West Texas Truck Accident Lawyers

West Texas Truck Accident Statistics

The oil market in the West Texas Basin — the nation’s most productive oil region, also referred to as the “Permian Basin” — has boomed. In fact, the Railroad Commission of Texas issued 1,176 permits to drill new wells in March 2022, compared to 798 in March 2021.

Tragically, the oil boom has significantly influenced accidents in locations where the business has sparked, including Midland, Pecos, Reeves, Martin, Ward, and Odessa. As crude oil production increases, so too does the number of large trucks on roadways in counties in the Permian Basin. As a result, the three interstate highways that run through the Permian Basin, including Interstate 20 (I-20), Route 285, and I-35, have become prone to truck-related crashes.

According to the Texas Department of Transportation, in 2021, the 30-county West Texas region saw 1,926 commercial motor vehicle crashes, accounting for 5% of the total CMV crashes in Texas.

Reasons Why the Permian Basin Is So Dangerous

The increase in traffic on the roads is not the only factor that makes the Permian Basin a hazardous place. The oil field industry is notorious for being one of the most dangerous professions. According to statistics from 2008 to 2017, a staggering 1,566 oil field workers lost their lives in the U.S. while trying to extract oil or gas.

West Texas employers must provide safety equipment and ensure safe working conditions. However, truck companies sometimes fail to meet these responsibilities and:

• Hire inexperienced and inadequately trained truck drivers.
• Overwork truckers, causing fatigue and performance issues.
• Compromise on safety measures to save costs and increase profits.
• Fail to properly inspect their fleet for hazards and dangers.
• Fail to provide necessary safety training and monitoring to truck drivers.
• Neglect to maintain emergency supplies.
• Ignore state and federal traffic rules.

Understanding Liability in Texas Truck Accident Cases

In a personal injury lawsuit stemming from a truck accident in West Texas, several parties may be potentially liable for damages, including:

• Truck driver
• Trucking company
• Oil company
• Truck manufacturer
• Other third parties

Please note that Texas enacted a law in 2021 called HB 19. The HB 19 law alters the liability rules for truck accidents, making it more difficult to hold a trucking company accountable for a collision in Texas.

Before the law was established, trucking companies could be deemed directly liable, regardless of the driver’s liability. However, under the new legislation, trucking companies can only be held responsible if it is proven that their driver was responsible for the accident first.

Keep in mind that every truck accident case varies significantly. Working with an experienced West Texas truck accident lawyer can help you identify all the parties responsible for your injuries and understand your legal position.