If an 80,000-pound truck slammed into your family’s vehicle on the highways around Union County, you already know this isn’t a typical car accident. It’s not even a “bad wreck.” It’s a legal emergency that demands immediate action. Every 16 minutes, someone in America is injured in a commercial truck crash. If you’re reading this from a hospital room in El Dorado, or if you’ve just buried a loved one who never made it home from work on I-78, you need to know what happens next—and you need to know fast.
At Attorney911, we’ve spent over 25 years fighting for families shattered by 18-wheeler accidents across Arkansas and beyond. Ralph Manginello, our managing partner, has secured multi-million dollar verdicts against the largest trucking companies in the nation. Our associate attorney Lupe Peña used to work for insurance companies—now he fights against them. That insider knowledge is your advantage when the stakes couldn’t be higher.
The Brutal Reality of 18-Wheeler Accidents in Union County
Your sedan weighs roughly 4,000 pounds. A fully loaded tractor-trailer tips the scales at 80,000 pounds. That’s not a collision—it’s a demolition. Physics isn’t on your side. When a truck traveling 65 miles per hour needs 525 feet to stop—that’s nearly two football fields—the margin for error vanishes. On the rural stretches of Union County highways, where I-30 connects to the larger Arkansas corridor system, these massive vehicles share roads with local traffic, agricultural machinery, and oil field equipment.
Union County isn’t just a location on a map. It’s a crossroads. With proximity to major freight corridors serving the Gulf Coast and Midwest, our roads see constant commercial traffic. The convergence of local farm trucks, logging equipment, and long-haul semis creates unique dangers you won’t find in urban centers. When fog rolls in from the Ouachita River basin or ice slicks the pavement during an Arkansas winter storm, a trucker’s mistake becomes your family’s catastrophe.
The numbers tell a grim story. Over 5,000 people die annually in trucking accidents nationwide. Seventy-six percent of those deaths occur to occupants of the smaller vehicle—not the truck driver. In Union County and surrounding areas, we’ve seen the aftermath of jackknife accidents on narrow shoulders, rollover crashes caused by top-heavy loads on curves, and underride collisions where passenger vehicles slide beneath trailers with catastrophic results.
Why Arkansas Law Works For—and Against—Truck Accident Victims
Here’s what you need to know immediately: Arkansas gives you three years from the date of your accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. That might sound like plenty of time, but waiting is a mistake that destroys cases. Evidence disappears. Black box data gets overwritten. Witnesses move away. And trucking companies start building their defense the moment their wheels stop spinning.
Arkansas follows a modified comparative negligence rule with a 50% bar. Here’s how that affects you: if you’re found 49% at fault for the accident, you can recover 51% of your damages. But if you’re assessed 50% or more responsibility—even if the truck driver was texting while driving through a red light—you recover nothing. Zero. The trucking company and their insurance adjusters know this rule, and they’ll use it against you. They’ll argue you were speeding, you didn’t signal, or you braked suddenly. Without an attorney who knows how to counter these tactics, you could walk away with nothing despite devastating injuries.
Unlike some states that cap non-economic damages, Arkansas doesn’t impose artificial limits on your pain and suffering—at least not yet. When trucking companies act with reckless disregard for safety, Arkansas juries can award punitive damages to punish them. We’ve seen verdicts reach into the millions when carriers knowingly put dangerous drivers on the road or falsified maintenance records to save a few dollars.
Union County sits within Arkansas’s 5th Judicial Circuit, but federal jurisdiction often applies to trucking cases because these vehicles travel in interstate commerce. Ralph Manginello’s admission to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas—and the broader federal bar—means we can handle your case in whatever venue gives you the strongest advantage.
The Heavy Haul Corridors: Where Danger Meets Commerce
Understanding Union County’s trucking landscape helps us build your case. We’re situated where agricultural freight meets industrial transport. Logging trucks rumble through on their way to mills. Chemical tankers serve the petrochemical corridor connections. And the constant flow of Walmart-affiliated traffic—given the proximity to Bentonville’s logistics network—means our roads see some of the most heavily insured commercial vehicles in America.
Interstate 30 cuts through the region, carrying freight from Little Rock toward Texarkana and Dallas. It’s a critical artery for Arkansas commerce, and it’s notorious for fatigue-related accidents. Long-haul drivers pushing to make delivery windows often violate federal Hours of Service regulations on this stretch.
