Truck Accident Lawyer Garland TX | Free Case Review | TALDT

The Basics

What Counts as a Truck Accident Case in Garland

A truck accident case is an injury claim in which at least one vehicle is a commercial truck. Federal rules at 49 CFR 390.5 reach most trucks rated at 10,001 pounds or more that operate in interstate commerce. Texas applies similar rules to trucks that stay inside the state. A semi truck accident lawyer Garland TX drivers rely on looks well past tractor-trailers. Garland truck accidents often involve:

• 18-wheelers on I-30 and I-635
• Tankers carrying fuel and chemicals
• Flatbeds and box trucks serving plants and warehouses
• Dump trucks and concrete mixers on construction sites
• Delivery vans and City of Garland garbage trucks

Each one is a commercial truck accident when a business vehicle caused the crash. The claim then runs against a company with its own insurer and its own lawyers. A truck accident lawyer Garland residents consult should start with that company.

Truck vs. Car Accident Cases in Garland

A car accident in Garland between two passenger cars usually involves two auto policies and one crash report. Car accident claims of that kind rarely need engine downloads or federal driving logs. Truck accident cases need both. Many car accident lawyers in Garland handle car accident cases well but seldom request carrier records.

If you were injured in a car accident and the other vehicle was a commercial truck, you have a truck case. The same is true for anyone involved in a car, on a motorcycle or on foot when a truck caused the motor vehicle accident. A Garland car accident with no commercial vehicle is a different claim, and a car accident lawyer or car accident attorney who focuses on auto accident work may fit it better.

Texas car accident fault rules still apply, but a truck wreck adds federal rules and larger policies. Even a minor car wreck with a delivery van can become a truck claim. The truck accident lawyer Garland drivers call should confirm the claim type before an insurer labels it.

See our page on commercial truck accident claims. Not sure your crash qualifies? Ask us or contact us.

Garland Is Its Own City: Who Investigates a Truck Crash in Garland, TX

Garland has its own police department and ordinances. Garland Police investigate crashes inside city limits, including crashes on the parts of I-30 and I-635 that run through Garland. The officer writes the Texas Peace Officer Crash Report, known as the CR-3. A truck accident lawyer Garland clients hire can request that accident report from Garland Police or buy it through the TxDOT Crash Report Online Purchase System.

A crash just across the line may belong to Dallas, Mesquite, Rowlett, Richardson or Sachse police. The right report names the carrier, the truck driver and the officer.

Crashes Near the County Lines

Most of Garland lies in Dallas County. Small parts of the city reach into Collin County and Rockwall County, and the county where the crash happened can affect where a lawsuit is filed. Under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §15.002, a lawsuit is generally filed in the county where all or a substantial part of the events happened, or in the county of a defendant residence or principal office. The truck accident lawyer Garland families hire will use the crash location to pick the correct court.

City Vehicles and Notice Deadlines

A crash with a City of Garland garbage truck, utility truck or public works vehicle is a claim against a government. The Texas Tort Claims Act, Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 101.101, requires written notice within six months, and a city charter can set a shorter period. Truck routes, loading rules and construction hours come from the City of Garland Code of Ordinances. A violation can support a negligence claim.

What to request and from whom:

I-30, I-635 and the Bush Turnpike: 18-Wheeler Corridors in Garland

TALDT handles 18-wheeler injury claims across Garland, and an 18 wheeler accident attorney Garland drivers call needs to know these roads by name. Each one produces a different kind of truck crash. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, Dallas County recorded 3,857 crashes involving commercial motor vehicles in 2024, and those crashes killed 29 people. A count for the City of Garland alone requires a separate TxDOT crash records query. A truck accident lawyer Garland drivers hire can run that query for the exact road segment.

Recent Truck Wrecks on Garland-Area Roads

Local news has covered several of these crashes.

• November 1, 2022: FOX 4 reported a fatal fire after one 18-wheeler struck another on the shoulder of westbound I-30 near the Bush Turnpike.
• June 2026: NBC 5 and CBS Texas reported a westbound I-30 crash in Garland that spilled paper rolls into the eastbound lanes, where an SUV hit the cargo and a mother and two children were seriously hurt.
• I-635 at Jupiter Road: WFAA reported a methanol spill after a truck hit the wall on westbound I-635 at Jupiter Road.

Garland Truck Crash Data: City, Dallas County, Collin County, Rockwall County and Texas Statistics, 2024 and 2025

Every number below says where it came from. The figures come from the official crash records of the Texas Department of Transportation, compiled from Texas Peace Officer's Crash Reports (CR-3), and from federal crash data published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The Garland rows count crashes of all vehicle types inside city limits. The county and Texas rows count commercial motor vehicle (CMV) crashes only. TxDOT does not publish a separate commercial vehicle table for the City of Garland, so Dallas County, where most of Garland lies, and Collin County and Rockwall County, which take in small parts of the city, are shown as the closest official commercial vehicle measures.

Three figures in that table matter to anyone hurt in Garland. Reportable crashes inside city limits fell from 3,195 in 2024 to 2,810 in 2025, a drop of about 12%, yet suspected serious injuries in Garland crashes rose slightly from 104 to 106. In Dallas County, fatal commercial vehicle crashes rose from 27 to 33 and deaths in those crashes rose from 29 to 37, even though the total number of CMV crashes fell slightly. A truck accident lawyer Garland drivers call uses these totals for context and still pulls the report for each crash.

Figures are taken from published TxDOT and NHTSA data for the calendar years shown. TxDOT 2024 counts reflect CR-3 reports processed as of 9 April 2025, and 2025 counts reflect reports processed as of 7 April 2026. Percentages are our calculation from the published counts. Crash record totals are revised by the agencies over time, and no statistic describes the facts of any individual case or predicts the outcome of any claim.

