Lavaca County Truck Accident Attorneys: Fighting for Victims of 18-Wheeler and Commercial Vehicle Crashes

The impact of an 80,000-pound steel machine slamming into a passenger vehicle is a physical mismatch that no family is prepared for. On the busy trucking corridors of US-77 and US-90 Alt that crisscross Lavaca County, these collisions happen with devastating frequency. Whether you were struck by a long-haul 18-wheeler, an oilfield water truck service the Eagle Ford Shale, or a corporate delivery van in Hallettsville, the aftermath is a legal emergency.

At Attorney911, we believe that when a massive corporation’s negligence changes your life, they should be held to the highest standard of accountability. Our managing partner, Ralph Manginello, has spent over 25 years in the courtroom making sure trucking companies pay for the damage they cause. Since 1998, he has gone head-to-head with some of the largest entities in the world, from BP to Walmart, and has secured multi-million dollar settlements for families throughout Lavaca County and across Texas.

When you contact us at 1-888-ATTY-911, you aren’t just getting a lawyer; you’re hiring a team that knows the internal playbook of the trucking industry. Our firm includes associate attorney Lupe Peña, a former insurance defense lawyer. He spent years inside the very firms that now try to deny your claim. He knows how they evaluate cases, how they hide evidence, and exactly where they cut corners. We use that insider knowledge to fight for “every dime you deserve,” as our client Glenda Walker recently shared after her successful recovery.

Why 18-Wheeler Accidents in Lavaca County Are Different

A typical car wreck is straightforward. A truck accident in Lavaca County is a complex battle involving federal law, massive insurance policies, and multiple layers of corporate liability. Because US-77 serves as a major artery between the Port of Victoria and North Texas, and US-90 Alt carries consistent freight between San Antonio and Houston, the trucks on our local roads are often carrying high-value cargo or hazardous materials.

The physics alone tell the story of the danger. A fully loaded semi-truck is 20 to 25 times heavier than your family car. While your vehicle weighs roughly 4,000 pounds, the truck hitting you weighs 80,000. Under the direction of Ralph Manginello, our firm investigates these cases with a focus on the massive kinetic energy involved. At 65 mph, an 18-wheeler requires 525 feet to stop—the length of nearly two football fields. When a driver is distracted or fatigued on a rural Lavaca County road, they simply cannot stop in time.

If you’ve been hurt, don’t wait for the insurance company to “do the right thing.” They have investigators at the scene within hours. You need a team that moves just as fast. Hablamos Español. Llame al 1-888-288-9911 para una consulta gratuita hoy.

The Eagle Ford Shale Effect: Oilfield Trucking Hazards in Lavaca County

Lavaca County sits on the eastern edge of the Eagle Ford Shale, one of the most productive oil and gas regions in the world. This industrial activity brings thousands of heavy commercial vehicles to our local FM roads and highways every day. These aren’t just standard delivery trucks; they are specialized oilfield vehicles that pose unique risks to Lavaca County families.

Produced Water and Crude Oil Tanker Accidents

Water trucks are among the most common commercial vehicles in the Lavaca County oil patch. These tankers, often carrying 130 barrels of produced water or crude oil, have a dangerously high center of gravity. We frequently see rollovers on US-90 Alt or TX-111 caused by the “slosh effect,” where partially filled tanks create unpredictable weight shifts during turns. If a tanker rolled over and injured you, we investigate whether the driver held the proper tanker endorsement on their CDL under 49 CFR Part 383.

Frac Sand Haulers and Equipment Movers

During the completion phase of a well, hundreds of pneumatic sand trailers descend on Lavaca County. These drivers are often under extreme pressure from oilfield service companies like Halliburton or Liberty to deliver loads 24/7. This creates a culture of exhausted drivers who violate 49 CFR Part 395 Hours of Service regulations just to keep their jobs. When a 50,000-pound sand hauler rear-ends you because the driver fell asleep at the wheel, the oil company that set that impossible schedule is just as liable as the driver.

Crew Van and Hot Shot Wrecks

Often, the most dangerous vehicles aren’t the 18-wheelers, but the 15-passenger crew vans and “hot shot” pickup trucks speeding to wellsites before dawn. Crew transport accidents often involve multiple victims in a single crash. These vehicles rarely have the safety features of modern cars, and when they roll over on an unmaintained lease road in rural Lavaca County, the injuries are catastrophic.

Learn more about these complex cases in our video: “The Definitive Guide To Commercial Truck Accidents” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEEeZf-k8Ao.

Corporate Fleet Accidents: Amazon, Walmart, and FedEx in Lavaca County

You don’t have to be on a remote oilfield road to be hit by a commercial vehicle. Every day, branded corporate trucks from Amazon, Walmart, FedEx, and UPS travel through Hallettsville, Yoakum, and Shiner. These cases involve “solvent defendants” with deep pockets, but they also involve sophisticated legal shields.