Highway 82 and Highway 79 serve as local connectors that see heavy truck traffic bypassing the interstate system. These two-lane roads become death traps when truckers drive too fast for conditions or when oversized loads force them into oncoming lanes during turns.
The Port of Sparkman and nearby railheads create transfer points where cargo switches between modes. These intermodal zones are hotspots for accidents involving drowsy drivers, improperly secured loads, and equipment malfunctions. When a shipping container shifts during a lane change on a rural Arkansas highway, the results are often fatal.
The Federal Safety Net That’s Full of Holes
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) sets strict rules for commercial vehicles under Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations. These laws apply in Union County just as they do on the George Washington Bridge. But compliance is voluntary until someone gets caught—or killed.
49 CFR Part 391 establishes who can legally drive a commercial truck. Before a trucking company hands over keys to an 80,000-pound weapon, they must verify the driver’s qualifications. This includes:
- Valid Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) appropriate for the vehicle class
- Medical examiner’s certificate proving physical fitness
- Clean driving record and background checks
- Successful completion of road tests and entry-level training
When companies skip these steps to fill seats in a driver shortage, they’re guilty of negligent hiring. We’ve seen cases where Arkansas carriers employed drivers with multiple DUI convictions or suspended licenses—decisions that predictably ended in tragedy.
49 CFR Part 392 governs how drivers operate their rigs. The rules are specific:
- No texting or hand-held mobile device use while driving (§ 392.80, § 392.82)
- Mandatory 30-minute break after 8 cumulative hours of driving
- Vehicle speed must account for weather, traffic, and road conditions (§ 392.6)
- Ill or fatigued operators cannot drive (§ 392.3)
When a trucker plows through a red light in El Dorado because they fell asleep at the wheel, they’ve violated § 392.3. When they sideswipe a family car on Highway 7 because they were checking their dispatcher messages, they’ve violated § 392.82. These aren’t technicalities—they’re proof of negligence.
49 CFR Part 393 mandates vehicle safety standards. Brakes must function. Tires must have adequate tread—4/32 inch on steer tires, 2/32 inch elsewhere. Cargo must be secured to withstand 0.8g deceleration forces. Underride guards must prevent passenger vehicles from sliding beneath trailers in rear-end collisions.
49 CFR Part 395—the Hours of Service rules—is where we find the most violations. Property-carrying drivers cannot drive more than 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty. They cannot remain on duty beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty. Weekly limits cap driving at 60 hours over 7 days or 70 hours over 8 days.
Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) were supposed to end the era of falsified logbooks. But clever drivers and desperate companies still find ways to cheat the system. We subpoena ELD data, ECM (black box) recordings, and Qualcomm messages to prove when violations occur.
49 CFR Part 396 requires systematic inspection and maintenance. Daily pre-trip and post-trip inspections are mandatory. Annual inspections by certified mechanics must occur. Brake systems must be adjusted properly. Yet we see cases where Arkansas trucking companies deferred brake repairs because the truck was “due in next month”—and that deferred maintenance caused a pileup on I-30 before the truck ever made it to the shop.
When Trucks Attack: Accident Types That Define Union County Cases
Not all trucking accidents are created equal. The topography and industry of Union County create specific risk patterns that experienced attorneys recognize immediately.
Jackknife Accidents occur when a truck’s trailer swings out perpendicular to the cab, often blocking multiple lanes. On Arkansas’s narrow highways, a jackknifed rig creates an instant kill zone for approaching traffic. These usually result from improper braking on wet roads, equipment failure, or empty trailers that lack weight to maintain traction. The trailer sweeps across the road like a scythe, striking vehicles that had nowhere to go. We investigate brake adjustment records and driver training to prove why the jackknife happened.
Rollover Crashes are epidemic on the curves and ramps around Union County. When a driver takes a highway interchange too fast—say, the cloverleaf connecting Highway 82 to I-30—or when liquid cargo sloshes in a tanker altering the center of gravity, the truck tips. The cab crushed a sedan beneath it. Rollovers often involve cargo securement violations under 49 CFR § 393.100, where loads shift and destabilize the vehicle. We work with accident reconstructionists to calculate speed and force, proving the driver exceeded safe limits.
