Texas Log Truck Accident Lawyer
Logging is a massive industry in Texas. While logging is an important part of the Texas economy, that also means that there are many trucks carrying loads of logs and other heavy equipment on Texas roadways every day. Even a safely-loaded logging truck can turn into a deadly danger. On a narrow or rural road, even a well-balanced truck poses a threat. If a truck is loaded improperly, if a trucker is driving recklessly, or if any party involved does their job negligently, then a logging truck can easily cause a catastrophic and even deadly accident.
If you or someone you love has been hurt in an accident with a logging truck, you have the right to compensation for the harm you have suffered. At the Gilbert Adams Law Offices, our logging truck accident attorneys help Texas injury victims and their families recover compensation for their losses from truckers, logging companies, and any other parties responsible for the damages they have endured.
What Causes a Log Truck Accident?
Logging companies operate primarily by harvesting and transporting pine trees. They cut the trees near the bottom and then stack those logs onto trailers, which are then hauled by tractor-trailers or 18 wheelers to mills for processing. Logging companies are generally paid by the load. Larger loads pay more money. They are therefore financially incentivized to stack the logs as high as possible to transport as much as they can as quickly as possible. Overloading or improperly loading a truck can lead the truck to become imbalanced over time, or it can leave part of the load unsecured and at risk of flying off the trailer during transport causing injury or death to nearby motorists.
Any number of issues can lead to a log truck accident. Risk factors that can contribute to logging collisions include the following:
- Nighttime and weather. Log trucks often get on the road early in the morning or continue driving late into the night in order to be first in line at the mill the next morning. They may ignore rain, snow, fog, and other inclement weather. Drivers in a hurry despite poor driving conditions, especially when operating massive vehicles, are likely to cause a wreck.
- Imbalanced loads. Loads need to be balanced properly on a trailer to avoid tipping. A truck with an imbalanced load is likely to tip over on a sharp turn or lose control when traveling at high speeds on a freeway.
- Aggressive or unreasonable driving tactics. Logging truck drivers are often in a hurry, despite the fact that they are driving massive vehicles dragging huge, loose loads. Drivers who try to pass, drive on the shoulder, or change lanes suddenly are likely to cause a crash.
- Back roads. Logging routes are often on backroads and not as straight-forward as simply following the big six-lane freeway. Log trucks often take rural roads in order to bypass weigh stations, avoid fines for being overweight, or even just to shave off some driving time. Logging trucks are not suited for navigating narrow, curvy or poorly paved roads are at risk of causing a collision.
- Intoxicated driving. Truckers can face long, punishing hours on the road. They may self-medicate with alcohol or drugs to stay awake or focused or relieve the boredom of the road. Driving a truck while under the influence of drugs or alcohol can easily lead to a serious truck accident.
- Loose cargo. In addition to balance, trucker hauls must be properly secured. Log trucks, in particular, carry a large bunch of loose, heavy objects which can easily become dislodged. There is little else more frightening than driving on the freeway and seeing a strap break or a log come loose, sending the log rolling onto the road or flying through the air and into nearby traffic. Loose cargo is likely to lead to a catastrophic, deadly crash.
Recovering After a Log Truck Accident
Logging trucks are subject to specific, stringent regulations by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Violating safety regulations is strong proof of negligence. Trucks that are overloaded, that are imbalanced, that are driven by truckers who ignore limitations on hours driven per day and per week, or that are otherwise operated negligently by individuals or companies are likely to cause a catastrophic wreck.
The Texas log truck accident attorney at the Gilbert Adams Law Offices knows the law and knows how to reconstruct the circumstances leading to a crash. We can help you prove that a truck driver, a logging company, a truck manufacturer, or some other third-party contractor was negligent and that their poor behavior led to your serious wreck. We will fight for your right to compensation, including repayment for medical bills and lost wages as well as compensation for your pain and suffering and other mental distress caused by the crash.
Helping for Victims of a Log Truck Accident
If you’ve been in an accident caused by a logging truck in Texas, call us at the Gilbert Adams Law Offices. Since 1930, we’ve helped traffic accident victims in Texas assert their rights against insurance companies, drivers, construction companies, and other responsible parties, and we look forward to helping you and your family too.
