Tractor-trailers haul over 70 percent of the nation’s freight. When you think about it, that’s a lot of products to carry across the country. Trucks carry clothes, food, building supplies, cars, and just about anything else you can think of — including livestock.

But what happens if a semi-truck hauling livestock crashes? When you see a tractor-trailer moving down the road, you usually can’t see what’s inside. Imagine having a truck slam into your vehicle or crash ahead of you and seeing live animals spilling onto the road.

Tragically, these cases can and have happened. And the consequences can be deadly.

In June 2017, a tractor-trailer carrying pigs crashed during rush hour, spilling 100 pigs onto the highway. According to a Fox News report, two semi-trucks and a regular car were involved in the crash, which happened south of Dallas. The truck carrying the pigs tipped onto its side and burst into flames. Fortunately, the media reports that no one was injured in the accident.

This was by no means an isolated incident. Accidents with trucks hauling livestock have happened before, and they will sadly happen again in the future. In April 2017, a semi-truck carrying 160 pigs struck a guardrail and tipped over. The driver was injured, and several of the pigs died in the crash. Police officers who responded to the crash cites the truck driver for drinking and driving.

If you’ve been involved in an accident with trucks hauling livestock, you may not know where to turn next. Many people contact a personal injury lawyer who handles a wide range of injury cases. The problem with this approach is that truck accidents are very different from other types of personal injury accidents.

A semi-truck is a huge, expensive vehicle, and many semis are owned by carrier companies — not the driver. This means you will most likely have at least two defendants in your lawsuit. Furthermore, the truck driver may live in one state, and the carrier company may be located in another. You’ll also have to deal with the insurance company, and maybe more than one.

Texas truck accident lawyer Amy Witherite states: “Semi-trucks are the easiest and most economical way to move livestock from one place to another. Here in Texas, we’re known for producing a lot of the country’s beef and pork supply. This means that semi-trucks carrying livestock are a fact of life on our state’s highways. If you’ve been hurt in this type of crash, you need a legal team that focuses on truck accidents.”

If you’ve been injured in accident with trucks hauling livestock, speak to an experienced Texas truck accident lawyer as soon as possible. At 1-800-TRUCK-WRECK® We Keep Life Running for our clients so they can heal and fully recover while we work to ensure that they receive the compensation they deserve. Call us if you need help with your truck wreck case.