Wickett Truck Accident Lawyers: Fighting for the Permian Basin’s Injured

The impact of an 80,000-pound commercial vehicle is unlike any other event on the road. In an instant, a standard drive through the Town of Wickett or a haul along Interstate 20 is transformed into a life-altering catastrophe. When steel collides with a passenger vehicle at highway speeds, the laws of physics are unforgiving. A fully loaded 18-wheeler is roughly 20 to 25 times heavier than the average car, meaning the force transferred to you and your family is often beyond what the human body can endure.

If you have been injured in an accident involving a semi-truck, an oilfield water hauler, or a corporate delivery van in Wickett, you are currently in a legal emergency. While you are focusing on the trauma of the emergency room and the weight of mounting medical bills, the trucking company that hit you has already mobilized. They have rapid-response teams, corporate adjusters, and defense lawyers whose only goal is to minimize your suffering and protect their bottom line.

At Attorney911, led by managing partner Ralph Manginello, we provide the aggressive, experienced representation required to level the playing field. Since 1998, Ralph has been holding negligent corporations and trucking fleets accountable. With over 25 years of courtroom experience and admission to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, he understands the complexity of federal trucking regulations and the high-stakes nature of Permian Basin litigation. Our team includes associate attorney Lupe Peña, a former insurance defense lawyer who used to represent the very companies we now fight. He knows their playbook and how they attempt to lowball victims like you.

Wickett sits in the heart of Ward County, at the center of the most productive oil and gas region in the world. Our roads—from the heavy traffic of I-20 to the narrow FM roads and caliche lease paths—are shared by some of the most dangerous commercial vehicles in America. We handle cases involving every type of commercial vehicle on the road, and we don’t settle for less than you deserve.

The Dangerous Reality of Trucking in the Town of Wickett

The Town of Wickett is a vital hub for the energy sector, but this prosperity comes with a deadly price. The roads in and around Ward County were often never designed to handle the sheer volume and weight of the commercial traffic that traverses them today. Every day, residents of Wickett must share lanes with massive frac sand haulers, produced water tankers, and heavy equipment movers.

The trucking corridors serving the Town of Wickett, particularly Interstate 20 and State Highway 18, see some of the highest commercial vehicle fatality rates in Texas. Unlike metropolitan areas where traffic may be slow-moving, accidents in the wide-open stretches of West Texas often occur at maximum speed. When a driver for a major carrier like Swift Transportation or a local oilfield hauling company is fatigued after a 14-hour shift, they become a high-speed missile.

In Wickett, weather and environmental hazards add another layer of risk. Blowing dust and sand can reduce visibility to near-zero in seconds, and the extreme summer heat can cause asphalt softening and catastrophic tire blowouts. When these conditions combine with the 24/7 pressure of oilfield production schedules, the results are tragic.

As client Chad Harris once said about our firm’s approach, “You are NOT a pest to them and you are NOT just some client… You are FAMILY to them.” We bring that family-first mentality to every Wickett family we represent, ensuring that we fight for you with the same tenacity we would for our own.

Why 25 Years of Trucking Litigation Experience Matters

When you are hit by an 18-wheeler in the Town of Wickett, you aren’t just filing a car accident claim. You are initiating a complex legal battle against sophisticated corporate entities. Attorney911’s founder, Ralph Manginello, has spent over two decades litigating against the world’s largest corporations. Our firm has been involved in massive industrial disaster litigation, including the BP Texas City refinery explosion—a case that involve billions of dollars in settlements.

We have successfully litigated against retail giants like Walmart, logistics leaders like FedEx and UPS, and the massive oilfield service companies that dominate the Permian Basin. This experience is critical because corporate defendants do not play by the same rules as individual drivers. They utilize self-insured retentions (SIRs) and layered insurance policies designed to shield their assets.

Lupe Peña’s background in insurance defense is a primary advantage for our Wickett clients. Having spent years on the other side, he recognizes the manipulation tactics adjusters use when they call you after a crash. They may sound helpful, but they are looking for anything they can use to assign you comparative fault or argue that your injuries were pre-existing. We stop those tactics in their tracks.

Learn more about our approach in our video guide: “The Definitive Guide To Commercial Truck Accidents” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEEeZf-k8Ao.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Regulations: Proving Negligence in Wickett

Every commercial truck operating in the Town of Wickett is governed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). These regulations, found in Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Parts 390-399, are the standard we use to prove a trucking company was negligent. We don’t just ask if the driver was careless; we prove they violated federal law.