The Amazon Delivery Service Partner (DSP) Defense

If an Amazon van hits you on a neighborhood street in Lavaca County, Amazon will likely claim they aren’t responsible. They use a “DSP” model, where the driver actually works for a small independent contractor. However, our associate attorney Lupe Peña knows this strategy well from his defense days. We look at the Netradyne camera data, the Mentor app scores, and the delivery quotas Amazon mandates. If Amazon controls the route, the schedule, and the driver’s behavior, we fight to hold Amazon itself accountable, not just the small contractor with a limited insurance policy.

Walmart’s Self-Insured Fleet

Walmart operates the largest private truck fleet in the country. Because Walmart is self-insured, they don’t have to answer to an outside insurance company during negotiations. They use their own internal adjusters to try and lowball victims. Ralph Manginello has spent 25+ years litigating against Fortune 500 corporations, including cases related to massive industrial disasters like the BP Texas City refinery explosion. We aren’t intimidated by Walmart’s army of lawyers. If a Walmart driver from a nearby distribution center caused your Lavaca County accident, we have the resources to take them the distance.

Proving Negligence: FMCSA Regulations and Your Recovery

In a regular car accident, “negligence” is often just a driver’s mistake. In an 18-wheeler crash, negligence is often a systemic failure to follow Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations. When a trucking company violates these laws to save a few dollars, we use those violations as the foundation of your case.

• Hours of Service (49 CFR Part 395): Federal law is clear—a driver cannot spend more than 11 hours behind the wheel after 10 hours off. Yet, falsifying logs remains a major problem. We subpoena the Electronic Logging Device (ELD) data immediately to see if the driver who hit you in Lavaca County was illegally fatigued.
• Driver Qualification (49 CFR Part 391): Trucking companies must maintain a complete Driver Qualification File. This includes background checks and medical certificates. If a company hired a driver with a history of DUIs or a known medical condition that causes seizures, they are liable for negligent hiring.
• Wreckage and Maintenance (49 CFR Part 396): Brake failure causes nearly 30% of commercial truck accidents. Companies must systematically inspect and maintain their fleets. If we find that a carrier deferred brake repairs or tire replacements to cut costs, that isn’t an accident—it’s negligence.
• Cargo Securement (49 CFR Part 393): An improperly loaded trailer can cause a rollover or a jackknife. We investigate the “Bill of Lading” and loading photos to see if the cargo shifted because it wasn’t secured per performance criteria.

As Ralph Manginello often tells our clients, “Rules aren’t suggestions—they are there to keep your family safe on Lavaca County roads.” When they break the rules, we make them pay. Call us at (888) 288-9911 for the aggressive representation you need.

The 48-Hour Evidence Preservation Protocol

The most critical mistake a truck accident victim can make is waiting to hire an attorney. In Lavaca County, the physical evidence of your crash starts disappearing the moment the tow trucks arrive.

The trucking company’s “Black Box” (the Engine Control Module or ECM) records your speed, braking, and throttle position in the moments before the collision. This data can be overwritten in as little as 30 days or even sooner if the truck is put back into service. At Attorney911, we send formal “Spoliation Letters” within 24 to 48 hours of being hired. These letters put the carrier and their insurer on legal notice: if they destroy, repair, or sell the truck before our experts inspect it, they face severe sanctions in a Lavaca County court.

We don’t just want the logs; we want the GPS telematics, the dispatch communications showing they pressured the driver, and any in-cab camera footage from systems like Lytx or Netradyne. The truth is in the data, but you have to act before it’s gone. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 now.

Catastrophic Injuries and Their True Value

When an 18-wheeler hits a car, “minor injuries” are rare. We represent Lavaca County residents dealing with life-altering trauma that requires lifelong care. Understanding the medical and economic reality of these injuries is where 25 years of experience counts.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Forces from a truck crash often cause a “coup-contrecoup” injury, where the brain slams into the skull. Even if you didn’t lose consciousness, you may have a concussion that develops into permanent cognitive deficits. We have recovered settlements ranging from $1.5M to over $9.8M for TBI victims. Learn more about your rights in our guiding video: “The Ultimate Guide to Brain Injury Lawsuits” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBYAHi5aiEQ.

Spinal Cord Injury and Paralysis

A crushed vertebrae or severed spinal cord changes everything. The lifetime cost of care for a quadriplegic can exceed $5 million. We work with life care planners to ensure your settlement covers every future surgery, home modification, and 24/7 caregiving need. In spinal injury cases, we have seen recoveries from $4.7M to over $25.8M.

Amputation and Crush Injuries

Whether an arm was lost at the scene on US-77 or a leg required surgical amputation after an Eagle Ford truck collision, the loss of a limb is permanent. Our amputation settlements have reached into the $8.6M range, accounting for the prosthetic replacements you will need for the rest of your life.

