Gladewater Truck Accident Lawyers: Protecting East Texas Families Against Corporate Goliaths

The impact of an 80,000-pound commercial vehicle is never just a “fender bender.” When a loaded semi-truck slams into a passenger car on US-80 or I-20 near Gladewater, the physics are unforgiving. Your car weighs roughly 4,000 pounds; the machine that hit you is twenty times that size. In that split second, your life, your career, and your family’s future are changed forever.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a truck accident in Gladewater, you aren’t just dealing with a driver. You’re going up against a corporate giant—whether it’s a national carrier, a Haynesville Shale oilfield service company, or a Fortune 500 retailer like Walmart or Amazon. These companies have rapid-response teams on the ground in Gregg County before the ambulance even leaves the scene. Their job is to protect their profits. Our job is to protect you.

At Attorney911, led by Ralph Manginello, we’ve spent over 25 years making trucking companies pay for the devastation they cause. We don’t just “handle” cases; we win them. With multi-million dollar recoveries for traumatic brain injuries, amputations, and wrongful death, our firm brings the firepower of 25+ years of courtroom experience to every client in Gladewater.

The clock is already ticking. Evidence in Gregg County truck accidents—from black box data to driver logs—can be overwritten or “lost” in as little as 30 days. You need an aggressive advocate who moves faster than the trucking company. Call us 24/7 at 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free, confidential consultation.

Why Experience Matters in Gladewater Trucking Litigation

Trucking accidents are fundamentally different from standard car wrecks. They involve complex federal regulations, layers of corporate liability, and massive insurance policies. If you hire a general practice attorney who doesn’t live and breathe Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations, you’re leaving money on the table.

Our managing partner, Ralph Manginello, has been fighting for injury victims since 1998. He is admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, meaning he has the federal court experience required to take on interstate trucking companies. We’ve gone toe-to-toe with the world’s largest corporations, including BP in the Texas City Refinery litigation, and we’ve litigated against giants like Walmart, Amazon, FedEx, and UPS.

The Attorney911 Unfair Advantage: Lupe Peña

When you call Attorney911, you gain a unique tactical advantage. Our associate attorney, Lupe Peña, used to work for a national insurance defense firm. He spent years inside the system, learning exactly how insurance companies evaluate, minimize, and deny trucking accident claims in East Texas. He knows their playbook because he helped write it. Now, he uses that insider knowledge to deconstruct their defenses and fight for every dime you deserve.

As client Donald Wilcox said, “One company said they would not accept my case. Then I got a call from Manginello… I got a call to come pick up this handsome check.” We take the tough cases other firms drop, and we win.

Hablamos Español. Llame al 1-888-ATTY-911 para hablar con Lupe Peña hoy.

Gladewater’s Most Dangerous Trucking Corridors and Hazards

Gladewater sits at the heart of East Texas, serving as a critical crossroads for freight moving through Gregg and Upshur Counties. While we love our community as the “Antique Capital of East Texas,” the heavy truck traffic on our roads is anything but quaint.

US Highway 80 and US Highway 271

The intersection of US-80 and US-271 in the center of Gladewater is a high-traffic zone where local families share the road with massive commercial fleets. Whether it’s a Sysco truck delivering to a local restaurant or a Lowe’s flatbed hauling building materials, the frequent stops and tight turns in Gladewater’s downtown area create constant risks for “squeeze play” wide-turn accidents and blind-spot collisions.

The I-20 Freight Corridor

Just south of Gladewater, Interstate 20 serves as one of the busiest trucking routes in the southern United States. Thousands of 18-wheelers barrel through the Gregg County segment of I-20 daily, carrying freight from the Port of Houston to Dallas and beyond. On this high-speed corridor, a momentary distraction or a driver violating 49 CFR Part 395 hours-of-service rules can lead to catastrophic rear-end pileups or jackknife accidents that paralyze Gladewater traffic and destroy lives.

East Texas Logging and Timber Wrecks

The timber industry is a cornerstone of the Gladewater regional economy, but logging trucks present unique dangers. Unprocessed timber is inherently unstable. If a logging truck on a rural road near Gladewater is overloaded or uses failed securement equipment, the logs can become uncontained projectiles. There is no survivable collision with a 40-foot timber log at highway speeds. We hold timber companies and their drivers accountable when they cut corners on safety.

Oilfield Truck Accidents in the Haynesville Shale

Gladewater is positioned near some of the most productive oil and gas zones in the world. The Haynesville Shale and the historic East Texas Oil Field bring a specific type of danger to our roads: the oilfield truck.

In Gregg County, you aren’t just sharing the road with semis; you’re sharing it with:

• Overloaded Water Trucks: Hauling produced water from wellsites to disposal wells.
• Frac Sand Haulers: Running 24/7 convoys that create extreme driver fatigue.
• Crude Oil Tankers: Moving volatile materials that create explosion risks if a rollover occurs.
• Crew Transport Vans: Carrying 12–15 workers at 4:00 AM on rural roads not designed for high-capacity vehicles.

