24/7 LIVE STAFF — Compassionate help, any time day or night
CALL NOW 1-888-ATTY-911
Blog | City of Aurora

City of Aurora Truck Accident Attorneys: Attorney911 Features Ralph Manginello’s 25+ Years of Experience and a Former Insurance Defense Advocate Who Knows Exactly How Great West Casualty and Old Republic Deny Claims — We Secure Millions for TBI ($5M+ Recovered), Amputation ($3.8M+), and Wrongful Death Victims of Walmart 18-Wheelers, Amazon Box Trucks, FedEx Delivery Vans, and 80,000-Pound Commercial Vehicles, Extracting Samsara ELD and DriveCam Evidence Before the 30-Day Black Box Overwrite and 2-Hour Trucking Rapid Response Teams Intervene, FMCSA Masters Specializing in Jackknife, Rollover, and Underride Crashes Striking Motorcyclists and Pedestrians, $750,000+ Federal Insurance Minimums Exposed, Free 24/7 Consultation, No Fee Unless We Win, 1-888-ATTY-911, Hablamos Español

February 19, 2026 23 min read
city-of-aurora-featured-image.png

Aurora Truck Accident Lawyer

One moment, you are driving your family along US Highway 81/287 through Aurora, headed toward Fort Worth or making a quick trip to Decatur. The next, your rearview mirror is swallowed by the grill of an 80,000-pound 18-wheeler. The sound of screeching air brakes and crumpling metal changes your life forever. When a commercial truck hits a passenger car in Aurora, it is never a fair fight. Your car weighs about 4,000 pounds; the truck that hit you weighs 20 times that.

At The Manginello Law Firm, also known as Attorney911, we have spent more than 25 years fighting for families in Aurora and across Wise County who have been devastated by these catastrophic collisions. Our managing partner, Ralph Manginello, has been licensed to practice law since 1998 and brings federal court admission to every case. He doesn’t just know the law; he knows how to make billion-dollar corporations pay for their negligence. If you have been injured in Aurora, the clock is already ticking. 48 hours is all it takes for a trucking company to “accidentally” overwrite the black box data that proves they were at fault. Don’t wait until the evidence is gone. Call us 24/7 at 1-888-ATTY-911.

Why Your Choice of an Aurora Truck Accident Lawyer Matters

Trucking companies in Aurora and throughout the North Texas region do not play by the same rules as individual drivers. When a crash occurs near SH 114 or SH 170, the trucking company has a rapid-response team—including investigators and lawyers—on the scene before the ambulance even reaches the hospital. Their only job is to protect the company’s profit by minimizing your payout.

To beat them, you need an attorney who has seen their playbook from the inside. Our associate attorney, Lupe Peña, used to work for a national insurance defense firm. He spent years defending the very companies we now sue. He knows exactly how they value claims, how they hide evidence, and how they train their adjusters to lowball Aurora victims. This “insurance defense advantage” is why our clients often secure settlements and verdicts far above the national average.

We are not just a personal injury firm; we are specialized trucking litigators. While a general practice lawyer might handle one or two truck wrecks a year, we live and breathe FMCSA regulations, black box forensics, and hours-of-service violations. Whether you were hit by an Amazon delivery van near the Haslet hub, a Walmart transport truck on US-287, or an oilfield water truck on a Wise County lease road, we have the experience to hold them accountable.

As our client Chad Harris said after we won his case, “You are NOT a pest to them and you are NOT just some client… You are FAMILY to them.” At Attorney911, we treat every Aurora case with the intensity it deserves. Call (888) 288-9911 today for a free consultation. Hablamos Español. Llame al 1-888-ATTY-911.

The Physics of Danger on Aurora’s Highways

The roads in and around Aurora are unique and uniquely dangerous. US-287 serves as a primary artery for long-haul freight moving between the Gulf Coast and the Rocky Mountains. This means Aurora residents share lanes with drivers who may have been behind the wheel for 11 or 14 hours straight, pushing the limits of their physical endurance to meet a delivery window in Amarillo or beyond.

When an 80,000-pound semi-truck is traveling at 70 mph on the stretches between Aurora and Rhome, it possesses incredible kinetic energy. A standard car at that speed might need 300 feet to come to a full stop. That same 18-wheeler needs over 525 feet—nearly two football fields. When traffic slows suddenly near a Wise County construction zone, that distance difference can result in a fatal rear-end collision.