Underride Collisions are among the most horrific. A passenger vehicle strikes the rear or side of a trailer and slides underneath, shearing off the roof and decapitating occupants. Despite federal mandates for rear impact guards (§ 393.86), many trailers have inadequate guards or none at all. Side underride guards aren’t even required federally, though they would save hundreds of lives annually. When we investigate these cases in Union County, we measure the guard deformation and check manufacturing dates to determine if the trailer met safety standards.
Rear-End Collisions involving trucks differ fundamentally from car accidents. A loaded semi needs 40% more stopping distance than a passenger vehicle. When a trucker follows too closely (violating § 392.11) or drives distracted, they can’t stop in time. The results include traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, and fatalities. The Event Data Recorder (EDR) in the truck’s engine control module captures speed, brake application, and throttle position—objective evidence that contradicts a driver’s claim that “the car cut me off.”
Wide Turn Accidents plague downtown El Dorado and smaller Union County municipalities. An 18-wheeler swinging left to make a right turn crushes cars that enter the “squeeze play” gap. These accidents often involve failure to signal or inadequate mirror checks—violations of basic traffic laws that trucking companies try to defend by claiming the passenger vehicle was “in the blind spot.”
Blind Spot Collisions happen when trucks change lanes without seeing vehicles in their “no-zones.” Trucks have massive blind spots extending 20 feet to the front, 30 feet to the rear, and alongside both doors. Drivers must check mirrors continuously. When they don’t, and they sideswipe a family sedan on I-30, the physics of the collision often forces the smaller vehicle off the road or into a spin.
Tire Blowouts cause thousands of accidents annually. “Road gators”—shredded tire debris—litter Arkansas highways. When a steer tire blows, the driver loses immediate control. When companies run retread tires beyond their safe limits or fail to maintain proper inflation (violating § 393.75), they gamble with public safety. We examine maintenance records to prove the tire was worn bald or improperly matched.
Brake Failure accounts for roughly 29% of truck accidents where equipment is a factor. Air brake systems require careful maintenance. When companies defer brake adjustments to save money, they create deadly weapons. On the steep grades of Arkansas’s Ouachita region, brake fade from overheating causes runaway trucks. We check inspection reports and mechanic work orders to prove the company knew the brakes were defective.
Cargo Spills and Hazmat Incidents pose unique threats in Union County. Chemical tankers serving the oil fields, logging trucks with unsecured loads, and agricultural transports carrying heavy equipment all create hazards. When a logging truck loses its load on Highway 7, or a chemical tanker rolls in a ditch near the Smackover oil fields, the environmental and injury consequences extend far beyond the initial crash.
Head-On Collisions typically occur when fatigued or impaired drivers cross center lines. Given Arkansas’s rural highway system, these accidents often happen at highway speeds with no barriers separating opposing traffic. The combined closing speed often exceeds 120 mph—survivable only in the most massive vehicles, and certainly not in a passenger car.
Finding Every Deep Pocket: The Ten Liable Parties
Most victims think they can only sue the truck driver. That’s exactly what the trucking company wants you to believe. In reality, commercial trucking accidents involve complex webs of responsibility. We investigate every potential defendant because more defendants mean more insurance coverage—and more coverage means your family gets the care they need.
1. The Truck Driver is the obvious defendant. Speeding, distraction, fatigue, intoxication, or simple incompetence creates direct liability. We obtain cell phone records to prove texting, ELD data to prove Hours of Service violations, and post-accident drug/alcohol test results.
2. The Trucking Company/Motor Carrier often carries the deepest pockets. Under respondeat superior, employers answer for their employees’ negligence. Plus, we pursue direct negligence claims:
- Negligent Hiring: Did they verify the driver had a valid CDL? Check their medical certification? Review their accident history?
- Negligent Training: Did the driver know how to secure cargo properly? Did they understand Arkansas weather conditions?
- Negligent Supervision: Did the company monitor ELD compliance, or did they look the other way while drivers falsified logs?
- Negligent Maintenance: Did they skip brake inspections to keep trucks rolling?
3. The Cargo Owner/Shipper may be liable if they demanded overweight loads, pressured drivers to exceed speed limits, or failed to disclose hazardous cargo properties. When Walmart or another major retailer demands just-in-time delivery at impossible speeds, they share responsibility for the carnage.
