Is there a difference between a commercial truck, an 18-wheeler and a big rig?

When we use the term “commercial truck”, we’re talking about trucks that are larger than the standard pickup seen on the road. Those driving them must hold a commercial driver’s license, and they are used to haul various commercial goods across the nation and across Texas. All big rigs and 18-wheelers are commercial trucks, but there are other types of commercial trucks as well. Other examples include tanker trucks, large freight trucks, cement trucks, tractor-trailers and delivery vehicles.

Other Truck Accident Frequently Asked Questions

• According to the police, my accident was the result of a blow out. Who gets sued in that situation?
• Am I supposed to call the police after being in a truck accident?
• Am I supposed to talk to the trucking company’s lawyer and insurance people?
• An insurance representative for the trucking company called me and said they were willing to offer me a settlement. Do I agree to take the settlement?
• Are fatal trucking accidents fairly common?
• Are heavy trucks supposed to be inspected regularly?
• Are there common causes for accidents involving big rigs?
• Are tractor-trailer accidents always head-on collisions?
• Are truck accidents common in Texas?
• Aren’t insurance companies supposed to help me get a fair and equitable settlement?
• Can I get a lot of money for my Texas truck accident?
• Can I settle with the trucking companies and their insurance carriers after the accident?
• Can I sue the truck driver that caused my accident and left me in a wheelchair?
• Can I talk to the trucker after the accident?
• Can I wait to contact a trucking accident attorney until after I am out of the hospi
• Do big rigs carry insurance?
• Do federal rules and regulations that apply to trucking companies and their employees cover the number of hours they are allowed to drive?
• Do I actually have to sue to get compensation for an accident?
• Do I have to contact a trucking accident attorney immediately after an accident, or can I wait until I recover?
• Do I really need to hire a lawyer for a trucking accident?
• Do I really need to hire a lawyer to handle a trucking accident case? Won’t the at fault party take care of my expenses?
• Do I really need to hire a lawyer to handle my trucking accident case?
• Do truckers and trucking companies have to have insurance?
• Do trucking companies have to comply with any government rules?
• How are big rig drivers negligent?
• How can trucking companies and truckers be held responsible for an accident?
• How come truck accident lawsuits are so complicated?
• How do I prove liability in a truck accident that resulted in severe injuries for me and my passengers?
• How is liability determined in a trucking accident?
• How long do I have to file a lawsuit in a trucking accident case?
• How much money may I be entitled to if I win my trucking accident lawsuit?
• How would I know if my truck accident was caused by mechanical failure?
• I did not look properly when I pulled out from a stop sign and was hit by a truck. The police say I am partially responsible for the accident. Nonetheless, I was badly injured. Am I still able to recover damages?
• I don’t have a high paying job and really don’t have much money to pay a lawyer. I was involved in a bad accident with a trucking company and have serious injuries. I don’t know what to do because I don’t have the money to hire legal representation. Do I really need an attorney?
• I overheard a conversation the other day discussing truck “no zones.” What does that mean and why is it important?
• I think the truck driver that caused my accident was driving under the influence. Does that happen a lot?
• I was a passenger in a car, driven by my husband, which was involved in a collision with a semi. The police deemed my husband to be partially responsible for the collision for running a red light. My child is injured and I need surgery. What are my rights?
• I was in a bad accident with an 18-wheeler. My neighbor said I could save myself time and money by just dealing directly with the trucking company’s lawyer. Is that true?
• I was in a truck accident and my lawyer kept talking about comparative negligence. What does that mean?
• I was in an accident with a commercial truck. Do I need a truck accident attorney?
• I was involved in a serious accident with a semi and would like to file a lawsuit to recover compensation for my injuries. What could I possibly recover?
• I was involved in a truck accident in Austin. Is there a deadline I have to meet to file a lawsuit?
• I was involved in an accident with a big rig. Who can I sue for compensation for my injuries?
• I was involved in an accident with a commercial truck just outside of Houston. Am I able to claim personal injury damages?
• I was involved in an accident with a refrigerated truck. Can I file a lawsuit for damages and my injuries?
• I was involved in an accident with an 18-wheeler. What happens now? What do I do?
• I was recently involved in a bad collision with an 18-wheeler. I never expected the kinds of injuries I sustained. What makes truck wrecks different from passenger vehicle accidents?
• I was recently involved in an accident with an 18-wheeler. The insurance adjuster is calling me and asking for a statement. Is it OK to give a statement?
• I was seriously injured in a car/truck accident? What compensation may I be entitled to from the courts?
