Sterling County Truck Accident Lawyer: Fighting for Families in the Heart of the Permian Basin
The roads in Sterling County have changed. What used to be quiet ranch-to-market routes are now industrial corridors pulsing with 80,000-pound 18-wheelers, overloaded frac sand haulers, and high-speed crude oil tankers. In Sterling County, every barrel of oil and every gallon of produced water requires dozens of truck trips. When those massive vehicles share Highway 87 or State Highway 158 with your family, the margin for error is zero.
An 18-wheeler accident isn’t just a car crash on a larger scale. It’s a legal emergency that involves federal regulations, corporate liability shields, and insurance policies worth millions. At Attorney911, led by Ralph Manginello with over 25 years of courtroom experience, we don’t just “handle” truck accidents—we dominate the litigation process for victims in Sterling County. With our firm founder’s federal court admission to the Southern District of Texas and a team that includes a former insurance defense lawyer, we know exactly how companies like Halliburton, ExxonMobil, and Walmart build their defenses. We move faster to tear them down.
If you’ve been hurt, the clock is already ticking against you. Call us 24/7 at 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free, confidential consultation. We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay us nothing unless we win your case.
Why Sterling County Truck Accidents Are Different
Trucking in West Texas, specifically within the Permian Basin, carries risks you won’t find on a city street. We see the patterns daily: fatigued oilfield workers driving 15-passenger crew vans at 4:00 AM, water trucks rolling over on RM 33 because they hit a soft shoulder, and delivery vans speeding through Sterling City to meet impossible quotas.
The Permian Basin Factor
Sterling County sits on the edge of one of the most productive oil fields on Earth. This brings prosperity, but it also brings a specialized type of danger. Companies like Pioneer Natural Resources (now ExxonMobil) and Diamondback Energy hire hundreds of trucking contractors. These contractors often cut corners on maintenance and training to keep their bids low. When a sand hauler’s brakes fail on Highway 87, it isn’t just an “accident”—it’s the predictable result of a corporate system that prioritizes speed over safety.
The Weight of a Sterling County Collision
Physics doesn’t care about excuses. A passenger car in Sterling County weighs about 4,000 pounds. A fully loaded semi-truck weighs 80,000 pounds. That’s a 20-to-1 weight disparity. When these two meet, the passenger vehicle becomes the “crumple zone.” This is why injuries in Sterling County 18-wheeler wrecks aren’t just cuts and bruises—they are life-altering events like traumatic brain injuries (TBI), spinal cord damage, and amputations.
Meet Your Sterling County Legal Team: Powerful and Proven
When you’re fighting a multinational corporation, you need an attorney with the pedigree to match their legal team.
Ralph Manginello: 25+ Years of Front-Line Experience
Since 1998, Ralph Manginello has been the advocate families turn to when disaster strikes. He doesn’t just understand the law; he understands the industry. Our founder’s involvement in the BP Texas City refinery explosion litigation—a disaster that resulted in over $2 billion in settlements—proves that he has the stamina and the resources to go toe-to-toe with the biggest defendants in the world. Whether it’s a $5 million settlement for a workplace injury or a multi-million dollar recovery for a truck crash, Ralph brings a “first class” fighter mentality to every case. As our client Ernest Cano said, “Mr. Manginello and his firm are first class. Will fight tooth and nail for you.”
Lupe Peña: The Insider’s Edge
Our team includes associate attorney Lupe Peña, who brings a unique advantage to our Sterling County clients. Before joining the plaintiff’s side, Lupe worked for a national insurance defense firm. He knows their playbook because he helped write it. He understands how insurance adjusters use “Colossus” software to undervalue your pain and how they train their staff to trick you into recorded statements. Now, he uses that insider knowledge to get you every dime you deserve. Lupe is also fluent in Spanish, ensuring that our bilingual community in Sterling County has direct access to their lawyer without an interpreter. Hablamos Español. Llame al 1-888-ATTY-911.
The 48-Hour Evidence Preservation Window
In Sterling County, evidence from a truck crash is under immediate threat. The heat of a West Texas summer can degrade tire marks on Highway 87. Rain can wash away debris. But the most dangerous threat comes from the trucking company itself.
The Black Box and ELD Data
Every modern 18-wheeler has an Engine Control Module (ECM) or “black box.” It records your speed, when the driver hit the brakes, and even if they had the cruise control on. There is also Electronic Logging Device (ELD) data that tracks “Hours of Service” (HOS).
But here is the catch: This data can be overwritten in as little as 30 days. Some dashcam footage is deleted in 72 hours. While you are in the hospital recovering, the trucking company already has a rapid-response team at the scene in Sterling County building a case against you.
