Trucks and commercial vehicles
Dallas delivery and work vehicle accident lawyer.
If the driver who hit you was working, the company behind that van, box truck or pickup may be responsible too, and it usually carries far more insurance than a personal driver. The fight is often over who the driver really worked for. Companies point at contractors, contractors point at the brand, and the GPS and camera data that settles it is kept for a short time. We find out who controlled the driver and the vehicle, lock down that data, and go after every policy that applies.
Right now
If a work vehicle just hit you.
- 01
Get medical care today
Go to the ER, urgent care or your doctor, even if you feel fine. A gap in treatment is the first thing a company's insurer will point to.
- 02
Photograph the vehicle's markings
The company name, logos, any USDOT or fleet number, the plates and the driver's uniform or badge. A plain white van may belong to a contractor, so every detail helps.
- 03
Ask the driver who they work for
Write down the driver's name, the company name and the insurance card. Ask if the vehicle is theirs or the company's. Do not argue about fault.
- 04
Call the police and get the report number
Officers have to report crashes with an injury or $1,000 or more in damage. The crash report (CR-3) lists the vehicle owner, which is often the first proof the company was involved.
- 05
Call us before the company's insurer calls you
Fleet insurers move fast and may offer a quick check. Once you sign a release, the claim is over. The first consultation is free, in English or Spanish.
Key deadlines and numbers
- Deadline to sue
- 2 years from the crashSource: Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 16.003
- Personal auto minimum in Texas
- $30,000 per person, often not enough for a serious injurySource: Tex. Transp. Code 601.072
- If a city truck or county vehicle hit you
- Written notice often within 6 months, sometimes soonerSource: Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 101.101
- Damage limits for a city vehicle crash
- $250,000 per person and $500,000 per crash for a citySource: Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 101.023
- If you are partly at fault
- You can recover if you are 50% or less at fault, reduced by your shareSource: Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 33.001
Texas law
When the company pays for its driver.
Under Texas law, an employer is responsible for the careless driving of an employee who is doing the employer's work. Courts look at who had the right to control the details of the driving, not just at the label on the paperwork. A company can also be responsible for its own mistakes, like putting an unsafe driver behind the wheel.
| Who | When they may be responsible |
|---|---|
| The driver | Always, for their own careless driving. |
| The employer | When the driver was an employee on the job, including many delivery routes and service calls. |
| A delivery contractor or the brand | Depends on contracts and who actually controlled routes, schedules and the vehicle. This is where most of the fighting happens. |
| The vehicle owner | If it lent the vehicle to someone it knew or should have known was an unsafe driver. |
| A city, county or utility | Government vehicles fall under the Texas Tort Claims Act, with short notice deadlines and damage limits. |
Employee or contractor matters
Companies often say the driver was an independent contractor so they are not responsible. Texas courts look past the label at who controlled the work. Route apps, dispatch records and the contracts usually answer the question.
Personal policies may not cover work driving
Many personal auto policies exclude delivery and other business driving. That is why the company's commercial policy, which is usually much larger, is often the one that matters.
Government vehicles have their own rules
If a city, county or school district vehicle hit you, the Texas Tort Claims Act requires written notice, often within 6 months, and caps damages. City charters can set shorter deadlines.
Source: Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 101.021How we work
How we build your claim.
Mr. Estrada reads your file and sets the strategy. Our team works the details with him, and you get updates in English or Spanish.
01
Identify every company
Vehicle registration, the crash report, the USDOT number if there is one, and public filings tell us who owns the vehicle, who employs the driver and who hired whom.
02
Preserve the fleet data
Fleet vehicles often have GPS tracking, telematics, driver apps and dashcams. We send preservation letters before that data is deleted or written over.
03
Prove the driver was working
Route logs, delivery scans, time records and dispatch messages show whether the driver was on the job at the moment of the crash.
04
Look at the company's own choices
Driving records, training, delivery quotas and maintenance can show the company put an unsafe driver or vehicle on the road.
05
Negotiate, and file suit when needed
We send a demand backed by the evidence. When the insurer will not pay what the case is worth, we file and prepare it for trial.
Who handles it
The lawyer on the sign is the lawyer on your case.
Mr. Estrada has practiced in Texas since 2003, in state court and in the Northern, Eastern and Western federal districts of Texas. He reads the file and sets the strategy, with associates and staff who work the case alongside him. Everything is explained to you in English or Spanish.
What clients say
“He helped bond my brother out of jail, kept us updated and went above and beyond to get his case dismissed.”Questions people ask us about money and paperwork.
- Who pays my medical bills right now?
- Usually your PIP, your health insurance, or a doctor who agrees to wait for the case to resolve. We help you line this up so treatment does not stop.
- What about my car?
- Commercial insurers often handle the property damage claim first. We can help with the repair estimate, a total loss value and a rental while the injury claim moves forward.
- I was the delivery driver and I got hurt
- Then the question is workers' comp, a claim against a non-subscriber employer, or a claim against the other driver. It depends on your employer's coverage and how the crash happened. Call us and we will sort it out.
- Do I need papers or a license to make a claim?
- If someone else caused the crash, you can make a claim. Talk to us privately about your situation. What you tell us stays between you and the firm.
Dallas and Odessa
Work vehicles on Dallas streets.
Southern Dallas County is full of warehouses and distribution centers, and delivery vans, box trucks and contractor pickups fill neighborhood streets from Oak Cliff to Grand Prairie every day. From our office on Jefferson Boulevard we handle crashes on I-35E, I-30, Loop 12, US-67 and residential streets where delivery drivers rush between stops. Our Odessa office handles crashes with company pickups and service trucks across the Permian Basin.
FAQ
Questions people ask.
An Amazon or other delivery van hit me. Who do I make the claim against?
Often the van is run by a separate delivery company that contracts with the brand, and each has its own insurance. The driver, the delivery company and sometimes the brand can be involved. We sort out who controlled the driver and which policies apply.
The company says the driver was an independent contractor. Is that the end?
No. Texas courts look at who actually had the right to control the work, not just at what the contract calls the driver. Even when the driver was a true contractor, the company may still be responsible for its own negligence.
What if the driver was in a personal vehicle but working?
The employer can still be responsible if the driver was doing the employer's work at the time. The driver's personal policy may exclude business use, so the employer's coverage can matter a lot.
What if a city truck hit me?
Claims against a city, county or school district follow the Texas Tort Claims Act. Written notice is often due within 6 months or sooner, and damages are capped. Call right away so the notice is sent on time.
How long do I have to file?
Generally two years from the crash for a private company, and much less time to give notice to a government agency. GPS and camera data can be gone long before either deadline.
How much does it cost to hire you?
The first consultation is free. Injury cases are handled on a contingency fee, which means the fee comes out of the recovery, not out of your pocket. We explain the exact terms, including case costs, before you sign.
Related situations
- 18 wheeler and truck accidents
- Car accidents
- Uber and Lyft accidents
- Pedestrian and bicycle accidents
- Hit and run and uninsured drivers
- Workplace injuries
- All: Personal Injury
Updated October 2026
This page is general information about Texas law, not legal advice for your situation. Reading it does not create an attorney client relationship. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee a future outcome.
Two offices
Oak Cliff and Odessa.
Mon to Fri 9 to 5, Sat 9 to 12. Emergencies 24/7 by phone.
Law Office of Olegario Estrada, P.C.
We explain everything.We answer 24/7.Se habla español.
Free consultation by phone, video, or in person. Offices in Dallas and Odessa.