GALVESTON TRUCK ACCIDENTS
Galveston Truck & 18-Wheeler Accident Lawyer
Maida Law Firm represents people hurt in 18-wheeler and commercial truck crashes in Galveston, from our Houston office on the Southwest Freeway; we have no Galveston office. Almost every truck reaches the island on I-45 over the Galveston Causeway, and Galveston County recorded 250 crashes involving commercial motor vehicles in 2025, according to TxDOT.
A Galveston truck claim is filed in Galveston County, where the district courts sit at 600 59th Street, and must be filed within two years (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003). The consultation is free: call (713) 785-9484.
The short version
- This page is about 18-wheeler and commercial truck crashes in Galveston. For other injuries on the island, see our Galveston personal injury page; for injuries at sea, our maritime page.
- Trucks reach the island on I-45 over the Galveston Causeway; Galveston County had 250 commercial-vehicle crashes in 2025, one of them fatal (TxDOT).
- Port trucks use Harborside Drive. From June 15, 2026, Gate 40 is closed for about six months and Gate 22 is the main truck entrance; tall loads over 15 ft 9 in use Gate 15.
- Galveston police investigate on the island, from 601 54th Street. UTMB’s Galveston emergency department is a Level I Trauma Center.
- Suits go to the Galveston County district courts, 600 59th Street. Two years to sue (§ 16.003); no recovery above 50% responsibility (§ 33.001).
CAUSEWAY, HARBORSIDE & THE PORT
Where do truck crashes happen in Galveston?
Mostly on I-45 from the Galveston Causeway to 61st Street and on Harborside Drive, the route port trucks use to reach the Port of Galveston’s cargo gates. On July 3, 2026, a crash between a heavy truck, an SUV and a sports car on I-45 southbound in Galveston killed the sports car’s driver and injured several people, including two children.
I-45 onto the island. TxDOT describes I-45 from the Galveston Causeway Bridge to 61st Street as a divided highway with six 12-foot main lanes and four frontage-road lanes, and its project there aims to reduce flooding, improve congestion and improve hurricane evacuation, with U-turn and turning lanes at Harborside Drive, 71st Street and 61st Street (TxDOT, I-45 Causeway to 61st Street). The July 3, 2026 crash closed multiple southbound lanes; Galveston police investigated and the district attorney’s office attended the scene (ABC13; Click2Houston, July 3, 2026).
Port trucks and Harborside Drive. The Port of Galveston handles dry and liquid bulk, breakbulk, roll-on/roll-off, refrigerated and project cargo, containers and cruise-related cargo, and reports about 3 million cargo tons and 4 million cruise passenger movements a year (Port of Galveston, facilities; Port of Galveston). From June 15, 2026, Gate 40, the main entrance to the West Port Cargo Complex, is closed for road construction for about six months: eastbound Harborside traffic is sent onto Old Port Industrial Road, Gate 22 is the main truck entrance (5:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays), and oversized loads taller than the 51st Street overpass clearance of 15 feet 9 inches, along with cruise provisioning trucks, must use Gate 15 (Port of Galveston, June 10, 2026).
The Bolivar ferry. SH 87 crosses to the Bolivar Peninsula by TxDOT ferry, which limits vehicles to 80,000 pounds, 65 feet long, 13.5 feet high and 8.5 feet wide (TxDOT), and does not allow any hazardous material referenced in 49 C.F.R. Parts 100 to 185 aboard (TxDOT ferry rules).
AFTER A GALVESTON CRASH
What happens after a truck crash in Galveston?
On the island, the Galveston Police Department investigates, from the Joe Max Taylor Law Enforcement Center at 601 54th Street. The seriously injured are usually taken to UTMB, whose Galveston emergency department is a Level I Trauma Center. A lawsuit goes to the Galveston County district courts at 600 59th Street, and the carrier’s records must be preserved early.
Police and the report. The Galveston Police Department is housed at the Joe Max Taylor Law Enforcement Center, 601 54th Street (City of Galveston). The Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Report can be bought online through TxDOT for $6, or $8 certified, by the people involved and their representatives.
Trauma care on the island. UTMB states that its Galveston emergency department is a Level I Trauma Center certified by the American College of Surgeons, and the only Level I Trauma Center in the region that is also a verified burn center (UTMB Health). For a claim, what matters is that every visit is documented from the first day.