Wrongful Death in Lavaca County

We are deeply sorry if your family is grieving the loss of a loved one. When a trucker’s recklessness takes a life, we bring a wrongful death action to provide for the survivors. Surviving spouses, children, and parents in Lavaca County may recover for loss of companionship, mental anguish, and the lost earning capacity of their loved ones. Our recoveries in these cases have reached $9.5M.

Who is Really Responsible? The Liability Web

Most law firms just sue the driver. At Attorney911, we know that is usually just the surface. To recover the compensation you actually need for a catastrophic injury, we have to look deeper at the entire liability web. In a single Lavaca County trucking accident, we may find liability for:

1. The Trucking Company: For negligent training and violating HOS rules.
2. The Freight Broker: For hiring a “low-bid” carrier with a history of safety violations.
3. The Loading Company: If the trailer was overloaded or the sand was poorly distributed.
4. The Oilfield Operator: If the wellsite Man created dangerous traffic patterns on a lease road.
5. The Maintenance Shop: If they certified a truck as safe with worn-out brake drums.
6. The Product Manufacturer: If a tire blowout was caused by a manufacturing defect or a “retread” failure.

By identifying every liable party, we can “stack” multiple insurance policies. While a small hauler might only have the $750,000 federal minimum, a corporate parent or oilfield operator often has umbrella policies worth $50 million or more. As client Chad Harris said, “You are NOT just some client… You are FAMILY to them.” We treat your financial recovery with the same urgency we would for our own family.

Frequently Asked Questions for Lavaca County Victims

How long do I have to file a claim in Lavaca County?
In Texas, you generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit. However, this is the absolute latest you should act. If the truck was a government-owned vehicle (like a TxDOT truck or local public works vehicle), you may have notice requirements as short as 6 months.

What if I was partially at fault for the crash?
Texas follows a “Modified Comparative Fault” rule with a 51% bar. This means you can still recover damages as long as you are 50% or less at fault. Your total check will be reduced by your percentage of fault. If a truck driver on TX-95 cut you off, but you were speeding, you can still win. Our job is to minimize the fault placed on you.

Who pays my medical bills while the case is pending?
The trucking company’s insurance will not pay your bills until the case is settled. In the meantime, we can help you coordinate care through Letters of Protection (LOPs), which allow you to see high-quality doctors in the Lavaca County area with no upfront cost. They get paid out of the final settlement.

Why shouldn’t I take the first check the insurance company offers?
The first offer is a “trap.” Insurance adjusters want to settle before you know if you need surgery or have a permanent brain injury. Once you sign their release, you can never go back for more money. Our associate attorney Lupe Peña used to see these lowball offers every day in insurance defense—don’t fall for them.

I was hit by an Amazon van—is it true they aren’t responsible?
That’s what Amazon wants you to think. But if Amazon’s algorithm controlled exactly how that driver worked in Hallettsville, they are often legally an employer regardless of the contract. We know how to pierce that corporate shield.

Maximize Your Recovery with a Lavaca County Fighter

You didn’t ask to have your life turned upside down on a Lavaca County highway. But now that it has happened, what you do in the next 48 hours is the most important decision you will make.

Trucking companies and corporate giants hire lawyers before the ambulance even leaves the scene. They are already building their defense, interviewing witnesses, and trying to find ways to blame you. You deserve a fighter who has been winning these battles for 25 years.

Ralph Manginello and the team at Attorney911 provide aggressive, professional, and personalized representation for every client. We work on a contingency fee basis—you pay us zero unless we successfully recover money for you. There are no upfront costs and no out-of-pocket risks.

We are available 24/7 for legal emergencies in Lavaca County.
Call 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911) today.
Hablamos Español. Llame ahora.

From Hallettsville to Yoakum, Shiner to Moulton, we are here to ensure that when disaster strikes, you have the most powerful team in Texas on your side. Let’s get to work on your recovery.

Understanding Your Case: A Guide for Victims

If you are still looking for answers, we invite you to explore our video library and resources.

• “What Should You Not Say to an Insurance Adjuster?” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UKRbFprB0E
• “Truck Tire Blowouts and When You Need a Lawyer” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCTumr1looc
• “Can I Get a PTSD Payout After a Car Accident?” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9803X_jnR4A

Your journey to justice starts with one phone call. Reach out to Ralph Manginello and Attorney911 at 1-888-ATTY-911. We fight, we win, and we treat you like family.

Detailed Lavaca County Trucking Incident Scenarios

Consider the daily reality of our local roads. Imagine a morning on US-77 south of Hallettsville. A long-haul driver, who has been on the road for 14 hours in violation of 49 CFR 395.3, drifts across the centerline because of microsleep. Your family is in the lane ahead. This is not just a “mistake”—this is a violation of federal safety standards by a carrier that prioritized a delivery deadline over human life.

