Glasscock County Truck Accident and Commercial Vehicle Injury Guide

The impact of an 80,000-pound steel machine against a family vehicle on Highway 158 is more than an accident; it is a life-altering catastrophe. In the heart of the Permian Basin, where the roads of Glasscock County serve as the arteries of the American energy industry, the risk is unique, constant, and often deadly. One moment, you are driving near Garden City or heading toward Midkiff to get home to your family. The next, a frac sand hauler, a water truck, or an 18-wheeler has crossed the center line or failed to stop at an intersection, and your world is shattered.

At Attorney911, we understand that you didn’t ask for this fight, but now that you are in it, you need a team that knows how to win. Our managing partner, Ralph Manginello, has spent over 25 years in the trenches of personal injury litigation, taking on the largest trucking companies and corporate fleets in the world. Since 1998, we have worked to level the playing field for families in Glasscock County who have been devastated by the negligence of others. Our firm doesn’t just process cases; we fight for families. As our client Chad Harris once said, “You are NOT just some client… You are FAMILY to them.”

When you are hit by a commercial vehicle, the clock starts ticking immediately. While you are focused on your physical recovery in a trauma center, the trucking company has already deployed a rapid-response team to the scene of the accident in Glasscock County. They are there to minimize their liability, hide evidence, and build a defense before you even have a chance to call for help. We exist to stop them. We move just as fast, sending out preservation letters and dispatching our own investigators to ensure that the “black box” data and driver logs don’t disappear.

The Unique Dangers of Truck Traffic in Glasscock County

Glasscock County sits in one of the most productive and high-traffic regions of the Permian Basin. While the county remains rural and hardworking, our roads—such as US Highway 87 and State Highway 158—are constantly filled with heavy industrial traffic. These roads were often originally designed for farm-to-market traffic, not for the continuous convoys of 80,000-pound water trucks and oversized drilling equipment that now dominate the landscape.

We see the patterns of negligence that lead to these wrecks daily. Whether it is a tired driver who has been on shift for 16 hours hauling produced water or a corporate fleet vehicle like a Walmart 18-wheeler rushing to meet a delivery window, the results are the same. The kinetic energy of a fully loaded semi-truck is 20 to 25 times greater than that of a standard passenger car. At 65 miles per hour, that truck needs over 500 feet to stop—nearly two full football fields. In the congested, dust-blown corridors of Glasscock County, that stopping distance is often a luxury neither you nor the truck driver has.

If you have been hurt, don’t wait for the insurance company to do the right thing. Their goal is to protect their bottom line, not your future. Our associate attorney, Lupe Peña, brings a unique “insider” advantage to our firm; he used to work for the national insurance defense firms that represent these trucking companies. He knows their playbook, he knows how they value claims, and he knows exactly how they try to lowball victims. We use that knowledge to fight back and maximize your recovery.

The clock is already ticking on your evidence in Glasscock County. Call Attorney911 today at 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free, no-obligation consultation. Hablamos Español. Llame al 888-ATTY-911.

Commercial Vehicle Accident Types and Mechanics

Every truck accident has a specific “fingerprint” of negligence. Understanding the physics and the regulatory violations behind each type of crash is how we prove our cases. In Glasscock County, we see a wide diversity of commercial vehicle wrecks, ranging from standard highway collisions to specialized oilfield equipment failures.

Permian Basin Oilfield Vehicle Accidents

The Permian Basin runs on trucks, and Glasscock County is no exception. We focus heavily on cases involving the specialized vehicles that support the oil and gas industry.

• Frac Sand Haulers: These pneumatic trailers are often overloaded to maximize profit. Drivers work 24/7 rotations during completion operations, leading to extreme fatigue. When a sand hauler rolls over on an unimproved lease road or a narrow FM road in Glasscock County, the weight of the sand and the high center of gravity make it a lethal event.
• Produced Water and Saltwater Tankers: These are among the most common trucks on our local roads. The “slosh effect” of liquid cargo makes these trucks inherently unstable. A half-full tanker is actually more dangerous than a full one because the moving liquid can shift the truck’s weight violently during a turn or sudden braking maneuver.
• Crude Oil Tankers: These are hazardous material (HAZMAT) carriers. A rollover doesn’t just cause a collision; it creates a fire and explosion risk that can close down highways and injure entire communities. These carriers are required to carry at least $5 million in liability insurance because the risks are so high.
• Oilfield Crew Transport Vans: We have seen devastating cases where 15-passenger vans carrying entire crews to wellsites roll over in the pre-dawn hours. These vans have a documented history of stability issues, and when they are loaded with workers and equipment, they are prone to catastrophic rollovers.

