Fort Worth Truck Accident Lawyer

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A Fort Worth truck accident with an 18-wheeler on I-35W or a jackknifed semi on Loop 820 is not like any other crash. The physical forces involved are incomparable. A loaded commercial truck can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. 

The passenger vehicle in its path may weigh less than 4,000. When those forces meet, the results are catastrophic, and the legal battle that follows is just as overwhelming as the physical one.

Medical bills pile up before you have had time to process what happened. The trucking company’s insurer has already assigned a team to manage the claim, and their goal is simple: pay as little as possible, as fast as possible. 

Without someone in your corner who understands how these cases work, that process happens around you, not for you.

At Stephens Law, our Fort Worth truck accident attorneys have spent years representing people who were seriously hurt in commercial truck crashes throughout Tarrant County and North Texas. 

We handle the investigation, deal with the insurers, and pursue every available avenue of liability while our clients focus on recovery. 

Consultations are free, and we work on contingency, meaning no fees unless we recover compensation for you. Call us today.

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Why Stephens Law for Your Fort Worth Truck Accident Case

We Know the Roads, the Corridors, and the Stakes

Fort Worth sits at the center of one of the busiest commercial trucking corridors in the country. Alliance Airport in north Fort Worth feeds a massive distribution network that routes freight through I-35W, I-20, Loop 820, and US-287 around the clock. 

Tarrant County recorded 1,716 commercial truck crashes in 2024, including 19 fatalities, according to data compiled from TxDOT crash records. That works out to roughly five truck crashes every single day in this county alone.

Stephens Law is based in Fort Worth. We are not a volume firm sending cases across the state. When a client calls us after a crash on I-30 near downtown or on US-287 outside Arlington, we know those roads personally. 

We know the freight patterns, the common carrier violations on those routes, and how Tarrant County courts handle these cases.

Trucking Cases Require a Different Level of Investigation

Car accident cases are complex. Truck accident cases are a different category entirely. A single commercial carrier crash may involve the truck driver, the trucking company, a cargo loading contractor, a maintenance vendor, and a vehicle manufacturer, all potentially carrying some portion of liability.

Federal regulations enforced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) govern everything from driver hours-of-service to vehicle inspection requirements. Electronic logging devices on commercial trucks record the driver’s duty status, engine hours, and location data, but that data must be preserved quickly before it is overwritten or destroyed. 

Our team moves immediately after a crash to send preservation letters, retain accident reconstruction professionals where the case demands it, and build a complete record before critical evidence disappears.

Contingency Representation With Personal Attention

Truck accident victims should not have to worry about legal fees while they are trying to recover. At Stephens Law, attorney Jason Stephens and our legal team review every case personally. 

Clients are not handed off to a paralegal and forgotten. We are reachable, responsive, and committed to keeping clients informed throughout the process.

The Challenges Truck Accident Victims Face in Fort Worth

One of the most frustrating realities in Fort Worth truck accident cases is how quickly the other side acts. Carrier insurers often deploy claims teams and sometimes investigators to crash scenes within hours. 

They are gathering evidence and taking statements at a time when injured victims are in emergency rooms or processing the trauma of what just happened.

That head start matters. 

Our attorneys work to close that gap by acting immediately when a new client comes to us, preserving ELD data, black box recordings, maintenance records, and driver qualification files before the carrier has an opportunity to claim those records are unavailable.

Multiple Liable Parties and Complex Insurance Structures

Unlike a standard two-car accident, a truck crash often involves multiple insurance policies and multiple defendants. The driver’s personal policy, the carrier’s commercial policy, a cargo insurer, and an equipment manufacturer may all be relevant depending on what caused the crash. 

Sorting through those layers requires knowledge of both state tort law and federal motor carrier regulations, and knowing which party to pursue, and in what order, shapes the entire strategy.

Insurance Adjusters Are Not on Your Side

This bears saying plainly. The adjuster calling you after a truck crash works for the insurer, not for you. Recorded statements, early settlement offers, and questions about your prior medical history are all tools designed to limit what the company pays. 

Adjusters deal with us, not with an injured person who is still in pain and not yet aware of what their claim is actually worth.

Who Qualifies for Legal Representation After a Fort Worth Truck Crash

Most people who contact us after a commercial truck accident in Fort Worth have a legitimate basis for a claim, even if they are not certain. A claim may be appropriate when:

• Another party’s negligence caused the crash: Driver error, hours-of-service violations, improper cargo loading, brake failures from poor maintenance, and distracted driving all constitute negligence that may support a claim.
• Physical injuries were sustained: Truck accident claims are built around documented harm, including injuries that required emergency treatment, ongoing care, or that have affected the ability to work or live normally.
• A family member was killed: Surviving spouses, children, and parents may pursue wrongful death claims under Texas law when a commercial truck crash takes a life.
• A delivery or commercial vehicle was involved: Claims are not limited to 18-wheelers. Delivery vans, cement trucks, tanker trucks, and other commercial vehicles all fall within this practice area.

Every situation has variables, and the best way to know whether a Fort Worth truck accident claim is viable is to talk through the details. That conversation is free.