Or consider a concrete mixer truck entering a construction site in Shiner. These trucks can weigh 70,000 pounds. If the mixer rolls over onto a passenger car because of the “slosh effect” and a failure to maintain the braking system (49 CFR 396.3), there is no survivable space. That ready-mix company has a million-dollar policy, but the injuries may be worth five million. We find the other responsible parties to fill that gap.

Whether it’s a dump truck hauling gravel through Moulton or a garbage truck backing blindly in a residential Yoakum neighborhood, the rules for commercial vehicles are different. The stakes are higher. The insurance policies are larger. And the need for an expert trucking lawyer is absolute.

Call Attorney911 at 1-888-ATTY-911.
Powerful. Proven. Prepared to Fight for Lavaca County.

Disclaimer: These historical case results and industry verdicts are provided for context only and are not a guarantee of your specific case outcome. Please consult with an attorney for a formal case evaluation. Attorney911 / The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC.

More Common Questions from Our Lavaca County Clients

What is the minimum insurance for a hot shot truck in the oilfield?
Most commercial vehicles used in the oilfield must carry at least $1,000,000 in liability coverage. If they are hauling hazardous materials, that requirement jumps to $5,000,000. Many victims in Lavaca County are surprised to find that even a large pickup used for business purposes often has a much higher policy than a personal car.

Can I sue the company whose cargo fell off the truck?
Yes. Under FMCSA § 393.100, cargo must be contained and secured. If a piece of oilfield equipment or a commercial load from a Walmart trailer fell off and caused your crash, the cargo owner and the loading company are both potential defendants.

I was hit by a U-Haul rental truck—who is responsible?
Rental truck cases are unique. While federal law (the Graves Amendment) protects rental companies like U-Haul and Penske from the renter’s bad driving, it does NOT protect them for their own negligence. If they rented the truck to someone obviously unqualified, or if they failed to maintain the brakes on that truck, we go after the rental company directly.

How do you prove a driver was on their phone?
We don’t take their word for it. We subpoena mobile phone records and sync them with the GPS telematics of the truck. If a driver was texting or using a handheld device in violation of 49 CFR § 392.82 at the exact time of the impact on US-90 Alt, we prove it with hard data.

What is “Loss of Consortium?”
This is a claim brought by the spouse of an injured victim. It recognizes that when you are severely hurt, your marriage suffers. Loss of intimacy, loss of companionship, and the emotional toll on the relationship are all compensable damages in a serious Lavaca County truck accident case.

Does a “Black Box” always record?
Most modern trucks record continuously, but they only “save” the data if a “trigger event” occurs, such as sudden deceleration. This is why we must send a preservation letter immediately. If the truck is involved in minor bumps or regular hard braking after your accident, your data could be purged from the system.

Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for the answers you need and the justice you deserve.
Ralph Manginello: 25+ Years of Results.

A Note on Lavaca County Court and Jurisdiction

If your accident occurred in Hallettsville or anywhere in Lavaca County, your case will likely be heard in the 25th or 2nd 25th Judicial District Courts of Lavaca County. However, because many trucking companies are based out of state, we may have the option to file your case in Federal Court in the Southern District of Texas.

Our managing partner, Ralph Manginello, is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas. This is a critical advantage. Many personal injury lawyers only stay in state court and are afraid of the complexity of federal litigation. We thrive in it. When a massive corporation like Amazon or FedEx tries to “remove” your case to federal court to get away from a local Lavaca County jury, we are ready for them.

Don’t let a corporate defendant choose the terms of your fight. Choose an attorney who knows every court and every rule.

Call Attorney911 at (888) 288-9911.
Hablamos Español. Consulta Gratis.

Final Closing for Lavaca County Families

You are not a file number. You are not a “claim” to be processed. You are a family in crisis. At Attorney911, we limit the number of cases we take so that Ralph Manginello can be personally involved in every major decision of your litigation.

As client Mongo Slade put it, “I was rear-ended and the team got right to work… I also got a very nice settlement.” That is the Attorney911 difference. We bring the heavy-hitting resources of a national law firm with the personal attention of a boutique office that treats you like family.

On the roads of Lavaca County—from the poultry farms in the north to the oil wells in the south—we are your guardians. When an 18-wheeler threatens your future, call the “Legal Emergency Lawyers™.”

One call to 1-888-ATTY-911 can change everything.
We are ready to fight for you.

Serving Hallettsville, Yoakum, Shiner, Moulton, and all of Lavaca County, Texas.
Managing Partner Ralph P. Manginello | Texas Bar #24007597
Associate Attorney Lupe E. Peña | Texas Bar #24084332
Offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont — meetings available by appointment in Lavaca County.