49 CFR Part 395: Hours of Service (HOS) and Driver Fatigue

Among the most common violations we see in Town of Wickett truck accidents is the violation of Hours of Service rules. In the high-pressure environment of the Permian Basin, where oilfield operators demand 24/7 service, drivers are frequently pushed past their legal limits.

• The 11-Hour Rule: A driver cannot exceed 11 hours of driving following 10 consecutive hours off duty.
• The 14-Hour Rule: A driver cannot drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty.
• ELD Mandate: Since 2017, trucks must be equipped with Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) that record driving time.

When a driver for a company like Amazon or a local water hauler crashes into you on Ward County roads after being awake for 20 hours, they have violated 49 CFR § 395.3. We subpoena the ELD data immediately to prove the driver was illegally fatigued.

49 CFR Part 391: Driver Qualification

Trucking companies have a duty to ensure their drivers are fit for the road. Under 49 CFR § 391.11, a motor carrier must maintain a Driver Qualification File for every operator. This file must include their road test, medical examiner’s certificate, and an annual review of their driving record. If a Wickett trucking company hires a driver with a history of DUIs or multiple speeding violations, they are liable for negligent hiring.

49 CFR Part 393 & 396: Parts, Accessories, and Inspections

Mechanical failure is rarely an “accident.” It is almost always a failure of maintenance.

• Brake Systems (§ 393.40): 18-wheelers must have properly functioning brakes. A brake failure leading to a rear-end collision in Wickett is a direct violation of federal safety standards.
• Standard Maintenance (§ 396.3): Carriers must systematically inspect and maintain their fleets. We demand the maintenance logs for any truck involved in a Wickett crash to see if they were skip-tracking repairs to save money.

49 CFR Part 382: Drug and Alcohol Testing

Commercial drivers are held to a strict .04 BAC standard, and carriers are required to conduct random drug and alcohol testing. In the oilfield industry particularly, the misuse of stimulants to stay awake or substances to cope with the brutal physical labor is a known hazard. When these substances lead to a wreck in Wickett, we hold the company accountable for failing to monitor their workforce.

Catastrophic Accident Types We Handle in Wickett

Wickett’s unique position in the West Texas energy corridor creates specific crash dynamics. Because we understand the physics of these vehicles and the layout of our local highways, we can reconstruct what happened even when the trucking company tries to hide the truth.

Oilfield Vehicle and Tanker Accidents

In the Permian Basin, oilfield trucks make up nearly half of all commercial traffic. We see a high frequency of produced water truck rollovers and crude oil tanker spills. These vehicles carry shifting liquid loads that create a “slosh effect,” making them incredibly unstable during sudden maneuvers or on the uneven shoulders of Wickett’s rural roads. When an overloaded sand hauler or a Halliburton pump truck loses control, it can flatten a passenger car entirely.

18-Wheeler Jackknife and Rollover Crashes

Jackknifes often occur on I-20 when a driver brakes too suddenly or is traveling too fast for conditions. When the trailer swings out perpendicular to the cab, it sweeps across multiple lanes, leaving Wickett motorists with nowhere to go. Rollovers are equally common at the interchanges and curves of our county roads, often caused by improperly secured cargo (violating 49 CFR § 393.100) or high center-of-gravity loads shifting during a turn.

Underride Collisions: The Most Lethal Wreck

Perhaps the most terrifying accident in the Town of Wickett is the underride collision. This occurs when a car slides beneath the rear or side of a trailer because the truck lacks adequate “Mansfield bars” or side guards. These accidents are almost always fatal, often resulting in decapitation or catastrophic TBI. We investigate whether the trailer met the requirements of 49 CFR § 393.86 and whether the carrier’s failure to install side guards contributed to the death.

Rear-End Collisions from Following Too Closely

A fully loaded truck traveling 65 mph needs nearly two football fields to stop. When a driver for a company like Pepsi or Sysco is distracted by their dispatch device or following a car too closely on I-20, a rear-end collision is inevitable. We use ECM (Engine Control Module) data to prove exactly when the driver applied the brakes—and often, it’s only a fraction of a second before impact.

Corporate Delivery Van and Last-Mile Accidents

As e-commerce has expanded, Wickett’s residential streets now see a constant stream of Amazon, FedEx, and UPS vans. Drivers for these companies are often under extreme time pressure, leading them to speed through residential zones or make dangerous U-turns in blind spots. Amazon, in particular, tries to shield itself from liability by using “independent contractors” for their deliveries. At Attorney911, we know how to pierce that corporate shield and hold the parent company responsible for the systems they created.

