Truck Accident Lawyer – Board-Certified Injury Trial Attorney Fighting for Texas Victims
The Texas Truck Accident Lawyer You Can Trust
When a commercial truck, 18-wheeler, or other heavy freight vehicle collides with a passenger car, the outcome is rarely minor. The sheer size and weight of these vehicles mean they can crush smaller cars in seconds, leaving victims with catastrophic injuries, lifelong disabilities, or worse. In the aftermath, families face overwhelming medical bills, lost income, and insurance companies working overtime to minimize payouts.
This is where David P. Willis makes the difference. Board-Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1988, Willis has over 40 years of experience representing victims in complex trucking accident litigation. As a former attorney for the Supreme Court of Texas, he has recovered hundreds of millions for injured Texans and the families of wrongful death victims. His practice is built on deep knowledge of trucking regulations, rapid response to preserve evidence, and a relentless approach to holding negligent trucking companies accountable.
Why Truck Accident Cases Are Different from Car Wrecks
Trucking cases are not just “big car accidents.” They are governed by an entirely different set of rules, primarily the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations, which control driver qualifications, hours of service, vehicle maintenance, and cargo securement.
Unlike most car accident claims, truck accident litigation often involves:
- Multiple corporate defendants (carrier, shipper, broker, equipment owner)
- Layers of insurance coverage
- Complex accident reconstruction
- Industry-specific safety requirements
- High-stakes defense teams hired by billion-dollar insurers
We have decades of experience or catastrophic injury and major trucking cases:
- 18-Wheeler Crashes– Often caused by fatigue, speeding, or poor maintenance.
- Oversized Load Accidents – Require route planning, permits, and escort vehicles.
- Oilfield Truck Accidents – Common in rural West Texas and New Mexico.
- Logging Truck Accidents – Carry unstable cargo that can shift dangerously.
- Escort Vehicle of Pilot Car Failure – Missing Escorts or Negligent Escort Truck and Cargo Accidents
- Superloads or Oversized Loads – Accidents often due to Routing Errors and insufficient warnings
- Negligent or Missing Escort Vehicles – Without proper warning from pilot cars, accidents happen
- Illegal Parking on Shoulder of Highway – Often done when hours of Service driving time has expired
Each of these requires custom legal strategies, immediate investigation, and a lawyer who knows where to find the proof that wins cases.
The Most Common Causes of Truck Accidents
Every truck crash has a cause. Some are obvious at the scene, while others are hidden in driver logs, black box (ECM) data, GPS records, or maintenance files. Common causes we see include:
- Driver Fatigue – Pushing past legal hours-of-service limits.
- Distracted Driving – Texting, Cell phone use, GPS, or in-cab computer use.
- Overloaded or Unsafe Cargo – Load shifts, unsecured freight, or overweight trailers.
- Negligent Hiring & Training – Employing drivers without proper qualifications.
- Defective Equipment – Tire blowouts, brake failures, and steering defects.
- Driver Speeding or Road Rage – Aggressive truck drivers don’t belong on the road
Our team combines accident reconstruction experts with industry knowledge to uncover every liable party — not just the driver.
West Texas & Permian Basin Oilfield Truck Crashes – Some of the Deadliest Roads in America
The Permian Basin in West Texas is one of the most dangerous trucking regions in the country. Highways like US-285 (“Death Highway”), SH-302, SH-18, and FM-1788 are clogged with water haulers, frac sand trucks, drilling rig movers, and oversized equipment haulers.
These roads were never designed for the sheer weight and traffic volume the oil boom has brought. Many oilfield trucks are overloaded, travel at unsafe speeds, or operate for 14+ hours at a time, putting exhausted drivers behind the wheel. Add poor lighting, narrow shoulders, and few passing zones, and the result is a perfect storm for catastrophic crashes.
The risks are amplified by tight delivery deadlines, leading to reckless passing, speeding, and FMCSA hours-of-service violations. Oilfield truck wrecks often involve multiple potential defendants — from the truck’s owner and employer to subcontractors, shippers, and equipment owners.
Our firm has handled numerous oilfield truck accident lawsuits in this region, securing justice for victims and their families. We know how to obtain black box data, secure witness statements, and use industry-specific safety rules to prove negligence.
Life-Changing Injuries Require Life-Changing Compensation
The sheer size and weight of commercial trucks make every collision a high-energy event. An average passenger vehicle weighs around 3,000–5,000 pounds, but an 18-wheeler can exceed 80,000 pounds when fully loaded. When that kind of mass collides with a smaller vehicle — often at highway speeds — the force of impact is exponentially greater than in a typical car crash.
From a biomechanics perspective, the human body is not built to withstand these forces. The sudden deceleration and crushing impact can cause the brain to collide with the inside of the skull, resulting in serious injuries including traumatic brain injuries. The spine can be compressed, twisted, or fractured under massive loads, leading to permanent paralysis. Bones can shatter into multiple fragments, and internal organs can rupture from blunt force trauma.
