Midland-Odessa 18 Wheeler Truck Accident Lawyers
Undefeated Midland-Odessa 18 Wheeler Accident Lawyers
There’s no doubt that Permian Basin oilfields have reshaped the economies of Midland-Odessa, bringing thousands of new jobs and millions of dollars to the region. Unfortunately, the heavy truck traffic that has accompanied the oil boom has also transformed West Texas roads into some of the most dangerous highways in Texas.
From inexperienced and fatigued drivers to truckers operating under the influence of drugs and alcohol, too many trucking and oilfield companies look the other way when an unfit or unqualified driver gets behind the wheel of a fully loaded, 80,000lb semi-truck – often with catastrophic results.
Table of Contents
- Midland and Odessa Lead Permian Basin in Fatal Truck and 18 Wheeler Accidents
- Causes of Midland-Odessa Truck and 18-Wheeler Accidents
- Common Truck Accident Injuries
- How Oil and Trucking Companies Try to Avoid Responsibility
- Midland-Odessa Truck and 18-Wheeler Accident FAQs
Our Midland-Odessa Truck Accident Lawyers Don’t Just Win. We Set Records
In addition to having an undefeated record against the biggest trucking companies in the country, our Midland-Odessa Truck Accident Lawyers have won Billions for our clients and consistently recovered the #1 largest verdicts and settlements in history for truck and 18-wheeler accident victims across the state of Texas:
- The #1 Largest Truck Accident Settlement in Texas
- The #1 Largest Accident Verdict in Texas
- $32 Million Settlement In Fatigue-Related Oilfield Truck Accident
- $20 Million Settlement in Fatal 18-Wheeler Crash
- $23.5 Million Settlement for Truck Accident Victim
- 2 of the Largest Truck Accident Settlements in Texas
The record-setting results that we’ve achieved for Midland-Odessa Truck and 18 Wheeler Accident victims have distinguished our firm as one of the Best Personal Injury Law Firms in the United States and provided our clients with the best medical care and the financial resources to care for themselves and their families for the rest of their lives.
Our reputation for winning Record-Setting Recoveries, along with our unparalleled commitment to our clients, are just two of the many reasons why truck and 18-wheeler accident victims across Midland, Odessa, Pecos and the Permian Basin turn to our Undefeated Truck and 18-wheeler Accident Lawyers after being injured or tragically killed in truck and 18-wheeler accidents.
If you or a loved one was injured or tragically killed because of a reckless trucker or negligent trucking company, our Midland-Odessa 18-Wheeler Accident Lawyers will commit whatever resources and time are necessary to hold the trucking company and its driver accountable and ensure you receive the maximum compensation possible for all of your injuries and losses.
Call 1-888-603-3636, click the “live chat” button, or send us a confidential email through our Contact Form by Clicking Here.
All consultations are free—and you won’t pay a dime unless we win your case.
#1 Largest Truck and 18 Wheeler Accident Recoveries in Texas
Having repeatedly recovered the #1 Largest Truck Accident Settlements and Verdicts in Texas, our Truck Accident Lawyers have the experience, resources and skills to stand up against the largest trucking, transportation, and oilfield companies in the world and not only win for our clients, but set records.
Midland and Odessa Lead Permian Basin in Fatal Truck and 18 Wheeler Accidents
According to the Texas Department of Transportation, the state’s energy-producing regions accounted for nearly a quarter of Texas’s fatal trucking accidents in 2022 – and the Permian Basin led the way.
Midland and Odessa lie in the heart of the Permian. In 2022 alone, 26,031 traffic crashes were reported on the Texas side of the Permian Basin, including 394 fatalities and 889 serious injuries. While truck and 18-wheeler crashes were reported in all 17 Permian Basin, the Midland and Odessa regions fared the worst, with Midland County reporting 502 trucking-related accidents, including 12 fatal crashes that resulted in 13 deaths. At least 389 trucking-related crashes were reported in Odessa’s home county of Ector, including five fatal crashes and five deaths.
To maximize their profits, Permian oil companies have to keep their wells running 24/7, and to do that, they need truck drivers. Even though West Texas oilfield truckers can now command six-figure wages, oil and gas companies are finding it increasingly difficult to hire experienced drivers. As a result, many of the “new” truckers operating in West Texas are untrained, overworked, and fatigued, resulting in a drastic increase in the number of fatal and catastrophic truck and 18-wheeler accidents.
Causes of Midland-Odessa Truck and 18-Wheeler Accidents
Having successfully represented thousands of truck and 18-wheeler accident victims throughout Texas and the United States, we’ve seen that most commercial trucking accidents are entirely prevented and typically result from the failure of the trucking company or its drivers to comply with critical safety regulations and federal laws developed to ensure the safety of everyone on the road.
