Texas Senate Bills 30 and 39 Sacrifice your Safety for Corporate Profits
April 10, 2025
(832) 592-1108
Insurance Companies Are Trying to Protect Themselves at Texans' Expense with Texas Senate Bills 30 and 39
Texas has led the nation in large truck crashes since 2017, with more commercial vehicle wrecks than Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Colorado, Arizona, Nebraska, and Kansas combined. In 2023, Texas had 20,510 fatal and non-fatal truck crashes, the most of any state. Despite this, the Texas Senate is considering legislation that would further endanger Texas families.
Insurance and Trucking Lobbies Push Dangerous Bills
The insurance and commercial truck lobbies have introduced bills to drastically limit the responsibility of truck companies and their insurers in Texas.
The new legislation falls into two categories: damages caps and trucking liability restrictions. Senate Bill 30
and the corresponding House Bill 4806
cap non-economic damages, eliminate several categories of damages entirely, and artificially cap medical expenses.
These laws would
limit noneconomic damages to $250,000 in almost every case, no matter the injury — whether quadriplegia, brain damage, or severe burns result.
Liability for commercial trucking operators would be drastically limited by Senate Bill 39
and House Bill 4688. These bills shift the focus from the company to the driver, even though the company should be held accountable for its own failures and negligent actions and decisions. Say, for example, that a trucking company consistently makes its drivers illegally work more than federal “hours of service” laws allow, and as a result, one of their drivers falls asleep behind the wheel and causes catastrophic injuries to another person. In that case, Senate Bill 39 would stop the jury from learning about the trucking company’s illegal, dangerous policies, and would instead unfairly put the sole focus on the driver who fell asleep.
These bills pose a legitimate threat to the safety of Texas roadways, because American juries have consistently motivated important changes in corporate policies that regulations failed to address. Even the Texas Attorney General has relied on the jury system to affect important changes in corporate policies — most recently in a series of lawsuits stemming from the opioid crisis.
New Bills, Same Old Scare Tactics
Advocates of these bills claim that reducing liability will result in more money for insurance companies, and therefore lower costs for consumers. Unfortunately, they’re only half right: insurance company profits have reached new records, but premiums are higher than ever.
This isn’t the first time Texans have been sold a false bill of goods. In the early 2000s, “tort reform” was sold as a way to “lower premiums” by reducing liability costs for medical providers. Instead, our premiums have increased
, and Texas has the highest number of uninsured residents of any state. It’s also virtually impossible to find an attorney to bring a case against a doctor or hospital, unless the person is a high wage earner or requires lifetime care due to the injury.
Insurers Pass Savings On To Themselves, Not Their Customers
According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), the property casualty insurance industry earned $88 billion in profits in 2023 — its most profitable year of all time. In addition, AM Best reports that Q1 2024 saw profitability continue to surge, with net income reaching $40 billion, putting the industry on pace to shatter the 2023 record profits.
Evidently, they have chosen to reinvest these profits into lobbying efforts that would make themselves even richer at the expense of Texas citizens.
Texans Must Defeat This Irresponsible, Self-serving Legislation
- Contact your legislator: tell your representative that you firmly oppose Senate bills SB 39 and SB 30, and House Bills HB 4688 and HB 4806.
- Spread the word: share this information with your friends, family, and neighbors to make sure everyone knows what’s at stake.
- Find out which legislators represent your district here: https://wrm.capitol.texas.gov/home
- Sign the Safe Roads Petition: https://www.texaswatch.org/we-need-safe-roads
On February 18, 2026, an accident involving a motorcycle and two other vehicles occurred on Aldine Westfield Road near Wood River Drive, Fox26 Houston reports. An off-duty officer was operating the motorcycle and was found unresponsive at the scene. Despite the efforts of EMS and firefighters, they were unable to save the deputy. The investigation into the crash is being handled by the Precinct 4 accident investigation team, and all lanes on Aldine Westfield Road were shut down due to the incident. The driver of the vehicle stayed on the scene and was not impaired at the time of the accident. It is not yet clear if the crash was related to the arrest of a Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office deputy at the scene, who was charged with DWI.
