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Every year, thousands of victims suffer catastrophic injuries or death in crashes involving 18-wheelers and commercial trucks. While federal law requires trucking companies to carry minimum insurance coverage, those limits often don’t come close to covering the real costs of a severe or fatal truck accident. In fact the minimum limit of $750K is so low that it’s often exhausted after ambulance or Medi-Vac helicopter transport and the first week or two of hospitalization just for one victim, much less multiple injured victims.
As a Board-Certified Personal Injury Trial Lawyer (Texas Board of Legal Specialization, since 1988) and a former attorney for the Supreme Court of Texas, I’ve seen firsthand how trucking companies, product manufacturers and insurers try to escape full responsibility when their coverage isn’t enough. Here’s what every victim needs to know about insurance limits, alternative sources of compensation, and how we can help investigate the multiple layers of control, fault and possible excess and umbrella insurance policies that might apply.
Under federal regulations, all commercial motor carriers operating across state lines must carry minimum levels of public liability insurance. These truck insurance limits are set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) under 49 CFR § 387.9.
FMCSA Minimum Coverage Levels:
However, these are just minimums. Many smaller operators carry no more than they are legally required to. In serious injury or wrongful death cases, that basic coverage can vanish with a single hospital bill or verdict.
A crash involving a semi-truck and a passenger vehicle rarely ends with minor injuries. These collisions often result in catastrophic harm—and the financial fallout can be devastating. Victims may suffer:
In these cases, total damages often exceed $2–5 million—and can be far higher when factoring in lifetime medical care, lost income, home modifications, pain and suffering, and long-term rehabilitation. Unfortunately, most commercial motor carriers carry only the federal minimum of $750,000 in liability insurance—an amount that barely scratches the surface in serious injury cases.
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When the trucking company only carries a $750,000 policy, even just the airlift and initial hospitalization can exhaust the entire policy. That leaves families with unpaid medical bills, uncovered income loss, and no resources for long-term care—unless a skilled attorney uncovers additional insurance policies or liable parties. That’s why a serious truck crash investigation must go beyond the obvious. Other sources of compensation may include:
In major truck crash litigation, identifying every potentially liable party—and their insurance coverage—is the only way to secure full and fair compensation for victims.
When a trucking company’s insurance policy isn’t enough to cover the full value of a crash victim’s injuries, there are still several legal strategies to pursue additional compensation.
In complex truck accident cases, fault may not be clear until after litigation begins. Discovery, depositions, and document production are essential for uncovering who had control, what safety obligations were breached, and what insurance layers exist.
Victims should also look to their own underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage, which can provide additional compensation once the trucking policy is maxed out. In Texas, UIM must be offered under Texas Insurance Code §1952.101. Finally, attorneys often uncover umbrella or excess liability policies through subpoenas—policies not listed in initial disclosures but that can make a critical difference in high-damage claims.
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In many catastrophic truck crash cases, there are also underlying violations of federal safety rules that strengthen a victim’s claim.
Relevant FMCSA regulations include:
Evidence of such violations may justify punitive damages or pierce layers of corporate protection such as shell companies, independent contractor defenses, or leased truck excuses.
It’s important to understand how vicarious liability works under the doctrines of agency law and respondeat superior—legal principles that allow injured victims to hold companies responsible for the actions of individuals or contractors acting on their behalf. Even when a truck driver is labeled an “independent contractor,” courts may still impose liability on the carrier, broker, or shipper if those entities exercised control over the work performed.
This is especially true when:
Courts don’t just accept contract language at face value. Even if a written agreement says the driver is an independent contractor, judges will look at the totality of the relationship—including whether the company retained control over operational decisions. If a carrier or broker treated the driver like an employee in practice, they can be held vicariously liable for the driver’s negligence under state tort law.
For example, if a broker arranged a delivery and required specific routes or delivery times—and the driver caused a crash while rushing to meet that schedule—the broker could be partially responsible for creating the unsafe conditions that led to the wreck. Similarly, if a shipper chose a driver known to have past violations, or gave unsafe loading instructions, they could be directly or vicariously liable depending on the facts of the case.
Control equals responsibility. If a company directs how a driver performs their job, they may share legal accountability for what happens on the road—even if they never owned the truck or employed the driver outright. In the truck accident lawsuit, Morales v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc., the court held that a freight broker could be vicariously liable under negligence theories for injuries caused by a carrier it selected and exerted control over This principle is especially powerful in serious truck accident cases where the carrier’s insurance is inadequate or the driver has limited assets. By proving that a broker or shipper effectively controlled the conditions that caused the crash, experienced attorneys can help injured clients pursue deeper pockets and full compensation from all responsible parties.
If you’ve been involved in a serious truck accident, hiring a lawyer immediately can make the difference between a lowball settlement and full compensation. Trucking companies and insurers act fast to protect their interests—often sending response teams to the scene within hours. Without legal intervention, key evidence like black box (ECM) data, driver logs, maintenance records, and dispatch communications can be lost or destroyed. An experienced truck accident attorney with over 40 years under his belt knows how to preserve critical proof, launch a thorough investigation, and uncover every source of liability and insurance coverage—before it’s too late.
Here’s what the right truck accident lawyer will do for you:
Every hour of every day after the trucking accident matters when it comes to securing evidence, interviewing witnesses and protecting your rights.
A serious truck crash can destroy a life in seconds—but the financial fallout lasts a lifetime. Most victims are shocked to learn that standard trucking insurance often doesn’t come close to covering the true cost of medical care, lost income, and long-term needs. But you don’t have to settle for less. You have legal tools—and we know how to use them. At Willis Law, we’ll launch an immediate investigation to uncover every liable party and every layer of available insurance coverage.
You deserve the full picture—and full compensation. We don’t get paid unless you win. Don’t wait. Call now for a Free Consultation with a Board Certified Personal Injury Trial Lawyer who has been certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1988. We work on a contingency fee basis—so there’s no risk, no upfront costs, and no reason to face this alone. Let us fight to get you everything you’re owed.
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