Oilfield Traffic Between Seguin and San Antonio: Risks for Texas Drivers & Personal Injury Options

Accidents involving oilfield trucks and heavy equipment can inflict devastating injuries on victims. The size of the vehicle and the flammable nature of petroleum products can worsen crash outcomes. If you’ve been in an oilfield vehicle wreck near Seguin or San Antonio, consulting with a lawyer from Carabin Shaw will help protect your right to compensation for accident damages.

The oilfield truck accident lawyers at Carabin Shaw understand that Texas drivers may frequently encounter oilfield traffic. Read our law firm’s client reviews to find out how we hold at-fault parties accountable for our clients’ losses. Then, call toll-free 1-800-862-1260 or contact us online to schedule a free case review. Our staff speaks English and Spanish, and they’re available 24/7 to speak with you.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), four out of every 10 oilfield workplace deaths happen because of a highway accident. Workers may be transporting personnel or equipment to a site for oilfield operations. Oilfield vehicles a person may encounter on Central Texas highways include:

• Vans or pickup trucks
• Hot oil trucks
• Digger derricks
• Heavy-coil vehicles
• Cement trucks
• Wireline trucks
• Tanker trucks

One report estimates that drilling one fracking well involves 1,200 to 2,300 truck trips. New drill sites experience a surge in oilfield traffic, which could increase the risk of a wreck. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) provides some exemptions from safety rules for commercial motor vehicles involved in oilfield operations. However, none of these exemptions permit negligent driving that could cause a commercial truck accident.

Accidents near San Antonio involving oilfield trucks may occur on high-speed interstates such as I-35 or on poorly maintained rural roads not meant for truck traffic. Oversized vehicles with low-boy trailers carrying heavy equipment may have difficulty navigating county roads in Seguin. While trucks may need permits to travel on certain roads, negligent drivers are liable for damages in an oilfield vehicle crash regardless of their permits.

A Texas lawyer can hold an oilfield truck driver, the oil company, and the truck-driving company liable for injuries. Companies are liable for their employees under the Texas legal doctrine of respondeat superior if the employee was working at the time of the wreck. An attorney may also sue a third party for negligence, such as a vehicle manufacturer, after a wreck caused by a defective truck component.

To prove negligence in a personal injury lawsuit, an attorney must prove that a person or company had a duty of care, breached their duty, and caused damages because of the breach of duty. Each element of negligence must be provable to establish liability. An oilfield truck accident in Texas may involve multiple at-fault parties or victims. It may involve insurance companies or private organizations. Identifying all at-fault parties and collecting evidence to prove negligence is an essential part of any civil case.

A truck accident lawyer in Texas will also compute the value of your damages in an oilfield vehicle accident. Texas compensable damages may include:

• Medical expenses
• Income loss
• Pain and suffering
• Mental anguish
• Other losses you can connect to the accident

In fatal crashes, the family members of a deceased victim may file a wrongful death lawsuit. A lawyer may also file a survival claim on behalf of the estate. Speaking to an experienced legal team will help you consider all legal options.

Victims of an oilfield vehicle accident deserve compensation from negligent truck drivers who fail to operate their vehicles safely. At Carabin Shaw, seeking help from an attorney is an easy choice because you pay nothing unless we win your case. Call us at 1-800-862-1260 or visit our website to schedule a free case review. Our English- and Spanish-speaking staff is available 24/7 to help you. Find out how you can pursue accident compensation and protect your rights as an accident victim with Carabin Shaw.

For more information:

• OSHA
• Bureau of Transportation Statistics
• Code of Federal Regulations