Heavy Truck Accident? Get a Texarkana 18-Wheeler Accident Lawyer on Your Side

Crashes with semis, 18-wheelers, and other commercial vehicles are rarely “minor.” In an instant, a fully loaded truck can cause life-changing injuries, totaled vehicles, and overwhelming medical bills. At Anderson Law Firm, we understand that trucking cases are different from ordinary car wrecks. From massive insurance policies to federal safety regulations, we know how to investigate these crashes, expose violations, and fight for the full compensation you need to rebuild your life.

Why Truck & Commercial Vehicle Accidents Are Different

Crashes involving 18-wheelers, delivery trucks, and other commercial vehicles are more complex than typical car accidents—for both legal and practical reasons. Understanding these differences helps explain why hiring a semi-truck crash lawyer can be critical to your case.


Key reasons truck cases are unique:

  • Multiple Potentially Liable Parties
    Liability may extend beyond the truck driver. Depending on the facts, we may pursue claims against the trucking company, freight broker, loading company, maintenance provider, or even a parts manufacturer if a defect contributed to the wreck.

  • Federal & State Safety Regulations
    Truck drivers and motor carriers must follow strict rules, including Hours-of-Service limits, weight and cargo securement rules, vehicle inspection and maintenance requirements, and driver qualification standards. Violations of these rules can be powerful evidence of negligence.

  • Rapid Response Teams for Trucking Companies
    Trucking companies and their insurers often dispatch investigators to crash scenes within hours to protect their interests. Their goal is to minimize their exposure—not to protect your rights. Our role is to counter those tactics by moving quickly to secure evidence.

  • Higher Stakes and More Severe Injuries
    Because trucks are so heavy and often travel at highway speeds, injuries in these crashes are frequently catastrophic—brain injuries, spinal cord damage, amputations, and wrongful death. Larger insurance policies mean insurers fight even harder to avoid full payouts.

  • Complex Insurance & Corporate Structures
    Commercial carriers may use layered insurance, separate entities, and independent contractor arrangements to confuse responsibility. We work to untangle these relationships and identify every potential source of recovery.

Our approach in truck and commercial vehicle cases is simple but aggressive: identify every responsible party, track down every relevant policy, and build a case that leaves as little room as possible for trucking companies to deny responsibility.

How We Build Strong Truck Accident Claims

Truck accident victims often wonder whether they need an attorney with specific experience in semi-truck cases. Because these crashes involve unique evidence and complex regulations, working with a lawyer who understands the trucking industry can make a real difference. Here’s how we approach these cases:

Immediate Evidence Preservation

We send preservation letters and, when appropriate, seek court orders to protect critical evidence such as driver logbooks, onboard “black box” data, GPS records, camera footage, and maintenance logs before they can be lost or destroyed.

Detailed Crash Investigation

Our investigation goes beyond the police report. We examine skid marks, vehicle damage, road conditions, and witness statements. When needed, we work with reconstruction experts to show how the wreck happened and who is responsible.

Regulation & Safety Violation Analysis

We review Hours-of-Service logs, weigh station data, inspection reports, and company safety histories to determine whether driver fatigue, overloaded cargo, inadequate maintenance, or other safety violations contributed to the crash.

Comprehensive Damage Evaluation

Truck crashes often mean long-term medical care, lost earning capacity, and significant pain and suffering. We consider your full losses—past, present, and future—when we evaluate settlement offers and determine whether litigation is needed.

Prepared for Litigation Against Trucking Companies

When insurers refuse to offer fair compensation, we are prepared to file suit, conduct depositions, and take your case before a judge or jury. We do not shy away from taking on national motor carriers or their defense teams.

No Fee Unless We Win

Most truck and commercial vehicle cases are handled on a contingency fee basis. That means you do not pay an attorney’s fee unless we are successful in recovering compensation for you.

Local Experience with Truck Crashes in and Around Texarkana

In the ArkLaTex region, truck traffic is a fact of life. Unfortunately, that also means serious truck wrecks happen far too often. Our experience includes crashes involving:


  • I-30 and major highway collisions
    High-speed 18-wheeler crashes on I-30 and other major highways approaching Texarkana can lead to multi-vehicle pileups and catastrophic injuries.

  • Hwy 71 and regional freight routes
    Overloaded timber or freight trucks on routes like Hwy 71 can cause dangerous rollover or jackknife accidents when drivers are speeding, distracted, or fatigued.

  • Urban and suburban commercial delivery routes
    Delivery trucks, box trucks, and other commercial vehicles frequently cause wrecks on busy roads such as Summerhill Road, Richmond Road, New Boston Road, and other routes in and around Texarkana.

