18-wheeler crash into bayou in Texas City causes chaos

When a used-grease tanker truck slammed through a guardrail on the Emmett F. Lowry Expressway and landed in the Bayou Pierre on the west side of Texas City, chaos broke out.

The clean-up and rescue effort involved six city, state and federal agencies, two utility companies and an environmental clean-up crew.  All emergency crews had to coordinate for five hours to pull the tractor trailer from the bayou.

The driver of the truck lost control as he was headed west on the expressway, transitioning from the main road to an expressway detour to the feeder road.  After crashing through the guard rail and traveling across the front lawn of the Gulf Coast Center’s Connect Transportation, the 18-wheeler ended up in the bayou.

The driver was able to escape by exiting the truck cab and swimming to shore.  His minor injuries were treated at the Mainland Medical Center.  He was later cited by Texas City police for failing to control the speed of his truck.

What was a used-grease truck doing on the road?  It is owned by Liquid Environmental Solutions, a company that removes grease from restaurants, auto shops, kitchens and industrial sites and disposes of it.  Liquid Environmental will be required to pay for the cleanup effort.

Fortunately, the truck was not carrying grease at the time of the crash, however officials were still concerned that its diesel fuel tank would leak into the bayou.  The rapid response and cleanup were a success.

Houston North Loop street racing leads to fiery crash, injuries

Houston police are searching for a street racing suspect after a fiery two vehicle crash.  Investigators believe that two cars were racing in the westbound lanes of the North Loop just before the crash.

One of the racing cars, a VW, cut off a tractor trailer while racing.  The 18 wheeler was unable to avoid the car and clipped it.  As a result the VW flipped over and the truck crashed into the middle retaining wall.

The force of the crash caused the big rig to burst into flames, which then ignited its cargo of vehicles.  According to onlookers the fire was so big and so hot that it melted the freeway signs above.

There were four people in the VW that flipped.  One passenger, a woman, had to be taken to Memorial Hermann Northwest Hospital with minor injuries.  The driver of the VW was handcuffed at the scene of the collision, and one man tried to run away.

Houston police are searching for the man who fled, as he allegedly threw a bag of marijuana under the retaining wall and may face charges as a result.  The driver of car has not had any charges filed against him yet, although it is likely they will be.

The driver and passenger in the 18 wheeler, a man, his wife, and their three dogs, were able to escape the cab of the truck before it burst into flames.  They were not hurt in the crash.  A HAZMAT truck had to come clean up the scene.

Coca-Cola & truck drivers facing lawsuits truck drivers for crashes

Coca-Cola and two of its truck drivers are facing lawsuits after accidents they allegedly caused.  In the first case, a Hardin county man claims that a Coca-Cola truck backed into his vehicle while he was parked in a private parking lot in Beaumont.

The driver of the truck is accused of failing to keep a proper lookout, failing to check behind his truck before reversing, failing to drive safely, failing to apply his brakes in time to avoid a collision, and failing to apply his brakes in a timely fashion.

As a result of the crash, the victim, Kenneth Stanley, claims that he sustained neck, back, and body injuries that continue to plague him and which have contributed to his continued mental decline.  The case against Coca-Cola Enterprises and truck driver Jonathan Anthony was filed in Jefferson County District Court late last month.

In the second case, another Hardin County woman has filed suit against Coke and another truck driver for injuries that she and her co-plaintiffs sustained in 2008.  The woman, Devan Ambrose, and her co-plaintiffs claim they were lawfully parked on the shoulder of the Eastex Freeway in Beaumont when they were struck by a Coca-Cola truck being driven by Curtis L. Thomas.

The plaintiffs claim that they have experienced physical and mental pain and suffering, have amassed medical bills, lost their earning capacity, and suffered property damage.  They accuse the driver of failing to: control his vehicle, keep a lookout, apply his brakes, exercise ordinary care, turn to avoid a crash, maintain a safe distance, drive in a single lane, change lanes safely.  This case was also filed in Jefferson County Court, on April 12.

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Group injured in Texas truck crash sues truck driver, employer

A Texas tractor trailer driver who was looking back while driving crashed into a handicap van, injuring two adults and five children.  The truck driver claimed that he did not see the van.  The adults and children all had to be taken to the hospital to be treated for their injuries.

The tractor trailer accident happened on Interstate Highway 20 in Harrison County, Texas.  The two adults, Tyrone Jackson and Takela Jackson, filed a lawsuit in the Marshall division of the Eastern District of Texas against the driver of the truck, Roy C. Gamble and his employer Howard Baer Incorporated.