We see injuries that permanently alter our clients’ lives, including:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) – Memory loss, impaired mobility, personality changes.
- Spinal Cord Injuries & Paralysis (SCI) – Requiring lifetime care, assistive devices, and home modifications.
- Severe Burns – Often from fires, explosions, or hazardous material spills.
- Multiple Fractures & Crush Injuries – Demanding multiple surgeries and extended rehabilitation.
- Amputations – From catastrophic limb damage or surgical necessity.
- Wrongful Death – Trauma causing death for blunt force to body or major head and brain trauma
Because these injuries carry staggering medical costs, lost income, and emotional devastation, we fight relentlessly for full and fair compensation — not just a quick settlement. Our goal is to secure the resources you need for medical care, adaptive equipment, long-term therapy, and rebuilding your future.
Evidence Preservation Is Critical – The Role of Spoliation Letters in Truck Accidents
One of the first and most urgent steps after a truck accident is preserving evidence. Trucking companies often move quickly to protect themselves — repairing vehicles, “losing” maintenance records, or altering logbooks.
We immediately send spoliation letters to demand that the trucking company preserve:
- Black Box (ECM) Data – Records speed, braking, and engine performance before impact
- Driver Logs – Paper and electronic, to catch hours-of-service violations
- Maintenance & Inspection Records – Proving neglected repairs or skipped safety checks
- Dashcam & Surveillance Footage – From the truck or surrounding businesses
- Cargo Loading Documentation – Showing weight distribution and securement methods
- Pilot Car and Escort Mobile Communications – Logs of calls and warnings can get “lost”
Failure to preserve evidence after receiving a spoliation letter can lead to adverse inference instructions in court, meaning the jury can assume the lost evidence was damaging to the defense.
The Power of Contingency Fees
For over four decades, we’ve handled truck accident cases on a contingency fee basis — meaning you pay no attorney fees unless we win. This fee arrangement levels the playing field against billion-dollar trucking companies and their insurers, allowing everyday Texans to pursue justice without the burden of paying legal fees upfront.
We also advance all case-related costs, including expert witness fees, accident reconstruction specialists, medical record retrieval, depositions, and court filings. These expenses can easily reach tens of thousands of dollars in complex truck accident litigation, but we cover them entirely until your case is resolved.
By using a contingency fee agreement, our clients can focus on healing rather than worrying about how to afford a lawyer. It also means our interests are 100% aligned with yours — we only get paid if you do.
Steps to Take After a Truck Accident
If you’ve been involved in a truck accident — whether on a busy Houston freeway, a rural West Texas highway, or an oilfield service road — the steps you take in the hours and days afterward can make or break your case.
- Seek Immediate Medical Attention – Even if you feel okay, injuries like concussions, internal bleeding, or spinal damage may not show symptoms right away. Prompt treatment creates a medical record that strengthens your claim.
- Don’t Give Recorded Statements – Insurance companies are trained to twist your words to reduce payouts. Politely decline and refer them to your attorney.
- Call a Board-Certified Lawyer Right Away – A lawyer can immediately send spoliation letters to preserve black box data, driver logs, and scene evidence before it’s lost or altered.
- Document Everything – Take photos of the vehicles, road conditions, skid marks, and any injuries. Get witness contact information and secure a copy of the police accident report.
Acting quickly ensures crucial truck accident evidence is preserved, giving your legal team the best chance to prove liability.
Why Willis Law Should Be Your First Call
When you’re facing the aftermath of a Texas truck accident, the lawyer you choose will shape the outcome of your case. David P. Willis has been Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1988 — a credential held by less than 2% of Texas attorneys. For more than 40 years, he has handled high-stakes injury cases involving catastrophic 18-wheeler crashes, oilfield truck wrecks, and fatal oversized load accidents.
Houston Texas Truck Accident Attorney Willis is a former attorney for the Supreme Court of Texas, Willis brings unmatched legal insight and courtroom skill. His track record includes hundreds of millions in verdicts and settlements for clients, often against billion-dollar trucking companies and their insurers. Recognized nationally as an authority in truck accident litigation, Willis is respected by peers and feared by opponents for his meticulous case preparation and aggressive advocacy.
If you want a proven trial lawyer who knows Texas highways, trucking regulations, and how to win against the industry, David P. Willis should be your first call.
Injured in a Texas Truck Accident? Your Fight for Justice Starts Now
If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in a truck crash, every day you wait gives the trucking company and their insurer more time to protect themselves — and less time to protect you. Evidence can be destroyed, witnesses can disappear, and critical black box data can be overwritten. Don’t let them control the narrative. Call Board-Certified Personal Injury Trial Lawyer David P. Willis today. With more than 40 years of proven courtroom results and a record of holding negligent trucking companies accountable, Willis is prepared to take your case as far as it needs to go — all the way to trial if necessary. And with our contingency fee truck accident lawyer representation, you pay nothing unless we win your case. Call 1-888-LAW-2040 or contact us online right now for a free, confidential case review. We are ready to fight for your future, your family, and the justice you deserve.