Learn more about equipment failure in our video: “Truck Tire Blowouts and When You Need a Lawyer” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCTumr1looc.

Holding All 16 Liable Parties Accountable

One of the most common mistakes Wickett accident victims make is assuming only the truck driver can be sued. That is what the insurance company wants you to think. At Attorney911, we investigate every link in the chain to maximize your recovery. Using the doctrines of respondeat superior and vicarious liability, we can often secure compensation from:

1. The Truck Driver: For direct negligence like speeding, impairment, or distraction.
2. The Trucking Company/Carrier: For negligent hiring, training, and maintenance.
3. The Corporate Parent (Walmart, Amazon, BP): When the company exerts control over the delivery system, they share the blame.
4. The Oilfield Operator: The oil company that hired a dangerous trucking contractor for a Wickett wellsite.
5. Cargo Shippers and Owners: If the freight was improperly loaded or exceeded weight limits.
6. Third-Party Loading Companies: For failing to secure cargo according to 49 CFR Part 393.
7. Maintenance Facilities: When a third-party mechanic provides negligent repairs to a Wickett-based fleet.
8. Truck and Parts Manufacturers: For defective brakes, tires (blowouts), or steering systems.
9. Freight Brokers: For brokering a load to an “out-of-service” or unsafe carrier.
10. Government Entities: For dangerous road designs or failure to maintain highway safety in Wickett.
11. Staffing Agencies: For providing unqualified drivers to Permian Basin operators.
12. Rental Truck Companies (U-Haul, Penske): For negligent maintenance of vehicles rented to untrained drivers.
13. Subcontractors: In the complex web of oilfield services, multiple companies often share a single truck.
14. Lease Road Owners: If a dangerous condition on a private lease road contributed to the wreck.
15. Public Transit Agencies: For bus accidents in the Ward County area.
16. Federal Government (USPS): Navigating the Federal Tort Claims Act for accidents involving mail trucks.

As client Donald Wilcox testified, “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 don’t take the easy path; we take the right path to find every dollar available to you.

Why You Must Act Within 48 Hours: Evidence Preservation

In the Town of Wickett, the minutes following a truck wreck are critical. While you are receiving medical care, the trucking company is already working to erase the evidence that could prove their fault.

The Overwrite Risk: The most important evidence in your case is electronic. The Engine Control Module (ECM) or “black box” records your speed, braking, and steering data. However, many of these systems are designed to overwrite the data in as little as 30 days—or even sooner if the truck is put back into service.

ELD Retention: Driver logs only have to be retained for six months by law. If we do not act immediately, those records of HOS violations can be “purged” according to standard company policy.

The Scene Cleanup: Especially in oilfield accidents, companies move fast to clear the road and resume operations. Skid marks fade, debris is cleared, and road conditions change.

We send formal Spoliation Letters to the carriers and corporate defendants within 24 to 48 hours of being hired. This puts them on legal notice that they must preserve every piece of data, from the dashcam footage to the driver’s cell phone records. If they destroy evidence after receiving our letter, we can seek “adverse inference” instructions from the judge, which tells the jury to assume the missing evidence proved the company was guilty.

Catastrophic Injuries and the Permian Basin “Golden Hour”

A truck accident in a remote area like Wickett presents a unique medical challenge. Trauma surgeons often speak of the “Golden Hour”—the 60-minute window in which medical intervention has the highest chance of preventing death or permanent disability. Because Wickett is miles from Level I trauma centers like those in Odessa or Lubbock, the delay in transport via ambulance or LifeFlight can worsen an already catastrophic injury.

Our firm has recovered multi-million dollar settlements for victims suffering from:

• Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI): $1.5M to $9.8M range. Even “mild” concussions can lead to permanent cognitive deficits, personality changes, and inability to work.
• Spinal Cord Injuries: $4.7M to $25.8M range. Whether it is paraplegia or quadriplegia, the lifetime cost of care, modifications, and therapy is staggering.
• Amputations and Crush Injuries: $1.9M to $8.6M range. The weight of a concrete mixer or dump truck often results in limbs being unsalvageable at the scene.
• Severe Industrial Burns: Common in oilfield tanker crashes where crude oil or chemicals ignite.
• Internal Organ Damage: Deceleration forces from high-speed I-20 impacts can cause the liver, spleen, or kidneys to rupture.