Driver Fatigue
Long shifts and demanding schedules in the oil and gas industry often force truck drivers in Midland and Odessa to work extended hours without sufficient rest. In fact, while Texas and Federal law only allow truck drivers to drive a total of 11 hours after spending 10 hours “off-duty,” it’s not uncommon for Permian Basin drivers to work 15 to 20-hour days for weeks at a time. Fatigue impairs a trucker’s cognitive abilities, leading to decreased concentration, slower reaction times, and an increased likelihood of making critical errors on the road.
Inexperienced Truckers
The lack of seasoned drivers is a serious problem throughout the trucking industry, but it is particularly acute in the oil and gas industry, where it’s estimated that between 20% and 25% of all tanker trucks are not currently being utilized because of a lack of qualified drivers. The energy market can be highly volatile, so drillers are desperate to keep their fields operating 24/7 to extract as much oil and gas as possible before prices drop. As a result, many companies are all too willing to handle drivers without enough experience to handle a big rig, especially on the narrow, rural roads that serve the oilfields around Midland and Odessa.
Distracted Driving
Distraction is a factor in 70% of all commercial trucking accidents. While texting is a leading culprit, anything that takes their attention from the road – even for a split second – can diminish a trucker’s perception, judgment, and ability to avoid a crash.
Driver Impairment
Addiction has become a problem among oil and gas workers in the Permian Basin. Tuck drivers, in particular, often turn to illicit drugs, including cocaine and methamphetamines, to manage the brutally long hours that have become standard practice in the oilfields around Midland and Odessa. Driving while impaired is always dangerous, but the significantly large size and weight of a semi-truck or other big rig dramatically increases the likelihood that any crash, whether caused by an impaired driver or not, will result in catastrophic injuries and deaths.
Poor Vehicle Maintenance
Due to constant use, infrequent inspections, and poor road conditions, the trucks and 18-wheelers traveling throughout the Midland and Odessa regions experience much more wear and tear and require frequent service and maintenance. Since taking a truck out of service costs the oil company time and money, the trucks end up staying on the road with safety and mechanical hazards that violate Texas and federal safety laws.
Poor Road Conditions
The rural roads in the Permian Basin weren’t designed to handle the heavy truck traffic that has accompanied the oil boom. One road in particular – U.S. Route 285 – is now used by over 10,000 trucks and 18-wheelers serving the oilfields on a daily basis. The surge in traffic has correlated with a spike in serious and fatal truck crashes, prompting some locals to dub the once sleepy thoroughfare “Death Highway.”
Common Truck Accident Injuries
Because 18-wheelers and other big rigs generate so much force in a crash, they tend to inflict tremendous damage on any smaller vehicle that crosses their path. As a result, the occupants of passenger vehicles are far more likely to suffer severe and fatal injuries in a collision with a large commercial truck.
- Back and Neck Injuries: The impact of a truck accident can cause rapid back-and-forth movement of the head, resulting in back and neck injuries. While many people mistakenly believe these injuries are minor, they can have long-lasting effects, leading to chronic pain, restricted mobility, and a diminished quality of life for the victims.
- Spinal Cord Injuries: Spinal cord injuries sustained in an 18-wheeler crash may lead to herniated discs or paralysis, affecting a victim’s ability to perform daily activities and requiring extensive medical care, rehabilitation, and adaptive equipment.
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs): Traumatic brain injuries can range from mild concussions to severe and life-altering conditions. Victims may experience cognitive impairment, memory loss, and changes in behavior, necessitating ongoing medical treatment and rehabilitation.
- Fractures and Broken Bones: Truck accident victims who suffer painful fractures may require surgical intervention and will likely need prolonged rehabilitation. Depending on the severity, they may have to endure long-term disabilities that negatively impact their ability to work and maintain a normal life.
- Internal Injuries: Blunt force trauma from a truck accident can cause internal bleeding and damage to organs like the bladder, liver, kidney, pancreas, and spleen. Internal injuries can be life-threatening and may necessitate emergency medical intervention, surgeries, and extended periods of recovery. However, they’re not always immediately apparent, underscoring the importance of seeking immediate medical care after any crash involving an 18-wheeler or other large truck.
- Burns: In any truck accident, there is a heightened risk of fires and explosions, especially if the rig is transporting flammable materials. Severe and disfiguring burn injuries can result from exposure to flames, hot surfaces, or chemicals and may require extensive medical treatment, including surgery, skin grafts and ongoing rehabilitation.
- Amputation: crush injuries and other traumatic injuries can cause the immediate loss of a limb in a truck accident. The loss of blood flow, severe orthopedic damage, and certain post-accident medical complications can also result in the need for surgical amputation.
