Were you involved in a car accident involving a company-owned vehicle in Sugar Land, TX? Company vehicle accidents tend to be much more complex than your average car accident case. It’s important to have an experienced Sugar Land company vehicle accident lawyer on your side.
At The Crash Team, our lawyers have over 35 years of combined experience. We have the skills to successfully resolve even the most complex personal injury claims. To date, we’ve helped our injured clients recover over $20 million in settlements and verdicts.
If you were injured in an accident, you deserve to understand your legal options. Call our law office in Sugar Land, Texas, at 713-300-0000 to schedule a free case review.
How Can The Crash Team Help After a Company Vehicle Accident in Sugar Land?
Company vehicles are cars, trucks, vans, and other vehicles that a company gives an employee to operate. Whether the employee uses the vehicle to carry work tools or transport passengers, complications will arise when accidents occur.
Employers can be held liable for the acts of their employees in Texas. Still, count on the company to work hard to avoid liability. You deserve to have an experienced Sugar Land personal injury lawyer on your side.
When you hire The Crash Team, you benefit from an attorney who has been recognized for top-notch legal services by the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
Hiring us means you’ll have an attorney to:
- Investigate and collect evidence on your behalf
- Determine who can ultimately be held liable for your damages
- Locate any available insurance policies
- Calculate the value of your injury claim
- Defend you when the insurance company blames you for the crash
- Negotiate to recover a full financial award
Companies often hire teams of defense attorneys. Their only job is to limit the amount of money the company has to pay. Our Sugar Land personal injury attorneys can help you level the playing field. Call us today to get started.
How Our Attorneys Prove Negligence in Sugar Land Company Vehicle Accidents
When you’re injured in an accident involving a company-owned vehicle, determining who is responsible can be more complicated than in a typical car accident. At The Crash Team, we investigate the circumstances of the collision, examine the driver’s actions, and determine whether their employer or other parties may also be legally responsible. Our goal is to build a strong claim that supports your right to recover compensation for your injuries and losses.
To establish negligence, our Sugar Land company vehicle accident lawyers work to prove four key elements:
- Duty of care: We establish that the driver had a legal obligation to operate their vehicle safely and follow applicable traffic laws.
- Breach of duty: We gather evidence of negligent behavior, such as distracted driving, speeding, or failure to yield.
- Causation: We demonstrate how the driver’s negligent actions caused the collision and your resulting injuries.
- Damages: We document your medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and other accident-related losses.
When a company vehicle is involved, we also investigate whether the employer may share responsibility for the accident. This may include reviewing employment records, determining whether the driver was performing job-related duties, and examining company vehicle maintenance and safety practices.
Our attorneys work to identify all potentially liable parties and available insurance coverage, helping you pursue compensation that reflects the full extent of your losses.
Can I Hold the Driver’s Employer Responsible for Damages in Texas?
When the employee is on the clock and operating the vehicle, their employer can typically be held liable when they cause an accident. This legal theory is known as “vicarious liability”.
To establish the employer’s liability, you must prove:
- The driver is employed by the company at issue
- The driver was acting within the scope of their employment when the accident occurred
Employers are also responsible for:
- Ensuring the employee had the proper licensing to operate the vehicle, including commercial drivers’ licensing in accidents involving large trucks and commercial vehicles
- Properly inspecting and maintaining the company vehicle in safe condition
- Ensuring drivers comply with applicable hours-of-service regulations
- Putting policies in place to ensure the driver knew they could not use cell phones or devices while operating the vehicle
- Clearly stating that the driver could not use drugs or alcohol while operating the vehicle
- Training the driver in operating the vehicle
Cases involving “frolicking” are even more complicated. When an employee decides to use the company vehicle for non-business purposes, it can be more challenging to hold the employer responsible. You’ll have to prove the company itself was negligent. For example, the company may be liable for failing to maintain the vehicle or failing to check the employee’s driving record.
If you were injured, contact our Sugar Land company vehicle accident attorneys for a free case review today. We’ll carefully evaluate the facts and identify any sources of compensation.
Common Injuries in Accidents Involving Company Vehicles
Company vehicles come in all shapes and sizes. Some are larger and heavier than traditional passenger vehicles. These vehicles can cause significant injuries.
At The Crash Team, we handle all types of motor vehicle injury cases, such as car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, bus accidents, boating accidents, including those involving:
- Broken bones
- Concussions
- Dislocations
- Shoulder injuries
- Soft tissue damage
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Whiplash injuries
- Internal bleeding
- Organ damage
- Burns
- Amputations
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a loved one
The harm suffered will depend on the nature of the accident itself.
What Causes Most Company Vehicle Accidents in Sugar Land?
Company vehicle accidents tend to occur for the same reasons as any other car crash. Employees who drive company vehicles are only human. They’re prone to make mistakes. When they do, they should be held accountable.