Learn more about neurological impacts in our video: “The Ultimate Guide to Brain Injury Lawsuits” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBYAHi5aiEQ.

As Glenda Walker said after her recovery, “They fought for me to get every dime I deserved.” We prioritize ensuring you have the resources for a life care plan that covers your needs for the next 40 years, not just the next 40 days.

Understanding Your Recovery: Texas Insurance and Damages

When we take on a case in the Town of Wickett, we aren’t just looking at medical bills. We are looking at the totality of what you have lost. Under Texas law, we can pursue:

1. Economic Damages:

• Hospital Bills: Including the massive costs of air ambulance transport which is common in West Texas.
• Lost Wages: Not just what you’ve missed, but the future earning capacity you’ve lost if you can no longer work in the oilfield or your previous profession.
• Life Care Costs: 24/7 nursing, home accessibility modifications, and medical equipment.

2. Non-Economic Damages:

• Pain and Suffering: The daily reality of living with chronic trauma.
• Mental Anguish: Including PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), which is extremely common after a high-speed highway collision.
• Loss of Consortium: The damage the injury has done to your relationship with your spouse and children.

3. Punitive Damages:
In cases of “gross negligence”—such as a company knowingly allowing a driver to falsify logs or refusing to fix faulty brakes—we may seek punitive damages. These are designed to punish the corporation and send a message to the rest of the industry that Wickett families will not be endangered for profit.

Texas follows a 51% Modified Comparative Negligence rule. This means that as long as you are not more than 50% responsible for the accident, you can still recover damages. However, your total award will be reduced by your percentage of fault. This is why the trucking company will fight so hard to blame you—even 10% of blame on your side can save them millions of dollars. Our job is to prove their 100% liability.

Learn more about insurance triggers in “The Definitive Guide To MCS 90 Auto Endorsements” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auB5NWcwyag.

Wickett Truck Accident FAQ

How long do I have to file a lawsuit in Wickett?
In Texas, the statute of limitations for personal injury and wrongful death is generally two years from the date of the accident. However, waiting even two weeks can be fatal to your case because evidence like black box data and dashcam footage disappears.

What if I was hit by an Amazon or Walmart truck?
These cases are different because these companies are “solvent defendants.” They have enough money to pay any verdict, but they also have the power to bury a small lawyer in paperwork. Ralph Manginello has gone toe-to-toe with these Fortune 500 giants and won. We know how to cut through their contractor defenses.

Can I still recover if I wasn’t wearing a seatbelt?
Yes. While the defense will try to use this to reduce your damages, it does not bar you from seeking compensation for the negligence of the truck driver who hit you.

Do I have to pay you anything upfront?
No. We work on a contingency fee basis. We pay for the investigators, the accident reconstruction experts, and the court filings. You pay zero upfront costs. We only get paid if we win a settlement or verdict for you.

What if the accident happened on a private oilfield lease road?
These cases are often more complex because they involve both FMCSA trucking rules and OSHA workplace safety regulations. We investigate the “wellsite traffic management plan” and hold the lease holder accountable for the dangerous conditions that led to the crash.

How do I get my medical bills paid while I wait for a settlement?
We help our clients coordinate medical care, often working with providers who will wait for payment until the case resolves via a Letter of Protection (LOP). No victim in Wickett should go without surgery or therapy because of financial fear.

Your Fight Starts with One Call: 1-888-ATTY-911

If you are reading this from a hospital bed or while grieving the loss of a family member in the Town of Wickett, please know that you are not alone. The trucking company you are facing has unlimited resources, but they do not have the truth on their side.

Ralph Manginello and the team at Attorney911 bring 25+ years of experience, federal court authority, and an insider’s knowledge of the insurance industry to every case. We have recovered over $50 million for Texas families because we treat every client like they are our only client. As Kiimarii Yup told us after her recovery, “I lost everything… 1 year later I have gained so much in return.”

The clock is already ticking. The evidence in Wickett is disappearing. The trucking company’s lawyers are already building their defense. It’s time to start building yours.

Hablamos Español. Llame al 1-888-ATTY-911. We are available 24/7 to answer your call and begin the investigation into your Town of Wickett truck accident. One call. One fighter. One focus: getting you every dime you deserve.

Call Attorney911 at 1-888-ATTY-911 or (888) 288-9911 for your free, no-obligation consultation. JUSTICE FOR WICKETT STARTS NOW.