The court. Galveston County’s district courts, including the 10th, 56th, 122nd, 212th, 306th and 405th, are at 600 59th Street, Galveston (Galveston County). How the federal trucking rules and Texas damages law apply is set out on our Houston truck and 18-wheeler accident page and our truck accident settlement page. For injuries at sea or on the docks, see our maritime and Jones Act page; for other injuries on the island, our Galveston personal injury page. The Pasadena and Baytown truck pages cover the Ship Channel side of the bay.
COMMON QUESTIONS
What do people ask about Galveston truck accidents?
On the island, the Galveston Police Department, which is housed at the Joe Max Taylor Law Enforcement Center, 601 54th Street; its officers investigated the July 3, 2026 heavy-truck crash on I-45. The investigating agency writes the Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Report, which TxDOT sells online for $6, or $8 certified.
Yes, if the driver or the carrier was at fault, and sometimes the shipper or terminal operator too if its own conduct, such as loading, contributed. Port gate and terminal records show when the truck entered and left, which helps establish hours of service and the route it took. Those records are requested early, before they are overwritten.
Ordinarily the Galveston County district courts at 600 59th Street, Galveston, when the crash happened in the county or a defendant is based there. Some cases against out-of-state carriers can be moved to federal court; which forum applies is decided early, because it affects timing and procedure.
Higher federal insurance minimums usually apply: $1,000,000 for oil and most hazardous materials and $5,000,000 for bulk hazardous substances (49 C.F.R. § 387.9). A spill can add exposure injuries and cleanup claims. Hazardous materials are not allowed aboard the Galveston–Port Bolivar ferry crossing to the Bolivar Peninsula.
Generally two years from the crash under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003(a), or two years from the date of death in a fatal case. If a City of Galveston or Galveston County vehicle was involved, written notice is required within six months under § 101.101, and a city charter can require it sooner.
Yes, as long as your share of responsibility is not greater than 50 percent (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.001); your damages are reduced by your percentage. In a merge or rear-end crash on the causeway, the truck’s dashcam and engine data usually decide the percentage, so they are requested before they are overwritten.
Yes. Texas lawyers practise statewide, and we handle Galveston County truck cases from our only office, 8313 Southwest Fwy Ste 102, Houston, TX 77074. We have no Galveston office and meet clients by phone, video or in person. The consultation is free: (713) 785-9484.
Yes, through a wrongful-death claim filed within two years of the death (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003(b)). After a fatal crash, federal rules require the carrier to test the surviving driver for alcohol and drugs (49 C.F.R. § 382.303). Our wrongful death page explains who may bring the claim.
Hurt by a truck in Galveston? How do I get a free case review?
Call (713) 785-9484 or use the form. The consultation is free, there is no fee unless we recover, and we start by securing the truck’s records and the port or ferry records that show where it had been.
Galveston truck & 18-wheeler accident lawyer: key facts
| Fact | Answer |
|---|---|
| Law firm | Maida Law Firm — Houston personal-injury firm |
| Practice on this page | 18-wheeler and commercial truck accident claims |
| Area served | Galveston, Texas — served from the Houston office; the firm has no Galveston office |
| Office | 8313 Southwest Fwy Ste 102, Houston, TX 77074 · (713) 785-9484 |
| Author | Sam A. Maida, Jr. — Texas Bar No. 00787950 |
| Reviewer | Bernard G. Johnson III — Texas Bar No. 00796832 |
| Consultation and fee | Free Consultation; Contingency Fee — no attorney’s fee unless there is a recovery |
| Google rating | 4.9 stars from 365 reviews (Google, 21 September 2026) |
| Deadline to file | Two years from the day the cause of action accrues — Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003(a) |
How many commercial-vehicle crashes happen in Galveston County?
TxDOT counted 250 crashes involving commercial motor vehicles in Galveston County in 2025. One was fatal and killed one person, four caused suspected serious injuries, and 206 caused no injury. The figures come from Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Reports processed by TxDOT as of April 7, 2026.
| Measure | Crashes | People |
|---|---|---|
| Fatal | 1 | 1 killed |
| Suspected serious injury | 4 | 4 injured |
| Suspected minor injury | 24 | 28 injured |
| Possible injury | 13 | 22 injured |
| No injury | 206 | — |
| Unknown severity | 2 | — |
| All CMV-involved crashes | 250 | — |
Source: TxDOT, Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Involved Crashes and Injuries by County, 2025
Which Galveston roads and port gates carry truck traffic?