SH 114 also presents its own set of hazards for Aurora drivers. As a connector to the Alliance Logistics Hub and the DFW Airport freight terminals, SH 114 is constantly congested with delivery vans and commercial box trucks. These drivers are often under extreme time pressure, leading to distracted driving and failed lane changes. At Attorney911, we understand the specific road dynamics of Aurora. We know the intersections where wide-turn accidents are frequent and the stretches of highway where fatigued driving is most common.

If you’ve been hurt, don’t wait. Call 888-ATTY-911 now.

Oilfield Trucking Hazards in Wise County and Aurora

Wise County sits squarely within the Barnett Shale, one of the most productive natural gas regions in the country. This means that if you live in Aurora, you aren’t just dealing with 18-wheelers hauling retail goods; you are dealing with a heavy influx of oilfield service vehicles. These trucks operate under a completely different risk profile.

In the Barnett Shale region surrounding Aurora, we frequently see accidents involving:

  • Water Trucks: Hauling produced water to disposal wells. These tankers have high centers of gravity and are prone to rollovers on the narrow, two-lane roads that crisscross the Aurora area.
  • Frac Sand Haulers: These trucks often operate on 24/7 schedules during completion phases. Drivers in the oilfield are notorious for violating 49 CFR Part 395 rest requirements to maximize their pay during a busy job.
  • Hot Shot Trucks: Smaller flatbeds carrying urgent parts to wellsites. Because they are often paid per load, these drivers frequently speed on rural Wise County roads not designed for high-speed commercial traffic.
  • Crew Transport Vans: 15-passenger vans that are notoriously unstable. When an oilfield company packs a crew into one of these and sends it down a lease road at 4 AM, the risk of a mass-casualty rollover is extreme.

An oilfield trucking accident in Aurora isn’t just a standard traffic case. It’s a hybrid of highway law and OSHA workplace safety. We look at the ISNetworld safety scores of the trucking contractor and investigate whether the oil company, such as ExxonMobil or Devon Energy, failed in its duty of negligent hiring or supervision. If your life was upended by an oilfield vehicle near Aurora, you need Ralph Manginello and his team in your corner.

Holding Corporate Giants Accountable: Walmart, Amazon, and FedEx

When you are hit by a truck in Aurora, the name on the side of that trailer matters. If it’s a Walmart truck, you aren’t just fighting an insurance company; you are fighting the largest retailer in the world. Walmart operates its own private fleet and self-insures its vehicles. This means they are paying for your medical bills out of their own bank account, and they will fight twice as hard to keep that money.

Amazon presents an even more complex legal hurdle. If an Amazon van hits you near Aurora, the company will likely tell you that the driver isn’t an Amazon employee, but rather an employee of a “Delivery Service Partner” (DSP). They use this contractor model as a liability shield, hoping you won’t realize that Amazon controls the driver’s route, their speed, and their monitoring software through AI cameras like Netradyne.

At Attorney911, we have gone toe-to-toe with these corporate behemoths. We know how to pierce the “independent contractor” defense. We know that if a company like FedEx Ground dictates every detail of a driver’s day, they are an employer under the law, no matter what their contract says. We’ve litigated against Coca-Cola, UPS, and even BP during the Texas City refinery disaster. Ralph Manginello’s 25+ years of experience has taught him that no corporation is too big to be held accountable for the damage they cause in Aurora.

Don’t let them push you around. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for a fighter.

FMCSA Regulations: How We Prove Negligence in Aurora

The foundation of every strong Aurora truck accident case is a deep understanding of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations. These are the laws—specifically found in 49 CFR Parts 390-399—that commercial carriers must follow to stay on the road. When they break these rules, it is often considered “negligence per se,” meaning they are legally responsible for the crash.

49 CFR Part 395: Hours of Service (HOS)

Fatigue is the quiet killer on Wise County roads. Federal law limits commercial drivers to 11 hours of driving in a 14-hour window, followed by a mandatory 10-hour rest period. In Aurora, we often find that drivers have been “running paper” or falsifying their electronic logs to drive for 15 or 18 hours straight. When a driver is that exhausted, their reaction time is slower than a drunk driver. We subpoena the ELD (Electronic Logging Device) data immediately to prove they were operating illegally.

49 CFR Part 391: Driver Qualification

Did the trucking company check the driver’s history before they let them loose in Aurora? Regulations require carriers to maintain a Driver Qualification File that includes background checks, medical certificates, and drug test results. If a company hired a driver with three previous DUIs or a history of crashing into other motorists, they are liable for negligent hiring. Our team, including former defense attorney Lupe Peña, knows exactly where companies hide these red flags.