Some common causes of company vehicle accidents in Sugar Land include:
- Distracted driving
- Texting while driving
- Speeding and failure to follow traffic regulations
- Drunk driving
- Driving while using drugs
- Failure to yield the right-of-way
- Tailgating
- Fatigued drivers
- Lane departures
- Aggressive driving
- Dangerous or illegal turns
- Running a red light or stop sign
- Improperly trained drivers
- Poor vehicle maintenance
In Texas, after a crash involving a company vehicle, the company’s insurance adjuster may contact you for a statement. Don’t make any recorded statements without consulting an experienced lawyer first. While the insurance adjuster may say they want to help, they really want you to say something that’s going to hurt your case.
Insurance companies may also contact you for an early settlement offer. Always decline such offers because they are typically based on incomplete information and are designed to minimize what the insurer pays. At that early stage, you may not yet understand the full extent of your injuries, future medical needs, or long-term financial losses. Accepting a quick payout can prevent you from pursuing additional compensation later, even if your condition worsens.
Compensation We Can Help You Recover After a Texas Accident Involving a Company Vehicle
An accident involving a company vehicle can leave you facing significant medical expenses, lost income, and lasting physical or emotional challenges. At The Crash Team, we work to identify and document all the losses you’ve suffered, including those that may affect your future. Our attorneys investigate available insurance coverage, evaluate your damages, and pursue compensation from the parties responsible for your injuries.
Depending on your circumstances, we can help you seek compensation for two main categories of damages:
Economic Damages
We gather medical records, employment documentation, financial statements, and other evidence to establish your financial losses, including:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages and employment benefits
- Reduced earning capacity
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation
- Long-term nursing and personal care
- Vehicle repairs and other property damage
Non-Economic Damages
We also recognize that some of the most significant consequences of an accident cannot be measured through bills or receipts. Our attorneys work to document how your injuries have affected your daily life, relationships, and emotional well-being, including:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress, including depression and PTSD
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Diminished quality of life
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of consortium
Our team may collaborate with medical professionals, financial specialists, and other qualified experts to assess the full impact of your injuries. We also handle negotiations with insurance companies, challenge inadequate settlement offers, and prepare your case for trial when necessary. Our goal is to help you recover compensation that accounts for both your immediate losses and your long-term needs.
Contact a Respected Sugar Land Company Vehicle Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Company vehicle accident claims typically involve multiple defendants and commercial insurance companies. If you were injured in an accident involving a company-owned vehicle, contact The Crash Team today. Our experienced motor vehicle accident lawyers in Sugar Land can help you pursue the full compensation you deserve. Your consultation is always completely free of charge.
Frequently Asked Questions
I’ve Been Injured in an Accident Involving a Company Vehicle. How Do I Know if I Have a Case?
If a company vehicle driver caused your accident through negligence and you suffered injuries or financial losses, you may have a valid claim. We can investigate the collision, determine whether the driver’s employer may also be liable, and identify available insurance coverage. Even if you believe you were partially responsible, we can review your circumstances and explain your legal options under Texas law.
What Is My Sugar Land Company Vehicle Accident Case Worth?
Our lawyers will first evaluate the facts and circumstances. Before we can provide an estimate on the value of your personal injury case, we’ll have to understand your unique situation.
Personal injury claims can vary significantly in value, depending primarily on the following factors:
- The severity of the injuries
- Medical treatment costs
- Whether the victim requires ongoing medical care and the cost
- The likelihood that the victim will suffer a long-term injury
- The value of lost wages during recovery
- How the injury is expected to impact the victim’s future earning capacity
- Whether shared fault is an issue
- The insurance that’s available to cover damages
Companies will go to great lengths to minimize their liability when their employees cause accidents. Many have significant resources to fight your claim.
If the other side is trying to downplay your losses, contact our lawyers in Sugar Land. We understand the law and know how to fight for the full compensation you deserve.
Can I Recover Damages If I’m Being Blamed for Causing a Company Vehicle Accident in Sugar Land?
Even if you’re injured, it’s always possible that you shared fault for the accident. Under Texas’s modified comparative negligence law, you can recover compensation as long as you weren’t mostly responsible. Once your share of blame exceeds 50%, you lose the right to damages.
If you were partly liable, your compensation is reduced to the degree to which your acts caused the accident.
Cases involving shared fault are almost always complicated. Dividing blame is not an exact science. If the other driver is blaming you, call us today to learn how we can help.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Company Vehicle Accident in Texas?
Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003, you generally have two years from the date of your accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. However, different rules may apply if your accident involved a government-owned vehicle. Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 101.101, claims against government entities generally require formal notice within six months, although some municipalities impose shorter deadlines. Certain exceptions to these requirements may apply. At The Crash Team, we can review your case, identify the applicable deadlines, and help you take the necessary legal steps to protect your right to compensation.
What Does It Cost to Hire a Lawyer for My Sugar Land Company Vehicle Accident Case?
At The Crash Team, we handle company vehicle accident cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you won’t owe attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. Contingency fees typically range from 33% to 40% of the amount recovered, depending on the agreement.
We offer free initial consultations and will explain our fees and any potential case expenses before you decide to work with us.