Types of Truck Accident Cases We Handle in Fort Worth

Fort Worth’s freight infrastructure produces a wide range of serious crash types. Our attorneys handle them all:

• Tractor-trailer and 18-wheeler crashes: High-speed collisions on I-35W, I-20, and Loop 820 involving long-haul carriers or regional freight trucks.
• Jackknife accidents: Common on highway curves and wet road surfaces, often causing multi-vehicle pile-ups when a trailer swings into adjacent lanes.
• Underride crashes: Among the most deadly crash types, where a passenger vehicle slides beneath a truck’s trailer in a high-speed collision.
• Fatigued driver crashes: Hours-of-service violations are a documented cause of serious truck accidents. When ELD data and driver logs show a pattern of fatigue-related violations, that evidence is central to the claim.
• Cargo-related crashes: Overloaded trucks, improperly secured cargo, and shifting loads that cause rollovers or loss of control.
• Hazardous materials accidents: Alliance Airport and the North Fort Worth corridor route significant volumes of fuel and chemical shipments. These crashes carry additional liability considerations.
• Wrongful death from truck accidents: When a crash is fatal, we represent surviving family members in pursuing accountability from every responsible party.

These cases share common threads but carry distinct legal considerations. Our attorneys evaluate each one individually.

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Compensation Available in a Fort Worth Truck Accident Claim

A serious truck accident claim seeks to account for every measurable impact of the crash on the victim’s life. Compensation may include:

• Medical expenses: Emergency care, surgery, hospitalization, rehabilitation, ongoing treatment, and projected future medical costs for long-term injuries.
• Lost income: Wages missed during recovery and, in catastrophic injury cases, the long-term reduction in what a person is physically capable of earning.
• Property damage: Repair or replacement of the vehicle and any personal property damaged in the crash.
• Pain and suffering: The physical and emotional toll of a serious injury, including disruptions to daily life, sleep, and relationships.
• Wrongful death damages: For families who lost someone, this may include financial support the deceased provided, loss of companionship, and funeral and burial costs.

The specific value of a truck accident claim depends on the severity of injuries, the quality of documentation, the number of liable parties, and the insurance coverage in place. Our attorneys evaluate all of these factors before assessing what a claim may be worth.

Texas Comparative Fault and Truck Claims

Texas follows a modified comparative fault rule. If an injured person is found to be partially at fault for the crash, their compensation is reduced proportionally. If fault reaches 51 percent, recovery is generally barred. 

Trucking companies and their insurers sometimes attempt to assign a portion of blame to the injured driver as a way to reduce what they owe. Building a thorough, evidence-backed case from the beginning is the most effective counter to that strategy.

The Two-Year Filing Deadline

Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003, personal injury and wrongful death claims must be filed within two years of the injury or death. Missing this deadline typically extinguishes the right to pursue compensation entirely. 

Acting early also protects evidence that disappears over time, making prompt legal involvement significant for more than just deadline compliance.

Frequently Asked Questions About Fort Worth Truck Accident Claims

What makes a truck accident claim more complicated than a regular car accident?

Commercial truck crashes involve federal regulations, multiple potentially liable parties, and evidence, such as electronic logging data and inspection records, that standard car accident cases do not. 

Carrier insurers are also typically more sophisticated and better resourced than personal auto insurers. These factors make the claim fundamentally more complex and the consequences of a misstep more significant.

How soon after a truck accident should I contact an attorney?

As soon as reasonably possible. Trucking companies and their insurers sometimes act within hours of a crash to begin managing the claim from their side. Critical evidence, including ELD data, dash cam footage, and driver phone records, may be overwritten or unavailable if it is not preserved quickly. The earlier an attorney is involved, the more of that evidence remains accessible.

Can I still pursue a claim if I was partly at fault for the crash?

Possibly. Texas’s comparative fault rule allows recovery as long as an injured party’s fault is below 51 percent. Compensation is reduced by the percentage of fault assigned. 

Whether and to what degree fault is attributed to an injured person is a contested question in most truck accident cases, and it is one our attorneys work to address with evidence from the investigation.

What if the truck driver was an independent contractor rather than a company employee?

The driver’s employment classification affects, but does not determine, liability. Trucking companies sometimes classify drivers as independent contractors in an attempt to limit their own exposure. 

Courts and attorneys look past that classification in many cases, examining the degree of control the carrier exercised over the driver. Other parties, including cargo brokers and shippers, may also carry liability regardless of driver status.

How long does a Fort Worth truck accident case typically take to resolve?

It depends on the complexity of the case, the severity of injuries, and whether it resolves through settlement or litigation. 

Cases involving catastrophic injuries, disputed liability, or multiple defendants often take longer, in part because the full picture of long-term losses needs to be understood before a resolution reflects what the claim is actually worth. Our attorneys provide realistic timelines during the free consultation.

What does it cost to hire a truck accident attorney at Stephens Law?

Nothing upfront. We work on a contingency basis, meaning our fees come from the compensation we recover. If we do not recover compensation for you, you owe us nothing. The initial consultation is free and carries no obligation.

When the Road Ahead Feels Impossible, Stephens Law Is Ready to Help

Stephens Law has deep roots in this city and in Tarrant County courts. We take truck accident cases seriously because the stakes demand it. 

Our attorneys pursue every liable party, fight back against lowball settlements, and stand with clients through every stage of the process.

The consultation is free. The representation costs nothing unless we recover for you. 

Call Stephens Law today or contact us through our online form to talk through what happened and learn what your options are with a Fort Worth personal injury lawyer.

Stephens Law | Fort Worth Truck Accident Attorneys Serving Tarrant County, Parker County, and all of North Texas.

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Jason Stephens
Named a Top 10 Trucking Trial Lawyer in Texas
National Trial Lawyers Association
(2023 – present)

Stephens Law | Personal Injury | Wrongful Death | Truck Accidents Fort Worth Office

1300 S University Dr #300
Fort Worth, TX 76107

Ph: (817) 420-7000