Every year, thousands of Americans are injured or killed in trucking accidents, but few know about one of the most dangerous and underreported hazards on the highway: wheel separation, when a wheel detaches from the body of an 18-wheeler or commercial truck. When this happens, the loose wheel can roll down the road, colliding with other vehicles. The truck can also veer off course and lose control, causing further damage.
If you or a loved one were struck by a detached truck wheel, you may be entitled to compensation. Our truck wreck attorneys have experience holding negligent trucking companies and maintenance contractors accountable. We understand how devastating these crashes are, and we know how to win them. Speak with a Houston wheel-off truck accident lawyer today.
What Causes Truck Wheels to Come Loose?
Based on data from the National Transportation Safety Board, wheel separations are usually caused by some combination of:
- Improper installation (like over- or under-torquing lug nuts)
- Worn or defective components, such as wheel bearings or fasteners
- Negligent maintenance or inspection
- Use of substandard replacement parts
Experts believe that up to 50,000 wheel-off events occur every year in North America, but many are never reported unless they cause a crash or fatality. This is why trucking companies must follow strict safety protocols under Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR)—but many fail to do so. This is why you need a skilled wheel-off truck crash attorney in Houston to thoroughly investigate the accident and identify all responsible parties.
Wheel-Off Truck Accident Injuries
Since truck wheels can weigh hundreds of pounds and become deadly projectiles—crossing medians or bouncing into oncoming traffic—they often cause devastating injuries as well as lasting emotional and psychological trauma. Victims of wheel-off crashes may sustain traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, or internal organ damage. In severe cases, these collisions can be fatal—detached truck wheels have crushed passenger vehicles, smashed through windshields at high speeds, and killed motorists or pedestrians.
This kind of violent crash can happen in seconds—and the victims almost never see it coming.
Our Houston lawyers understand how traumatic wheel-off truck accidents can be and are dedicated to helping victims pursue the compensation they need to recover physically and emotionally.
Seeking Compensation After a Crash
In Texas, an injured party can recover economic and non-economic damages, and in rare cases where a truck driver exhibited malicious or extremely reckless behavior, punitive damages.
We will fight to recover maximum compensation for:
- Medical bills (past and future)
- Lost wages and earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Physical impairment
- Disfigurement
- Wrongful death damages, if applicable
Our Houston lawyers are here to hold the responsible parties accountable for your wheel-off tractor-trailer wreck and help you get the compensation you deserve.
Determining Fault in a Wheels-Off Trucking Accident
Determining liability in a semi-truck collision case can be difficult due to the number of parties potentially involved—the truck driver, the trucking company, or the parts manufacturers may be at fault. Despite proven liability, insurance companies may try to minimize your injuries and their effects on your life.
At our firm, our wheel-off truck crash attorneys specialize in helping victims of these types of accidents in Houston. These cases require technical knowledge, aggressive investigation, and experience confronting trucking companies, maintenance providers, and their insurers.
Our legal team works with:
- Accident reconstructionists
- Trucking safety experts
- DOT regulation specialists
- Forensic engineers
To hold a truck driver, trucking company, or parts manufacturer liable in a wheels-off semi-truck wreck case, an attorney must prove the following:
- The truck driver, trucking company, or manufacturer owed a duty of care
- Any of the potentially responsible parties breached that duty
- This breach directly caused the plaintiff’s injuries and property damage
- The victim experienced measurable loss, such as injuries, property damage, medical expenses, lost wages, etc.
After establishing the defendant’s negligence, your attorney will fight to secure the full compensation you deserve for your losses.
Contact a Houston Wheel-Off Truck Collision Attorney Today
Dealing with the aftermath of a semi-truck accident can be overwhelming, as is the prospect of gathering evidence to prove the other party’s negligence. While you are recovering from your injuries, managing emotional distress, and handling medical bills, let a Houston wheel-off truck accident lawyer from Williams Hart & Boundas relieve some of your stress by filing your lawsuit.
Our skilled attorneys are knowledgeable about the complex laws surrounding semi-truck crashes and have extensive experience in the courtroom. We focus on obtaining the best possible results for our clients. Contact our legal team today for a consultation and evaluation of your case.