Bastrop County carries the freight lane between Houston and Austin — SH-71 through Bastrop and Smithville, US-290 through Elgin, and the SH-130 toll corridor on its western edge, where trucks bypass I-35. Fast highways, hard merges, and two-lane farm roads make this one of the corridor’s most dangerous stretches for collisions with commercial trucks. When a wreck happens, the trucking company’s response team is often working the scene within hours — and the evidence that proves your case can be gone in days.
The Estes Law Firm handles serious truck and 18-wheeler accident cases in Bastrop County and across the Houston–San Antonio–Austin triangle. Our firm has two lawyers Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization — Joshua Estes and Gary M. Freeman — a credential held by a small fraction of Texas attorneys, and rarer still twice over in a single firm. We prepare every trucking case for trial from day one.
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Why an 18-Wheeler Case Is Not a Car Accident Case
Commercial trucking is governed by a separate body of federal and state law. Interstate carriers must follow Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration rules on driver qualification, drug and alcohol testing, vehicle inspection and maintenance, cargo securement, and hours of service. Drive time is recorded on electronic logging devices, and modern tractors carry engine control data, GPS pings, and often dash cameras. That evidence can prove a driver was fatigued, speeding, or out of hours — but carriers are only required to retain much of it for a limited time, and it has a way of disappearing once a claim looks expensive.
Trucking cases also involve more defendants than car wrecks: the driver, the motor carrier, the trailer owner, the shipper or loader, and sometimes a maintenance contractor or broker. Each has its own insurer and its own lawyers. Interstate carriers hauling general freight are federally required to carry far higher liability limits than passenger vehicles — which is exactly why their insurers fight harder.
Where Truck Wrecks Happen in Bastrop County
- SH-71 through Bastrop and Smithville — the Houston–Austin freight route, with high-speed intersections and construction zones
- US-290 through Elgin, carrying truck traffic between Austin and Houston's northern route
- The SH-130 toll corridor on the county's western edge, where trucks bypassing I-35 run at some of the highest posted speeds in the country
- SH-95, SH-21, and the farm-to-market network, where gravel and construction haulers serving the fast-growing county meet local traffic
Lawsuits arising from these wrecks can generally be filed in the county where the crash happened — which means Bastrop County courts in Bastrop.
How dangerous are these roads? Our analysis of TxDOT’s 2024 commercial truck crash data for the corridor counties shows that, per crash, commercial vehicle wrecks in this region are several times more likely to be fatal than in Harris County.
Hurt Far From Home
Serious truck-crash victims in Bastrop County are often treated first at local emergency facilities and then transferred — frequently by helicopter — to a major trauma center in Austin. Families end up managing surgeries and rehabilitation away from home while medical bills mount and the carrier’s adjuster starts calling. You do not have to handle that alone, and you should not give any insurance company a recorded statement before speaking with a lawyer.
What Texas Law Says About Your Claim
Deadline. In most cases, Texas law gives you two years from the date of the crash to file suit. Waiting costs leverage long before it costs the claim: the earlier a lawyer is involved, the more evidence survives.
Shared fault. Texas follows a modified comparative fault rule. You can recover as long as you are not more than half responsible, but your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault — which is why carriers work so hard to shift blame onto you.
Bifurcated trials. Since 2021, Texas law allows trucking companies to split many commercial-vehicle trials into two phases, deciding the driver’s fault before the jury hears evidence about the company’s own safety failures. Trying cases under this framework is specialized work — another reason trucking cases belong with lawyers who actually try them.
What We Do in the First Days
- Send preservation letters so the carrier must retain driver logs, electronic control module data, dash-camera footage, inspection records, and the tractor and trailer themselves
- Get investigators and, when needed, accident reconstruction experts to the scene while the physical evidence is fresh
- Identify every liable party and every layer of insurance coverage
- Deal with the adjusters so you can focus on treatment
A Fort Bend County Firm Serving the Corridor
Our principal office is in Richmond, in Fort Bend County, with a satellite office in Missouri City. We handle trucking cases throughout the counties between Houston, Austin, and San Antonio, meet clients by appointment where it is convenient for them, and work every case on a contingency fee: no fee or expenses unless we win. Hablamos español.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file a truck accident claim in Texas?
In most cases, two years from the date of the crash. Some situations change that deadline, so talk to a lawyer promptly — and the evidence that wins trucking cases can disappear in weeks, long before any legal deadline.
The trucking company’s insurance already offered money. Should I take it?
Early offers in truck cases rarely account for future medical care, lost earning capacity, or the full extent of your injuries. Have a lawyer evaluate the offer before you sign anything — a release is permanent.
What does it cost to hire you?
Nothing up front. No fee or expenses unless we win. The consultation is free.
Do I have to come to your office?
No. We regularly represent clients along the corridor and can handle consultations by phone or video, or meet you by appointment.
If an 18-wheeler or commercial truck hurt you or took someone you love in Bastrop County, call (281) 238-5400 now for a free consultation.
Advertisement. Responsible attorney: William F. Estes. Principal office: Richmond, Texas. No fee or expenses unless we win. Free consultation. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.