4. The Loading Company must secure cargo to FMCSA standards (§ 393.100-136). When a third-party warehouse loads a truck at the distribution center in El Dorado, and that cargo shifts causing a rollover, the loader is liable.
5. Truck and Trailer Manufacturers face liability for defective designs. Faulty brake systems that fail under stress, fuel tanks that explode upon impact, or stability control systems that malfunction can trigger product liability claims.
6. Parts Manufacturers include tire makers (blowout cases), brake component suppliers, and steering system fabricators. When a defective air brake chamber fails on a下坡 grade near Calion, the parts maker shares blame.
7. Maintenance Companies that service trucking fleets can be negligent. If a mechanic at an Arkansas truck shop signs off on faulty brakes or returns a truck to service with known defects, they contributed to your injury.
8. Freight Brokers who arrange transportation but don’t operate trucks must exercise reasonable care in selecting carriers. When brokers choose the cheapest carrier with terrible safety records (visible on FMCSA’s SAFER system) to maximize their margin, they negligently entrust your safety to dangerous operators.
9. The Truck Owner (if different from the carrier) may be liable under negligent entrustment theories. Owner-operators working under lease agreements sometimes carry separate insurance policies.
10. Government Entities maintain the roads. When poor signage, missing guardrails, or road design defects contribute to accidents, state or county governments may bear partial responsibility—though sovereign immunity creates special procedural hurdles in Arkansas.
The 48-Hour Evidence Crisis: Why Waiting Destroys Cases
Here’s the truth that keeps us awake at night: every hour you wait after an 18-wheeler accident, evidence vanishes. The trucking company isn’t waiting. They’ve dispatched their rapid-response team—lawyers, investigators, and insurance adjusters—before the ambulance leaves the scene.
Critical Evidence Timeline:
- ECM/Black Box Data: Overwrites within 30 days or less with new driving events
- ELD Logs: May be retained for only 6 months
- Dashcam Footage: Often deleted within 7-14 days
- Surveillance Video: Nearby businesses typically overwrite cameras in 7-30 days
- Physical Evidence: The truck gets repaired or sold; cargo gets dispersed; skid marks wash away
When you call Attorney911, we act immediately. Within 24 hours, we send spoliation letters to every potential defendant, putting them on legal notice that destroying evidence will result in court sanctions. We demand preservation of:
- The physical truck and trailer
- ECM and ELD downloads
- Driver Qualification Files
- Six months of Hours of Service records
- Cell phone records and text messages
- Dispatch communications and GPS data
- Maintenance and inspection logs
- Drug and alcohol test results
We hire accident reconstructionists to photograph the scene before rain washes away tire marks. We interview witnesses before their memories fade or they move away from Union County. We obtain police reports and 911 recordings.
Without this immediate action, your case bleeds strength. We’ve seen instances where trucking companies “lost” black box data after our spoliation letter arrived—creating powerful evidence of consciousness of guilt that juries punish with punitive damages. But we’d rather have the data than the inference. That’s why speed matters.
Catastrophic Injuries: When “Recovery” Means Learning to Live Again
18-wheeler accidents don’t cause simple sprains or bruises. The forces involved shatter bodies and futures. We focus on catastrophic injury cases because these victims need champions, not just lawyers.
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) range from concussions to severe damage requiring lifetime care. Symptoms include memory loss, personality changes, inability to concentrate, and emotional volatility. These invisible injuries destroy careers and marriages. We’ve recovered between $1.5 million and $9.8 million for TBI victims, depending on severity and long-term prognosis.
Spinal Cord Injuries often result in paraplegia or quadriplegia. The lifetime cost of care for a 25-year-old quadriplegic exceeds $5 million. When a truck rollover crushes a vehicle’s roof onto occupants, or when an underride collision severs the spinal column, the victim faces wheelchairs, ventilators, and round-the-clock care. Our settlements for spinal cord cases range from $4.7 million to over $25 million.
Amputations occur when crush injuries destroy limbs or when infections necessitate surgical removal. The cost of prosthetics, rehabilitation, and home modifications runs into millions. One client came to us after a car accident led to staph infections and partial leg amputation—we secured over $3.8 million to secure his future.
Severe Burns from fuel fires or chemical spills require skin grafts, reconstructive surgeries, and painful rehabilitation. Third-degree burns covering large body areas carry high mortality rates and permanent disfigurement.
