San Antonio Truck Underride Accident Lawyer
When a smaller vehicle collides with the rear or side of a large truck and slides underneath, the results can be catastrophic. These crashes, known as underride accidents, are among the most devastating on Texas roads. At the Law Office of Israel Garcia, our San Antonio truck underride accident lawyer understands how life-altering these collisions can be. We’re here to help victims and families hold negligent trucking companies and drivers accountable.
Whether caused by poor visibility, missing safety guards, or sudden stops, underride crashes often lead to severe injuries or fatalities. Our team has the experience and resources to investigate the cause and fight for maximum compensation.
What Makes Underride Accidents So Dangerous?
Underride accidents happen when a car becomes trapped beneath a trailer, often shearing off the roof of the vehicle. These crashes frequently occur on highways, in low-light conditions, or when trucks make abrupt maneuvers.
Common causes of truck underride accidents in San Antonio include:
- Lack of rear or side underride guards on trailers
- Trucks making illegal or unsafe U-turns
- Sudden braking by the truck driver
- Poorly marked or broken-down trailers parked on roadways
- Driver fatigue, distraction, or poor weather visibility
Our firm takes these cases seriously because they almost always involve severe injury, brain trauma, paralysis, or death. We work closely with crash reconstruction experts and medical professionals to present a compelling case on your behalf.
Who Is Liable in an Underride Truck Crash?
These crashes may seem like freak accidents, but they’re often the result of avoidable safety failures. Several parties can be held responsible, depending on the facts of the case.
Potentially liable parties include:
- The truck driver, if they made an unsafe stop or turn
- The trucking company, for failing to install or maintain underride guards
- The trailer manufacturer, if the guards were defective or failed
- Maintenance contractors who ignored mechanical or visibility issues
Our San Antonio truck underride accident lawyers will examine all aspects of the crash, from visibility and lighting to braking distance and guard design, to determine who should be held accountable.
What Compensation Can You Recover?
Because of the severity of these accidents, the damages victims and families face are often substantial. We pursue full and fair compensation for:
– Emergency room and hospital bills
– Surgeries and long-term care costs
– Loss of income or earning potential
– Pain and suffering
– Disfigurement or disability
– Funeral expenses and wrongful death damages
If you’ve been injured or lost a loved one in an underride accident, you deserve more than an insurance settlement. You deserve justice—and our attorneys will help you fight for it.
What is an underride guard, and why does it matter?
An underride guard is a metal bar installed on the rear or sides of a trailer to prevent smaller vehicles from sliding underneath during a crash. These guards are required by law on most commercial trucks. When guards are missing, damaged, or poorly designed, the risk of fatal injury increases dramatically. At our firm, we investigate whether guard failures contributed to your accident and who is responsible for that oversight.
Do I have a case if the truck was stopped when I hit it?
Yes. Even if the truck was stationary, you may still have a claim—especially if the trailer lacked proper reflective tape, lighting, or was illegally stopped on the roadway. Texas law requires commercial trucks to follow strict safety regulations when pulling over or parking. If those weren’t followed, you may be entitled to compensation.
How long do I have to file a lawsuit after an underride accident?
In Texas, you typically have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit. However, evidence can disappear quickly—especially with trucking companies. It’s important to contact a San Antonio truck underride accident lawyer as soon as possible so we can begin preserving critical information like dash cam footage, maintenance records, and crash data.
Talk to a San Antonio Truck Underride Accident Lawyer Today
Underride accidents are some of the most preventable and tragic truck crashes we handle. At the Law Office of Israel Garcia, we’ll take the time to understand your case, explain your options, and fight for the justice and compensation you deserve. Call us today at (210) 529-9999 or reach out through our online contact form to schedule a free consultation. Se habla español.