Why We Send Spoliation Letters Immediately
The moment you hire us, we send a formal “spoliation letter” to the trucking company, the driver, and the parent corporation. This is a legal “litigation hold” that demands they preserve every byte of data and every maintenance record. If they delete it after receiving our letter, we can often get a judge to instruct the jury to assume the destroyed evidence was unfavorable to the company.
The clock started the moment that truck hit you. Don’t let your evidence disappear. Call us now at (888) 288-9911.
Cracking the Code: FMCSA Regulations in Sterling County
If you were hit by a car, we prove they were careless. If you were hit by an 18-wheeler in Sterling County, we prove they broke federal law. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has thousands of pages of regulations (49 CFR) designed to keep us safe. We know them all.
49 CFR Part 395: Hours of Service (The Fatigue Rule)
This is the most common violation we find in West Texas. Drivers are limited to 11 hours of driving after 10 hours off. But in the Permian Basin, the pressure to deliver “just one more load” of sand or water is intense. Drivers often falsify logs or “ghost” their ELDs to stay on the road. We cross-reference GPS data with cell phone records and toll logs to catch them in the lie.
49 CFR Part 391: Driver Qualification
Did the trucking company check the driver’s history before hiring them? Many companies in the oil patch hire anyone with a CDL, ignoring history of drug use or previous accidents. If a company puts an unqualified driver on Sterling County roads, that is “negligent hiring,” and it opens the door for punitive damages.
49 CFR Part 396: Inspection and Maintenance
Brake failure accounts for nearly 30% of truck accidents. In Sterling County, where heavy loads put extreme strain on vehicles, maintenance isn’t optional—it’s life-saving. We subpoena the maintenance history to see if the company was “pencil-whipping” inspections or ignoring worn-out tires to save money.
Types of Commercial Vehicle Accidents We Handle
“Truck accident” is a broad term. In Sterling County, we see everything from delivery vans to specialized industrial equipment.
18-Wheeler & Semi-Truck Crashes
The classic jackknife on Highway 87 or a rear-end collision on Highway 158. These often involve “underride” crashes where a car slides under the trailer. These are almost always catastrophic. Learn more in our video: “The Victim’s Guide to 18-Wheeler Accident Injuries” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxEHIxZTbK8.
Oilfield Vehicle Accidents: The Permian Reality
Sand haulers, produced water tankers, and hot-shot trucks dominate Sterling County. These drivers work 14-hour shifts and drive on two-lane FM roads that were never designed for that weight. We hold the oil operators like ExxonMobil and Halliburton accountable for creating these dangerous conditions.
Corporate Fleet Accidents (Amazon, Walmart, FedEx, UPS)
Was it an Amazon delivery van or a FedEx Ground truck? These companies often use “independent contractor” shields to say they aren’t responsible for the driver. We know how to pierce those shields. As we explain in our video “Can I Sue for Being Hit by a Semi Truck?” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0MT3CKbUb4), the company whose name is on the truck is often the one who truly pulls the strings.
Dump Trucks & Concrete Mixers
Common in local construction projects, these trucks are top-heavy and prone to rollovers. A loaded concrete mixer can weigh 70,000 pounds and has massive blind spots that the driver must account for.
Rental & Moving Trucks (U-Haul, Penske)
Rental trucks are terrifying because the person driving them often has zero commercial experience. U-Haul hands the keys to a 26-foot truck to someone who has only ever driven a sedan. When they can’t judge a turn or a stopping distance in Sterling City, they are liable for the outcome.
Identifying Every Liable Party: Widening the Net
Most lawyers only sue the driver. We dig deeper. In a Sterling County truck accident, there can be a half-dozen parties responsible for your injuries.
- The Driver: For direct negligence like speeding or distraction.
- The Trucking Carrier: For vicarious liability and hours-of-service pressure.
- The Oilfield Operator: For hiring an unsafe carrier or creating dangerous worksites.
- The Cargo Loader: For an unbalanced load that caused a rollover on a turn.
- The Maintenance Company: For failing to repair bad brakes or tires.
- The Corporate Parent: Like Amazon or Sysco, for controlling the driver’s every move via algorithm.
- The Manufacturer: If a tire blowout was caused by a manufacturing defect. (See: “Truck Tire Blowouts and When You Need a Lawyer” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCTumr1looc)
By identifying every liable party, we access multiple insurance policies. This “stacking” of coverage is how we ensure there is enough money to pay for a lifetime of care.
Catastrophic Injuries: We Understand Your Pain
When 80,000 pounds hits you, your life is divided into “before” and “after.” We have seen the devastating impact of these injuries firsthand and have recovered multi-million dollar settlements for families in Sterling County.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
A TBI changes who you are. It affects memory, mood, and cognitive function. Our settlements for TBI victims often range from $1.5 million to over $9.8 million. We work with neuropsychologists to prove to a jury that while you may “look” okay, your life will never be the same.
