Were you injured in a wide-turn accident in Houston, TX? At Greenberg Streich Injury Lawyers, we are trusted wide-turn accident lawyers with over a decade of experience representing injured Texans.
If a commercial truck swung wide into your lane while turning and caused a collision, the truck driver likely did not see you until it was too late. Greenberg Streich Injury Lawyers investigates whether the driver checked their blind spot, whether the trucking company trained the driver properly, and whether the maneuver itself was executed safely. Reach out to our Houston, TX wide-turn accident lawyer for a free case review.
Wide-Turn Accident Lawyer Houston, TX
A wide-turn accident, sometimes called a right-turn squeeze or no-zone collision, happens when a large truck swings wide before completing a turn and strikes a vehicle positioned alongside it. Commercial trucks require significant extra space to turn safely, and a driver who fails to check the resulting blind spot can crush a passenger vehicle, motorcycle, or cyclist caught in that space. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has found that roughly one-third of all crashes between large trucks and passenger vehicles occur within these no-zone blind spots.
Downtown Houston’s tight intersections and frequent turning movements by commercial trucks create ongoing risk for this type of crash. A wide-turn accident lawyer investigates whether the driver signaled properly, checked all mirrors, and gave other vehicles adequate warning before initiating the turn.
Types of Wide-Turn Accident Cases We Handle in Houston, TX
Wide-turn crashes happen under a specific set of circumstances tied to a truck’s size and turning radius. Below are the scenarios we see most often in Houston.
- Right-turn squeeze crashes. A truck swings left before turning right, trapping a vehicle that pulled up beside it in the resulting blind spot. This is one of the most common wide-turn scenarios at intersections.
- Left-turn wide swing crashes. A truck completing a wide left turn can cross into an adjacent lane, striking a vehicle that had no reason to expect the encroachment.
- Motorcycle accidents. Motorcyclists are especially vulnerable in a truck’s no-zone, since their smaller profile makes them easy to miss in a mirror check.
- Pedestrian and cyclist wide-turn crashes. A truck turning through a crosswalk or bike lane presents serious danger to anyone who assumed the driver had seen them.
- Bus crashes. City buses and charter buses face similar turning radius challenges, and a wide-turn collision involving a bus can affect multiple passengers at once.
- Traumatic brain injuries. The force involved when a truck’s trailer strikes a smaller vehicle during a turn is a common cause of serious head injuries.
- Blind spot collisions outside a turn. Not every no-zone crash happens mid-turn. A truck merging or changing position can strike a vehicle in the same blind spot that makes wide turns dangerous.
- Wrongful death. Wide-turn crashes involving motorcyclists, cyclists, and pedestrians are disproportionately fatal, and we handle both the investigation and the wrongful death claim for the family.
Why Choose Greenberg Streich Injury Lawyers as My Wide-Turn Accident Lawyer in Houston, TX?
Experience With Wide-Turn and Commercial Vehicle Claims in Houston
Mike Streich brings 13 years of experience to commercial vehicle accident claims in Texas, including cases involving blind-spot and turning maneuver collisions. Before moving to plaintiff-side work, he represented corporate defendants in commercial motor vehicle litigation. Super Lawyers has named him a Texas Rising Star in multiple years since 2014. Matt Greenberg has 12 years of trial experience in serious personal injury litigation across Texas, with a record that includes the largest recorded personal injury settlement in Tarrant County and the largest recorded verdict in Montgomery County.
Our attorneys have recovered more than $320 million for injured clients in Texas, including truck accident results of $4,000,000 and $1,150,000. A well-resourced trucking company and its insurer often move quickly to control the narrative after a wide-turn collision. Our car accident lawyer in Houston, TX is prepared to respond with equal speed. We accept wide-turn accident cases on a contingency basis. No fee is owed unless compensation is recovered on the client’s behalf.
What Is Important to Understand About a Wide-Turn Accident Case?
What Is the Wide-Turn Accident Case Timeline?
A wide-turn case can move efficiently once liability is established, though the trucking company’s insurer will still scrutinize the passenger vehicle’s position at the time of the crash. Generally, the process includes:
- Emergency medical treatment and documentation of your injuries
- Gathering witness accounts, traffic camera footage, and the truck’s onboard data if available
- Continued treatment until you reach maximum medical improvement
- A demand letter sent to the carrier’s insurer once liability and damages are established
- Negotiation, and litigation if the insurer disputes fault
Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Wide-Turn Accident Cases
Wide-turn collisions raise a straightforward question: did the truck driver check the no-zone before swinging into it? When the answer is no, establishing negligence is often more direct than in other truck accident cases, though the passenger vehicle’s position at the time of the crash can still be disputed. Texas applies a modified comparative fault rule under its proportionate responsibility statute, and a claimant found more than 50 percent responsible cannot recover damages under that rule. Texas’s two-year filing deadline also applies to wide-turn accident claims the same as any other personal injury case. Compensation in these cases typically includes:
- Medical expenses, from emergency treatment through any long-term or rehabilitative care
- Lost wages and diminished earning capacity if the injury affects your ability to work
- Vehicle damage or the fair market value of a totaled car
- Pain and suffering tied to the physical and emotional toll of the crash
- Loss of enjoyment of life when injuries limit activities you previously took part in
What Are Important Aspects of a Wide-Turn Accident Case?
Wide-turn cases often turn on details that a typical car accident claim does not involve. A few things matter most:
- Whether the truck signaled its turn and whether that signal gave adequate warning
- The truck driver’s mirror-check habits and any onboard camera footage
- The intersection’s design and whether it accommodates large vehicle turning radii
- The trucking company’s training records on wide-turn procedures
What Should You Bring to Your Wide-Turn Accident Consultation?
A short list of items can speed up your case. If you have them, bring photos of the scene and vehicle damage, medical records or bills from any treatment received so far, and contact information for any witnesses. Note exactly where your vehicle was positioned relative to the truck, since this detail often becomes central to the liability dispute. Reviewing a few key questions beforehand can help you get the most out of your first meeting with an attorney.
During your consultation, we will discuss the intersection where the crash occurred, the truck company involved, and your treatment to date, then give you an honest assessment of your case’s value.
Most Dangerous Locations for Wide-Turn Accidents in Houston
Wide-turn crashes concentrate near tight intersections with heavy commercial truck traffic, particularly closer to Houston’s urban core.
Dangerous streets:
- Washington Avenue – Frequent commercial deliveries combined with narrow turning lanes make this a recurring site for wide-turn conflicts.
- Studemont Street – Industrial and commercial truck traffic through tight intersections raises the risk of a blind-spot collision.
- Yale Street – Heavy mixed-use development traffic combined with truck deliveries creates frequent turning conflicts.
Dangerous highways and interchanges:
- I-69 (US-59) at the downtown interchange – Complex ramp configurations require trucks to execute wide turning movements in heavy traffic.
- I-10 at the Pierce Elevated – Limited turning lanes near this interchange increase the risk of a truck’s wide turn catching a passenger vehicle.
- Loop 610 at the I-45 North interchange – Heavy commercial truck volume through this junction creates frequent wide-turn hazards.
Reach Out to Greenberg Streich Injury Lawyers to Schedule a Consultation
If a truck’s wide turn caused your injury, our Houston wide-turn accident lawyer can investigate the maneuver and hold the responsible parties accountable. You owe no fee unless we obtain compensation on your behalf. You can expect to hear back from Greenberg Streich Injury Lawyers within one business day of reaching out. Contact us to schedule your free, confidential case review.
