18-Wheeler Accident Lawyers in Miller County, Arkansas

Attorney911 | The Manginello Law Firm

Every 16 minutes, someone in America is injured in a commercial truck crash. On Interstate 30 outside Texarkana, 80,000 pounds of steel slammed into a family’s sedan. The truck driver had been awake for 18 hours, pushing past federal limits to make a delivery deadline. In an instant, a Miller County family’s life changed forever.

If you or a loved one has been hurt in an 18-wheeler accident in Miller County, Arkansas, you need more than a lawyer—you need a fighter. Ralph Manginello has spent over 25 years taking on trucking companies and winning. He’s admitted to federal court, has litigated against Fortune 500 corporations like BP, and has recovered multi-million dollar settlements for families just like yours.

Call 1-888-ATTY-911 now. Evidence in Miller County trucking cases disappears quickly. Black box data can be overwritten in 30 days. The trucking company has already called their lawyers. What are you doing?

The 18-Wheeler Crisis on Miller County Roads

Miller County sits at the crossroads of American commerce. Interstate 30—the primary artery connecting Dallas to Little Rock and points east—cuts straight through our community. US-67, US-71, and US-82 converge here, creating a perfect storm of heavy truck traffic moving between Texas ports, Arkansas timberlands, and the industrial heartland.

This isn’t just a logistics hub. It’s a danger zone.

The physics are brutal. An 80,000-pound truck traveling at 65 mph needs 525 feet to stop—nearly two football fields. Your car weighs 4,000 pounds. The truck that hit you is twenty times heavier. That’s not a fair fight.

Worse, Miller County’s rural stretches create unique hazards. Long, isolated stretches of highway lead to driver fatigue. The proximity to Texas means trucks coming from oil fields, often pushing equipment beyond safe limits. The border location creates regulatory gaps that unscrupulous carriers exploit.

When a truck driver from Houston or a hauler from Dallas causes catastrophic damage in Fouke, Ashdown, or Texarkana, you need attorneys who understand both Arkansas state law and the federal regulations governing interstate commerce. You need Attorney911.

Why Miller County Truck Accidents Are Different

Truck accidents in rural Arkansas aren’t the same as fender benders in Dallas or Houston. The stakes are higher, the injuries more severe, and the legal landscape more complex.

Isolation means delayed emergency response. When a truck jackknifes on a remote stretch of I-30 between exits, medical help may be 30 minutes away. Those minutes determine whether a traumatic brain injury becomes a fatality.

Local hospitals may not have Level I trauma centers. While Christus St. Michael and Wadley Regional provide excellent care, severe trauma often requires transfer to Little Rock or Shreveport. That delay in care becomes evidence in your case—and evidence that trucking companies try to use against you.

Arkansas’s modified comparative negligence rule means you can recover damages only if you’re found less than 50% at fault. If the trucking company’s insurance claims you were half responsible for the crash on US-67, you recover nothing. We fight these allegations tooth and nail.

And then there’s the three-year statute of limitations. Unlike neighboring Texas (which has only two years), Arkansas gives you three years to file a lawsuit. But waiting is dangerous. Evidence disappears. Witnesses move away. Black box data gets overwritten. The trucking company hires lawyers immediately—we need to match their urgency.

Our Truck Accident Team: Experience That Wins

Ralph Manginello — Managing Partner

Ralph Manginello has been fighting for injury victims since 1998. With over 25 years of courtroom experience and admission to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, he brings federal-court expertise to Miller County cases that often involve interstate carriers.

Ralph doesn’t just handle truck cases—he’s made them his mission. He’s gone toe-to-toe with the world’s largest corporations, including BP in the Texas City refinery explosion litigation that resulted in $2.1 billion in total industry settlements. He’s recovered multi-million dollar settlements for traumatic brain injury victims, amputation cases, and wrongful death claims.

Currently, Ralph is litigating a $10 million lawsuit against the University of Houston for hazing-related injuries—demonstrating the firm’s ability to handle complex, high-stakes litigation against well-funded defendants.

Lupe Peña — The Insurance Defense Advantage

Here’s what makes Attorney911 different: Our associate attorney, Lupe Peña, spent years working as an insurance defense lawyer. He knows exactly how trucking companies evaluate claims, train their adjusters to minimize payouts, and use software like Colossus to undervalue your suffering.