Oil and Trucking Companies Will Do Everything Possible to Avoid Responsibility
There are few industries where “profits over safety” is more pronounced than in oilfield and trucking. The more serious the accident, the harder the companies and their lawyers will fight and delay. From “losing” critical evidence from the truck’s ECM (Black Box) to destroying the driver’s logbooks, there’s little the companies won’t do to avoid paying you and your family the damages you deserve .
Many companies, for example, train drivers to blame the accident victim at the scene, even when it’s clear that their own actions caused the crash.
Trucking companies are also notorious for destroying or losing driving logs, training records, and other important evidence in an effort to prevent crash victims from proving that the trucking company and their drivers were at fault.
It’s not uncommon for accident victims to receive calls from the trucking company’s “claims adjuster” after the crash, hoping to convince you to take a settlement offer before you realize the full extent of your injuries and real value of your case. No matter what they say, remember that their only goal is to save money by paying you and your family substantially less than your case is worth.
An Experienced Truck Accident Lawyer Makes the Difference between a $75,000 and a $7,500,000 Recovery
Many people don’t realize that truck and 18-wheeler accidents are nothing like ordinary car accidents.
Not only are the trucking companies able to spend substantial amounts of money hiring teams of lawyers to defend them, but the lawsuits are also much more complex. The slightest mistake by the injured party or their lawyers can have significant consequences that can lead to the lawsuit being dismissed without any recovery or, if the case proceeds, greatly reduce the amount of damages the injured party is able to recover.
That’s why it’s so critical that you hire an Experienced Truck Accident Lawyer with the Largest Truck Accident Verdicts and Settlements in Texas to make sure that you receive the maximum compensation possible for all your injuries, damages, and losses.
Undefeated Midland-Odessa Truck and 18 Wheeler Accident Attorneys: Call 1-888-603-3636 or Click Here for a Free Consultation
Our West Texas Truck and 18 Wheeler Accident Lawyers have Won Billions and the #1 largest truck accident verdicts and settlements in history on behalf of oilfield, truck accident, and wrongful death victims across West Texas and the United States.
If you or a loved one were injured or tragically killed in a Truck or 18-Wheeler Accident, call 1-888-603-3636, use the “chat now” button, or Click Here to send us a confidential email through our Contact Us form.
Our Truck Accident Lawyers will answer your questions, explain your rights and options, and make sure you have the information you need to decide what’s best for you and your family.
All consultations are free, and you won’t pay us a dime unless we win your case.
Midland-Odessa Truck Accident FAQs
Your immediate priority should be seeking medical attention for any injuries. Contact law enforcement to report the accident and gather information from the scene, including the truck driver’s details, license plate number, and insurance information. Document the scene with photographs, and if possible, collect contact information from any witnesses.
Texas has a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims, including truck accidents. If you fail to take action within that time frame, you’ll be legally barred from ever doing so. It’s best to consult an experienced Midland-Odessa truck accident attorney about a potential case as soon as possible, as evidence critical to your case could be lost or destroyed before the statute of limitations even expires.
Yes, depending on the circumstances, you can file lawsuits against both the individual truck driver and the trucking company. Each may be held accountable for their respective roles in the accident.
Yes, Texas follows a modified comparative fault system. You can still pursue a lawsuit, but your compensation may be reduced based on your percentage of fault. However, even if you think you were partly to blame, never discuss fault at the accident scene, with representatives of the trucking company and it’s insurer, or anyone else other than your spouse or attorney. Determining fault in a truck accident can be highly complex and should be left to your lawyer.
Because truck and 18-wheeler accidents are more likely to result in catastrophic injury to multiple parties, they’re also more likely to result in multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements. With so much money on the line, trucking companies will go to great lengths to escape responsibility and avoid paying victims full compensation for all of their injuries and losses, even if that means blaming the victims themselves or “losing” and even destroying driver logs and other evidence critical to their case.
Truck and 18-wheeler victims are often entitled to substantial compensation. Economic damages, including medical expenses, lost wages, and property damage, compensate you for your out-of-pocket losses, while non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and disfigurement and scarring, make up for the disruption to your daily life and ability to do the things that you enjoy.
Under no circumstances should you speak with the trucking company’s claims adjuster, provide a recorded statement, or accept anything before you’ve had a chance to speak with an experienced truck accident attorney. No matter what they promise or how helpful they seem, claims adjusters are only looking for a reason to downplay your injuries and minimize your payout. You are not obligated to speak to the trucking company’s adjuster and doing so could end up hurting your case.
In Texas, punitive damages are also known as exemplary damages. They are awarded when a truck accident victim is able to prove their injuries resulted from gross negligence or intentional misconduct. These damages are intended to punish the responsible party and discourage others from engaging in similar wrongful conduct.
Yes, it’s still possible to pursue a claim if the truck driver was an independent contractor. Liability may extend to the trucking company, maintenance providers, the company responsible for loading the cargo or any other third-party whose actions caused or contributed to the crash.