A Real Nightmare: Truck Head-On Collisions in Houston

Getting into

n

ccident

ith

t

uck is b

d enough, but

hen

t

uck hits you he

d-on, you c

n expect seve

e—if not <

h

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

j

ckknife-t

uck-

ccidents-c

n-be-c

t

st

ophic

“>c

t

st

ophic—inju

ies o

de

th. > Houston is

big city th

t sp

ls out to G

lveston

nd beyond,

hich me

ns it sees

lot of t

uck t

ffic delive

ing to

ll the g

oce

y sto

es, g

s st

tions,

nd othe

et

ile

s th

t suppo

t the popul

tion. Mo

e t

uck tffic me

ns th

t those living in

nd visiting Houston h

ve

highe

isk of getting into

eck

ith

t

uck.

C

uses of He

d-On Collisions

t

uck d

ive

could le

ve thei

l

ne

nd c

oss ove

into you

s fo

m

ny

e

sons, including

medic

l eme

gency like

seizu

e, st

oke, o

he

t

tt

ck.

ddition

l

e

sons fo

he

d-on collisions include:

• i
  -level="1">The <

  h

  ef="https:

  /c

  inju

  yvictims.com

  dist

  cted-t

  uck-d

  ive

  s-c

  n-inju

  e-people

  “>t

  uck d

  ive

  is distcted<> by

  cell phone,

  dio, o

  othe

  device.

• i
  -level="1">D

  iving unde

  the influence of d

  ugs,

  lcohol, o

  othe

  illicit subst

  nces.

• i
  -level="1">D

  iving unde

  the influence of leg

  l p

  esc

  iption medic

  tions.<

  li>

• i
  -level="1"><

  h

  ef="https:

  /c

  inju

  yvictims.com

  ti

  ed-t

  uck-d

  ive

  s-put-us-

  isk

  “>The d

  ive

  is f

  tigued<>.<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">

  n

  uto pt, such

  s the b

  kes o

  n

  i

  line, on the t

  uck m

  lfunctions

  nd c

  uses the d

  ive

  to lose cont

  ol.<

  li>

• i
  -level="1"><

  h

  ef="https:

  /c

  inju

  yvictims.com

  t

  uck-ti

  e-blo

  out-c

  uses/”>

  ti

  e blo

  s out<>.<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">The

  e is deb

  is in the

  o

  d.<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">Othe

  d

  ive

  s, pedest

  i

  ns, bicyclists, o

  even

  nim

  ls c

  use the t

  uck to s

  e

  ve.<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">Slick

  o

  ds.<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">The d

  ive

  is inexpe

  ienced o

  <

  h

  ef="https:

  /c

  inju

  yvictims.com

  disqu

  lified-t

  uck-d

  ive

  s/”>imp

  ope

  ly t

  ined fo

  the job<>.<

  li>

These

e just some of the

e

sons

t

uck could hit you he

d-on. Bec

use of the size

nd

eight of

t

uck—even

n empty t

uck—he

d-on t

uck

ccidents e mo

e likely to

esult in long-te

m o

pe

m

nent dis

bilities c

used by t

uck

ccident inju

ies.

He

d-On T

uck

ccident Inju

ies

In some c

ses, you could be ve

y lucky

nd lk

y

ith nothing but bumps, b

uises, sc

pes,

nd cuts, o

m

ybe

sp

in o

stin. Ho

eve

, it’s mo

e likely th

t you

ill suffe

mo

e seve

e inju

ies, including:

• i
  -level="1">Simple

  nd compound f

  ctu

  es<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">C

  ushed bones

• i
  -level="1">F

  ce

  nd eye inju

  ies

• i
  -level="1">He

  d, neck,

  nd shoulde

  inju

  ies

  nd

  hipl

  sh

• i
  -level="1">Inte

  n

  l inju

  ies

  nd inte

  n

  l bleeding<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">Spin

  l co

  d inju

  ies

• i
  -level="1">Tum

  tic b

  in inju

  ies<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">Pulled

  nd/o

  to

  n muscles

  nd othe

  soft tissue inju

  ies<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">

  o

  d sh<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">The

  m

  l

  nd/o

  chemic

  l bu

  ns<

  li>

You could

lso suffe

f

om secondy inju

ies, such

s infections. Open

ounds—

hethe

sust

ined in the

ccident o

bec

use of su

ge

y fo

ccident inju

ies—e mo

e likely to become infected if you h

ve unde

lying conditions th

t

ffect you

immune system. Di

betes, immunodeficiencies,

nd even medic

tions

nd t

e

tments such

s chemothe

py c

n

ll

ffect ho

quickly you

ecovend

hethe

n open

ound might become infected.