February 12th, 2026, Houston: An 18-wheeler rollover on Southwest Freeway near Chimney Rock Road blocked multiple outbound lanes, leading to major delays for commuters, KHOU reports. The truck rolled onto its passenger side, crushing a pickup truck and dragging it approximately 100 yards. Fortunately, the pickup truck’s driver escaped unscathed, and there were no reported injuries. Fire officials also noted that the semi-truck did not lose its load during the incident. If you have been injured in a serious truck or 18-wheeler accident in Texas, please call Wham & Rogers for a free consultation at 832-592-1108 .
On February 5, 2026, a dramatic rescue unfolded on Highway 290 near Mason Road in Cypress, Texas, when a woman found herself trapped in her vehicle after a major two-vehicle crash. The crash caused significant delays, with two westbound main lanes on Highway 290 remaining closed. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office reported that when emergency services arrived at the scene, they discovered the woman wedged underneath a truck . This type of accident is called a Side Underride Crash , and car manufacturers face pressure to install additional safeguards. Thanks to the efforts of first responders, the woman was safely removed from her vehicle and taken to the hospital for further care. If you have been injured in a serious car accident in Houston, please call Wham & Rogers for a free consultation at 832-592-1108.
A new video released after a fatal crash in the Texas Panhandle shows a truck on US 87 crashing into four young women from the Houston area. The women had to reduce their speed due to a flat tire, and had turned the hazard lights on. Despite their precautions, an 18-wheeler transporting produce for the San Antonio-based grocery chain H-E-B collided with the Nissan Altima, tragically killing the driver and three passengers. Long hours, insufficient training and lax monitoring make commercial vehicle and big rig accidents all too common on Texas roadways.
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On February 18, 2026, an accident involving a motorcycle and two other vehicles occurred on Aldine Westfield Road near Wood River Drive, Fox26 Houston reports. An off-duty officer was operating the motorcycle and was found unresponsive at the scene. Despite the efforts of EMS and firefighters, they were unable to save the deputy. The investigation into the crash is being handled by the Precinct 4 accident investigation team, and all lanes on Aldine Westfield Road were shut down due to the incident. The driver of the vehicle stayed on the scene and was not impaired at the time of the accident. It is not yet clear if the crash was related to the arrest of a Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office deputy at the scene, who was charged with DWI.
February 12th, 2026, Houston: An 18-wheeler rollover on Southwest Freeway near Chimney Rock Road blocked multiple outbound lanes, leading to major delays for commuters, KHOU reports. The truck rolled onto its passenger side, crushing a pickup truck and dragging it approximately 100 yards. Fortunately, the pickup truck’s driver escaped unscathed, and there were no reported injuries. Fire officials also noted that the semi-truck did not lose its load during the incident. If you have been injured in a serious truck or 18-wheeler accident in Texas, please call Wham & Rogers for a free consultation at 832-592-1108 .
On February 5, 2026, a dramatic rescue unfolded on Highway 290 near Mason Road in Cypress, Texas, when a woman found herself trapped in her vehicle after a major two-vehicle crash. The crash caused significant delays, with two westbound main lanes on Highway 290 remaining closed. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office reported that when emergency services arrived at the scene, they discovered the woman wedged underneath a truck . This type of accident is called a Side Underride Crash , and car manufacturers face pressure to install additional safeguards. Thanks to the efforts of first responders, the woman was safely removed from her vehicle and taken to the hospital for further care. If you have been injured in a serious car accident in Houston, please call Wham & Rogers for a free consultation at 832-592-1108.
