Johnson County Trucking Accident & Commercial Vehicle Litigation Guide
The impact of an 80,000-pound steel machine slamming into your car on I-35W changes everything in a fraction of a second. One moment y’all are driving home to Cleburne or heading to work in Burleson, and the next, you’re trapped in a wreckage, surrounded by shattered glass and the deafening silence that follows a catastrophic collision. In Johnson County, we see these tragedies far too often. Whether it’s a jackknifed 18-wheeler on US-67 or a speeding delivery van in a residential Mansfield neighborhood, the physics of these crashes are brutal, and the legal battle that follows is even tougher.
If you’ve been hurt in a truck accident in Johnson County, you aren’t just fighting a driver. You’re fighting a multi-billion dollar trucking corporation, an army of insurance adjusters, and a team of defense lawyers who’ve been at the scene since before the ambulance even reached the hospital. You need someone who has been in that ring and won. Ralph Manginello has spent more than 25 years taking on the world’s largest corporations and making them pay for the lives they’ve disrupted. Since 1998, our firm has recovered over $50 million for families across Texas, and we’re ready to stand up for you in Johnson County.
We understand the specific dangers of Johnson County’s roads. From the heavy freight traffic moving through the I-35 corridor to the congested intersections of Highway 174, our team knows that every truck accident case here requires a deep understanding of both Texas law and federal safety regulations. As client Chad Harris said, “You are NOT a pest to them and you are NOT just some client… You are FAMILY to them.” That is the level of dedication we bring to every victim in Johnson County.
If you’re hurting right now, don’t wait. Black box data and critical evidence can disappear within 30 days. Call Attorney911 at 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free, confidential consultation. We answer 24/7, and you don’t pay a dime unless we win your case.
Why Experience Matters After a Johnson County Truck Wreck
When an 18-wheeler causes a disaster in Johnson County, the stakes are exponentially higher than a standard car crash. The insurance policies are larger, the regulations are more complex, and the defendants have more to lose, which means they fight twice as hard. Our managing partner, Ralph Manginello, brings a level of authority to these cases that few can match. Admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Ralph understands the federal landscape of trucking litigation. He’s gone toe-to-toe with Fortune 500 giants like BP during the Texas City Refinery litigation, and he’s litigated against Walmart, Amazon, FedEx, and UPS.
We have a secret weapon on our team that gives our Johnson County clients an “unfair” advantage: Associate Attorney Lupe Peña. Before joining us to fight for victims, Lupe worked for a national insurance defense firm. He used to defend the very companies we now sue. He knows their playbook. He knows how they calculate settlements, how they train adjusters to lowball you, and exactly where they hide evidence to minimize their liability. When we build your case in Johnson County, we’re using insider knowledge to stay three steps ahead of the trucking company.
Our track record of multi-million dollar results speaks for itself. We’ve recovered over $5 million for traumatic brain injury victims and $3.8 million for clients facing life-altering amputations. Whether your case involves a small local delivery driver or a massive interstate carrier, we treat your recovery with the same relentless aggression. Johnson County families deserve a law firm that doesn’t just settle for the first offer but fights for every dime they’re owed, as client Glenda Walker noted when she said we fought for her to get “every dime I deserved.”
Critical Timelines: Texas Law and Johnson County Courts
The clock began ticking the moment that truck struck your vehicle in Johnson County. In Texas, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims is generally two years from the date of the accident. While two years might seem like a long time, in the world of trucking litigation, it’s a heartbeat. Evidence in Johnson County cases—skid marks on FM roads, debris at the scene, and even the vehicles themselves—can be altered or destroyed within days.
Furthermore, Texas follows a modified comparative negligence rule, specifically the 51% bar. This means that in Johnson County, if you’re found to be 51% or more at fault for the accident, you’re barred from recovering any compensation. Trucking companies will stop at nothing to shift the blame onto you. They’ll look at your cell phone records, your social media, and even the speed you were traveling. Our job is to prove their negligence was the primary cause.
We handle cases across all Johnson County courts. Whether your case is heard in the District Courts in Cleburne or involves a federal filing, we have the resources to manage the process from start to finish. We’re not an out-of-state “mill” that just signs cases; we’re Texas trial lawyers who know Johnson County’s streets and its juries.
If you’ve been hit on I-35W or any Johnson County road, call us today at 1-888-ATTY-911. Hablamos Español. Llame a Lupe Peña para una consulta gratis.
Federal Regulations: Proving Negligence in Johnson County
Every commercial truck traveling through Johnson County is governed by a strict set of federal laws known as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs), found in 49 CFR Parts 390-399. These aren’t just suggestions; they are the mandatory safety floor that trucking companies must follow. When a company ignores these rules to increase their profit margin, people in Johnson County get hurt.