Lupe is a third-generation Texan from Sugar Land, fluent in Spanish (Hablamos Español), and admitted to federal court. When he examines your Miller County trucking case, he’s looking at it through the lens of someone who used to sit on the other side of the table. He knows their playbook. Now he uses that insider knowledge to fight for you.

Hablamos Español. Llame a Lupe Peña al 1-888-ATTY-911. We serve the Spanish-speaking community of Miller County directly, without interpreters.

Client Stories: Real Results for Real People

Don’t take our word for it. Here’s what clients say after working with our team:

“You are NOT a pest to them and you are NOT just some client… You are FAMILY to them.” — Chad Harris

“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.” — Donald Wilcox

“They fought for me to get every dime I deserved.” — Glenda Walker

“They solved in a couple of months what others did nothing about in two years.” — Angel Walle

In Miller County, we don’t see you as a case number. We see you as a neighbor who needs help. And we don’t stop until you get every dollar you’re owed.

Types of 18-Wheeler Accidents We Handle in Miller County

Jackknife Accidents on I-30

The long, straight stretches of Interstate 30 through Miller County invite excessive speed. When a truck driver hits the brakes suddenly—whether for traffic near the Texarkana split or debris on the road—the trailer swings outward, creating a deadly barrier across multiple lanes. Jackknifes account for approximately 10% of all trucking fatalities.

These accidents often involve 49 CFR § 393.48 brake violations or § 392.6 speeding violations. We secure ECM data to prove the driver was traveling too fast for conditions and analyze maintenance records to show the trucking company deferred brake repairs.

Rear-End Collisions

With the convergence of I-30, US-67, and US-71 near Texarkana, stop-and-go traffic is common. An 18-wheeler requires 20-40% more stopping distance than passenger vehicles. When a distracted or fatigued trucker plows into stopped traffic near the Ashdown exit, the results are catastrophic.

We subpoena ELD (Electronic Logging Device) data under 49 CFR Part 395 to prove Hours of Service violations. If the driver was beyond the 11-hour driving limit or had skipped the required 30-minute break after 8 hours, that’s negligence per se.

Underride Crashes

When a smaller vehicle strikes the rear or side of a trailer and slides underneath, the roof of the car is often sheared off. Underride guards are supposed to prevent this, but 49 CFR § 393.86 only requires guards on trailers manufactured after January 26, 1998—and even then, many are poorly maintained. Side underride guards aren’t federally required at all.

We investigate whether the trucking company maintained proper rear impact guards and whether they knew of the heightened risk on busy Miller County corridors.

Cargo Spills and Hazardous Materials

Miller County sees significant industrial traffic moving between Texas refineries and Arkansas manufacturers. When improperly secured cargo spills onto I-30—whether it’s oilfield equipment, chemicals, or construction materials—it creates multi-vehicle pileups.

Under 49 CFR § 393.100-136, cargo must be secured to withstand 0.8g deceleration forward and 0.5g laterally. We examine loading documents and inspect securement equipment to prove violations.

Tire Blowouts

Summer heat on Arkansas asphalt, combined with long hauls from Dallas, creates dangerous conditions for tire failure. A “road gator”—shredded tire debris—causes thousands of accidents annually. When a steer tire blows on a curve near Fouke, the driver loses control instantly.

49 CFR § 393.75 mandates minimum tread depths: 4/32″ on steer tires, 2/32″ on others. We pull maintenance records to show the trucking company ignored bald tires to save money.

Rollover Accidents

The rolling hills of southwest Arkansas, particularly on US-71 approaching the Ouachita Mountains, create dangerous curves for high-center-of-gravity cargo. Speeding trucks carrying liquids face “slosh” effects when turning, shifting the center of gravity and causing rollovers.

These cases often involve § 393.100 cargo securement violations or § 392.6 excessive speed for the curve radius.

FMCSA Regulations: The Rules They Broke

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations exist to protect you. When trucking companies violate these rules to pad their profits, they put Miller County families at risk. Here are the critical regulations we prove in court:

49 CFR Part 391 — Driver Qualification

Trucking companies must verify that drivers are qualified before they hit the road. This includes:

Valid Commercial Driver’s License (CDL)
Medical examiner’s certificate (renewed every 2 years)
Background checks and previous employer verification
Driving record reviews

When a carrier hires an unqualified driver with a history of DUI or fatigue-related crashes, we hit them with negligent hiring claims.