Internal Organ Damage—ruptured spleens, liver lacerations, crushed kidneys—often requires emergency surgery and leaves victims with compromised immune systems and shortened lifespans.
Wrongful Death claims compensate families who’ve lost breadwinners, parents, and children. In Union County, where families often run multi-generational farms and small businesses, the economic and emotional devastation extends through the entire community. We’ve recovered between $1.9 million and $9.5 million for wrongful death cases, though no amount replaces a loved one.
Insurance Realities: Accessing the Millions Hidden in Plain Sight
Federal law mandates that trucking companies carry substantial insurance:
- $750,000 minimum for non-hazardous freight
- $1,000,000 for oil transport and large equipment
- $5,000,000 for hazardous materials
Many carriers carry $1-5 million or more in coverage. But insurance companies don’t pay willingly. They deploy tactics designed to minimize payouts:
They send adjusters to record statements while you’re drugged in the hospital, asking leading questions like “You feel okay, right?” They hire private investigators to surveil your home, hoping to catch you carrying groceries so they can argue you’re not really injured. They offer quick “nuisance” settlements of $10,000 or $20,000 hoping you’ll sign away your rights before you realize the full extent of your injuries.
Or they deny claims entirely, arguing you were partially at fault, or that your injuries were “pre-existing,” or that their driver was an independent contractor they didn’t control.
Lupe Peña spent years working for national insurance defense firms. He knows their playbooks because he helped write them. He knows when adjusters are bluffing about low settlement authority, and he knows how to pressure them into revealing true policy limits. That’s the Attorney911 advantage—we’ve been inside the castle walls, and now we use that intelligence to storm the gates for our clients.
Recent “nuclear verdicts” across the country show what happens when juries get angry. A Missouri jury awarded $462 million to families decapitated in underride accidents. An Alabama jury hit Daimler with $160 million for a rollover that left a driver quadriplegic. Texas juries have awarded hundreds of millions in trucking cases involving negligent hiring and Hours of Service violations. While every case differs, these verdicts prove that when trucking companies gamble with safety, juries make them pay.
The Attorney911 Difference: Why Union County Families Choose Us
You’ve seen the billboards. You’ve heard the radio ads. So why choose Attorney911 for your Union County trucking accident case?
Experience Matters. Ralph Manginello has handled personal injury litigation since 1998. He’s been admitted to federal court and has taken on Fortune 500 companies, including involvement in the BP Texas City explosion litigation that resulted in over $2.1 billion in settlements.
Results Matter. We don’t talk in vague generalities about “good outcomes.” We’ve recovered specifically:
- $5 million+ for a traumatic brain injury victim struck by a falling log
- $3.8 million+ for a car accident victim who suffered partial leg amputation due to medical complications
- $2.5 million+ for truck crash victims
- $2 million+ for a maritime back injury under the Jones Act
Currently, we’re litigating a $10 million lawsuit against the University of Houston regarding hazing injuries—a case that demonstrates our willingness to take on powerful institutional defendants.
Personal Attention Matters. Chad Harris, a former client, put it best: “You are NOT a pest to them and you are NOT just some client… You are FAMILY to them.” We don’t treat you like a case number. Donald Wilcox came to us after another firm rejected his case—we got him a “handsome check” that changed his life. Glenda Walker said we fought for her to get “every dime I deserved.”
Accessibility Matters. We have offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont. While Union County is in the southern part of the state, we handle cases throughout Arkansas and travel to meet clients. We offer free consultations, and we work on contingency—you pay nothing unless we win. No upfront costs. No hourly fees. We advance all litigation expenses.
Language Matters. Hablamos Español. Lupe Peña provides fluent Spanish representation for Union County’s Hispanic community, particularly important given the large Spanish-speaking workforce in Arkansas agriculture and trucking.
Frequently Asked Questions: Union County 18-Wheeler Accidents
How long do I have to file a lawsuit after a truck accident in Union County?
Arkansas law gives you three years from the date of the accident for personal injury claims, and three years for wrongful death claims. But waiting is dangerous. Evidence disappears, witnesses become unavailable, and crucial black box data gets overwritten. Contact us immediately at 1-888-ATTY-911.
What if I was partially at fault for the accident?