The Jacksons are seeking, on their own behalf and as next friends of the five minors, damages for physical pain, mental anguish, medical expenses, physical impairment, loss of earning capacity, property damages, court costs, and interest.

The lawsuit alleges that the truck driver was negligent for failing to drive his vehicle safely and prudently.  The suit also claims that Gamble failed to control his speed, failed to maintain a safe following distance, failed to use his brakes in time, failed to try and avoid the van, and drove at an excessive speed.

The Jacksons are likely in for a long road ahead, as most truck companies have aggressive lawyers on their side, and they aren’t afraid to pull all the usual tricks to avoid paying fair compensation to commercial vehicle accident victims.

Jury awards $8.6 million to Texas woman badly injured in truck crash

A Texas woman who was seriously hurt in a collision with an 18-wheeler will receive $8.6 million thanks to an Anderson County jury.  The accident happened in 2006 when the woman, Martha Michelle Gaines, then 19, was hit by a defective truck-tractor while driving her 2000 Buick Park Avenue.

The truck was being driven by Kenneth Lee Woodworth, 46, who ran a red light at the intersection of North Loop 256 and Sterne Avenue.  At the time of the crash, Woodworth did not have a driver’s license and the truck he was driving did not have brakes at the time of the crash.  Woodworth was hauling oilfield equipment when he hit Gaines.

After the accident Gaines was in a coma for over two months.  She suffered from serious head trauma and other injuries including broken ribs and a shattered pelvis.  It took her 14 months to recover from the accident, after time spent in hospitals, at the Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation in Dallas and elsewhere.

The lawsuit was filed against the driver of the truck and against his business associates Bennie Joe Adkinson – the truck’s owner – and Joseph P. Pritchett.  The lawyer for Gaines and her family argued that all three men were negligent for their actions related to the crash.

The jury was unanimous in their verdict.  However, highlighting the challenges inherent in securing justice after a serious truck accident, the defendants will likely appeal the decision to the 12^th Court of Appeals and perhaps even on to the Texas Supreme Court.

Hurt in a truck accident? Here’s what to do…

Being involved in an accident with a tractor trailer can be a terrifying experience.  Any motor vehicle accident can be frightening, but colliding with a massive 18-wheeler that weighs tens of thousands of pounds can be enough to badly injure and disorient anyone.

If you’ve been involved in a large truck crash, please make sure you follow some very basic advice:

• Get immediate medical attention.  Not only is this in your best interest and the interest of other people in your vehicle, but being treated by a doctor is proof that you were injured in the crash.
• Call the police.  No matter how nice the truck driver or others involved in the crash might seem, always, always call the police.  You need an accident report as evidence.
• Ask for contact information.  Get as much information as you can from the truck driver and any witnesses.
• Take pictures.  With so many devices like PDAs and smart phones containing cameras, it can be quick and easy to take a few pictures that will be “worth a thousand words”.  These can be excellent evidence if you end up in court.
• Talk to an attorney if your injuries are serious.  In a serious truck accident, you have a lot going against you.  Trucking companies usually have their own lawyers and investigation team, and when an accident happens they will “circle the wagons” to protect themselves – and leave you without fair compensation.

One of the best ways to protect your rights after a serious tractor trailer crash is to talk to a board certified personal injury attorney with proven experience handling large truck cases.  Contact Vujasinovic & Beckcom today.

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Why you need an EXPERIENCED attorney after a serious Texas truck accident

If you are a passenger vehicle driver or occupant, the last thing you want to do is get into an accident with an 18-wheeler.  These massive vehicles, some weighing up to 80,000 pounds, can crush a car, van or SUV with ease.

It is no wonder, given the size difference between tractor trailers and passenger vehicles, that injuries sustained in truck collisions are far more serious and deadly than those in crashes involving only passenger vehicles.  You are far more likely to suffer a serious head injury, traumatic brain injury, broken bones, internal injuries, and possibly even die if you collide with a tractor trailer.

The severity of injuries in these crashes is one reason to hire an attorney.  Who knows how much money you’ll need in the future, as you learn to cope with limitations after your serious injuries?  Maybe you’ll need long-term rehabilitation or physical therapy, or perhaps you’ll be limited in the type of work you can perform.  These are things that can cost you, things you should be fairly compensated for after a crash.