49 CFR Part 395: Hours of Service (HOS) and Fatigue
Driver fatigue is a silent killer on the long stretches of highway through Johnson County. Under 49 CFR § 395.3, property-carrying drivers are limited to 11 hours of driving after 10 consecutive hours off-duty. They also cannot drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty. When a driver hauling freight through Johnson County pushes past these limits to meet a delivery window at an Amazon fulfillment center or a Walmart DC, their reaction times drop to levels comparable to drunk driving. We subpoena Electronic Logging Device (ELD) data immediately to see if the driver was illegally fatigued.
49 CFR Part 391: Driver Qualification
Trucking companies have a non-delegable duty to ensure their drivers are fit for the road. 49 CFR § 391.11 requires carriers to maintain a Driver Qualification File for every operator. This includes checking their driving history, verifying their CDL, and ensuring they have a valid medical certificate. If a carrier puts an unqualified driver on a Johnson County road—someone with a history of DUIs or a dangerous medical condition—they are liable for negligent hiring.
49 CFR Part 396: Inspection, Repair, and Maintenance
An 80,000-pound truck with failing brakes is a ticking time bomb. Under 49 CFR § 396.3, motor carriers must systematically inspect and maintain their vehicles. We often find that truck accidents on the steep grades or rural curves of Johnson County are caused by worn brake pads, improperly adjusted air brakes, or bald tires. Evidence of deferred maintenance is often the “smoking gun” that proves the company prioritized money over Johnson County lives.
Learn more in our video guide: “The Victim’s Guide to 18-Wheeler Accident Injuries” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxEHIxZTbK8
Commercial Truck Accident Types in Johnson County
The way an accident happens in Johnson County tells us a lot about who is at fault. Each type of crash involves different physics and different regulatory violations.
Jackknife Accidents on I-35W
A jackknife occurs when the drive wheels of the tractor lock up, causing the trailer to swing out perpendicular to the cab. This often happens on the slick overpasses of I-35W during a Texas rainstorm. If a driver is speeding for conditions or using improper braking techniques, they can easily lose control, sweeping across three lanes of Johnson County traffic and causing a massive pileup.
Rollover Crashes on Johnson County Farm Roads
With a high center of gravity, trucks are prone to rolling over, especially on the winding farm-to-market roads that connect Cleburne, Alvarado, and Grandview. 49 CFR § 393.100 mandates strict cargo securement. If a load shifts because it wasn’t braced correctly, the truck can tip over during a routine turn. We’ve seen catastrophic injuries in Johnson County when an 18-wheeler rolls onto a passenger car, leaving the occupants with zero survivable space.
Underride Collisions: The Most Lethal Pattern
Perhaps the most terrifying crash we see in Johnson County is the underride. This is when a car slides beneath the back or side of a trailer. Federal law (49 CFR § 393.86) requires rear impact guards, but they often fail at highway speeds. Side underride accidents frequently happen at Johnson County intersections when a truck makes a wide turn or changes lanes without seeing the car beside it. These accidents are almost always fatal or result in decapitation-level trauma.
Blind Spot and Wide Turn Accidents
Every truck has a “No-Zone”—massive blind spots on all four sides. If a driver in Johnson County merges into your lane because they didn’t check their mirrors, they’ve violated fundamental safe driving rules. Wide turns are equally dangerous. A truck swinging left to make a sharp right turn on a Cleburne street can crush a vehicle caught in the “squeeze play.”
Delivery Van and Box Truck Crashes in Suburban Johnson County
As Burleson and Mansfield expand, we see more Amazon, FedEx, and UPS vans in residential areas. These drivers are under extreme pressure to meet “last-mile” delivery quotas. This leads to speeding, distracted driving, and backing-up accidents in school zones and neighborhoods. We hold these corporate giants accountable for the systems they build that encourage unsafe driving in Johnson County.
If you’ve been hit by an 18-wheeler, a delivery van, or any corporate vehicle in Johnson County, don’t wait for their insurance to “do the right thing.” Call (888) 288-9911 today for a free evaluation.
The Deep Net of Liability: Who Else is Responsible?
Most lawyers only sue the driver. We know better. In a Johnson County truck wreck, the driver is often just the last link in a long chain of negligence. To maximize your recovery, we investigate every potentially liable party.
- The Trucking Company: We hold carriers liable for negligent hiring, training, and maintenance. They are also responsible for the actions of their employees under respondeat superior.
- Corporate Parent Companies: When an Amazon van hits you in Johnson County, Amazon will claim the driver was an “independent contractor.” We know how to pierce that shield. We look at the level of control Amazon exercises over the routes, the uniforms, and the surveillance technology in the van to prove they are the true employer.