Oil companies like ExxonMobil, Chevron, and EOG Resources pull millions of barrels from under East Texas, but every barrel requires dozens of truck trips. When an oilfield truck hits you on a narrow FM road outside Gladewater, the oil company will try to hide behind a “contractor shield,” claiming they aren’t responsible for the driver. We know how to pierce those corporate shells.

Our team understands that an oilfield crash is often two cases in one: a FMCSA violation case on the road and an OSHA workplace safety case if the accident happened during loading or on a private lease road. Ralph Manginello has the experience to handle both.

The trucking company has lawyers working right now. You need a fighter in your corner. Call 1-888-ATTY-911.

Commercial Accident Types We Handle in Gladewater

No matter what type of truck hit you, the principles of negligence remain the same: somebody failed to follow the rules, and you paid the price.

18-Wheeler Jackknife and Rollover Accidents

A jackknife often happens when a driver brakes improperly on a rain-slicked Gregg County road or fails to adjust speed for a curve. Under 49 CFR § 393.48, a trucking company must maintain its braking systems. If we prove they failed to do so, they are liable for the resulting pileup.

Underride Collisions

These are the deadliest wrecks we see. When a car slides under the rear or side of a trailer, the results are often fatal. We investigate whether the trailer was equipped with required guards and whether the driver’s failure to signal or properly illuminate the truck contributed to the crash.

Corporate Fleet and Delivery Van Crashes

Was the vehicle that hit you branded with an Amazon, Walmart, FedEx, or UPS logo? In Gladewater, “last-mile” delivery pressure is intense. Amazon’s DSP (Delivery Service Partner) model is designed to shield the corporation from liability, but we know the legal tests to show Amazon still controls those drivers. If an Amazon van hit you because the driver was rushing to meet an impossible quota, we hold the billion-dollar giant responsible.

Concrete Mixers and Dump Trucks

Gregg County’s growth means constant construction. Concrete mixers weigh up to 70,000 pounds and, due to the “slosh effect” of liquid concrete, are highly prone to rollovers. Dump trucks often drop gravel or debris, causing following drivers to lose control. We investigate the construction companies and quarries that put these dangerous machines on Gladewater streets.

Vulnerable Road Users: Pedestrians and Cyclists

If you were struck by a truck while walking in Gladewater or riding your bike near the Gladewater Lake area, your injuries are likely life-altering. Truck bumpers impact pedestrians at head or chest height, not the bumper level of a car. We fight to prove that the truck driver failed in their heightened duty of care to see the unprotected people on our roads.

Proving Negligence: The FMCSA Regulation Framework

We win because we know the law better than the defense. Every commercial motor vehicle in Gladewater must comply with Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations. We use these “rules of the road” to prove the trucking company was negligent.

• 49 CFR Part 395 (Hours of Service): We use Electronic Logging Device (ELD) data to prove the driver was fatigued. If they were behind the wheel for 14 hours straight, they were driving illegally.
• 49 CFR Part 391 (Driver Qualification): Did the company hire a driver with a history of DUIs or a suspended CDL? That is negligent hiring, and we will hold them accountable for it.
• 49 CFR Part 396 (Inspection and Maintenance): If a tire blowout on US-271 caused the wreck, we subpoena the last year of maintenance records. If they didn’t replace a worn tire to save a few dollars, that’s negligence.
• 49 CFR Part 393 (Cargo Securement): Especially vital in Gladewater logging and oilfield cases. If a load shifts and causes a rollover, the loading company and the driver are both on the hook.

Learn more in our video guide: “The Victim’s Guide to 18-Wheeler Accident Injuries” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxEHIxZTbK8

48-Hour Evidence Preservation: The Clock is Ticking

In Gladewater, the hours following a truck accident are critical. The trucking company’s insurance adjuster isn’t there to check on you; they’re there to collect evidence that helps their side.

The Black Box (ECM) Urgency:
Most modern semi-trucks have an Engine Control Module. It records speed, braking, and throttle position in the seconds before impact. However, this data is often overwritten in as little as 30 days of normal driving. If the truck is put back in service, the proof of the driver’s speeding or lack of braking could vanish.

Electronic Logs (ELD):
The ELD mandate means we can pull objective data about the driver’s rest cycles. But carriers only have to keep this for six months.

Our Response:
Within 24 to 48 hours of you hiring us, we send a formal “Spoliation Letter” to the trucking company, the driver, and the insurer. This letter puts them on legal notice: if they destroy, overwrite, or “lose” any black box data, ELD logs, or maintenance records, we will seek sanctions in court.

Catastrophic Injuries and Your Future

We understand that a truck accident isn’t just a legal case—it’s a medical crisis. Whether you are dealing with a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) from a rollover, a spinal cord injury from a rear-end hit, or the loss of a limb, the financial burden is staggering.