A good personal injury attorney with experience handling tractor trailer accident cases will also know how the game is played.  Trucking companies are notorious for using their own army of investigators and lawyers to fight against injury claims.  They can make mincemeat of inexperienced attorneys and their clients, and forget about representing yourself in a severe case – these folks don’t play fair and you need all the help you can get.

Not sure if you need a lawyer for your case?  Call us – we’ll discuss your case confidentially, for no cost or obligation.  Then you can decide to do what is right for YOU.

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Are hazmat trucks really dangerous?

Hazmat trucks – those that transport hazardous materials around the United States – account for a relatively small percent of annual traffic accidents, but crashes they are involved in can be quite dangerous depending on the type of cargo being transported.

One major risk factor is cargo release.  If hazardous materials are released in a collision, they can expose the truck driver, other motorists and the environment to explosions, fire, or toxic fumes.  Even though there aren’t many hazmat crashes that happen (an average of 64 a year) there is a 50 percent greater probability of a spill than for non-hazmat trucks.

The reason that hazmat cargoes have a higher spill rate than non-hazmat cargoes is partially due to the different distributions of truck body type.  Hazardous materials – especially flammable liquids like gasoline, diesel fuel and heating oil – are typically transported in tank bodies.  On the other hand, only about 10 percent of non-hazmat cargoes are transported in tank bodies.

Tank bodies are the type of truck body most prone to spillage.  About 35.7 percent of hazmat tank body trucks involved in fatal crashes spilled during the crash.  For comparison, 28.9 percent of flatbed cargo bodies containing hazardous materials spilled in a fatal crash and 19.2 percent of van type hazmat cargo bodies spilled in a fatal crash.

The most common cause of cargo spill-related death for individuals killed in a crash with a tractor trailer carrying hazardous cargo was exposure to gasoline.  However, the majority of hazmat truck accident victims are killed the usual way – the force of a high speed collision with a much larger vehicle.  On rare occasions, hazardous cargo can spill and complicate the accident but truck accidents are serious for motorists no matter what the cargo.

$24 million verdict for man injured in serious truck crash

A man seriously injured in 2004 when his SUV collided with an Illinois Department of Transportation (DOT) truck has been awarded a record $24 million by a Cook County jury.

The victim, Andrzej Chraca, was so severely injured that he is now a paraplegic.  According to police, the accident happened at an intersection and both drivers claim that the other driver ran a red light.  Each driver sued the other because there was no clear fault in the case, and the jury favored Chraca over the also seriously injured IDOT truck driver.

Chraca fractured a vertebra in his spine and is unable to walk without leg braces, canes or a walker.  He has not been able to return to work since the accident and relies on a wheelchair for mobility, according to someone close to him.

Spine injuries can be very serious, leading to unexpected long-term consequences, a compromised quality of life, and difficulty pursuing work or leisure activities.  This case is an example of what a skilled truck accident attorney can do for a badly injured client.  The award is especially impressive considering that the victim was also being sued by the IDOT driver.

No matter how bleak your situation may seem after an accident, never give up hope.  If you’re suffering after a major truck accident or any other kind of traffic collision, don’t despair – attorneys like those on our skilled legal team can make a real difference in your life, too.

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Truck accidents can kill: two dead after fiery tractor trailer crash

A tractor trailer crashed into a stopped vehicle near Rosenberg, killing the two vehicle occupants when their vehicle was engulfed in flames.

According to a police report a tractor trailer was heading north on U.S. 59 when he rounded a curve near Loop 540 and came upon a green Saturn vehicle stopped in the left hand lane.

The driver claims that he tried to change lanes but was unable to do so because of traffic in the lanes next to him.  As a result, he crashed into the Saturn, causing the smaller vehicle to burst into flames.

Police believe that the two people who lost their lives in the accident were on their way from Victoria to Houston.  The driver of the 18 wheeler survived the accident.

Accidents like this highlight the dangers posed to passenger vehicle drivers from large trucks.  Any time a car is hit by a truck weighing several thousand pounds, the car is going to lose.

What happens after a serious truck crash – or in this case a deadly truck crash?  All too often the trucking company will immediately take steps to avoid paying a fair settlement to the accident victims.  Even a terrible fiery death isn’t enough to get fair compensation from some of these companies.

Please check out our truck accident library to learn more about truck accidents.  Read about “Top five tricks trucking companies utilize when they are sued”, “How truck drivers can cause serious traffic accidents” and much more.

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