A new video released after a fatal crash in the Texas Panhandle shows a truck on US 87 crashing into four young women from the Houston area. The women had to reduce their speed due to a flat tire, and had turned the hazard lights on. Despite their precautions, an 18-wheeler transporting produce for the San Antonio-based grocery chain H-E-B collided with the Nissan Altima, tragically killing the driver and three passengers. Long hours, insufficient training and lax monitoring make commercial vehicle and big rig accidents all too common on Texas roadways.
On the afternoon of June 28th, a truck driver allegedly fell asleep while driving an 18-wheeler on I-20 east of Dallas , causing him to crash into four cars and three 18-wheelers. This accident resulted in five deaths and an unknown number of injuries. This crash caused I-20 to be closed for several hours on Saturday while the victims were treated and the vehicles were removed from the scene. The driver was arrested the next day after admitting to falling asleep while driving, and is facing five counts of manslaughter along with a count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. 18-wheeler accidents have become a near daily occurrence, putting many drivers at risk. It is important to obtain counsel immediately if you have been in a collision with an 18-wheeler to ensure evidence is preserved and the accident is investigated thoroughly. If you have been injured in a serious 18-wheeler or commercial vehicle accident in Texas, call Wham & Rogers at 832-592-1108 for a free consultation.
We often receive phone calls from people whose attorney won't return their calls, won't help them find medical care, or won't give them any advice about property damage. When I ask who this lawyer is, they usually don't know. Invariably, I find out that they hired the lawyer through a service that contacted them. A shocking number of these solicitation companies are breaking the law. They are committing the crime of barratry . Attorneys who hire companies to illegally solicit business for them are focused on quick, easy settlements. They’ve already taken an illegal shortcut to get your business. They want to settle your case with the least amount of effort. They do not want to spend time answering your questions and helping you with anything that won’t make them a quick buck. I’ve learned of situations where lawyers hired through solicitation companies settled cases without their client’s consent — and even situations where the client’s settlement check bounced. If you hire a lawyer who contacts calls you personally or through a service, you may be hiring a lawyer who is breaking the law. This is not who you want representing you. If you did hire a lawyer through one of these services, you may be the victim of barratry and there are lawyers who will pursue these claims for you. ( Our firm does not handle barratry claims ) When you need a personal injury attorney, do your research. Check the reviews for the firm. Call to talk with the lawyers. If you can’t get a lawyer on the phone to talk with you, that is a sign you may need to look elsewhere. Our client reviews will attest that we provide personal, caring service to our clients. If you want attorneys who will treat you like family, call Wham & Rogers.
Austin, Texas - Texas is already one of the most dangerous states for fatal 18-wheeler crashes, and major disruptions from trucking collisions are a near-daily occurrence. This morning, an 18-wheeler and six other vehicles collided near the Austin-area suburb of Georgetown . The severity of any injuries sustained in the commercial vehicle wreck has not yet been reported, but the crash and recovery efforts have led to the complete closure of southbound lanes on Highway I-35. The Texas Department of Transportation warns that traffic will be disrupted for hours. Just last month, commuters on I-35 suffered a major, multiple-fatality accident when a driver for an Amazon delivery contractor crashed his 18-wheeler into 17 other vehicles . Investigations continue into the cause of the crash. Despite the frequency and severity of 18-wheeler and commercial vehicle crashes in Texas, the State Legislature is considering new laws that would protect trucking companies from liability in these wrecks . When combined with other new legislation capping damages that result from these serious 18-wheeler accidents, Texans would be left even more vulnerable. If you have been injured in a serious truck or 18-wheeler accident in Texas, please call Wham & Rogers for a free consultation at 832-592-1108 .
A proposed Senate bill, pushed by insurance company lobbyists, would severely limit damages for victims involved in crashes with 18-wheelers, further tipping the scales in favor of insurance companies at the expense of Texans’ rights.