49 CFR Part 395 — Hours of Service (HOS)

This is where we find the smoking gun in most fatigue cases:

11-hour driving limit: Cannot drive more than 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty
14-hour duty window: Cannot drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty
30-minute break: Required after 8 cumulative hours of driving
70-hour/8-day rule: Cannot drive after 70 hours on duty in 8 days without a 34-hour restart

Since the ELD mandate (49 CFR § 395.8) took effect in December 2017, falsifying paper logs is harder—but not impossible. We download ELD data to prove violations.

49 CFR Part 393 — Vehicle Safety and Cargo

From brake systems to lighting to cargo securement, Part 393 covers equipment standards. Critical for Miller County cases:

§ 393.48: Brake system requirements and adjustments
§ 393.75: Tire tread depth and condition
§ 393.100-136: Cargo securement standards

49 CFR Part 396 — Inspection and Maintenance

Motor carriers must systematically inspect, repair, and maintain their vehicles. § 396.11 requires drivers to complete post-trip inspection reports. § 396.17 mandates annual inspections.

We subpoena Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports (DVIRs) to show the company knew about defective brakes or worn tires and chose to ignore them.

All Liable Parties: Who Pays for Your Injuries?

Most law firms only sue the driver and trucking company. We investigate every potentially liable party because more defendants means more insurance coverage means higher compensation for you.

The Truck Driver

Direct liability for negligent driving: speeding, distracted driving, fatigue, impairment.

The Trucking Company (Motor Carrier)

Under respondeat superior, employers are liable for employees’ negligence. Plus, we pursue them for:

Negligent hiring: Failure to check the driver’s record
Negligent training: Inadequate safety instruction
Negligent supervision: Ignoring ELD violations
Negligent maintenance: Skipping brake repairs to save money

The Cargo Owner/Shipper

If a Texas oil company pressured the carrier to overload the truck or failed to disclose hazardous materials, they share liability.

The Loading Company

Third-party warehouses in Texarkana or Shreveport that improperly balanced loads or used inadequate tiedowns are liable under 49 CFR § 393.100.

Truck and Parts Manufacturers

Defective brakes, tires that blow despite adequate tread, or faulty steering components lead to product liability claims.

Maintenance Companies

When third-party mechanics in Arkansas or Texas perform negligent repairs, they become defendants.

Freight Brokers

Brokers who arrange transport but fail to verify carrier safety records or insurance can be liable for negligent selection.

Government Entities

If Arkansas DOT failed to maintain I-30, leaving dangerous potholes or inadequate signage, they may share liability (though sovereign immunity limits apply).

Catastrophic Injuries: The Human Cost

We don’t just handle cases. We help people rebuild their lives after:

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Symptoms include headaches, memory loss, mood changes, and cognitive impairment. Settlement range: $1.5 million to $9.8 million depending on severity and lifelong care needs.

Spinal Cord Injury and Paralysis

Quadriplegia cases command the highest settlements: $4.7 million to $25.8 million for lifetime care, wheelchairs, home modifications, and lost earning capacity.

Amputation

Whether traumatic (severed at scene) or surgical (due to crush injuries), amputations require prosthetics, rehabilitation, and career retraining. Settlement range: $1.9 million to $8.6 million.

Severe Burns

Fuel fires from ruptured tanks cause third and fourth-degree burns requiring skin grafts and multiple reconstructive surgeries.

Wrongful Death

When a Miller County family loses a loved one, we pursue $1.9 million to $9.5 million settlements for lost income, loss of consortium, and mental anguish.

The 48-Hour Evidence Crisis

Evidence in Miller County 18-wheeler accidents disappears fast. Critical timeline:

Evidence	Destruction Risk
ECM/Black Box Data	Overwritten in 30 days
ELD Logs	Deleted after 6 months
Dashcam Footage	Erased in 7-14 days
Physical Evidence	Truck repaired and returned to service
Witness Memory	Fades within weeks

We send spoliation letters within 24 hours. This legal notice puts the trucking company on notice that destroying evidence will result in court sanctions, adverse inference instructions (the judge tells the jury the destroyed evidence would have helped you), or even default judgment.

Arkansas Law Specifics

Statute of Limitations

You have three years from the accident date to file a personal injury lawsuit in Arkansas. For wrongful death, it’s also three years.