49 CFR Part 396: Inspection and Maintenance

A blowout on US-287 or a brake failure on a steep Wise County grade isn’t always an “accident.” Often, it’s a failure of maintenance. Federal law requires systematic inspections of every vehicle. If a carrier deferred maintenance to save a few dollars and that decision led to your injury in Aurora, that is a direct violation of safety standards. We obtain the annual inspection reports and pre-trip inspection logs to see if the driver knew the brakes were failing before he ever hit the road.

We know the rules. We catch them when they break them. Call 888-ATTY-911.

Comprehensive Coverage of Truck Accident Types in Aurora

Truck accidents don’t just happen one way. The mechanics of the crash dictate which laws were violated and who owes you money. At Attorney911, we have seen the full spectrum of commercial vehicle crashes.

Jackknife Accidents in Aurora

A jackknife occurs when a truck’s trailer swings out perpendicular to the cab, often sweeping across all lanes of US-287 or SH 114. This almost always involves a multi-vehicle pileup. The primary cause is often improper braking or driving too fast for Wise County weather conditions. When we investigate a jackknife near Aurora, we look at the brake adjustment records and the tire tread depth of the trailer to ensure it was fit for the road.

Underride Collisions near Wise County

These are among the most lethal accidents we handle. An underride crash happens when a passenger car slides underneath the trailer of a truck, often occurring because the truck made an illegal lane change or stopped suddenly without working taillights. These accidents frequently result in decapitations or catastrophic head trauma. We investigate whether the truck was equipped with properly maintained ICC bumpers or side-impact guards as required by federal safety guidelines.

Rollover Accidents on Aurora Curves

A fully loaded 18-wheeler is inherently top-heavy. If a driver takes a curve near SH 114 too fast, or if the cargo was improperly secured and shifts suddenly, the whole rig can roll. Rollovers are particularly common with produced water trucks in the Aurora oilfield region. If you were crushed by a rolling truck, we work with accident reconstruction experts to prove the driver’s speed and the loader’s negligence in securing the cargo.

Rear-End Collisions and Highway Speed Fatigue

Because trucks need so much more room to stop, rear-end collisions are common on Aurora’s busy corridors. If a driver is distracted by a dispatch computer or sleeping in his seat, your car becomes the “crumple zone.” These crashes often cause Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) and permanent spinal damage. 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 that other firms find “too difficult.”

Wide-Turn and Blind Spot “No-Zones”

Trucks have four major blind spots where a car is completely invisible. Negligent drivers often change lanes into vehicles without checking or make “wide right” turns that crush cars in the “squeeze play.” If you were hit in a blind spot in Aurora, the trucking company will try to blame you. We use the truck’s own camera systems—like Lytx or Samsara—to prove the driver was negligent.

Hurt in a specialized wreck? Call 1-888-ATTY-911. We have handled it.

Additional Commercial Vehicles: More Than Just Big Rigs

When people think of truck accidents in Aurora, they usually think of long-haul 18-wheelers. But “truck accident” applies to any heavy commercial vehicle. These cases involve different insurance policies and different liable parties.

Aurora Dump Truck Accidents

Loaded dump trucks can weigh 65,000 pounds. In a growing area like Wise County, construction traffic is everywhere. Dump trucks are notorious for being overloaded to increase profit, which causes them to roll over or lose their brakes on inclines. If a gravel truck hit you in Aurora, we look beyond the driver to the construction company that hired them.

Garbage and Waste Truck Wrecks

Garbage trucks operate in residential Aurora neighborhoods, often in the early morning darkness. With massive blind spots and constant backing up, they are a significant danger to children and pedestrians. Many of these are owned by cities or major corporations like Waste Management. Cases against government fleets in Wise County require special tort claim notices that must be filed almost immediately.

Concrete Mixer and Cement Truck Crashes

A cement mixer is one of the most unstable vehicles on the road. The rotating drum creates a “slosh” effect that shifts the weight with every turn. If a mixer rolls onto your car near an Aurora jobsite, the results are almost always fatal. We hold the batch plants and the developers accountable for these tragedies.