I-45 from the causeway to 61st Street brings trucks onto the island, Harborside Drive leads to the Port of Galveston’s cargo gates, and SH 87 continues by ferry to Bolivar. The port changed its truck gates from June 15, 2026. Each row gives what the source says and when.
| Road or site | What the source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| I-45, Causeway Bridge to 61st Street | Divided highway with six 12-foot main lanes and four frontage lanes; project to reduce flooding, improve congestion and evacuation, with turning lanes at Harborside Dr, 71st St and 61st St. | TxDOT |
| I-45 southbound in Galveston | July 3, 2026 crash between a heavy truck, an SUV and a sports car; the sports car driver died and several people were injured. | Click2Houston, July 3, 2026 |
| Port of Galveston Gate 40 | Main entrance to the West Port Cargo Complex; closed about six months from June 15, 2026. | Port of Galveston, June 10, 2026 |
| Port of Galveston Gate 22 and Gate 15 | Gate 22 is the main truck entrance, 5:30 a.m.–4 p.m. weekdays; loads over the 51st Street overpass clearance of 15 ft 9 in and cruise provisioning trucks use Gate 15. | Port of Galveston, June 10, 2026 |
| Galveston–Port Bolivar ferry (SH 87) | Vehicles up to 80,000 lb, 65 ft long, 13.5 ft high and 8.5 ft wide; no hazardous materials referenced in 49 C.F.R. Parts 100–185. | TxDOT |
What else do people ask after a Galveston truck crash?
Tap a question to open it.
Why are there so many trucks on I-45 into Galveston?
Because I-45 over the causeway is the island’s only freeway link to the mainland, and it carries both port freight and the supply trucks for cruise ships. The Port of Galveston reports about 3 million cargo tons and 4 million cruise passenger movements a year, and cruise provisioning trucks have their own gate.
What changed for port trucks in June 2026?
The Port of Galveston closed Gate 40, the main entrance to its West Port Cargo Complex, for about six months from June 15, 2026. Eastbound Harborside Drive traffic takes the Old Port Industrial Road exit under the 51st Street overpass, Gate 22 is the main truck entrance on weekdays, and oversized loads and cruise provisioning trucks use Gate 15.
Does wind or fog on the causeway excuse a truck driver?
Not by itself. Weather is a reason to slow down and increase following distance, and a professional driver is expected to adjust to it. Whether weather contributed, and how much, is a question of the evidence: speed and braking data from the truck, dashcam video and the weather record for the time of the crash.
What should I do after being rear-ended by a truck on the causeway?
Move to safety only if you can do so without walking into traffic, call 911, and let police and medics come to you. When it is safe, photograph the truck, its company name and the scene, and get the names of witnesses. Get medical care the same day and keep every record.
What evidence matters most after a Galveston truck crash?
The carrier’s electronic logging device, the engine or event data, dashcam video, the driver qualification file and maintenance records, plus, for a port truck, the gate transaction records showing when it entered and left the terminal. For a crash near the ferry, the ferry landing records can show where the truck was headed.
Where will I be treated after a serious truck crash in Galveston?
Emergency crews decide. UTMB’s Galveston emergency department is a Level I Trauma Center certified by the American College of Surgeons, and UTMB describes it as the only Level I Trauma Center in the region that is also a verified burn center. Every visit should be documented from the first day.
How much is a Galveston truck accident case worth?
It depends on the injuries, the proof of fault, your own share of responsibility and the insurance behind each defendant. Texas limits medical damages to amounts actually paid or incurred and requires lost earnings to be shown after income tax. Our truck accident settlement page sets out every rule that moves the number.
How much does it cost to hire a lawyer for a Galveston truck case?
Nothing up front. Maida Law Firm works on a contingency fee: a percentage of the recovery, set out in writing before you sign, and no attorney’s fee if there is no recovery. We handle Galveston cases from our Houston office on the Southwest Freeway and can meet by phone or video.
4.9 out of 5 from 365 Google reviews. Read them on Google.
★★★★★
Hi, I would recommend their services they were very helpful in handling and resolving my case. I received great medical care on their behalf and I was taken care of as a client by Mr. Gabriel he went above and beyond to ensure I didn't settle for less than I was owed.
