When an 18-wheeler barrels through an intersection or drifts into your lane on I-20, the damage it leaves behind can be life-altering. In the aftermath of a serious trucking accident, one of the most critical legal questions becomes: Who’s liable? And in Texas, the answer is often more complicated than just “the driver.”
At Westbrook Law, we don’t just file claims—we take cases to court. As a trial law firm based in Fort Worth, we know the tactics insurance companies and corporate trucking fleets use to dodge responsibility. If you want justice, you need a legal team ready to fight in a courtroom, not just push paperwork at a settlement table.
Let’s break down who might be liable in your Texas trucking accident case—and how we build a case strong enough to hold them accountable.
Yes, the driver might have caused the wreck by:
Speeding or driving recklessly
Texting or using a GPS while behind the wheel
Driving fatigued or under the influence
Ignoring traffic signals or failing to brake in time
But in most cases, the driver is just the tip of the liability iceberg. They may be directly responsible for their negligence, but deeper pockets are usually involved—and that’s where trial lawyers make the difference.
Under Texas law, companies can be held liable for the actions of their drivers under respondeat superior—but that’s not the only path.
Trucking companies might also be liable for:
Negligent hiring (failing to screen for a bad driving history)
Negligent training or supervision
Pushing drivers to break federal hours-of-service rules
Failing to maintain trucks properly
And in Fort Worth, we’ve seen plenty of companies cutting corners just to make a delivery deadline. That’s a gamble—and when you’re hurt, they should pay.
Some fleets outsource maintenance. If faulty brakes or worn tires caused the wreck, we dig into who last worked on that truck and whether they cut corners or ignored clear red flags.
Improperly loaded cargo can shift and cause a driver to lose control. That’s especially common in oilfield trucking, agricultural hauls, and freight that passes through DFW distribution centers.
If a third-party loader or shipper failed to secure a load safely, they could share liability under Texas tort law.
Sometimes, the problem goes even deeper—defective brake systems, tire blowouts, or steering failures. If a design flaw or defective part played a role, the manufacturer might be on the hook in a product liability claim.
Poorly maintained roads, missing signage, or dangerously timed lights could create hazards for even the best drivers. Suing a city or county is complex, but in some rare cases, a governmental agency may bear partial blame.
Anyone can claim someone else was at fault. But proving it? That takes real legal muscle.
At Westbrook Law, we use:
Black box data from the truck itself
Driver logs and dispatch records
Employment and training files
Maintenance logs and inspection reports
Expert reconstructionists and accident analysts
We don’t send a demand letter and hope for the best—we prepare every case like it’s going to trial, because that’s what moves the needle on value and accountability.
There’s a reason big insurance carriers often offer lowball settlements up front—they hope you’ll take it and go away. But when they see our name on the file, they know: This case might see a jury.
And that changes everything.
If you or someone you love has been hurt in a crash with an 18-wheeler, box truck, or commercial vehicle, don’t wait for the trucking company to start spinning the narrative.
Call Westbrook Law today. We’re based right here in Benbrook, and we fight for families across Fort Worth, Tarrant County, and North Texas. You don’t pay a dime unless we win.
📞 (817) 888-8888
📍 8507 Benbrook Blvd, Benbrook, TX 76126
🌐 www.westbrooklawfirm.com
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