- Cargo Loaders and Shippers: If a load was improperly secured in a Houston port before traveling through Johnson County, and that load shifted and caused a rollover, the loading company is liable.
- Truck and Parts Manufacturers: A tire blowout on I-35 caused by a manufacturing defect or a brake failure caused by a design flaw leads us to the manufacturer. Product liability claims can provide an additional source of recovery for Johnson County victims.
- Freight Brokers: Companies that connect shippers with carriers have a duty to hire safe trucking companies. If they brokered a load to a “bottom-tier” carrier with a history of out-of-service violations, they can be held liable for their negligence.
- Government Entities: If a poorly designed highway exit or a lack of proper signage contributed to your crash in Johnson County, we may have a claim against the state or local government.
- Maintenance Firms: Many fleets outsource their repairs. If a third-party mechanic in Johnson County signed off on a faulty brake system, they belong in the lawsuit.
By identifying multiple defendants, we can “stack” insurance policies. A driver might only have $50,000 in coverage, but the carrier has $1 million, the broker has another $1 million, and the corporate parent has a $25 million umbrella policy. We find the money to pay for your lifetime of needs.
48 Hours to Act: The Urgency of Evidence Preservation
In Johnson County, the first 48 hours after a truck accident are the most critical. While you are recovering, the trucking company is already actively working to delete data that could prove their guilt. We move faster.
We immediately send a formal Spoliation Letter to the trucking company, the insurer, and any corporate parents. This legal notice forces them to preserve:
- ECM/Black Box Data: This records speed, braking, and throttle 30 seconds before the impact. Many systems overwrite this data if the truck starts driving again.
- Electronic Logging Device (ELD) Data: This proves whether the driver was illegally fatigued.
- In-Cab Camera Footage: Systems like Netradyne (used by Amazon) or DriveCam capture video of the driver being distracted or falling asleep.
- Maintenance Records: We want to see every repair—and every repair they skipped—for the last five years.
- Cell Phone Records: We subpoena these to prove the driver was texting or on a call at the moment of the crash in Johnson County.
Without an aggressive attorney sending these demands immediately, this information has a way of “accidentally” disappearing. Don’t let your chance at justice vanish.
Call 888-ATTY-911 right now. The trucking company is already building their case. Let’s start building yours.
Catastrophic Injuries: Protecting Your Future in Johnson County
A truck accident doesn’t just result in cuts and bruises. An 80,000-pound impact often leads to injuries that require a lifetime of care. We understand the medical reality of these crashes and work with world-class experts to document every aspect of your suffering.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
The violent whipping of the head in a high-speed I-35W collision can cause the brain to bounce against the skull. Even if you didn’t lose consciousness, you could be suffering from a TBI. Memory loss, personality changes, and cognitive “fog” can end a career. We’ve recovered between $1.5 million and $9.8 million for TBI victims, ensures they have the resources for long-term Neuropathology and speech therapy.
Spinal Cord Injury and Paralysis
A crushed vertebrae or severed spinal cord is a life sentence. Whether it’s paraplegia or quadriplegia, the physical and emotional cost is staggering. The lifetime cost of care for a spinal injury can reach $5 million or more. In Johnson County, we fight for settlements that cover home modifications, 24/7 care, and the best adaptive equipment available.
Amputations and Crush Injuries
Being pinned in a car on US-67 often leads to traumatic limb loss or injuries so severe the limb must be surgically removed. Beyond the initial trauma, the lifetime cost of prosthetic replacement and physical rehabilitation is enormous. We’ve secured settlements in the $1.9 million to $8.6 million range for victims facing these challenges.
Wrongful Death
If you’ve lost a loved one in a Johnson County truck crash, no amount of money will fill that hole. But the law allows you to seek justice. A wrongful death claim provides for the loss of income, loss of companionship, and the mental anguish your family is enduring. We handle these cases with the utmost compassion and the highest level of aggression against the negligent parties.
Your case is about more than a check. It’s about your recovery. Hear from more of our clients like Donald Wilcox, who says, “Then I got a call from Manginello… I got a call to come pick up this handsome check.” Call 1-888-ATTY-911.
Commercial Insurance Minimums: The High Value of Trucking Claims
One reason you must hire a specialized trucking lawyer in Johnson County is the amount of insurance money at stake. The federal government sets high minimums for commercial vehicles (49 CFR Part 387):
- General Freight: $750,000 minimum.
- Oil and Equipment: $1,000,000 minimum.
- Hazardous Materials: $5,000,000 minimum.
