Oil and gas work needs trucks: trucks hauling water, sand, equipment, and crews. They run on highways, farm roads, and lease roads, often at all hours and often on tight schedules. That mix of heavy vehicles, long shifts, and narrow roads is worth a careful look when a crash happens.
This article covers two groups: people hit by an oilfield truck, and oilfield drivers and workers hurt in a truck crash while on the job.
Questions to ask after an oilfield trucking crash
- Who was the driver working for? A trucking company, a service company, or an operator?
- How long had the driver been on duty? Fatigue is a question to ask, not an assumption.
- Was the truck loaded properly and maintained?
- Was the driver rushed by a job schedule?
- Where did it happen? Rural roads may have little lighting, few witnesses, and little camera coverage.
- Who else was involved? Operator, contractor, and truck owner may be different businesses.
Records can move fast
Job tickets, dispatch messages, trip records, maintenance records, and truck data may all matter. Companies may not keep them unless asked. A lawyer can send written requests that records and the vehicle be kept.
If you are an oilfield worker hurt in a company truck
If your employer has workers’ compensation insurance, benefits are generally the exclusive remedy against the employer. Another driver or company may be different. Notify your employer of the injury within 30 days. A workers’ compensation claim must be filed within one year.
If you were hit by an oilfield truck on the road
- Get medical help.
- Photograph the truck, company name, plates, USDOT number, and the scene.
- Get the driver’s name, the crash report number, and witness names.
- Do not give a recorded statement or sign a release before talking with a lawyer.
Fault and deadlines
Texas bars recovery by a person found more than 50 percent responsible. A Texas personal injury lawsuit generally must be filed within two years after the cause of action accrues.
Injured in an oilfield trucking crash? Contact Leatherwood & Schindler, PLLC today.
If you or someone you love was injured or killed because of someone else’s carelessness, talk with attorneys Hogan Leatherwood and Claire Schindler at Leatherwood & Schindler, PLLC today to discuss your personal injury case. Call us toll-free at (877) 664-6665 or visit lstrial.com. Every consultation with any lawyer at Leatherwood & Schindler is free and confidential.
This article is general information, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different, and past outcomes do not guarantee a similar result. Sending us a message does not by itself mean we represent you; please do not send confidential details until we confirm that we can discuss your matter. Attorneys responsible for this content: Hogan Leatherwood and Claire Schindler, Leatherwood & Schindler, PLLC, 2000 West Loop S., Suite 2200, Houston, Texas 77027.