A Midland truck accident claim often starts with the truck, its driver, the carrier and the records the rules require. Oilfield trucks, tanker trucks and tractor trailers share Midland roads with local traffic, and each kind of truck carries its own rules.
A free consultation with a truck accident lawyer at Zinda Law Group starts at (800) 863-5312.
Article summary
Key things to know
- Federal rules require covered trucking companies to keep driver logs, repair records and a file on each driver.
- TxDOT counted 536 commercial vehicle crashes in Midland County in 2025.
- Texas bars recovery for an injured person more than 50 percent responsible and reduces anyone else’s damages by their share.
Free case review
Injured by a big rig in Midland?
Bring what you know about the truck and the company on its door. A law firm can explain which records matter and which Texas deadlines apply.
What a Midland truck accident attorney does
Midland truck accident lawyers handle injury claims against truck drivers. Those claims can also reach the trucking companies behind the drivers, and insurance carriers may pay for a liable party. A law firm can send a letter asking the company responsible for the truck to keep the tractor trailer, the electronic logs and any black box data. That critical evidence can show what the truck was doing before the truck accident.
A Midland truck accident attorney can weigh each offer against the medical costs, future care and lost wages. Insurance adjusters make those offers for the insurance companies.
Oilfield trucks and freight on Midland roads
TxDOT says oil and gas production activity can create transportation challenges on rural roads and highways, with large trucks and heavy machinery sharing the road with local traffic.
A crash with a truck serving the oil and gas industry is still a truck accident claim. Injuries at work on a lease or rig can raise workplace claims, covered on the Midland oil field injury page.
Truck accidents in Midland and Midland County
TxDOT counted 536 crashes involving a commercial motor vehicle in Midland County in 2025. Eleven were fatal crashes in which 11 people died, and 19 people had suspected serious injuries. TxDOT counted 507 such accidents in the county in 2024.
The count covers reported crashes in which the officer marked the commercial vehicle indicator, so it takes in more than tractor trailers and says nothing about fault.
How a truck accident differs from a car crash
A truck accident case can involve more defendants and more records than a car crash case, and handling a truck accident case starts with saving those records. One company may employ the truck driver while another owns the trailer or loaded the freight.
A large truck such as a tractor-trailer can weigh up to 80,000 pounds fully loaded, and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) says that weight increases the risk of more severe injuries. Large commercial trucks also have large blind spots and long stopping distances.
Midland semi truck, tanker and 18-wheeler accidents
A semi truck accident, a big rig wreck and an 18-wheeler crash are all large truck accidents. Under the federal safety rules, commercial trucks include a truck carrying property on highways in interstate commerce with a vehicle or combination weight or rating of 10,001 pounds or more, among other tests. An 18-wheeler accident adds trailer coupling and cargo rules to the claim, and 18-wheeler driver error such as following too closely can start the crash.
Federal rules bar trucking companies from running commercial trucks with cargo that is not properly distributed and adequately secured. A load that shifts or spills from a semi truck can point to truck drivers, the carrier or the company that loaded it.
Delivery vans, pickups and other company vehicles fall under a Midland commercial vehicle accident claim.
Federal trucking rules behind a Midland truck claim
The FMCSA writes the safety rules for the trucking industry, and a Texas rule adopts many of them by reference. A rule violation alone does not prove fault. It points to the records worth asking for in commercial truck crashes.
Hours of service and tired drivers
Truck drivers carrying property in interstate commerce may generally drive at most 11 hours, inside a 14-hour window after coming on duty following 10 consecutive hours off duty. Fatigue can impair the alertness of a large truck driver, and federal rules generally bar driving while fatigue or illness makes it unsafe. Driver fatigue can play a part in Midland truck crashes. Texas generally lets a semi truck driver in intrastate commerce drive 12 hours after 8 consecutive hours off duty, but not after 15 hours on duty, with exceptions.
Logs, driver files, testing and insurance
Interstate trucking companies generally must have truck drivers record hours on an electronic logging device, with exemptions, and keep required driver logs at least six months. A motor carrier must keep a driver qualification file for each driver it employs, generally while the driver works for it and for three years after.
After a fatal crash involving a commercial truck on a public road, the employer of a CDL driver performing safety-sensitive functions generally must test the surviving driver for alcohol and drugs.
A carrier must inspect, repair and maintain its trucks. It must keep maintenance records for one year for a truck it controls for 30 consecutive days, and six months after the truck leaves its control.
A for-hire carrier hauling general freight in interstate commerce in a truck rated 10,001 pounds or more must maintain at least $750,000 in financial responsibility. For specified oil and hazardous materials, the minimum is $1,000,000 or $5,000,000, depending on the cargo, amount and operation. Our national truck accident lawyer page discusses these federal rules.