Arkansas uses modified comparative negligence with a 50% bar. You can recover damages if you’re 49% or less at fault, but your award will be reduced by your percentage of responsibility. However, if you’re found 50% or more responsible, you recover nothing. We fight aggressively to minimize any fault attributed to our clients.
Who can be held liable besides the truck driver?
Potentially ten different parties: the driver, trucking company, cargo owner/shipper, loading company, truck/trailer manufacturer, parts manufacturer, maintenance company, freight broker, truck owner (if different), and potentially government entities for road defects. We investigate every angle.
What is a spoliation letter and why does it matter?
A spoliation letter is a formal legal notice sent immediately after we’re retained, demanding that the trucking company preserve all evidence related to the crash. Once they receive this letter, destroying evidence becomes a serious legal violation that courts punish with sanctions and adverse jury instructions.
How much is my case worth?
There is no “average” settlement. Value depends on injury severity, medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, available insurance coverage, and the degree of negligence involved. Trucking companies carry high insurance limits—often $750,000 to $5 million—allowing for significant recoveries in catastrophic cases.
Will my case go to trial?
Most cases settle before trial, but we prepare every case as if it’s going to trial. Insurance companies know which attorneys are willing to go to court, and they offer better settlements to those who are. We’re fully prepared to present your case to an Arkansas jury if that’s what it takes.
How do you prove the driver was fatigued?
We subpoena Electronic Logging Device (ELD) data, which records hours of service. We also examine ECM (black box) data for erratic driving patterns, review dispatch records for unrealistic scheduling, and obtain driver medical records to identify untreated sleep apnea—a common cause of highway fatigue.
What if the trucking company claims the driver was an independent contractor?
We pierce that fiction. If the company controls the driver’s schedule, equipment, or routes, they’re likely an employee under the law. Even if they are independent contractors, the company may still be liable for negligent selection or for failure to ensure adequate insurance coverage.
Can I still recover if the truck driver was from out of state?
Absolutely. Interstate commerce is governed by federal law. We can pursue claims in Arkansas federal court or state court, depending on where the evidence is strongest and where we can secure the best venue for your case.
What if I don’t have health insurance to pay for treatment?
We can help arrange medical treatment under a Letter of Protection (LOP), where doctors agree to wait for payment until your case settles. We also work with medical providers who accept contingency payment arrangements for personal injury victims.
How do I know if the trucking company destroyed evidence?
Sometimes they admit it. More often, we notice gaps in the records—missing ELD data for the day of the crash, “routine” maintenance performed suspiciously soon after the accident, or drivers who “forgot” their cell phones that day. We know the red flags to look for.
What are punitive damages?
Punitive damages punish defendants for gross negligence, recklessness, or intentional misconduct. If a trucking company knowingly hired a driver with multiple DUIs, or if they falsified maintenance records to hide violations, Arkansas juries can award punitive damages above and beyond your compensatory damages.
How long will my case take?
Straightforward cases with clear liability may settle in 6-12 months. Complex cases involving catastrophic injuries, multiple defendants, or disputed liability can take 1-3 years. We move as fast as possible while ensuring we maximize your recovery.
What if the insurance company offers me a quick settlement?
Never accept a quick offer. Early offers are designed to pay you before you understand the full extent of your injuries. Once you settle, you cannot go back for more money if you need additional surgery or develop complications. Consult an attorney first.
Do I really need a lawyer, or can I handle this myself?
Trucking litigation involves federal regulations, complex insurance issues, and sophisticated defense strategies. Studies show that injured people with attorneys receive settlements 3-5 times higher than those without, even after paying attorney fees. The trucking company has lawyers. You need someone fighting for you.
What is an underride accident?
An underride occurs when a passenger vehicle collides with a truck trailer and slides underneath, often shearing off the roof and causing decapitation or severe head trauma. These are among the deadliest truck accidents and often involve violations of federal underride guard regulations.
How do truck accident cases differ from car accidents?
Trucks are heavier, cause more catastrophic injuries, involve federal regulations, and carry much higher insurance limits ($750,000-$5M vs. $30,000-$100,000). They also involve multiple potentially liable parties and complex evidence preservation issues.
What if my loved one died in the accident?