Many large corporations like Walmart and Amazon are “self-insured,” meaning they have millions set aside to pay claims from their own coffers. This is good for you because there is a “deep pocket” to pay for your damages. But it’s bad because they will fight tooth and nail to protect every dollar. They employ adjusters whose only job is to get you to sign a release for pennies on the dollar.
We calculate the TRUE value of your case. That includes not just your current medical bills, but your future surgeries, your lost earning capacity, your physical impairment, and your non-economic damages like “loss of enjoyment of life.” We don’t just calculate your bills; we calculate the impact on your soul.
Learn more in our video: “How Do Car Insurance Companies Calculate Pain and Suffering?” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EE9AWT12Kg
Frequently Asked Questions for Johnson County Victims
1. How long do I have to file a claim in Johnson County?
In Texas, you generally have two years from the date of the accident. However, if the truck involved was a government vehicle (like a city bus or county road crew), you may have as little as six months to file a formal notice of claim. Don’t wait—evidence in Johnson County disappears much faster than the legal deadline.
2. What if I was partially at fault?
Johnson County follows the 51% rule. If you were less than 51% at fault, you can still recover. If you were 20% at fault, your final settlement would be reduced by 20%. The trucking company will always try to make you 100% responsible. We use accident reconstruction experts to prove the truck driver’s negligence was the primary factor.
3. Can I sue for a crash involving an Amazon van?
Yes, and we do it frequently. Amazon uses a complex web of contractors (DSPs) to try to avoid liability. We pierce those contracts by showing that Amazon still controls the driver’s schedule, equipment, and training. If an Amazon van hit you in Burleson or Mansfield, call us immediately.
4. Who pays my medical bills while I’m waiting for a settlement?
The trucking company’s insurance won’t pay your bills as they come in; they only pay at the end. In the meantime, we can help you coordinate with medical providers who will work on a “Letter of Protection,” meaning they wait for the settlement to get paid. We’ll help you find the best trauma care in the Johnson County region.
5. What is my case worth?
Every case is different, but trucking settlements are often 10 to 100 times larger than standard car accidents because of the insurance requirements and the catastrophic nature of the injuries. Cases we’ve seen range from high six figures for moderate injuries to ten million or more for permanent disability or death.
6. Do I need to go to court in Cleburne?
Most of our cases settle before a trial is ever necessary. Our strategy of preparing every Johnson County case as if it’s going to trial forces the insurance companies to offer higher settlements. They know Ralph Manginello is a fighter who isn’t afraid of a Cleburne jury.
7. What if the truck driver was on drugs?
49 CFR Part 382 requires commercial drivers to undergo random drug and alcohol testing. If a driver caused an accident in Johnson County while under the influence, the trucking company is automatically in a position of extreme liability, and we may even pursue punitive damages to punish them for their recklessness.
8. What is a “Nuclear Verdict”?
In recent years, juries have become tired of trucking companies cutting corners. This has led to “nuclear verdicts” exceeding $10 million—and sometimes reaching $100 million or more. These verdicts hold massive corporations accountable for systemic safety failures. While no outcome is guaranteed, we fight for the maximum value the law allows.
9. Can I sue if an oilfield truck hit me?
Absolutely. Johnson County sits near the Barnett Shale, and oilfield traffic is heavy. These trucks (water tankers, sand haulers) often operate on 24/7 schedules that lead to extreme fatigue. We hold both the trucking company and the oil company that hired them responsible.
10. How much does your firm charge?
We work on a contingency fee basis. This means we charge 33.33% if we settle before filing a lawsuit, and 40% if we go to trial. Crucially, you pay Zero Upfront Costs. We advance all the money for experts and investigation. If we don’t win, you don’t owe us a penny.
Our Dedication to Johnson County Families
At Attorney911, we aren’t just your legal counsel; we are your advocates. We’ve seen what these 80,000-pound missiles do to lives in Johnson County. We’ve sat with families in their darkest hours, and we’ve stood in courtrooms to make sure they get the justice they deserve. As client Mongo Slade said, “I was rear-ended and the team got right to work… I also got a very nice settlement.”
Whether you were hit by a Walmart semi, an Amazon van, a concrete mixer in a construction zone, or an oilfield tanker, you have rights. The trucking company is hoping you don’t know them. They’re hoping y’all will take a fast check and go away. Don’t do it. Your future, your health, and your family’s stability are worth more than a quick settlement designed to save a billionaire corporation some money.
Put 25+ years of experience and the insurance defense advantage to work for your case in Johnson County. We know the roads, we know the laws, and we know how to win.
Call Attorney911 right now at 1-888-ATTY-911 or (888) 288-9911. Our team is standing by 24/7 to help you. Hablamos Español. Llame a Lupe Peña hoy mismo para una consulta gratuita y proteja su futuro.
Attorney911 | The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC
Serving Johnson County, Texas
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