Truck accident injuries
Truck accident injuries can be severe injuries that need long medical care. They include traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken bones, crush injuries and severe burns. Catastrophic injuries can end a career or bring a diminished quality of life.
Truck accident victims and other crash victims who seek medical attention immediately also start a treatment record that can support a personal injury case. Those records help document brain injuries and spinal injuries. Prompt care also matters after a truck accident while pregnant or after being run over by a truck.
Who can be held liable in a Midland truck accident case
A truck accident case in Midland can have more than one responsible party, and the jury or judge generally assigns each one a percentage of responsibility. A Midland truck accident attorney can check speed, distraction and hours against the logs, phone records, witness statements and the crash report.
Claims against trucking companies may rest on an employee’s negligence within the scope of employment or on the company’s own negligence, such as poor maintenance. Accident reconstruction experts can also rebuild a truck accident from the scene and the truck’s data, and the carrier may hire its own accident reconstruction experts. Each side’s law firm and legal team can then test that work.
A cargo loader may share fault for a load that was not secured. Maintenance companies, a repair shop or a vehicle manufacturer may share fault for negligent work or a defect behind a mechanical failure. In multi-vehicle truck accidents, fault can be split among several drivers and companies. Texas follows a modified comparative fault rule, which the statute calls proportionate responsibility.
Filing deadlines
Questions about how much time you have?
Deadlines after a truck accident in Midland
| Claim | Deadline | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Personal injury lawsuit | Generally two years after the claim accrues | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 16.003(a) |
| Wrongful death lawsuit | Generally two years after the death | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 16.003(b) |
| Notice to the City of Midland after an injury | Verified written notice to the mayor and council, generally within 60 days after the injury | Midland City Charter, Art. III, Sec. 8 |
Actual notice to the city may excuse formal notice under state law. Claims against the county or state generally need notice within six months. Statewide Texas truck accident rules set the deadline, and a truck accident attorney can say which one fits.
Losses a Midland truck accident claim can include
Accident victims can pursue compensation from trucking companies and other responsible parties. A personal injury case to recover compensation can seek what the truck accident cost them.
- Future medical care and current medical expenses
- Wages lost to the crash and lost earning capacity
- Mental anguish, physical pain and what serious injuries take from daily life
- Property damage to your car and what it carried
Pay stubs and employer records help in proving lost wages. Negotiated balances play a part in reducing medical bills, and repair estimates support property damage claims.
Economic and noneconomic damages are the two Texas categories for these losses.
Exemplary damages, the Texas name for punitive damages, need clear and convincing proof of fraud, malice or gross negligence. No rear-end truck settlement figure fits all such accidents. Value turns on the injuries, the proof and how fault is shared.
Fatal truck accidents in Midland
In Texas, the surviving spouse, children and parents hold a wrongful death claim. A personal injury claim also survives the injured person’s death and passes to the heirs, legal representatives and estate. Who may bring each claim is a question for a truck accident lawyer or law firm. Families of Midland crash victims bring wrongful death in Midland claims under that statute.
What to do after a truck accident in Midland
- Get medical attention. See a doctor as soon as you can, even if you feel fine, and follow the treatment plan.
- Call 911. The police report for the truck accident can record the driver and the carrier’s name.
- Gather evidence. Photograph the scene, the damage and the name on the semi truck’s door.
- Keep your records. Save medical bills, repair estimates and proof of lost income.
- Wait on recorded statements. An adjuster for one of the insurance companies may ask for one, so talk to a truck accident attorney first.
The first days after a truck crash decide what evidence is saved, and giving a statement to the insurance companies can wait for advice.
When you are ready
Talk through the next step.
Free consultation with a Midland truck accident lawyer
The initial consultation is free, and the case evaluation page takes your details online. A Midland truck accident lawyer can go over the truck accident, the records and the deadlines.
Zinda Law Group is a law firm with an office at 223 West Wall Street, Suite 200, Midland, TX 79701. Midland personal injury attorneys take other injury cases as well, and Midland medical malpractice claims cover harm from medical care. The Midland personal injury lawyers work from the West Wall Street office. Lubbock has its own truck accident page.
Our firm works on a contingency fee basis, so there is no out-of-pocket cost to secure the legal representation you need. That’s our No Win, No Fee Guarantee.
Founder and CEO
John C. (Jack) Zinda
Jack founded Zinda Law Group and focuses his practice on catastrophic personal injury, 18-wheeler accidents and wrongful death.