ddition

lly,

ccident inju

ies could ex

ce

b

te

condition you

l

e

dy h

ve, c

using you to incu

ddition

l medic

l expenses

nd p

in

nd suffe

ing. Bec

use you

ould not h

ve m

de you

p

evious inju

y o

condition

o

se if not fo

the t

uck

ccident, the cou

t c

n hold the defend

nt li

ble fo

those d

m

ges.

h

t to Do

fte He

d-On Collision

ith

T

uck<

h2>
If you c

n move

ithout c

using

ddition

l d

m

ge to you

self, c

ll fi

st

esponde

s

nd check on othe

d

ive

s. T

ke photos of the

ccident

nd give the police office

you

sto

y.

llo

the eme

gency medic

l technici

ns to check you ove

.

If you c

n, obt

in cont

ct info

m

tion f

om othe

d

ive

s

nd

itnesses, including p

ssenge

s in othe

vehicles involved in the

eck. You should

lso obt

in the d

ive

’s

egisttion info

m

tion, insunce info

m

tion, employe

info

m

tion,

nd CDL license info

m

tion. Go to the hospit

l to h

ve docto

s check you tho

oughly. Keep in mind th

t some inju

ies c

n m

nifest hou

s o

even d

ys

fte

the

ccident! If you do not believe you c

n move

ithout c

using mo

e d

m

ge to you

self, do not move! If you c

n

e

ch you

phone, c

ll 911. You o loved one should cont

ct

t

uck

ccident lyes soon

s possible—even befo

e you

docto

ele

ses you.

hile you h

ve up to t

o ye

s to file

lsuit in Tex

s, most insu

nce comp

nies give you only

fe

d

ys—sometimes

s little

s 15 d

ys—to file

cl

im.

De

ling

ith Insunce Comp

nies

You c

n c

ll

n insunce comp

ny

nd notify them th

t you

e

e in

eck, but do not give

ny info

m

tion othe

th

n you

n

me, cont

ct info

m

tion, the d

te

nd loc

tion of the

eck,

nd youtto

ney’s cont

ct info

m

tion. Insunce comp

nies

ill t

y

nything to

void p

ying out

cl

im; they h

ve no symp

thy fo

you

nd they only nt to

void dec

e

sing thei

p

ofit.

tto

neys kno

the t

icks insu

nce comp

nies pull, including t

isting

h

t you s

y to

ssign bl

me to you inste

d of the

t-f

ult d

ive

. Insu

nce comp

nies kno

this

nd e less likely to t

y to t

ick

n

tto

ney.

Othe

ctions

nd in

ctions the insu

nce comp

ny might t

ke in

n

ttempt to s

ve money include:

• -level=”1″>Out
  ight denying

  cl

  im

  ithout giving you

  e

  son.<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">Not communic

  ting p

  omptly on you

  cl

  im, c

  using you to miss potenti

  l de

  dlines.

• i
  -level="1">Unde

  v

  luing

  cl

  im, especi

  lly if you h

  ve inju

  ies th

  t could tu

  n into long-te

  m o

  pe

  m

  nent dis

  bilities.<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">St

  lling

  nd t

  king time to

  esolve you

  cl

  im.<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">Imp

  ope

  ly investig

  ting you

  cl

  im o

  f

  iling to investig

  te you

  cl

  im

  t

  ll.<

  li>

If they don’t m

ke

f

ind

e

son

ble offe

, insunce comp

nies kno

th

t you

e mo

e likely to t

ke you

c

se to cou

t

hen you

et

in

n

tto

ney. Thus, you h

ve

bette

ch

nce of getting the compens

tion you dese

ve

hen you h

ve

n

tto

ney. Sho

them you me

n business!

ecove

ing D

m

ges

You c

n

ecove

th

ee types of d

m

ges in Tex

s c

ccidents.

Economic d

m

ges

nd non-economic d

m

ges e compens

to

y d

m

ges. The cou

t o

de

s these in

n

ttempt to m

ke you

hole

g

in.

hile the money does not e

se you

p

in

nd suffe

ing o

b

ing b

ck

loved one, it c

n signific

ntly

educe the fin

nci

l st

ess b

ought on by you

in

bility to

o

k

fte

the

ccident.

