these drivers and companies. Contact your local 18-wheeler attorneys at Funk and Associates. 

We’ll Call You!

Austin Truck Accident News

• Crash Alert: Semi vs. motorcycle crash on I-35 near Yager injures 1 (7/11/2024) - AUSTIN, TX – One person went to the hospital Tuesday after a two-vehicle crash along the interstate in north Austin, reports CBS Austin. Around 2:08 p.m. emergency teams reported to the southbound side of I-35 near West Yager Lane, which is east of Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park and south of HEB. Police say that a
• Crash Alert: 2-vehicle pin-in involving semi in SE Austin injures 1 (6/17/2024) - AUSTIN, TX – One person was hospitalized Monday afternoon after a two-vehicle collision involving a semi-truck in South Austin, reports ATCEMS. Vehicle Rescue at S Fm 973 Rd / Fm 812 Rd (13:49). #ATCEMS, @TC_Fire_Rescue & @AustinFireInfo are on scene of a 2 vehicle collision involving a semi-truck. There are 4 total patients involved, 1 who
• Crash Alert: Austin man killed in pickup vs. semi crash in Salado (5/30/2024) - SALADO, TX – A 24-year-old man died, and another man sustained injuries in a two-vehicle crash involving a semi in Salado. According to KWTX 10, the incident occurred last Friday on I-35 southbound near mile marker 284, which is just southeast of Salado Junior High. Police say a southbound Ford F-250 pickup truck rear-ended a
• Crash Alert: Vehicle hits semi in Temple, killing Killeen man (4/23/2024) - TEMPLE, TX – A 39-year-old man died on Monday in a collision involving a parked semi along a major Temple roadway, reports KWTX 10. The incident happened around 12:15 p.m. in the area of 4000 Wendland Road, which is just east of the Walmart Distribution Center. Police say that for unknown reasons, the victim’s vehicle
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• Crash Alert: Wrong-way crash involving semi in Taylor kills 1 (2/22/2024) - TAYLOR, TX – A wrong-way driver died Wednesday after a head-on crash involving an 18-wheeler on the south side of the Taylor. The incident happened around 3:36 p.m. on South Main Street near South Park Boulevard, which is south of US-79. The investigation indicates that a northbound 2016 Chevy Malibu entered the southbound lanes of
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• Crash Alert: Police investigate semi crash on FM 2238 at I-10 (2/21/2024) - SCHULENBURG, TX – Crews responded to a crash involving an 18-wheeler on FM 2238 in southeast Fayette County Wednesday, reports Fox 7 Austin. The incident happened before 7 a.m. under the I-10 overpass in Schulenburg, which is just north of Engle. At this time, it’s unclear if any other vehicles were involved in the accident
• Crash Alert: Crash involving semi on TX-45 near 183A kills 1 (2/5/2024) - AUSTIN, TX – A two-vehicle crash involving a semi in the Pecan Park area killed one person and hurt another on Monday morning. According to KVUE, the incident happened around 6:45 a.m. on the westbound side of TX-45 just before 183A, which is near Walmart and Lakeline Mall. Police haven’t specified how the accident occurred,
• Crash Alert: Minor injuries reported in semi crash near Onion Creek (1/25/2024) - AUSTIN, TX – Crews responded to a major accident involving two 18-wheelers along the interstate in far south Austin Wednesday. According to CBS Austin, the collision occurred at 11:13 p.m. on the northbound side of I-35 just past FM 1626. This is south of both Southpark Meadows and Parkside at Slaughter Creek. Police aren’t yet
• 18-Wheeler Accidents And The ‘Black Box’ (12/28/2023) - Were You In An 18-Wheeler Accident? Here’s What To Know About the ‘Black Box’ Author: Written by Funk & Associates Personal Injury Lawyers 18-wheeler drivers are responsible for carrying potentially millions of dollars worth of goods as they travel across the country. Of course this does not include the value of the truck itself or
• When Austin’s Big Rigs Attack! (12/28/2023) - What Do I Do After A Truck Accident? Written by Funk & Associates Personal Injury Lawyers, reviewed by Yanni Funk Big trucks drive business in Texas. But while on I-35 and other roads around Austin and Central Texas, they have to adhere to the responsibilities of safe driving.  If they don’t stay focused on the
• Austin Truck Accident Attorney (12/27/2023) - Do You Need An Austin-Area Truck Accident Attorney? When a big rig loses its cargo on the highway, the outcome can be tragic. Even small pieces of debris that come loose can fly onto the windshield of an unsuspecting motorist and cause a serious accident. If a truck loses some of its heavy cargo, it
• Crash Alert: Semi vs. pickup crash in NE Austin kills 1 (12/14/2023) - AUSTIN, TX – An adult died last Saturday in North Austin after a two-vehicle collision involving a semi-truck, reports CBS Austin. The incident happened around 5:49 a.m. on the northbound service road for I-35 near Rutherford Lane, which is just northeast of Highway 183. The investigation indicates that one person became entrapped when an 18-wheeler
• Crash Alert: Semi-truck strikes, kills pedestrian on I-35 NB in San Marcos (12/8/2023) - SAN MARCOS, TX – A female pedestrian died died last Saturday night after a semi-truck struck her along the interstate in San Marcos, reports yahoo! news. Crews responded to the scene just before 6:30 p.m. on the northbound side of I-35 near the exit for Aquarena Springs Drive, which is east of Texas State University.