Jackknife and Rollover Wrecks

A jackknife occurs when the trailer of an 18-wheeler swings out perpendicular to the cab. This is often caused by improper braking or speed on a rain-slicked road. In Glasscock County, a jackknifed truck can easily block all lanes of traffic, leading to a multi-vehicle pileup.

Rollovers are equally devastating. About 50% of truck rollovers happen because the driver failed to adjust their speed for a curve. In the flat but winding ranch roads of West Texas, a driver who is distracted or unfamiliar with the terrain can easily put a truck on its side, crushing any smaller vehicles in its path.

Underride Collisions: The Most Lethal Scenarios

Perhaps the most horrifying accident we handle is the underride collision. This happens when a passenger car slides underneath the rear or side of a trailer. Because of the height disparity, the trailer often enters the passenger compartment at head level. These accidents are frequently fatal and almost always result in traumatic brain injuries or decapitation. We investigate whether the truck was equipped with proper underride guards (Mansfield bars) and whether those guards were maintained according to 49 CFR § 393.86.

Blind Spot and Wide Turn Accidents

Trucks have massive “No-Zones”—blind spots where an entire car can disappear from the driver’s view. These exist directly in front of the cab, behind the trailer, and along both sides. If a driver in Glasscock County fails to properly check their mirrors before a lane change or makes a “squeeze play” wide right turn, they can crush a vehicle beside them without even realizing a collision has occurred.

If you were hit by a commercial truck on Highway 158 or any road in Glasscock County, you need answers now. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 and let us start the investigation for you.

Corporate Fleet Accidents: Amazon, Walmart, and Beyond

When we litigate a case in Glasscock County, we aren’t just looking at the driver. We look at the corporate logo on the side of the truck. We have gone toe-to-toe with some of the largest corporations on the planet, including Walmart, Amazon, FedEx, UPS, and BP. These companies have deep pockets, but they also have deep legal defenses.

The Amazon Delivery Van Phenomenon

Amazon has thousands of delivery vans on Texas roads, but they often try to shield themselves from liability by using “Delivery Service Partners” (DSPs). They claim these drivers aren’t Amazon employees, but independent contractors. We know how to pierce that shield. Amazon controls the routes, the uniforms, the delivery quotas, and uses AI-powered Netradyne cameras to monitor every second of the driver’s behavior. If Amazon exercises that much control, they are responsible for the consequences.

Walmart and the Direct Employment Model

Unlike Amazon, Walmart typically employs its drivers directly. This makes the liability chain more straightforward, but it doesn’t make the fight easier. Walmart is self-insured and manages its own claims. They have a sophisticated risk management department that will work tirelessly to minimize your settlement. With 25+ years of experience, Ralph Manginello knows how to navigate these corporate structures to ensure they pay what they owe.

Logistics and Food Distribution: Sysco and US Foods

Corporate delivery fleets for companies like Sysco or Coca-Cola are constant presences in Glasscock County. These drivers are often under intense pressure to finish their routes quickly. This leads to speeding, illegal parking that blocks visibility, and fatigued driving. Whether it’s a refrigerated Sysco truck or a beer distributor’s flatbed, these are massive corporate defendants that require a law firm with the resources to match them.

Don’t let a corporate legal team intimidate you. Attorney911 has the experience and the track record to hold Fortune 500 companies accountable in Glasscock County. Call 888-ATTY-911 for your free case evaluation.

Proving Negligence Through FMCSA Regulations

The trucking industry is governed by a strict set of federal laws known as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (49 CFR Parts 390-399). These rules are not optional. When a trucking company violates these regulations, it is often prima facie evidence of negligence. We audit every detail of a carrier’s compliance after an accident in Glasscock County.

• Part 391: Driver Qualification: Did the trucking company actually check the driver’s background? Did they verify their CDL? Did the driver have a valid medical certificate? If a company hires a driver with a history of DUIs or safety violations, they can be held liable for negligent hiring.
• Part 395: Hours of Service (HOS): This is one of the most frequently violated rules. Drivers are limited to 11 hours of driving time after 10 hours off. They must track this with Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs). We subpoena ELD data to see if the driver was illegally over their hours, which leads to the kind of fatigue that causes catastrophic wrecks on our highways.
• Part 396: Inspection and Maintenance: A truck with worn-out brakes or bald tires is a moving time bomb. Federal law requires systematic inspection and maintenance. We demand all maintenance records to see if the carrier was cutting corners on repairs to save money.
• Part 393: Cargo Securement: If a load shifts during a turn on Highway 87, it can cause the truck to roll or the cargo to spill into traffic. There are specific weight and tiedown requirements for every type of cargo, from oilfield pipe to retail goods.