Spinal Cord Injury & Paralysis
The cost of living with paralysis can be staggering—often exceeding $5 million in the first year alone. We’ve seen spinal injury settlements reach up to $25.8 million when negligence is proven. We fight for specialized vans, home modifications, and 24/7 nursing care.
Amputation & Crush Injuries
Common in rollover and “squeeze play” accidents. These cases require settlements that account for a lifetime of prosthetic replacements and phantom limb pain therapy. Our range for these cases is often $1.9 million to $8.6 million.
Wrongful Death: Small Town, Big Loss
Losing a loved one in a Sterling County truck wreck is a grief that never ends. In Texas, you have two years to file a wrongful death claim. We’ve recovered $1.9 million to $9.5 million for grieving families. No check can bring them back, but it can ensure your family’s financial future is secure.
Your family has been through enough. Let us handle the trucking company. Call 888-ATTY-911 today.
Hidden Damages: What the Insurance Adjuster Won’t Tell You
Insurance companies in Sterling County love to offer “quick settlements.” They’ll tell you it’s for your medical bills and a little extra. They won’t tell you about the damages they are legally required to pay but hope you won’t ask for.
- Future Medical Costs: That neck surgery you’ll need in 10 years because of this crash? It should be paid for now.
- Loss of Earning Capacity: If you’re an oilfield hand who can never lift again, you haven’t just lost wages—you’ve lost a career.
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life: The compensation for never being able to hunt, fish, or play with your kids again.
- Mental Anguish: The PTSD that makes you white-knuckle the steering wheel every time you see a semi-truck on Highway 87. (Learn more: “Can I Get a PTSD Payout After a Car Accident?” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9803X_jnR4A)
Understanding the Legal Landscape in Sterling County
Texas laws are specific, and being on the wrong side of a technicality can kill your case.
Two-Year Statute of Limitations
In Sterling County, you generally have exactly two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit. If you miss that date by even one hour, your right to recover is gone forever.
Modified Comparative Negligence (The 51% Rule)
Texas uses a “51% bar.” This means as long as you are 50% or less at fault, you can recover damages (though your percentage of fault reduces the payout). If a jury finds you 51% at fault, you get zero. Trucking company lawyers are experts at shifting the blame to victims. We are experts at shifting it back.
The Nuclear Verdict Trend
Juries are tired of trucking companies treating Sterling County lives as a line item on a balance sheet. Recent Texas verdicts have reached $37.5 million, $90 million, and even $730 million. These “nuclear verdicts” happen when we prove the company acted with “gross negligence”—meaning they knew there was an extreme risk and did it anyway.
Sterling County Truck Accident FAQ
How much does a Sterling County truck accident lawyer cost?
At Attorney911, we work on a contingency fee. That means we charge 33.33% if the case settles before a lawsuit is filed, and 40% if we have to take it to trial. You pay $0 out of pocket. We take all the risk.
What if the truck was from another state?
Federal court admission is critical here. Ralph Manginello is admitted to the Southern District of Texas. If an out-of-state driver hits you in Sterling County, we can handle the jurisdictional hurdles that would stump smaller local firms.
The insurance company says my injuries were pre-existing. What now?
They say that to everyone. Texas follows the “Eggshell Skull” rule—you take the victim as you find them. If a truck accident makes a mild back problem into a major disability, the trucking company is 100% responsible for that aggravation.
Can I sue the oil company if their contractor hit me?
Often, yes. If the oil company (the “Operator”) was negligent in selecting that contractor or if they controlled the “how and when” of the driving, they are in the crosshairs. We pursue Halliburton, Schlumberger, and others regularly.
How long will my case take in Sterling County?
Simple claims might resolve in 6–12 months. Complex litigation involving multiple defendants and catastrophic injuries usually takes 18 to 36 months. We never rush a settlement during your healing process.
What if I was a passenger in a truck?
You have the same rights to recover. Whether you were a co-driver, a trainee, or a family member on a “ride-along,” if the driver or company was negligent, you are a victim.
The Firm Insurers Fear: Our Commitment to Sterling County
We treat our clients like family. As Chad Harris said in his review, “You are NOT just some client… You are FAMILY to them.” We aren’t a high-volume “billboard firm” where you never talk to your lawyer. When you call Attorney911, you get Ralph and Lupe. You get direct answers. You get 25 years of trial-hardened experience.
If your life has been derailed by an 18-wheeler, a delivery van, or an oilfield truck in Sterling County, don’t let the corporate lawyers win by default. Let us put our multi-million dollar track record and insurance defense advantage to work for you.
Contact Attorney911 today. Available 24/7.
Toll-Free: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
Direct: (713) 528-9070
Website: Attorney911.com
Hablamos Español.
One call. That is all it takes to start the fight for your family’s future. 1-888-ATTY-911.