Modified Comparative Negligence (50% Bar)

Under Arkansas law, you can recover damages only if you’re found less than 50% at fault. If you’re 50% or more responsible, you recover nothing. If you’re 30% at fault, your recovery is reduced by 30%.

This makes evidence preservation critical. The trucking company will try to blame you. We gather the ECM data, ELD logs, and witness statements to prove their driver was 100% at fault.

Damage Caps

Unlike some states, Arkansas does not cap compensatory damages for personal injury. Punitive damages are available when trucking companies act with reckless disregard for safety—such as knowingly keeping a dangerous driver on the road or falsifying maintenance records.

What To Do After a Miller County Truck Accident

Call 911 and report all injuries
Seek medical attention immediately—Christus St. Michael, Wadley Regional, or the nearest ER
Document everything—photograph the truck, damage, DOT number, and scene
Get driver information—CDL number, insurance, carrier name
Collect witnesses—names and phone numbers before they leave
Call Attorney911 at 1-888-ATTY-911 before talking to any insurance company

Do NOT give a recorded statement to the trucking company’s insurer. They are trained to trick you into admitting fault or minimizing your injuries. Let us handle the communication.

Our Results: Multi-Million Dollar Recoveries

While every case is unique, our track record demonstrates what aggressive representation achieves:

$5+ Million for a traumatic brain injury victim struck by a falling log
$3.8+ Million for a client who suffered partial leg amputation after a car crash
$2.5+ Million for a commercial trucking accident victim
$2+ Million for a maritime worker with a back injury
$10 Million lawsuit currently active against the University of Houston for institutional negligence

We’re not afraid of big cases. We’re not afraid of big trucking companies. And we’re not afraid to go to trial if that’s what it takes to get you justice.

Frequently Asked Questions About Miller County Truck Accidents

How much is my Miller County truck accident case worth?
It depends on injury severity, medical costs, lost wages, and available insurance. Trucking companies carry $750,000 to $5 million in coverage, allowing for significant recoveries. We’ve seen cases settle for anywhere from hundreds of thousands to tens of millions.

Can I sue if I was partially at fault?
Yes, if you’re less than 50% at fault under Arkansas law. But the trucking company will try to blame you. We gather objective evidence (ECM data, ELD logs) to prove their liability.

How long do I have to file?
Three years in Arkansas. But don’t wait—evidence disappears. Call immediately.

Will my case go to trial?
Most settle, but we prepare every case as if it’s going to trial. Insurance companies offer better settlements when they know your lawyer is willing to go to court. Ralph Manginello has 25+ years of trial experience, including federal court.

Do you handle cases in Texarkana, Ashdown, and Fouke?
Yes. We serve all of Miller County, Arkansas, and the surrounding areas. With offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, we’re never far from Miller County, but we handle cases throughout Arkansas when they involve interstate trucking or Federal Motor Carrier Safety regulations.

Hablamos Español?
Sí. Lupe Peña provides fluent Spanish representation without interpreters. Llame al 1-888-ATTY-911.

Video Resources

Learn more about protecting your rights:

Visit our YouTube channel, Attorney911, for over 290 educational videos on personal injury law.

Call Attorney911 Today. Tomorrow May Be Too Late.

The trucking company that hit you has already hired lawyers. They have investigators at the scene. They’re downloading black box data and preparing a defense. They hope you don’t know your rights. They hope you accept their lowball offer. They hope you wait until the evidence is gone.

Don’t let them win.

Ralph Manginello has spent 25 years fighting for families in Miller County, Arkansas, and across the nation. Our firm has recovered over $50 million for clients. We have a former insurance defense attorney on staff who knows their tactics. And we don’t get paid unless you do.

Call 1-888-ATTY-911 now. Free consultation. No fee unless we win. 24/7 availability.

Hablamos Español. Llame hoy.

Attorney911 — The Firm Insurers Fear™

Ralph Manginello, Esq.
Managing Partner, The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC
Admitted to Federal Court, Southern District of Texas
Trial Lawyer Achievement Association Million Dollar Member

Lupe Peña, Esq.
Associate Attorney
Former Insurance Defense Attorney
Fluent Spanish

Offices:

Houston: 1177 West Loop S, Suite 1600
Austin: 316 West 12th Street
Beaumont: Available for meetings

Contact: 1-888-288-9911 | ralph@atty911.com | attorney911.com

Serving Miller County, Arkansas – Including Texarkana, Ashdown, Fouke, and all surrounding areas.