Five people were killed and eleven injured in a major, multi-vehicle collision on the evening of March 13th in Austin, Texas. According to NBC affiliate KXAN , one individual has been charged: "Police sources confirmed with KXAN the person arrested was the driver of a semi-truck hauling for Amazon. The driver involved in this incident is not an Amazon employee. … The owner of ZBN Transport LLC said Friday afternoon there’s been no contact with its semi-truck driver." (KXAN) According to Austin police, the alleged driver has been charged with multiple counts of intoxication manslaughter. Amazon, like many other large corporations, has chosen to expand its operations via an array of third-party contractors rather than relying solely upon employees. This provides the company with greater flexibility on pay and benefits, and may also seem like attractive way to reduce liability for accidents like the above. However, many large corporations have discovered that merely declaring a worker to be an “independent contractor” does not necessarily make it so. In one notable example, a court of appeals in Oregon ruled that Domino’s Pizza, Inc. was directly responsible for an accident caused by one of their franchisee’s delivery drivers, and could not disclaim liability . A decade later, the Supreme Court of Ireland found the same. Amazon has also faced legal scrutiny over its "Delivery Service Partner" program in the state of Georgia: "Jurors Thursday handed down a $16.2 million verdict at trial against Amazon Logistics and a service partner. ... Notably, jurors also concluded that Amazon exercised sufficient control over defendant Fly Fella Logistics to render the delivery giant liable ." (Courtroom View Network) To be considered truly “independent”, a contractor should exercise significant control over his own schedule, and be able to make decisions over how and when to provide services. When a company policy guarantees a specific delivery timeframe, or denies digital app or marketplace access to a contractor based on number of jobs taken per week, they may risk having the supposedly “independent” contractor being considered an employee. If you have been seriously injured by a commercial driver, or a contractor for a major corporation, the Texas 18-wheeler accident experts at Wham & Rogers, PLLC can help. Speak to an attorney today by calling (832) 592-1108 or leaving us a message on our contact page.
Up to 40% of all commercial truck accidents are caused by distracted driving. In 2018, there were 4,832 deaths caused by distracted truck drivers. That number was 4,977 in 2019 and 4,777 in 2020, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administratio n. The categories of distracted driving tracked by the FMCSA include: Talking or Listening to Cellular Phone Other Cellular Phone Related Using or Reaching For Device/Object Brought Into Vehicle Eating or Drinking Dialing/Manipulating Cellular Phone a Lost In Thought/Day Dreaming Adjusting Audio and/or Climate Controls Using Other Device/Controls Integral to Vehicle Distracted By Other Occupant(s) Careless/Inattentive Distracted By Moving Object in Vehicle Distraction/Careless Looked But Did Not See Smoking Related Cell phone use by truck drivers It’s important to note that the FMCSA prohibits texting and the use of handheld devices by truck drivers. Violations can result in fines, and even suspension of commercial driver’s licenses. Drivers who use handheld devices are 4x more likely to be in a serious crash. Text messaging increases the risk of a collision by 23 times. Cell phone use delays a driver’s reaction time as much as a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08%. How does distracted driving affect truck drivers’ performance? Distracted driving can slow the driver’s perception of traffic events, resulting in delayed reaction times. Slow reaction times may cause incorrect steering, too much brake pressure or inaccurate accelerator pressure. What can trucking companies do to reduce distracted driving by truck drivers? Require regular distracted driving training for drivers; Install distracted driving software which blocks use of social media, streaming video and texting while driving; Develop a distracted driving policy and require each employee to sign it, requiring them to agree to follow the policy. Enforce their distracted driving policy—and reprimand employees who fail to follow the policy. Educate dispatchers: Dispatchers shouldn’t expect immediate responses if drivers are on the road. Remind drivers to set their voicemail and call forwarding when on the road. Use driver facing cameras to ensure compliance with the safety rules. If you have been the victim of distracted driving by a commercial driver, Wham & Rogers can help you. We can rapidly respond to a collision in order to download the electronic control module and when necessary, download the phone of the distracted driver. Call 832-592-1108 or text (832) 413-1428 for a free consultation.
