San Antonio Personal Injury Lawyer Discusses Eagle Ford Shale Accident Risks
PRWEB
The Eagle Ford Shale has brought jobs and revenue to South Texas, but San Antonio attorney Jorge Herrera of The Herrera Law Firm says there is a human cost associated with the economic development.
San Antonio, TX (PRWEB) Aug. 29, 2012 - San Antonio truck accident lawyer Jorge Herrera says he wants to stop trucking companies from putting profits before people as they rush to capitalize on the Eagle Ford Shale oil boom in South Texas.
An August 2012 Texas Public Radio report detailed how the town of Cotulla is thriving with big trucks hauling gravel and fracking sand to the oil rigs that have sprouted up as part of the oil and natural gas boom at the Eagle Ford Shale. According to the report, the boom has led to thousands of full-time jobs as well as safety-related problems involving trucks and oil field accidents. An increase in traffic in the region may be linked to the 1,200 accidents involving 18-wheelers and 25 deaths in the region since 2011, according to Texas Public Radio.
Herrera represented the family of a man who was killed in a truck accident in 2011. Herrera settled the multimillion dollar case, which involved a trucking company that was found to be responsible for the accident.
The Eagle Ford Shale accident lawyer told Texas Public Radio that the negligent company's bad tires were a factor in the crash. "These trucks were being run every day - long hauls, hauling thousands and thousands of pounds of load, going over highway, going over ranch roads, going into rough debris to get to the oil rigs," Herrera said. "And so those tires are getting significantly worn out a lot faster."
Herrera said it was clear that the owner of the trucking company failed to follow proper procedures. The company neglected to perform proper maintenance or safety inspections of his fleet of trucks.
"They didn't do the basic necessities to ensure safety," Herrera said of the now-defunct company.
In a deposition published by Texas Public Radio, Herrera asked the owner if the company trained the drivers on trucking regulations.
"Whatever," the owner replied.
"So I guess that's a no?" Herrera said.
"I guess," the owner answered.
Herrera then asked, "Is that yes or no, sir?"
"No," said the owner.
Herrera said other companies are also putting profits over safety. They are sending their trucks through the Eagle Ford Shale region and creating an unnecessary risk of serious injuries or death, he said.
Eagle Ford Shale truck accident lawsuits, he said, are a highly effective way to protect people from negligent companies. "These lawsuits will hopefully scare the industry to forcefully regulate itself and create safer companies," Herrera said.
About The Herrera Law Firm, Inc.
Founded in 1983, the Herrera Law Firm has successfully represented thousands of individuals and families who have been dealt catastrophic blows due to personal injuries from oil field accidents, car accidents, tractor-trailer truck accidents, construction accidents, workplace injuries, dangerous drugs and defective medical device injuries. Its mission is to rectify the wrongs committed against its clients so that they can regain their dignity, rebuild their lives, and reclaim financial stability.