You may pursue a wrongful death claim. In Arkansas, the deceased’s spouse, children, or parents (if no spouse or children) can recover for lost income, loss of companionship, mental anguish, funeral expenses, and punitive damages. We handle these cases with the compassion and tenacity they deserve.
Can undocumented immigrants file truck accident claims?
Yes. Immigration status does not affect your right to compensation for injuries caused by someone else’s negligence. We represent all members of the Union County community regardless of status.
What happens to my medical bills while the case is ongoing?
We work with providers to prevent collection actions during litigation. In many cases, we negotiate liens where providers agree to wait for payment from the settlement. This allows you to focus on recovery without creditor harassment.
How do you handle cases against big corporations like Walmart or Tyson?
We’ve litigated against major national carriers and won. These companies have deep pockets and aggressive defense firms, but they also have layers of insurance and a public reputation to protect. When they act recklessly, we make sure the jury knows.
What if the accident happened on a rural road with no witnesses?
Physical evidence becomes crucial. We use accident reconstruction experts, ECM data analysis, and forensic evidence from the vehicles to prove what happened. Skid marks, paint transfers, and debris patterns tell stories even when witnesses are absent.
How do I choose the right attorney?
Look for experience specifically in trucking litigation (not just general personal injury), a track record of multi-million dollar results, admission to federal court, and a firm culture that treats you like family, not a file number. That’s Attorney911.
What about motorcycle accidents with trucks?
Motorcyclists are particularly vulnerable to truck accidents. Because motorcycles offer no protection, riders often suffer catastrophic injuries even at low speeds. We handle these cases with particular sensitivity to the prejudice motorcyclists sometimes face from insurance companies.
Can I sue for PTSD after a truck accident?
Yes. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder is a recognized injury under Arkansas law. Symptoms include flashbacks, anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances. These damages are compensable as part of your non-economic damages.
What if the truck was carrying hazardous materials?
Hazmat trucks must carry $5 million in insurance minimum. Chemical spills create additional dangers of respiratory injury, burns, and environmental contamination. These cases require specialized knowledge of hazmat regulations and often involve emergency response agencies.
How do brake failure cases work?
We examine maintenance records, inspection reports, and the physical brake components. If the trucking company deferred brake maintenance or if a mechanic negligently serviced the system, we pursue claims against all responsible parties.
What if I was driving a company vehicle when the truck hit me?
Workers’ compensation may apply for your medical bills and partial wage replacement, but you can also pursue third-party liability claims against the truck driver and trucking company for pain and suffering and full wage replacement—recoveries workers’ comp doesn’t provide.
Do you handle cases where the truck driver was texting?
Absolutely. Distracted driving by truckers is a growing epidemic. We subpoena cell phone records to prove the driver was texting or talking at the moment of impact, which violates both federal regulations and Arkansas law.
What should I bring to the initial consultation?
Bring the police report, your insurance information, photographs of the accident and your injuries, medical records and bills, witness contact information, and any correspondence from insurance companies. If you don’t have these, don’t worry—we’ll help gather them.
How much does it cost to hire Attorney911?
Nothing upfront. We work on contingency—typically 33.33% if settled before trial, 40% if trial is necessary. We advance all costs. If we don’t win, you owe us nothing.
Your Next Step: Don’t Let Them Win by Default
Trucking companies have teams of lawyers working right now to minimize what they pay you. They’re reviewing the black box data, coaching their driver on what to say, and calculating how little they can offer before you wise up.
You don’t have to face them alone.
Attorney911 brings 25 years of experience, insider knowledge of insurance defense tactics, and a proven track record of multi-million dollar results to your Union County case. We know the highways, the local courts, and the specific dangers that make trucking accidents in Southern Arkansas uniquely devastating.
The clock started ticking the moment that truck hit you. Evidence is disappearing. Memories are fading. And the trucking company is building their defense.
Call us now at 1-888-ATTY-911. Hablamos Español. The consultation is free, and you pay nothing unless we win.
Your family has been through enough. Let us carry the legal burden while you focus on healing. As our client Chad Harris said, you’re not just a case number to us. You’re family. And we fight for our family.
Attorney Ralph Manginello and the team at Attorney911 serve Union County, Arkansas from offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont. We handle 18-wheeler accidents, catastrophic injuries, and wrongful death claims throughout Arkansas and Texas. Call 1-888-288-9911 today.