In oilfield cases, we also look at OSHA regulations (29 CFR 1910 and 1926). Many accidents happen at the “hand-off” between the public road and the private wellsite. If an oil company fails to provide safe ingress and egress for trucks, or if their “company man” on-site pressures a driver to violate safety protocols, we hold the oil company accountable as well.

Identifying All Liable Parties

Most lawyers only look at the driver who was sitting in the cab. That is a mistake that can cost you millions in recovery. In a complex commercial vehicle accident in Glasscock County, liability often extends to a dozen different entities.

1. The Truck Driver: For direct negligence like speeding or distraction.
2. The Trucking Company: For vicarious liability and negligent hiring or training.
3. The Cargo Shipper/Owner: If they provided incorrect weight info or pressured the carrier.
4. The Loading Facility: For improperly securing the load or overloading a trailer.
5. The Maintenance Provider: If a mechanic failed to properly adjust brakes or fix a defect.
6. The Truck or Parts Manufacturer: If a tire blowout or brake failure was caused by a manufacturing defect.
7. The Freight Broker: For hiring a carrier they knew, or should have known, was unsafe.
8. The Oil and Gas Operator: In oilfield cases, the company that owns the lease and controls the worksite is often the primary defendant.
9. The Staffing Agency: If the driver was a temporary placement who was not properly vetted.
10. Governmental Entities: If a road defect or poor construction zone signage in Glasscock County contributed to the crash.

By identifying every liable party, we can “stack” multiple insurance policies. While a small trucking company might only have the $750,000 federal minimum, adding the corporate broker, the oil company, and the manufacturer can bring millions of dollars in additional coverage to the table. Our firm has achieved settlements where others saw no path forward. 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.”

There may be more insurance money available for your case than you realize. Let us do the investigation. Call Attorney911 at 1-888-ATTY-911.

The 48-Hour Evidence Preservation Window

In the legal world, especially in trucking, evidence has an expiration date. If you wait 30 days to call a lawyer, you may have already lost your case.

Modern trucks are equipped with Engine Control Modules (ECM), commonly known as “black boxes.” These devices record speed, RPMs, brake application, and throttle position in the seconds before a crash. However, many of these systems are programmed to overwrite data after 30 days or after a certain number of new driving “events.” If that truck is put back into service, the evidence of your crash could be erased forever.

We don’t let that happen. When you hire Attorney911, we immediately issue a formal “spoliation letter” to the trucking company, the insurer, and the driver. This is a legal demand that they preserve ALL evidence, including:

• ELD logs and GPS tracking.
• The truck’s black box data.
• In-cab dashcam footage (such as Netradyne or DriveCam).
• The driver’s qualification file and drug test results.
• Internal dispatch communications showing schedule pressure.
• The physical vehicle itself—we want our engineers to inspect the brakes and tires before they are replaced.

Trucking companies hire lawyers before the ambulance even leaves the scene. You deserve the same level of aggressive protection.

The evidence is disappearing. Call 888-ATTY-911 right now so we can stop the destruction of data.

Catastrophic Injuries and Your Future

A serious truck wreck rarely results in minor scrapes. When 80,000 pounds collide with your car, the human body suffers injuries that require a lifetime of care. We have recovered multi-million dollar settlements for victims in Glasscock County suffering from:

Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)

TBI changes everything about who you are—how you think, your personality, and your ability to work. Our firm has recovered settlements ranging from $1.5 million to over $9.8 million for brain injury victims. These cases require expert neurologists and life-care planners to prove the full extent of the cognitive damage.

Spinal Cord Injuries and Paralysis

The force of a truck impact can easily fracture the spine or sever the spinal cord. Whether it results in paraplegia or quadriplegia, the cost of medical care, home modifications, and daily assistance can reach tens of millions of dollars over a lifetime. We have seen spinal injury settlements ranging from $4.7 million to over $25.8 million.

Amputations and Crush Injuries

Whether a limb is lost at the scene or must be surgically removed due to infection and trauma, an amputation is a permanent disability. We fight for compensation that covers the best prosthetics available and the vocational training needed for a new career path. Typical results for these cases range from $1.9 million to $8.6 million.

Wrongful Death

If you have lost a parent, a spouse, or a child in a Glasscock County truck accident, we offer our deepest condolences. We know that no amount of money can bring them back, but a wrongful death lawsuit is about accountability. It is about making sure the company that cut corners on safety never does it again. We have secured wrongful death recoveries ranging from $1.9 million to over $9.5 million for grieving families.

Your life has been changed forever, and the insurance company is already trying to minimize your pain. We don’t let them. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 and talk to a team that cares.

Insurance Minimums and Real Damages

Many people are surprised to learn that trucking companies are required by federal law (49 CFR Part 387) to carry significantly more insurance than typical drivers:

• General Freight: $750,000 minimum.
• Oil and Equipment: $1,000,000 minimum.
• Hazardous Materials: $5,000,000 minimum.