Common Causes of Truck Crashes Around Garland

• Loads that were not secured or shifted in transit
• Fatigue and hours-of-service violations under 49 CFR Part 395
• Distraction and speeding through work zones on I-635
• Unsafe lane changes and following too close on I-30
• Wide right turns and backing out of driveways
• Worn brakes and tires

Truck accidents may have more than one cause. Each cause on this list points to a record that a truck accident lawyer Garland victims hire can subpoena. See our pages on 18-wheeler accident claims and multi-vehicle pileups.

Spilled Loads, Hazmat and Industrial Truck Crashes in Garland

Several recent Garland truck crashes started with cargo, and a commercial vehicle accident lawyer Garland families contact after a spill will ask who loaded the trailer, who secured it and who drove it.

When the Cargo Causes the Crash

Federal cargo securement rules at 49 CFR Part 393 require loads to be tied down so they cannot shift or fall. The shipper often loads the trailer. The motor carrier and the driver must check that the load is secure before the trip and during it. When a load falls, fault can sit with the shipper, the carrier, the driver or all three.

A driver who hits spilled cargo in the opposite lanes has a claim of their own. Those accident victims in Garland were not part of the first collision, yet the securement records decide their case too. The truck accident lawyer Garland drivers retain after a spill should request the loading records right away. Find out who loaded the truck that hit you.

Tanker and Hazmat Crashes

Tankers moving fuel and chemicals along I-635 and I-30 follow federal hazardous materials rules and must carry higher insurance than general freight carriers. A spill can cause burns, breathing injuries and chemical exposure in people the truck never touched. See our page on hazmat truck crashes.

Work-Zone Crashes on I-635

Rebuild work on I-635 has brought lane shifts, narrow lanes and concrete walls to west Garland. The trucking company remains the main defendant in most work-zone crashes. A contractor that set up signs, barriers or lane closures in an unsafe way may share fault. Claims tied to highway contracts carry notice rules and immunity limits, so a truck accident lawyer Garland residents hire should identify the contractor from signs or equipment at the scene.

Industrial areas add a different risk. Trucks leave plants and warehouses through tight driveways, and those claims can reach the property owner that directed the truck.

What a Truck Accident Attorney Proves About Liability in Garland

A truck accident attorney has to prove who was negligent and how that negligence caused the crash. Our truck accident team explains that large trucking carriers often blame the driver alone, while the records point to a company decision behind the crash. A truck accident lawyer Garland families hire looks for that decision first.

Parties who may have contributed to the accident:

• The truck driver for speeding, distraction, fatigue or an unsafe turn
• The motor carrier for its employee under respondeat superior
• The broker for hiring an unsafe carrier
• The shipper or loader for overloading or poor securement
• The truck owner or lessor for equipment it controlled
• A work-zone contractor for unsafe traffic control

Texas law uses a modified comparative fault rule under Chapter 33 of the Civil Practice and Remedies Code. You can recover if you are 50 percent or less at fault, and your award is reduced by your share. At 51 percent you recover nothing. That is why insurers work hard to argue the injured person was responsible for the accident. Accident liability in a truck case turns on engine data and logs more than on what anyone said at the scene.

When Trucking Companies Are Directly Negligent

Trucking companies can be liable for their own choices. Examples include hiring a driver with a poor record or setting schedules that require speeding. Negligent entrustment applies when a company hands a truck to a driver it knew was unsafe. The hiring file, the training records and the truck driver's hours show it. The truck accident lawyer Garland victims bring in should request those files in the first letter.

When the Driver Is an Owner-Operator

An owner-operator usually leases the truck onto a motor carrier, and the USDOT number of that carrier appears on the door. Federal leasing rules generally make the carrier responsible while the truck runs under its authority. The truck driver may also carry a separate policy. The lease, dispatch records and insurance filings show who controlled the trip, and a truck accident lawyer Garland drivers retain will request every one. See our page on trucking company liability.

Hurt by a Truck While You Were Working in Garland

Many people injured in Garland truck crashes were on the job at the time.

• Workers' compensation usually limits claims against your employer. It does not stop a claim against a separate trucking company that caused the crash.
• Texas employers can opt out of workers' compensation. If yours did, you may be able to sue the employer directly.
• The workers' compensation carrier may claim a lien on part of a third-party recovery.
• Report the injury to your employer in writing.

A truck accident lawyer Garland workers speak with should check for every third-party claim before the comp file closes. Ask whether your case has a third-party claim.

Texas Truck Insurance Minimums and Thin Coverage

Federal rules at 49 CFR Part 387 set the insurance floor for interstate carriers. A Texas passenger car needs only 30/60/25 coverage under Texas Transportation Code Chapter 601, which means $30,000 per person, $60,000 per crash and $25,000 for property damage.

An accident injury that ends a career can exceed any single policy. Other sources include the broker, the shipper, an umbrella policy and your own uninsured motorist coverage. The truck accident lawyer Garland victims retain should find each policy before a demand goes out.

Deadlines After a Truck Accident in Garland

After a truck accident in Garland, Texas law generally gives you two years from the accident date to file suit. That statute of limitations comes from Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003.

• Minors: the period generally starts at age 18 under Section 16.001
• City vehicles: the Tort Claims Act notice comes first
• Evidence: truck data and video can vanish long before the deadline
• Talks with an insurer do not stop the clock

Injury law deadlines have exceptions that turn on facts. A truck accident lawyer Garland drivers call should confirm the dates in your case directly.

Statutes and federal regulations cited here were current at the time of writing, and application depends on the facts of each matter.