Practice · Commercial vehicles
18-wheeler cases are not big car cases
A trucking company has a rapid response team that can be at the scene before the road reopens. Their investigation starts within hours. Yours should too.
Why the corridor matters
I-35 is a freight artery
The stretch between Laredo and Dallas carries a large share of the trade moving north from the Mexican border, and it runs directly through Austin, San Marcos, New Braunfels and San Antonio. Add sustained construction and commuter volume from towns growing faster than their road capacity, and the crash mix here skews heavily commercial.
- Downtown Austin construction zones
- San Marcos merge
- New Braunfels weekend volume
- Loop 1604 interchange
Evidence with an expiration date
What disappears, and how fast
Electronic logging data
ELDs record hours of service and can establish a fatigued or over-hours driver. Retention periods are limited and data can be overwritten.
Engine control module download
The ECM captures speed, braking and throttle in the seconds before impact. It can be lost when the tractor is repaired or returned to service.
Dashcam and facility video
Truck-facing and road-facing cameras, plus any nearby business footage, typically overwrite within days.
Maintenance and hiring files
These support claims against the carrier itself for negligent maintenance, hiring, training or supervision, not just the driver.
A spoliation letter sent early is often the single highest-value step in one of these cases. It costs nothing and it changes what is available later.
Time-sensitive
If a commercial truck was involved, the clock started at the scene.