Texas House bill could shield companies from liability after commercial vehicle crashes Posted By Anna Canizales, The Texas Tribune on Tue, May 18, 2021 at 4:36 PM click to enlarge Texas Tribune / Ivan Pierre Aguirre A bill making its way through the state Legislature would give owners of commercial vehicles like 18-wheelers, delivery trucks and Uber and Lyft vehicles protection from liability when crashes result in lawsuits. People affected by crashes causing bodily injury or death involving commercial motor vehicles would find it harder to win damages from companies under a bill that was approved by the Texas House and is making its way through the Senate.
Companies could be shielded from liability after commercial vehicle crashes under Texas House bill
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A semi-truck near an oil rig site outside of Mentone on Oct. 12, 2014.
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People affected by crashes causing bodily injury or death involving commercial motor vehicles would find it harder to win damages from companies under a bill that was approved by the Texas House and is making its way through the Senate.
Commercial motor vehicles include 18-wheelers, Uber and Lyft vehicles, delivery trucks and any other vehicle being used for commercial purposes. The bill’s sponsors say it will prevent excessive lawsuits against companies, while road safety advocates say the bill would make Texas’ already unsafe roads even more dangerous.
House bill could shield companies from liability after commercial vehicle crashes
Anna Canizales, Texas Tribune
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People affected by crashes causing bodily injury or death involving commercial motor vehicles would find it harder to win damages from companies under a bill that was approved by the Texas House and is making its way through the Senate.
Commercial motor vehicles include 18-wheelers, Uber and Lyft vehicles, delivery trucks and any other vehicle being used for commercial purposes. The bill’s sponsors say it will prevent excessive lawsuits against companies, while road safety advocates say the bill would make Texas’ already unsafe roads even more dangerous.
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Texas motorists are speaking out against a proposed bill that would protect trucking and insurance companies from the liability of trucking accidents in the state.
If passed, House Bill 19 would require the plaintiff to prove that the trucking company was “grossly negligent” in order to pursue a lawsuit. Otherwise, only the truck driver involved in the accident would be liable for damages. Critics of the bill claim that this change in the law would create a sort of free pass for trucking companies.
Because of this, motorists that have been previously involved in semi-truck accidents and benefited from large settlements after suing trucking companies are standing with truck drivers to oppose the bill that “helps the insurance companies and it helps the trucking companies, but it doesn’t help us.”