We know the local roads, traffic patterns, and regional trucking operations. Whether your crash occurred in Texarkana, Bowie County, Miller County, or a nearby Texas or Arkansas community, we bring local insight and dual-state experience to your case.

Common Causes of Truck & Commercial Vehicle Crashes

Many clients come to us with questions about how trucking regulations impact their case or how truck accidents differ from standard car crashes. In our experience, collisions involving trucks or commercial vehicles often include:



  • Driver fatigue or Hours-of-Service violations
    Long-haul drivers may stay on the road longer than allowed, leading to delayed reaction times and poor decision-making.

  • Distracted or impaired driving
    Cell phone use, on-board systems, drugs, or alcohol can all play a role in serious crashes.

  • Overloading or unsecured cargo
    Improperly loaded or overweight trailers can cause rollovers, jackknifes, or cargo spills that endanger everyone around the truck.

  • Poor maintenance or defective parts
    Worn brakes, bald tires, and other maintenance failures can turn a manageable situation into a catastrophe. Sometimes liability extends to a maintenance contractor or parts manufacturer.

  • Inadequate driver training or supervision
    When trucking companies cut corners on hiring and training, they may put unqualified or unsafe drivers on the road.


Understanding these causes allows us to pinpoint where safety broke down and which individuals or companies should be held accountable.

A line drawing of a semi-truck from the front view.

Who Can Be Held Responsible in a Truck Accident?

Truck accident victims often want to know whether they can hold the driver, the trucking company, or both accountable. In many cases, the answer is yes—and sometimes additional parties may be responsible as well. Depending on the facts, potential liability may extend to:

  • The truck driver, for careless or reckless driving
  • The trucking company, for unsafe policies, poor supervision, or negligent hiring and training
  • A freight broker or shipper, for pressuring drivers to meet unsafe schedules or overloading trailers
  • The company that loaded the truck, for failing to secure cargo properly
  • A maintenance contractor or repair shop, for negligent inspection or repair work
  • A vehicle or parts manufacturer, if a defect in the truck or trailer contributed to the crash


Our job is to investigate every angle, identify all sources of recovery, and pursue claims wherever the evidence leads. This comprehensive approach can significantly affect the overall compensation available to you and your family.

FAQ – Truck & 18-Wheeler Accident Questions

  • What is the average settlement for an 18-wheeler accident in Texas?

    There is no true “average” settlement for an 18-wheeler accident in Texas because every case is different. Settlement amounts depend on the severity of your injuries, the length of your medical treatment, whether you can return to work, the amount of available insurance coverage, and how clearly we can prove fault and regulatory violations. Online averages can be misleading. After we review your medical records, accident details, and financial losses, we can give you a better sense of possible ranges based on our experience.

  • Who can be sued in a truck accident – the driver or the trucking company?

    Often both. The driver may be directly responsible for unsafe driving, but the trucking company can be accountable for its own negligence, such as poor hiring, training, or supervision, or for encouraging unsafe schedules that lead to fatigue. In some cases, additional parties—like loading companies, maintenance providers, or manufacturers—may share responsibility. We investigate all potential defendants and decide whom to pursue based on the evidence.

  • Do I need a specialized lawyer for a semi-truck crash?

    Because truck and commercial vehicle cases involve unique evidence, regulations, and defense tactics, many people benefit from working with a lawyer who has specific experience with semi-truck crashes. A truck-savvy attorney understands how to obtain logbooks, black box data, and company safety records, and knows how to use federal and state rules to prove negligence. Our firm’s truck accident practice is built around these requirements.

  • What trucking regulations could affect my accident case?

    Several sets of rules may come into play, including Hours-of-Service rules governing how long drivers can stay on the road, inspection and maintenance regulations, cargo securement standards, and driver qualification and drug-testing requirements. If a driver or company violated these rules, it may strengthen your claim. We review the applicable regulations and company policies in each case to determine where safety broke down.

  • How are truck accidents different from car accidents legally?

    Legally, both truck and car accidents involve proving negligence, but truck cases typically involve more complex evidence, higher insurance limits, and multiple corporate defendants. Commercial drivers and carriers are also subject to additional state and federal regulations that may impact liability. Because of this complexity, trucking companies often act quickly to protect themselves—making it equally important for victims to seek legal advice as soon as possible.

Ready to Talk to a Texarkana Truck Accident Lawyer?

Collisions with 18-wheelers and commercial vehicles can change everything in a moment. You do not have to face powerful trucking companies and insurers on your own. Anderson Law Firm is here to answer your questions, investigate your crash, and fight for every dollar you deserve under Texas and Arkansas law.



Your consultation is free, and you will not owe an attorney’s fee on most truck accident cases unless we are successful in recovering compensation for you. We know truck accidents don’t follow business hours—reach out anytime, and we will respond as quickly as possible.