Rental and Moving Truck Accidents (U-Haul, Penske)

Here is a scary fact: someone who has never driven anything bigger than a sedan can walk into a rental shop today and drive away with a 26,000-pound truck. No CDL required. These drivers often don’t understand clearance heights or stopping distances. We investigate whether the rental company was negligent in renting to an unqualified driver or failing to maintain the truck’s safety systems.

Every truck type. Every legal angle. Call 888-ATTY-911.

Vulnerable Road Users: When Logic Fails the Large Vehicle

Not everyone hit by a truck in Aurora is in a car. We also represent:

  • Motorcyclists: An 18-wheeler versus a motorcycle is a nightmare scenario. Motorcyclists have zero protection, and truckers often look right through them. We fight the “biker bias” that insurance companies use to avoid paying.
  • Pedestrians and Cyclists: When a delivery van hits a pedestrian in Aurora, the impact forces are survivable for the van but catastrophic for the person. We focus on “right-hook” accidents and crosswalk violations.
  • Truck Passengers: If you were a co-driver or a passenger in the cab of the truck that crashed, you have an independent claim for your injuries. Don’t let the company tell you “it’s just workers’ comp.”

The 16 Parties We Hold Accountable in Aurora

Most firms only sue the truck driver. At Attorney911, we dig deeper. The more defendants we identify, the more insurance money we can access for your recovery. We investigate the following for Aurora cases:

  1. The Driver: Direct negligence.
  2. The Trucking Company: Vicarious liability and negligent supervision.
  3. The Cargo Owner: For misrepresenting dangerous weights.
  4. The Loading Company: For improperly secured cargo that shifted.
  5. The Truck Manufacturer: For design defects in brakes or tires.
  6. Parts Manufacturers: Defective steering or safety systems.
  7. The Maintenance Company: For failed pre-trip repairs.
  8. The Freight Broker: For hiring a carrier with a known bad safety record.
  9. The Truck Owner: Negligent entrustment.
  10. The Government: For road design flaws on SH 114 or US-287.
  11. Corporate Parents: Holding Amazon or FedEx liable for their contractors.
  12. Oilfield Operators: ExxonMobil or Devon for site-traffic failures.
  13. Staffing Companies: For providing unqualified labor.
  14. Rental Companies: For failure to vet civilian drivers.
  15. Bus Operators: Transit and school district liability.
  16. Federal Government: USPS mail truck accidents require an FTCA claim.

We cast a wide net to maximize your settlement. Call 1-888-ATTY-911.

48-Hour Evidence Preservation: The Clock is Ticking

The most important thing to understand about an Aurora truck accident is that the evidence is on a timer. The truck that hit you is equipped with an ECM (Engine Control Module). It records your speed, the truck’s speed, when the driver hit the brakes, and whether they were using cruise control.

However, many of these systems are designed to overwrite themselves every 30 days—or even sooner if the truck is put back into service. Trucking companies will also dispose of logbooks and “lose” inspection records if they aren’t forced to keep them.

Within hours of being hired, we send a formal spoliation letter to the carrier and their insurance company. This letter legally requires them to preserve every byte of data, every scrap of paper, and the physical truck itself. If they destroy it after receiving our letter, we can ask the judge for “adverse inference” sanctions, where the jury is told to assume the evidence was bad for the trucking company.

Don’t wait. Call (888) 288-9911 before the data is gone.

Catastrophic Injuries and the Life Impact for Aurora Families

When an 18-wheeler hits you, you don’t just walk away with “neck pain.” You walk away with a life that has been permanently altered. We have recovered multi-million dollar settlements for Aurora victims suffering from:

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

($1.5M – $9.8M range)
A TBI isn’t just a headache. It’s a fundamental change in who you are. We’ve seen clients lose their memory, their personality, and their ability to work. We work with neuropsychologists to document the full cognitive loss, ensuring the insurance company pays for a lifetime of care, not just an ER visit. As client mongo slade said, “the team got right to work… I also got a very nice settlement.”

Spinal Cord Injury and Paralysis

($4.7M – $25.8M range)
If you are facing paraplegia or quadriplegia after a crash on SH 114, your financial needs are astronomical. You need home modifications, specialized vehicles, and 24/7 nursing care. We utilize life care planners to project every dollar you will need for the next 50 years to ensure your family is never a burden.

Amputation and Crush Injuries

($1.9M – $8.6M range)
Losing a limb is both a physical and psychological trauma. We’ve recovered over $3.8 million for amputation victims, focusing on the high cost of high-tech prosthetics and the “phantom pain” that never truly goes away.

