The Haslam Firm

Abandoned Trucks


When abandoned trucks cause wrecks, injured people can turn to the Fort Worth truck crash attorneys at Haslam & Gallagher for help holding negligent parties accountable.

When abandoned trucks cause wrecks, injured people can turn to the Fort Worth truck crash attorneys at The Haslam Firm for help holding negligent parties accountable.

Abandoned trucks on the roadside can take up critical space, possibly even intruding into lanes of traffic. In fact, according to the U.S. Federal Highway Administration, abandoning a truck or vehicle on the road is among the top 26 leading unsafe driving acts that results in motorists causing traffic wrecks.

Given the fact that it’s illegal to abandon vehicles on roadways – as well as the fact that abandoned vehicles can end up resulting in serious, if not deadly, collisions, people injured in wrecks caused by abandoned trucks should know that:

  • They have options for holding negligent truckers or others responsible for causing wrecks.
  • They will have the best chances of obtaining justice and compensation by working with the trusted Fort Worth truck crash attorneys at The Haslam Firm.

Abandoned Trucks: Legal Definition

Different states have their own laws regarding when trucks and other vehicles will be deemed to have been “abandoned” by their owners. In Texas, the laws regarding abandoned trucks and vehicles stipulate that, when trucks have been left unattended on public property (or private property without the owner’s consent) for more than 48 hours, they will legally be deemed to have been abandoned.

When Abandoned Trucks Cause Traffic wrecks

Abandoned trucks can cause collisions when they consume parts of traffic lanes. However, the specific conditions of the roadway, as well as the actions of other drivers, can increase the risk that abandoned trucks will contribute to traffic wrecks.

In fact, when trucks have been abandoned on the road, the following are just some of the factors can make it far more likelythat these abandoned trucks will cause wrecks:

  • There is no shoulder on the road, so the truck is taking up most of the slow lane of traffic.
  • Trucks are abandoned on single-lane roads that lack dividers separating lanes of oncoming traffic.
  • Trucks are abandoned on curvy roads so that drivers can’t see the abandoned trucks until the last minute.
  • Other drivers on the road are distracted, drunk and/or otherwise negligent, preventing them from seeing and safely avoiding abandoned trucks on the road.

When abandoned trucks cause wrecks, the following are just some of the parties that may be accountable for compensating crash victims:

  • Truckers – Abandoning a truck on a road is illegal, making it an act of negligence. So the truckers who just walk away from their trucks and leave them on the roadside can be liable when their abandoned trucks cause wrecks.
  • Other motorists – When other motorists’ negligence causes abandoned truck wrecks, these motorists too can be responsible for compensating crash victims.
  • Cities, counties or other entities – When abandoned trucks are left on roads for days or longer because the city, county or other party responsible for the safety of the roadway has failed to remove these trucks, these entities can also be liable.

Fort Worth Truck crash Attorneys at The Haslam Firm

Have you been hurt in a truck crash that may have been caused by an abandoned truck? If so, it’s time to contact the experienced Fort Worth truck crash attorneys at The Haslam Firm to learn more about your best options for financial recovery.

At The Haslam Firm, our lawyers have been dedicated to providing people hurt by negligence with experienced help and personalized legal service since 1986. Let us put our experience, skills and resources to work helping you bring your case to a successful resolution.

Contact Us Today

Let’s talk about your case and your best options for moving forward during an initial consultation. To schedule this meeting, call us at (817) 332-3115 or send us an email using the contact form on this page.

From our offices based in Fort Worth, our trusted lawyers provide superior legal representation to people throughout the state of Texas, including (but not exclusive to) those in Dallas, Granbury, Denton, Weatherford, Cleburne, Waxahache County, Tarrant County, Dallas County, Hood County and Johnson County, as well as throughout the U.S.

The Haslam Firm

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