The Department of Transportation is set to require the use of speed limiters, which they call Electric Control Modules (ECM), on some 18-wheelers. In a March 2014 report regarding significant rulemaking, a new speed module rule may become applicable in October.
Everyone has driven down a Texas highway and has been forced to avoid a semi truck hauling an “oversize load”. The reality is that oversize loads are dangerous to the truck driver and also to the general public. Texas has certain limitations in size and weight that, when exceeded, will require an oversized load permit. […]
A recent report published in the Houston Chronicle online publication, Chron.com contains an account of an 18-wheeler accident that happened Wednesday night on FM 528. The report suggests that Joseph Robinson, who was killed in this tragic crash, was speeding in the westbound lane of FM 529. That analysis apparently came from the Harris County […]
Highways are jammed in every major city across the United States because of a truck accident involving a jackknifed big rig. The tractor-trailer will frequently roll over and spill diesel fuel on the highway. There is a point of no return when a trailer travels at a speed greater than the tractor. It is this […]
A FedEx truck driver was involved in an accident that resulted in the death of at least one person and injured others in Baytown, Texas. According to the Houston Chronicle, the Baytown Police Department and investigators are investigating the crash to determine the cause, which occurred about noon on the 8500 block of North Texas […]
Recent developments in expert witness selection for a trucking accident lawsuit have served to clarify what is required of an attorney handling a case for personal injury victim. Texas courts have largely followed federal courts in analyzing when an expert may testify and when an expert should be excluded. There are four individual factors that […]
Federal Regulations on Mobile Phone Use for Truck Drivers Professional truck drivers operating commercial motor vehicles are legally restricted from using mobile phones under specific conditions while behind the wheel. When considering truckers on cell phones, these regulations, which took effect on January 3, 2012, were established to enhance road safety for all motorists. Despite […]
Another Houston big truck accident occurred this morning during rush hour traffic on Interstate 10 and Gregg Street. The crash snarled traffic for hours this morning. The two main traveled lanes and the shoulder lane of Interstate 10 were blocked, and the intersection of Gregg Street at the underpass was also shut down. Photographs of […]
The recent announcement that the DOT is proposing new requirements for drug and alcohol testing to be disclosed for commercial truck drivers is a great step forward for highway safety. Under the new rule, a clearinghouse would be established that includes all commercial driver’s license holders, making it much easier for motor carriers to learn […]
Many Houstonians had to be evacuated after a semi truck carrying chemicals rolled over and spilled toxic alkaline near Houston home sites. The tanker truck crash occurred at the intersection of Des Chaumes and Roland Street, close to US 59. Hazmat crews were dispatched to deal with the chemical spill and as part of the […]
1. How many truck accident cases do you currently have? There are many personal injury attorneys who handle truck accident cases when they are able to take on a client. Most of these attorneys have a practice that centers around other areas such as maritime, mass torts, or general personal injury. How many truck accident […]
You’ve been in a truck accident, an insurance adjuster is calling, and you don’t know what to do. Knowing the first steps after a truck wreck can make a significant difference in how you handle the situation. This is a very common occurrence, one that we hear frequently at the Baumgartner Law Firm. Consult an […]
Big rigs are extremely susceptible to what is called a “jackknife,” where the tractor and attached trailer travel together but in separate directions at the same time. The main cause of this type of truck accident is the brake application on the part of the professional truck driver that causes the trailer to travel at […]
When a tanker truck collided with a pickup, the semi-truck carrying hazardous material rolled over and spilled hazardous chemicals on the highway. This is another in a series of ongoing tanker truck accidents in Houston, where hazardous materials crews have had to spend precious time and resources cleaning up the mess. An estimate of thousands […]
One very important issue in a number of personal injury cases is whether or not the evidence has been preserved. One would guess that the answer would always be yes; however, that is not always the case. Some evidence, by its very nature, has a very limited life and will vanish over time. Scene Evidence […]
The federal government does not regulate oversize permits; instead, it relies on each individual state to issue permits for travel within its borders. In Texas, for instance, permits are crucial for managing oversized truck loads that exceed standard legal limits. Each state has the authority to issue permits for oversize and overweight loads, and these […]
Because truck drivers and their employers- motor carriers- must meet specific safety rules that do not apply to other drivers, this evidence differs greatly from a normal car accident. Mandatory Safety Rule Some evidence regarding whether or not the motor carrier or the truck driver has complied with the minimum safety rules includes such things […]
Yet again, we have a tractor-trailer rolling over and shutting down traffic on a major Houston highway. The latest truck wreck occurred yesterday morning on the Northwest Freeway close to Beltway 8. The big truck rolled over and what it did crashed into a concrete barrier dividing the highway from the HOV lanes. The impact […]
There’s an old saying, “there is no substitute for experience,” and that is certainly true in truck accident litigation. The reasons for the plaintiff’s and defense attorneys who practice truck accident litigation daily are crystal clear. Attorneys who defend truck accident cases are familiar with the attorneys who prosecute them and the expert witnesses who […]
Recently, in the news was a story about drunk truck drivers and a particular trucker who was intoxicated while driving a big rig and who endangered the community by getting behind the wheel of a big truck drunk. While the incidence of intoxicated truck drivers or truck drivers under the influence of drugs is not […]
Section 396 Inspection, Maintenance, and Repair of Large Trucks Every trucking company and professional truck driver must be intimately familiar with Part 396 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety regulations. Those regulations provide specific duties and obligations on the part of companies and drivers to make sure that the trucks and trailers are in safe […]