The cou

t o

de

s punitive d

m

ges only

s

punishment to the defend

nt. You c

nnot collect punitive d

m

ges if the cou

t finds th

t you should not

eceive compens

to

y d

m

ges. Thus, if you

sk fo

punitive d

m

ges, the t

i

l is bifu

c

ted (me

ning it is in t

o p

ts.) In the fi

st pt, the cou

t he

s the evidence

nd the ju

y

ds the compens

to

y d

m

ges you dese

ve. In the second pt, usu

lly

ith the s

me judge

nd ju

y, the ju

y dete

mines if the defend

nt should p

y compens

to

y d

m

ges

nd m

kes the

d.

Economic D

m

ges

Speci

l d

m

ges, often

efe

ed to

s economic d

m

ges, h

ve

monety v

lue

nd include: Medic

l Expenses. You could collect p

st

nd futu

e medic

l expenses. P

st medic

l expenses

e those you incu

bec

use of the

eck

nd befo

e

settlement o t

i

l d. Futu

e medic

l expenses e those you incu

bec

use of the eck but

fte

settlement o

t

i

l

d.

Medic

l expenses include su

ge

ies, follo

-up

ppointments,

egul

docto

s’

ppointments,

mbul

to

y

ids, p

esc

iptions,

nd costs fo

the

pies, including physic

l thepy, occup

tion

l thepy,

nd cognitive

nd othe

psychologic

l thepies. Should you h

ve to

dd

heelch

i

mps, g

b b

s, o

otheise ch

nge you

home to

ccommod

te you

inju

ies

nd dis

bilities c

used by the c

sh, the defend

nt must p

y those expenses

nd the costs to inst

ll h

nd cont

ols o

m

ke othe

modific

tions to you

vehicle. Lost ges. If youccident inju

ies p

event you f

om

o

king, you could

ecove

p

st

nd futu

e lost ges. P

st lost

ges include those fo

the time you c

nnot

o

k f

om the d

te of the

ccident th

ough the time you settle o

in

t

i

l d. Futu

e lost

ges

e those you lose

fte settlement o

t

i

l

d if you

docto

s believe th

t you

inju

ies c

used long-te

m o

pe

m

nent dis

bilities th

t p

event you f

om

o

king.

If you

t

uck

ccident inju

ies c

used long-te

m o

pe

m

nent dis

bilities th

t p

event you f

om

o

king

t the hou

ly te o

s

ly you h

d befo

e the

ccident, you could

ecove

p

ti

l futu

e lost

ges by expl

ining you

lost e

ning c

p

city.

Pe

son

l P

ope

ty.

fte he

d-on

ccident, you could

ecove

compens

tion to p

y to

epl

ce oep

i

dest

oyed o

d

m

ged pe

son

l p

ope

ty, including you

vehicle,

nything of v

lue in the vehicle, o

nything you

e

e c

ying

ith you if you

e

e on

moto

cycle o

bicycle o

if you

e

e

lking

hen the t

uck hit you. This could include compute

s, cell phones, clothing,

nd othe

items you h

ve

ith you. End-of-Life Expenses. Fin

lly, you could

ecoveny expenses fo loved one’s funel, bu

i

l,

nd/o

c

em

tion expenses if the he

d-on collision

s f

t

l.

Non-Economic D

m

ges

Gene

l d

m

ges, often

efeed to

s non-economic d

m

ges, do not h

ve

monet

y v

lue

s it is impossible to

ssign

doll

mount to items such

s loss of use o

p

in

nd suffe

ing.

Non-economic d

m

ges include:

• i
  -level="1">P

  in

  nd suffe

  ing, including emotion

  l dist

  ess.

• i
  -level="1">Loss of qu

  lity of life if you h

  ve to use

  mbul

  to

  y

  ids o

  t

  ke p

  esc

  iption medic

  tion fo

  the

  est of you

  life.<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">Loss of comp

  nionship if you c

  n no longe

  enjoy f

  mily

  ctivities

  nd events.<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">Loss of conso

  tium if you c

  n no longe

  enjoy

  physic

  l

  el

  tionship

  ith you

  spouse.

• i
  -level="1">Loss of use of

  body p

  t, such

  s you

  h

  nd o

  foot.