• Traumatic Brain Injury: Our firm has recovered settlements ranging from $1.5M to over $9.8M for TBI victims. We know that “mild” concussions can still lead to permanent cognitive and personality changes.
• Spinal Cord Injury: For high-level paralysis, life care costs can exceed $5M. We work with life care planners to ensure your settlement covers your medical needs for the rest of your life.
• Wrongful Death: If you lost a spouse or parent, we fight for the guidance, companionship, and income they would have provided. Texas law allows you two years to file, but we recommend acting immediately.

As client Glenda Walker said, “They make you feel like family and even though the process may take some time, they make it feel like a breeze. They fought for me to get every dime I deserved.”

Every hour you wait, evidence is disappearing. Call Attorney911 at 1-888-ATTY-911.

Maximizing Recovery: Insurance Stacking and Liable Parties

Most lawyers only sue the driver and the trucking company. At Attorney911, we cast a wider net because more defendants mean more insurance coverage.

In a Gladewater truck crash, we investigate all 16 potentially liable parties, including:

1. The Driver (for direct negligence)
2. The Trucking Company (for respondeat superior and negligent hiring)
3. The Cargo Owner (for overweight loads)
4. The Loading Company (for improper securement)
5. The Maintenance Company (for failed brakes or steering)
6. The Fleet Mechanic (for deferred repairs)
7. The Truck/Parts Manufacturer (if a design defect caused the crash)
8. The Freight Broker (for negligent carrier selection)
9. The Oilfield Operator (if the truck was serving their lease)
10. Governmental Entities (if poor road design on Gregg County roads contributed)
11. The Rental Company (like U-Haul or Penske for negligent maintenance)

Commercial insurance minimums are high—$750,000 for general freight and $5 million for hazardous materials. But when we stack these policies together, we can secure the multi-million dollar results needed to truly cover a catastrophic injury. Learn more in our video: “The Definitive Guide To MCS 90 Auto Endorsements” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auB5NWcwyag.

Texas Trucking Laws: What You Need to Know in Gladewater

Statute of Limitations

In Texas, you generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit. If the accident involved a government vehicle—like a Gladewater city truck or a school bus—the notice deadlines are much shorter, sometimes as little as six months.

Modified Comparative Negligence (The 51% Rule)

Texas follows a 51% bar rule. This means you can recover compensation even if you were partially at fault for the wreck, as long as you were not more than 50% responsible. Your final check will be reduced by your percentage of fault. The trucking company will try to pin the blame on you to save money. We use crash reconstruction experts to prove the trucker was the primary cause of the accident.

Frequently Asked Questions for Gladewater Victims

I was hit by a truck on I-20—where will my case be heard?

If the accident happened in Gladewater or Gregg County, your case will likely be filed in the Gregg County District Court in Longview. If the trucking company is from out of state, we may have the option—or be forced—to move the case to Federal Court in the Eastern District of Texas. This is why Ralph Manginello’s federal court admission is so critical for Gladewater families.

Who pays my medical bills while I wait for a settlement?

The trucking company doesn’t pay as you go. You are responsible for your own bills initially, but we can often work with Gladewater area medical providers to treat you on a “Letter of Protection.” This means the doctors agree to get paid from the settlement, so you don’t have to pay out of pocket for the high-quality care you need today.

Amazon says their driver is an independent contractor. Can I still sue Amazon?

Yes. Amazon uses the Delivery Service Partner model specifically to avoid liability. However, because Amazon dictates the routes, the uniforms, and monitors the drivers via the Mentor app, we argue they exercise “actual control.” We’ve successfully litigated against these contractor defenses before.

How much does it cost to hire Attorney911?

Zero dollars upfront. We work on a contingency fee basis. This means we advance all the costs of the experts, the filing fees, and the investigation. You only pay us if we win your case. If we don’t recover money for you, you owe us nothing. As client Chad Harris said, “You are NOT just some client… You are FAMILY to them.”

Powerful and Proven: The Firm Insurers Fear

When 80,000 pounds changes your life forever, you don’t need a lawyer—you need a fighter. Ralph Manginello and the team at Attorney911 have spent decades going head-to-head with corporate giants and making them pay for their negligence. From the oilfields of the Haynesville Shale to the busy lanes of I-20 and US-80, we are Gregg County’s choice for trucking accident representation.

We treat you like family, but we treat the insurance companies like the adversaries they are. We solve in months what other firms do nothing about in years. Don’t let the trucking company control the narrative. Let us tell the truth about what happened and get you the maximum compensation available under the law.

Hablamos Español. Consulta Gratis. 24/7.
Call 1-888-ATTY-911 or direct at (713) 528-9070.
Visit us at https://attorney911.com.

Your fight for justice starts with one call. Let’s hold them accountable together.

Gladewater Truck Accident Resource Summary

Texas Statute of Limitations: 2 Years.
Negligence System: 51% Bar Rule.
Contact: 1-888-ATTY-911.
Firm: Attorney911 | The Manginello Law Firm.