Dallas-Fort Worth is one of the country’s biggest freight hubs. BNSF intermodal yards, the major interstates that converge here, and Dallas Love Field together produce massive commercial truck volume — and the interchanges where those trucks meet rush-hour passenger traffic produce some of the most serious 18-wheeler crashes in the state.
The Longhorn Law Firm represents Dallas truck accident victims across Dallas County. For the full picture of how Texas truck cases actually work, read our Texas Truck Accident Guide or our truck accident practice overview.
Dallas context.
Major Roadways
I-635 (LBJ Freeway), US-75 (Central Expressway), the Dallas North Tollway, I-35E, and I-30 — converging at notoriously dangerous interchanges like the High Five, the Mixmaster, and the I-635/I-35E split.
Local Courts
Dallas County Civil District Courts at the George L. Allen Sr. Courts Building (600 Commerce St.) and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division.
Trauma Care
Parkland Health (Level I trauma), Baylor University Medical Center, Methodist Dallas, and UT Southwestern.
Why It Matters Here
Dallas has some of the most heavily trafficked freeway interchanges in Texas. Commercial trucks moving through DFW between the BNSF intermodal yards, Dallas Love Field, and the long-haul corridors concentrate severe 18-wheeler crashes around the High Five and LBJ.
Why Dallas truck cases are different.
A loaded 18-wheeler weighs up to 80,000 pounds. The injuries are catastrophic far more often than in ordinary crashes. But the legal terrain matters just as much:
- Federal FMCSA regulations apply — Hours of Service, Driver Qualification, Inspection & Maintenance, Drug & Alcohol Testing, Cargo Securement
- Multiple potentially liable parties — driver, motor carrier, broker, shipper, cargo loader, maintenance contractor, manufacturer
- Much larger insurance policies — federal minimum $750K, often $1M-$10M+
- Critical electronic evidence — ECM, ELD, dashcam — overwritten in 30 days if not preserved
- Corporate rapid-response teams — defense investigators on-scene within hours
Within the first days of a truck case, we send formal spoliation letters to the carrier, the manufacturer, and the maintenance contractor — creating a legal duty to preserve ECM data, ELD logs, dashcam footage, and records. The earlier those letters go out, the more we lock down. Contact us immediately after a Dallas truck crash ?
The evidence that wins truck cases.
- The truck’s “black box” (ECM) — records speed, braking, throttle in the seconds before impact
- Electronic Logging Device (ELD) data — exposes hours-of-service violations
- The driver qualification file — reveals negligent hiring
- Dashcam and telematics — frequently “unavailable” unless preserved fast
- Maintenance and inspection records — show ignored defects
- Dispatch and bill-of-lading records — connect the carrier, broker, and shipper
FMCSA violations that matter most.
- Hours of Service (Part 395) — limits on driving time without rest
- Driver Qualification (Part 391) — what carriers must verify before hiring
- Inspection & Maintenance (Part 396)
- Drug & Alcohol Testing (Part 382)
- Cargo Securement (Part 393)
When we prove a violation, the case shifts from “an accident happened” to “this company chose profit over safety.” That’s the case that drives full-value settlements and, in the worst cases, punitive damages.
Texas deadlines.
Two years from the crash (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §16.003). DART, City of Dallas, and Dallas County vehicle cases require notice in much shorter windows. The practical deadline for evidence is much sooner.