Wrongful Death

($1.9M – $9.5M range)
There is no “fair” price for a human life. But in Aurora, a wrongful death claim is the only way to hold a negligent carrier accountable. We fight for the lost wages the deceased would have earned, the loss of companionship for a spouse, and the loss of guidance for children.

If you are suffering, we are fighting. Call 1-888-ATTY-911.

Commercial Insurance: Tapping Into the Recovery You Deserve

Trucking companies carry much larger insurance policies than car drivers. By federal law, most haulers must carry at least $750,000 in liability, with HAZMAT trucks requiring $5 million.

Cargo Type Liability Requirement
General Freight $750,000
Oil/Aggregate $1,000,000
Hazardous Materials $5,000,000
Passenger Bus $5,000,000

But even $1 million is often not enough for a catastrophic brain injury or a wrongful death case in Aurora. That’s why we look for “excess” and “umbrella” policies. Large companies like Walmart and UPS often have layers of insurance reaching $50 million or more.

Our former insurance defense attorney, Lupe Peña, understands how these policies stack. He knows that an “exploding policy” or a “self-insured retention” can be used by the company to hide wealth. We don’t let them hide. We find the money and we bring it home to Aurora.

Aurora Truck Accident FAQ

How much does a truck accident lawyer in Aurora cost?
We work on a 33.33% contingency fee. This means you pay $0 upfront. We take all the risk. We pay for the experts and investigators. If we don’t win your case, you owe us nothing.

What is the statute of limitations in Aurora?
In Texas, you generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit. However, this is the legal deadline; the “evidence deadline” is usually about 48 hours. Don’t wait for two years when the black box data will be gone in 30 days.

Can I sue if I was partially at fault?
Yes. Texas follows “modified comparative negligence.” As long as you were 50% or less at fault, you can still recover damages. Your settlement is just reduced by your percentage of fault. If the truck driver was 80% at fault and you were 20%, you still receive 80% of your total damages.

Is it okay if I already talked to the insurance adjuster?
It’s not ideal, but it’s not fatal to your case. Call us immediately. We will take over all communication. Most adjusters are trained to “trap” you into admitting fault. We put an end to that immediately.

Does a branded truck like Amazon or FedEx make the case worth more?
Indirectly, yes. These companies are “solvent defendants.” They have deeper pockets than a small, independent trucking LLC. This means your settlement isn’t limited by a small policy; it’s limited only by the actual value of your damages.

What if I was hit by an oilfield truck on a private lease road?
Standard traffic laws still apply, but we also look at premises liability. If the oil company created a “blind intersection” on the lease road or failed to manage dust that caused zero visibility, they are liable alongside the trucking company.

The Fight for Aurora Families Starts Here

When an 18-wheeler changes your life, you need more than a lawyer; you need a team that views you as family. As Ralph Manginello says, “Mr. Manginello and his firm are first class. Will fight tooth and nail for you.” We have spent over 25 years in the courtrooms of North Texas and in federal court holding trucking companies to the highest standard.

We know the fear you’re feeling. The medical bills are piling up, you can’t work, and the phone won’t stop ringing with adjusters trying to trick you. Let us take that weight off your shoulders. We handle the paperwork, the investigators, and the corporations so you can focus on one thing: getting your life back.

We serve clients in:

  • Aurora
  • Decatur
  • Rhome
  • Boyd
  • Newark
  • All of Wise County and the DFW Metroplex

One phone call can change the trajectory of your recovery. Whether you need a massive check for a traumatic brain injury or justice for a family member caught in an underride crash, Attorney911 is ready to answer the call.

Your fight. Our focus. 25+ years of results.

Contact Attorney911 Now

Toll-Free: 1-888-ATTY-911
Houston Direct: (713) 528-9070
Available: 24/7/365
Website: attorney911.com

Hablamos Español. Llame a Lupe Peña al 1-888-ATTY-911 para una consulta gratis.

Don’t let the trucking company write the story of your accident. Take control of your future today. One call to 888-ATTY-911 is the first step toward the justice and compensation your family deserves.

Aurora Truck Accident Lawyers | The Manginello Law Firm | Powerful & Proven™

Share this article:

Need Legal Help?

Free consultation. No fee unless we win your case.

Call 1-888-ATTY-911

Ready to Fight for Your Rights?

Free consultation. No upfront costs. We don't get paid unless we win your case.

Call 1-888-ATTY-911