Revised 'House Bill 19' Still Rewards Big Trucking & Insurance Companies for Their Negligent Stewardship

This Bill Allows Trucking Companies to Scapegoat Their Own Employees

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Mar 23, 2021, 10:30 ET

AUSTIN, Texas, March 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Newly revised legislation proposed by Texas State Representative Jeff Leach still shields big trucking companies and insurance carriers from highway crashes. Victims would be forced to take legal action against truck drivers first, before they can hold trucking companies responsible for their failure to safeguard the public from big rig accidents. Even worse, the legislation would prevent an accident victim's attorney from presenting discovery evidence into a trial that would incriminate the driver's employer, the trucking companies who hire and oversee them.

Leach's bill contains no new safety initiatives to improve Texas roads and highways—already the most dangerous in the United States for the last five consecutive years according to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).

"This bill will allow trucking companies to hide behind and use their own employee drivers as a scapegoat and take no responsibility for their actions," stated Attorney Thomas J Henry. "Reducing roadway accidents is about introducing new safety measures that can protect Texas families and Jeff Leach's proposed bill only panders to his political sponsors and donors."

The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Crash Statistics 'Summary Report' reveals that Texas has led the nation with the largest amount of commercial truck crashes for the last five consecutive years since 2016. "Leach and other Texas senators want you to sue the truck drivers first. That is like getting food poisoning at a restaurant and you must sue the cook and not the restaurant," stated Henry.

TxDOT tallied over 39,000 commercial vehicle crashes, 613 deaths and another 6,204 more people were injured in 2019 on Texas roads and highways. A leading cause of accidents is the sheer volume of trucking traffic along IH-35 which originates in Laredo, Texas. Over 2,300,000 commercial trucks enter the U.S. and travel up through San Antonio, Austin and the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Texas residents are asked to contact their respective legislators immediately to stop this legislation from passing.

Additionally, Thomas J. Henry has asked all Texans to sign a petition at KeepTexasSafe.com and send a message to our elected political leaders.

About Thomas J. Henry Law Firm
Thomas J. Henry Injury Attorneys is one of the largest plaintiffs' personal injury firms in the country. The firm currently houses more than 200 attorneys and 350 supporting staff in six office locations across Texas in San Antonio, Corpus Christi and Austin. For more information about Thomas J. Henry please visit thomasjhenrylaw.com. Henry is also a major safety advocate having aired over $20 million dollars in SAFE DRIVING advertising since 2018 in Texas at his own expense.

SOURCE Thomas J. Henry Law Firm