• I was told by my neighbor who was in a car accident last year that my personal injury case, which involves a big rig, is going to be different to handle. Is that true, and if so, why?
• If I am eligible for compensation, what will that include?
• If I am entitled to compensation, just what might I expect to receive? What is recoverable?
• If I am involved in an accident with a commercial truck and the driver is deemed at fault, can I sue his or her employer for any injuries that I sustain?
• If I choose to file a lawsuit to obtain compensation for my injuries sustained in a trucking accident, do I ask for compensation from the trucking company or the trucker?
• If I do choose to file a lawsuit to obtain compensation for my injuries sustained in a trucking accident, who is held responsible?
• If I have been in an Austin truck accident, how soon do I need to hire a lawyer?
• Is an investigation done after a truck accident?
• Is it just 18-wheelers involved in the vast majority of trucking accidents?
• Is there a difference between a commercial truck, an 18-wheeler and a big rig?
• Isn’t just the truck driver responsible for an accident, and not the trucking company? They were not driving the truck.
• It looks like I am going to be in hospital for a lengthy period of time after my accident with an 18-wheeler. How soon do I need to hire a lawyer?
• It looks like the trucker does not have liability insurance. Does that mean I cannot file a lawsuit?
• My friend was involved in a truck accident and his lawyer said something about the truck driver’s duty. What did he mean?
• My husband was involved in a trucking accident and died at the scene. What compensation might I expect for his wrongful death?
• My trucking accident was serious and I may not be able to walk again. My child was badly injured as well. Who do I talk to about this?
• My uncle was involved in a crash with an 18-wheeler and he’s still in the hospital. Does he need to hire a truck accident attorney?
• My vehicle does have air bags, but when a truck hit me recently, the air bags did not deploy. Can I file a lawsuit against the air bag maker?
• My wife was hit by something her lawyer called a “runaway truck.” What does that mean and how does it apply to my wife’s personal injury lawsuit?
• Should I consider a trucking company’s offer after a truck accident?
• Should I trust the insurance agent who has been calling me after a truck accident?
• Since trucking companies likely have lots of insurance does being involved in an accident with a big rig possibly mean I would obtain a larger settlement?
• The injuries I received in a recent truck accident were minor and I was treated at the scene. Why would I need to contact a lawyer?
• The news seems to be full of stories about truck accidents. Why does it seem like there are so many accidents involving big trucks?
• The police suggest that I was partly to blame for the trucking accident I was involved in. What does that mean for me? Does it rule out being able to obtain compensation for injuries?
• The trucker that hit my vehicle told the police she fell asleep at the wheel. Can she be held responsible for driving while fatigued?
• The trucking firm’s lawyers have been calling me almost daily since the accident. What do I do?
• Trucks cannot come to a stop as fast as regular passenger vehicles. Is that true?
• What are the laws in Texas regulating big rigs?
• What are the most common causes of big rig accidents?
• What are the most common reasons for big rig or commercial truck accidents?
• What can I expect after a trucking accident on the part of the at-fault party and his or her insurance company?
• What causes truck accidents? Is it usually the same thing, like a driver texting while behind the wheel?
• What constitutes negligence by the trucker?
• What constitutes truck driver negligence?
• What do I do if I am involved in an accident with a commercial vehicle and am seriously injured?
• What do I do if I was hit by a truck driver that police said was high or drunk?
• What does the term “No-Zone” mean?
• What is considered a truck in Texas?
• What is negligence in a truck accident? What actions can be regarded as negligent?
• What kinds of damages would I be eligible to seek as a result of a personal injury caused by a trucking accident?
• What kinds of injuries are common in a truck accident?
• What kinds of settlements are possible after being involved in a big rig accident? Are settlements/jury awards higher for these types of accidents?
• What vehicles are considered trucks when filing a lawsuit?
• What’s the difference, if any, in a situation that involves a car crash versus a collision with a big rig? Isn’t an accident an accident — period?
• Who can be sued in a trucking accident?
• Who can be sued in the aftermath of a commercial truck accident?
• Who does a lawyer sue in a trucking accident?
• Who gets sued in big rig accidents?
• Who is responsible in a trucking accident? Would it be the trucking company or the driver or both?
• Who is sued as a result of an accident involving a big rig?
• Why are accidents involving a commercial truck more likely to cause serious injuries than accidents with another passenger vehicle?
• Why are big trucks so dangerous?
• Why are commercial trucking accidents involving passenger vehicles so common?
• Why are trucking accidents worse than car accidents?
• Why do I need to retain a trucking accident lawyer right after an accident? What’s the rush? Can’t it wait?
• Would my trucking accident attorney use expert witnesses to prove fault in my big rig accident?