• Crash Alert: 2-vehicle crash involving semi on McNeil injures 1 (11/9/2023) - AUSTIN, TX – One person went to the hospital Wednesday after their vehicle collided with a semi-truck in northwest Austin. The accident occurred just before 8:40 p.m. in the area of 7300 McNeil Drive, which is between Jekel Circle and San Felipe Boulevard in the Los Indios neighborhood. The cause of the crash is still
• Crash Alert: Semi vs. vehicle crash near Mustang Ridge kills 1 (9/12/2023) - TRAVIS CO., TX – One person died Monday afternoon after their vehicle collided with an 18-wheeler along a highway southeast of Austin. According to KXAN, the incident happened just after 4 p.m. in the area of  US-183 and Evelyn Road, which is just south of the junction with TX-45 and north of TX-21. Police have
• The Most Dangerous Intersections in Austin (And What We’re Doing About Them!) (9/5/2023) - Most Dangerous Intersections in Austin? The following article reflects 2022 traffic data. Sources: Austin Police Department, Austin Public Information office, Sept. 2023. And remember: The best injury lawyer Austin has to offer is a phone call away! Austin, Texas is a wonderful city for both visitors and residents.  However, the increasing number of vehicles on
• Crash Alert: Crash involving semi kills 2 on SH-71 in Del Valle (7/18/2023) - DEL VALLE, TX – Two people died late Monday night after an 18-wheeler collided with another vehicle along the highway in Del Valle, reports KVUE. The incident happened around 11:20 p.m. on the westbound side of SH-71, just southeast of Garfield Public Library. The investigation thus far indicates that two people became entrapped as a
• Crash Alert: 1 injured in auto vs. semi crash in Webberville (4/21/2023) - WEBBERVILLE, TX – One person went to the hospital on a trauma alert Friday morning after an 18-wheeler collided with a vehicle in southeast Travis County, reports ATCEMS. Vehicle Rescue Post Oak Rd / Fm 969 Rd (06:01) Vehicle-semi collision with confirmed pinin. Extrication in progress. Patient declared a trauma alert. Avoid the area. More
• Crash Alert: Semi crash with fuel spill blocks traffic in Bee Caves (4/14/2023) - BEE CAVES, TX – Officials closed several lanes of Highway 71 in Bee Caves on Wednesday after an 18-wheeler accident and subsequent fuel spill, reports KVUE. The incident happened just before 5:30 a.m. on Highway 71 between Great Divide Drive and Bee Cave Parkway, which is near White Rock Cemetery. The investigation thus far indicates
• Crash Alert: 1 injured in auto vs. semi crash on I-35SB at Riverside (3/30/2023) - AUSTIN, TX – Medics transported one person to the hospital Thursday after their car crashed into the rear of an 18-wheeler on the interstate in Austin, reports CBS Austin. The incident happened around 6:15 a.m. on the southbound side of I-35 near Riverside Drive, which is just south of Town Lake. Police say a pickup
• Crash Alert: No injuries in Elgin crash involving 2 semis and an SUV (3/1/2023) - ELGIN, TX – No serious injuries have been reported in a Tuesday crash involving two 18-wheelers and an SUV along the highway in west Elgin, reports the Elgin Courier. The incident happened around 8:17 a.m. on US-290 in west Elgin, which is east of Manor in northern Bastrop County. It’s still unclear how the crash
• Crash Alert: HazMat team called to Wilco semi crash on Chandler Rd. (2/2/2023) - TAYLOR, TX – Crews worked to contain a potential fuel spill when a semi-truck carrying gasoline crashed with another vehicle last Thursday in Taylor, reports CBS Austin.  The incident happened around 10:53 a.m. on Chandler Road just south of County Road 101. The circumstances are unclear, but police say the semi-truck overturned after colliding with
• Crash Alert: Driver hurt in S Austin 18-wheeler crash (9/20/2022) - AUSTIN, TX – The driver of an 18-wheeler went to the hospital after his truck crashed along the interstate in South Austin early Tuesday morning, reports KXAN. Police say the incident happened around 1:15 a.m. on the southbound side of I-35 near FM-1327, which is just a few miles north of Buda. The preliminary report
• Crash Alert: 18-wheeler crash blocks all lanes on I-35 in central Austin (6/1/2022) - AUSTIN, TX – A crash involving an 18-wheeler caused major delays I-35 in central Austin on Wednesday afternoon. According to KXAN, the crash happened shortly after 4 p.m. in the southbound lanes of the interstate near Airport Boulevard. The cause of the crash, and the number of vehicles involved, are unclear at this time. However,
• Crash Alert: 2 seriously injured in North Austin crash involving 18-wheeler (4/13/2022) - AUSTIN, TX – Two people suffered major injuries after a collision with an 18-wheeler in North Austin early Wednesday morning. Austin-Travis County EMS responded to the crash just after 12:30 a.m. near the intersection of N Lamar Boulevard and W Braker Lane. Vehicle Rescue N Lamar Blvd / W Braker Ln (02:34) vehicle vs 18-wheeler
• Crash Alert: 1 injured after fiery collision involving 18-wheeler and motorcycle (4/8/2022) - MANOR, TX – One person was hurt in a crash involving an 18-wheeler and a motorcycle near Manor Friday night reports KXAN. The collision happened on State Highway 130 and US Highway 290 around 9:20 p.m. The impact caused the 18-wheeler to catch on fire. One victim was hospitalized with injuries although their condition was not
• Crash Alert: One hospitalized after fuel truck collision on SH 71 in Del Valle (11/23/2021) - TRAVIS COUNTY, TX — One person was injured Monday morning in a crash involving two commercial trucks on State Highway 71 in Del Valle, reports KXAN. Austin Fire Department said the collision occurred at the FM 973 intersection, east of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Details are limited, but Austin-Travis County EMS said one person was pinned