Truck Accidents
Common Causes of Oilfield Truck Accidents
While most people know that the oil and gas industry is an incredibly dangerous profession to work in, not many people know that it is actually truck accidents that account for a bulk of fatalities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that vehicle incidents accounted for 29 fatalities (42 percent) in the oil and gas extraction industry. Any person who suffers injuries or loses a loved one in a truck accident should contact an Austin personal injury lawyer.
Oil tankers and other large trucks are exceptionally common sights in most oilfield work areas, and these vehicles can easily be involved in numerous collisions simply on the basis of their large size. An accident involving an oilfield truck often has the potential to cause potentially catastrophic or fatal injuries.
Common Causes of Oilfield Truck Accidents
Oilfield truck accidents can stem from a number of possible causes. Some of the most common reasons generally include, but are not limited to:
- Driver Inexperience — Operating an oilfield truck will require proper training and experience, but some truckers simply do not have the necessary experience. Trucking companies or oilfield companies may be liable for failing to hire qualified drivers.
- Poor Maintenance — Trucks used in oilfields require safety checks and regular maintenance for safe operation. When a company tries to save time or money by neglecting maintenance, it can easily result in a serious accident.
- Driver Fatigue — Many employees who are operating oilfield trucks may drive or otherwise work much longer hours than other drivers, often because they are exempt from federal hours of service regulations that govern how long they are able to drive. This truth only increases the danger that they may cause major traffic accidents.
- Speeding — Large trucks obviously take longer to slow down or stop when they are traveling at faster speeds, so any truck that is exceeding the speed limit might not have sufficient time to avoid a crash.
- Driving While Intoxicated (DWI)— DWI is a criminal offense in Texas that applies to all drivers of all ages, and oilfield truck drivers do not have an exemption from this state law. A truck driver who operates while under the influence of alcohol or any drug could face criminal charges for an accident resulting from a DWI offense.
- Distracted Driving — Just as is the case with every other driver on the road, distractions that are often related to the use of cell phones, such as texting while driving, can easily cause accidents.
- Unsecured or Uneven Loads — An oilfield truck that is not fully filled with oil or gas may be more unstable and could tip over or sway into nearby lanes when a truck driver is not particularly skilled. When transporting other materials or loads that are not properly secured, a load may fall off a truck into oncoming traffic, or the driver might be unable to control the truck.
Oilfield Truck Accident Injuries
Oilfield truck accidents often lead to many kinds of severe injuries. Some of the most common injuries include, but are not limited to:
- Broken bones and fractures
- Sprains
- Abrasions and lacerations
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Eye injuries
- Sternum and chest injuries
- Abdominal wall injuries
- Soft-tissue injuries
- Intestinal injuries
- Head and face injuries
- Bruised or fractured ribs
- Nerve damage
- Concussions
- Internal organ damage
- Hearing damage
- Severed limbs
- Torn shoulder muscles and tendons
In the most serious cases, oilfield truck accidents can cause the death of other motorists or passengers. The families of the deceased can often be entitled to file wrongful death actions in these cases.
Call Us Today to Schedule a Free Consultation with an Austin Personal Injury Lawyer
Did you suffer severe injuries, or was your loved one killed in an oilfield truck accident in Texas? You are going to want to retain legal counsel without delay, and TK Injury Lawyers can be your voice in the courtroom. Our firm knows how to properly investigate these crashes and secure the evidence to support any injury claims. You can call us at (512) 582-2398 or contact us online to take advantage of a free consultation so we can sit down with you and go over all of the details of your case while outlining what we might be able to do to help you.
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