★★★★★
Maida law firm was great. They have amazing communication. The staff was also very friendly and professional. The process was fast and they are very reliable. I will definitely be recommending them to all my friends and family. Thank you so much Maida Law Firm.
Reviews are the opinions of the clients who wrote them. Past results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome in any future case.
What truck crashes have been reported in Galveston recently?
The Galveston County Daily News reported two fatal crashes involving trucks on I-45 at the island end of the causeway in 2026: in January at the base of the causeway, and in July near 71st Street, where a sports car driver died and two children were hurt.
Each incident is linked to the news outlet that reported it, newest first. We were not involved in these cases, describe them only as published and do not assess who was at fault.
| Date | Road and location | What was reported | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-45 inbound near 71st Street, entering Galveston | A heavy industrial truck, an SUV and a sports car collided. The sports car's driver died and several people, including two children, were hurt. | The Galveston County Daily News: “One killed, two injured in crash near Galveston causeway” | |
| I-45 northbound at the base of the Galveston Causeway | A Jeep struck the rear of a traffic-safety flatbed truck. The Jeep's driver died and northbound lanes were closed for hours. | The Galveston County Daily News: “Fatal crash shuts down northbound lanes of Galveston Causeway” |
Related claims we handle
Where we are in Houston
Maida Law Firm
8313 Southwest Fwy Ste 102, Houston, TX 77074
We are on the Southwest Freeway, minutes from the 610 Loop and Sharpstown, and we see clients from across Harris County.
About the authors
Sam A. Maida, Jr.
Owner and Managing Attorney
Sam A. Maida, Jr. has represented injured Texans in the greater Houston area since the firm opened in 1993.
State Bar of TexasAvvoMartindale-HubbellLawLinkThatCarHitMeLinkedIn
Bernard G. Johnson III
Litigation Managing Attorney
Bernard G. Johnson III is a board certified trial lawyer licensed in Texas since 1996 and a graduate of South Texas College of Law.
Areas We Serve
Maida Law Firm has represented injured Texans across the greater Houston area since 1993. Beyond Galveston, we handle cases in:
- Baytown — ExxonMobil refinery workers, Houston Ship Channel mariners, and accident victims.
- Katy — Cinco Ranch, Cross Creek Ranch, Cane Island, and surrounding master-planned communities.
- Pasadena — Refinery, petrochemical, workplace, and auto accident claims.
- Sugar Land — Serving Sugar Land and Fort Bend County.
- The Woodlands — Serving The Woodlands and Montgomery County, including auto, truck, and wrongful death claims.
Serving Galveston from our Houston office
Maida Law Firm
8313 Southwest Fwy Ste 102, Houston, TX 77074
We take Galveston cases from this Houston office. There is no Galveston branch — the consultation is free, and nothing is owed unless we recover for you.
Which court handles a Galveston injury case?
Galveston lies in one county — Galveston. A Texas injury suit is normally filed in the county where the crash or incident happened or where the defendant lives, so the courthouse that handles your case depends on which side of the county line you were on.
| County | Courthouse | Address |
|---|---|---|
| Galveston County | Galveston County Courthouse | 600 59th St, Galveston, TX 77551 |
Texas injury deadlines and limits at a glance
| Question | Texas rule | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Deadline to file most injury lawsuits | Two years from the day the cause of action accrues. | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003(a) |
| Deadline when an injury causes death | Two years, running from the date of death. | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003(b) |
| If you were partly at fault | You recover nothing if your share of responsibility is greater than 50 percent. | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.001 |
| Claim against a city, county or state agency | The governmental unit must receive notice within six months of the incident — and a city charter may require notice sooner. | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 101.101 |
| Cap on exemplary (punitive) damages | The greater of $200,000, or twice economic damages plus noneconomic damages up to $750,000. | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 41.008(b) |
| Cap on noneconomic damages against a physician or provider | $250,000 per claimant on a health care liability claim. | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 74.301(a) |
Where a Galveston case is filed
Galveston County Courthouse
600 59th St, Galveston, TX 77551
Galveston sits in Galveston County, so this is normally where a suit arising there is filed.
Deadlines are shorter than most people expect, and some are shorter than the two years above. The figures here are the general statutory rules, verified against the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code, and are general information — not legal advice about your case. Ask a lawyer about your own deadline before you rely on any of it.