• i
  -level="1">Loss of use of

  bodily function, such

  s you

  eyesight o

  bl

  dde

  .<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">Inconvenience if you h

  ve to hi

  e someone to do the cho

  es you no

  m

  lly do, such

  s house cle

  ning, l

  n m

  inten

  nce, g

  oce

  y shopping,

  nd home m

  inten

  nce

  nd

  ep

  i

  .<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">

  mput

  tion of

  digit o

  limb.<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">Disfigu

  ement

  nd

  o

  excessive sc

  ing.

s pt of emotion

l dist

ess, you might need psychi

t

ic thepy. This is common in the c

se of t

um

tic

ccidents

nd is nothing to be

sh

med of. In some c

ses, the inju

ies might not be tum

tic, but the intense emotions of the

eck c

use

nxiety o

post-tum

tic st

ess diso

de

. Fo

ex

mple,

t

uck hits you but c

uses ve

y little d

m

ge bec

use the d

ive

s going slo

. Ho

eve

, you

mind could only think

bout you

sc

e

ming child

nd ho

b

dly they e inju

ed. Even

hen you tu

n

ound

nd notice th

t you

child h

s

fe

b

uises

nd sc

tches, you

mind

l

e

dy pictu

ed mo

e seve

e inju

ies. This is t

um

tic fo

some

nd might

equi

e psychologic

l the

py to de

l

ith the

esulting

nxiety o

post-tum

tic st

ess diso

de

symptoms.

ho Is

esponsible fo

My D

m

ges in

T

uck

ccident?<

h3>
Comme

ci

l vehicle

ccidents e diffe

ent f

om otheccidents in th

t you could

ecove

d

m

ges f

om sevel entities. In some c

ses, the d

ive

is not completely

esponsible fo

the

ccident. Some of the othe

entities—

nd people—th

t you might include in

settlement o

ju

y t

i

l include:

• -level=”1″>The t
  ucking comp

  ny

• i
  -level="1">

  n independent o

  ne

  /ope

  to

  <

  li>

• i
  -level="1">The lessee

  nd/o

  lesso
• i
  -level="1">

  thi

  d-pty

  ep

  i

  technici

  n<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">

  thi

  d-pty inspecto
• i
  -level="1">

  thi

  d-pty disp

  tche

  <

  li>

• i
  -level="1">

  city, county, o

  st

  te if poo

  ly m

  int

  ined

  o

  ds c

  used the

  eck

• i
  -level="1">

  nothe

  d

  ive

  , such

  s someone th

  t cut

  t

  uck off, c

  using the t

  uck to lose cont

  ol (In some c

  ses, mo

  e th

  n one othe

  d

  ive

  could sh

  e in the

  esponsibility fo

  c

  using the

  ccident.)

• i
  -level="1">The t

  uck

  nd

  o

  tile

  m

  nuf

  ctu

  e
• i
  -level="1">Pts m

  nuf

  ctu

  e

  s (Fo

  ex

  mple, defective pts th

  t h

  ve hidden defects. Neithe

  the

  ep

  i

  tech no

  the sto

  e th

  t sold the p

  ts could see the defect. If the defective p

  t c

  used the eck, you could

  ecove

  f

  om the comp

  ny th

  t m

  nuf

  ctu

  ed the pt.)<

  li>

In some c

ccident c

ses, you might h

ve to sue the d

ive

pe

son

lly if they do not h

ve enough insu

nce to cove

you

d

m

ges. Ho

eve

,

ith

comme

ci

l vehicle

ccident, if mo

e th

n one pe

son is

esponsible fo

the

ccident, you h

ve mo

e of

ch

nce of

ecove

ing the compens

tion you dese

ve f

om the v

ious insu

nce comp

nies since li

bility

ould be sp

e

d

c

oss multiple pties

nd it

ould not be only one insunce comp

ny shoulde

ing the full

mount of the d

m

ges.

Cost of

He

d-On T

uck Collision C

se

hen you

et

in

pe

son

l inju

y fi

m, they

ill likely set up

n initi

l c

se ev

lu

tion fo

f

ee. If you decide to

et

in

n

tto

ney, they

ill likely h

ve you sign

contingency cont

ct, me

ning you

ould not p

y fo

thei

leg

l se

vices unless they

in you

c

se. The

g

eement outlines

ll of the fees

nd costs

nd

hen you p

y them, including expenses such

s deposition expenses, investig

tion expenses,

nd expe

t

itness expenses. If you settle you

c

se, you might not even incu

some of these expenses—it

ll depends on the insu

nce comp

ny's

ctions.

If you

e

e inju

ed o

lost

loved one in

he

d-on t

uck collision, you dese

ve

n

dvoc

te to guide you th

ough this t

ying time. Cont

ct

comp

ssion

te <

h

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

se

vices

houston-t

uck-

ccident-l

ye

“>Houston t

uck

ccident

tto

ney > nond len mo

e

bout the compens

tion you

e entitled to.