But these are just the floors. Corporations like Walmart, Amazon, and Halliburton carry millions more in excess and umbrella policies. Accessing this money, however, requires proving your damages with scientific precision. We calculate your “economic damages”—things like medical bills, future surgeries, and lost earning capacity—and your “non-economic damages,” which include your physical pain, mental anguish, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life.

In cases involving gross negligence—such as a driver being under the influence of drugs or a company intentionally letting an unqualified driver behind the wheel—we also pursue punitive damages. These are designed to punish the wrongdoer and serve as a warning to the rest of the industry.

The Legal Process in Glasscock County

In Texas, you generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit. This is known as the statute of limitations. While two years might seem like a long time, the investigation phase alone can take months.

We also have to navigate Texas’s “Modified Comparative Negligence” rule. In our state, if you are found to be more than 50% at fault for the accident, you cannot recover anything. If you are 20% at fault, your final award is reduced by 20%. The trucking company’s lawyers will spend every day trying to push as much blame onto you as possible. Our job is to use the black box data and expert accident reconstruction to prove that the trucker was the one truly responsible.

We handle everything on a contingency fee basis. This means you pay nothing up front. We advance all the costs of hiring experts, filing the lawsuits, and taking the depositions. If we don’t win your case, you don’t owe us an attorney’s fee. This allows every family in Glasscock County, regardless of their financial situation, to have access to top-tier legal representation.

Frequently Asked Questions About Glasscock County Truck Accidents

Q: What if the truck driver was an independent contractor for an oil company?
A: This is the most common defense in West Texas. The oil companies will point the finger at a smaller trucking company to avoid liability. However, Ralph Manginello and his team know how to look at the “right to control.” If the oil company dictated the route, the safety protocols, and the timing of the delivery, they can often be held liable despite any “independent contractor” labels.

Q: I was rear-ended by a tractor-trailer on SH 158. The driver said his brakes failed. Is he still responsible?
A: Absolutely. Brake failure is rarely an “act of God”; it is almost always a failure of maintenance. Under 49 CFR Part 396, trucking companies have a non-delegable duty to maintain their brakes. If they failed to do so, they are negligent. Our investigators will look for evidence of heat-cracked drums or worn pads that should have been replaced weeks before the crash.

Q: Should I sign the medical authorization the insurance company sent me?
A: NEVER sign any document from the trucking company’s insurer without a lawyer reviewing it first. These authorizations often allow the insurance company to dig through your entire medical history from birth, looking for a “pre-existing condition” they can use to deny your claim.

Q: Can I recover money if I was a passenger in the truck that crashed?
A: Yes. Whether you were a co-driver, a trainee, or a passenger, you have a right to a safe environment. If the driver’s negligence caused your injuries, you may have a claim against the driver and the trucking company.

Q: How much is my case worth?
A: No ethical lawyer can give you a specific number before a thorough investigation. However, because truck accidents involve such high insurance minimums and catastrophic injuries, these settlements are typically much larger than standard car accidents. We have seen results ranging from high six-figures to multi-million dollar verdicts.

Your Fight Starts With One Call

You are not just a case number to us. We understand the stress you are feeling. Your bills are piling up, you are in pain, and a multinational corporation is treating you like a nuisance. We are here to change that dynamic.

Since 1998, Ralph Manginello has been the voice for the injured in Texas. We have been involved in some of the largest industrial litigation in the state’s history, including the BP Texas City Refinery litigation. We have the resources of a large firm but the personal attention of a boutique office. As client Chad Harris said, you are family to us.

When an 18-wheeler or a company truck changes your life in Glasscock County, you don’t need a lawyer who wants to settle fast—you need a fighter who is ready to go to trial. We prepare every case as if it’s going to a jury, which is exactly why our settlements are often higher. The insurance companies know we are ready for the courtroom.

Hablamos Español. Llame a Lupe Peña. Attorney Lupe Peña spent years on the other side defending these companies. He knows their secrets, and he is ready to use them for you.

Don’t wait another minute. The evidence is fading, and the trucking company is already working against you. Call Attorney911 right now at 1-888-ATTY-911 or (888) 288-9911 for your free consultation. We are available 24/7 to take your call and start your fight for justice.

Key Information for Glasscock County Victims:

• Address (Main Office): 1177 West Loop S, Suite 1600, Houston, TX 77027 (Serving all of Texas)
• Phone: 1-888-ATTY-911
• Attorney: Ralph P. Manginello (Bar #24007597)
• Experience: 25+ Years of Litigation
• Fee: Contingency (No Win, No Fee)
• Website: https://attorney911.com

Your road to recovery starts here. Let us take the weight off your shoulders. Call 1-888-ATTY-911.