Texans for Lawsuit Reform

Through political action, legal, academic and market research, and grassroots initiatives, TLR fights for common-sense reforms that keep Texas open for business.

  • About TLR
    • Our Mission
    • Our Team
    • Timeline of Reforms
  • Videos
  • Issues
  • Resource Center
    • Special Reports
    • In the News
    • Press Releases
    • The Advocate
    • TLR Blog: For the Record
    • Invite a TLR Speaker
  • Get Involved
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
  • Stay Informed
For the Record

Disaster Preparedness, Response, Recovery

The pandemic and recent winter storms have highlighted a stark reality:
Commercial vehicles are essential for disaster preparedness, response and recovery.

Whether they’re carrying life-saving medicine, water supplies or critical fuel, or providing necessary services like plumbers and contractors, Texans depend on commercial vehicles.

But these commercial vehicles are targeted by personal injury trial lawyers across our state for abusive lawsuits. These aggressive plaintiff lawyers have developed an unfair strategy to maximize results in commercial vehicle lawsuits by presenting the jury with misleading evidence. In most of these lawsuits, the facts simply don’t support the size of the settlements and verdicts.

Ad after ad singles out trucks and company cars… any vehicle with a logo on it. These vehicles are villainized in court so plaintiff’s attorneys can come away with a big payday.

But when lives are at stake, when grocery store shelves are bare and gas pumps are empty, when pipes burst and repairs are required, we need commercial vehicles for our communities to function.

This played out in real-time across the Lone Star State during the winter storm. In one particularly poignant story, a professional driver for Atlas Delivery Services in Houston undertook a perilous, 197-mile trip to San Antonio in the height of the storm to deliver life-saving medication to an 18-month-old heart transplant patient. Without it, her body would have rejected her new heart.

“Just doing my job,” was his reply when asked why he’d done it.

But, in fact, he and his company acted courageously. The legal system is brimming with examples of commercial vehicles being held liable for bad-weather accidents, even when the accident wasn’t their driver’s fault.

East Texas-based fuel hauler Duncan Thompson Transportation wrestled with the risk of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, ultimately deciding the danger of being held liable for an accident was too high. The company’s general manager, Lincoln Thompson, shared their experience:

“We parked all 19 of our trucks for a week. At the beginning, conditions were too terrible. We have over 100 backlogged loads for 19 trucks to handle. We estimate it will take us two weeks to get our head above water.

We had to make some heartbreaking decisions. We were contacted by a fire department and an electric power plant in dire need of fuel. I had to tell them no. If something were to happen, a lawyer or jury or judge wouldn’t care that we were trying to take care of our communities. They would say it was too dangerous to be out and we were responsible. Our insurance rates would skyrocket, potentially putting us out of business. 

The very thought angered me. My hands were tied. My employees and I wanted to help, but couldn’t for risk of litigation.

So Texans suffered directly during this storm because of it.”

Texas is less safe, less prepared and less resilient in recovery without commercial vehicles. Stopping abusive lawsuits against them will make or break our ability to handle the next natural disaster our state faces.

The Legislature is poised to address this issue with a combination of bills that clarify the rules for how these lawsuits are tried, making them more uniform and consistent across the state, and addressing inflated medical damages.

TLR and the Keep Texas Trucking Coalition strongly support Senate Bills 17 and 207 and House Bills 19 and 1617, and will continue to keep you updated on their progress. You can support our efforts by contacting your lawmakers and urging them to support these bills.

Follow us on Facebook

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

Texans for Lawsuit Reform

18 hours ago

Texans for Lawsuit Reform

Living through a pandemic has made us keenly aware of how important delivery and service vehicles are to our daily lives. From groceries to vaccinations, commercial vehicles have been the integral piece to getting us what we need when we need it most. Unfortunately, some personal injury lawyers have set their sights on the very businesses that are getting us through this challenging time. Read and share: bit.ly/3sAJrfk ... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

Forum: South Texas commercial vehicle operators, owners under attack

bit.ly

Living through a pandemic has made us keenly aware of how important delivery and service vehicles are to our daily lives. From groceries to vaccinations, commercial vehicles have been the integral pie...
View on Facebook
·Share

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linked InShare by Email

  • Likes: 0
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

Texans for Lawsuit Reform

4 days ago

Texans for Lawsuit Reform

In case you missed it: In addition to massive premiums, the cost of paying a lawyer to defend one of the lawsuits against owners of commercial vehicles can devastate a small company. And every dollar spent fighting an unnecessary lawsuit is one less dollar that can be invested in a company’s employees or community. Watch the Latest Video from the Keep Texas Trucking Coalition and join here: www.keeptexastrucking.com ... See MoreSee Less

Play
View on Facebook
·Share

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linked InShare by Email

  • Likes: 0
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

Texans for Lawsuit Reform

5 days ago

Texans for Lawsuit Reform

In case you missed it: What started as lawsuits targeting big trucks has evolved. Now any vehicle with a company logo on it is a target for lawsuits. That’s why a broad coalition of more than 500 businesses and industry groups of all sizes have banded together to stop abusive lawsuits against commercial vehicles. The future of our state depends on it. Visit www.keeptexastrucking.com to join the coalition today. ... See MoreSee Less

Play
View on Facebook
·Share

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linked InShare by Email

  • Likes: 0
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook


Follow us on Twitter

lawsuitreform avatarTLR@lawsuitreform·
13h 1384266816038440962

TLR has thousands of supporters across Texas who are committed to a fair and balanced civil justice system. Join our team today!

Get Involved - Texans for Lawsuit Reform

Texans for Lawsuit Reform has thousands of supporters from across Texas who are committed to a fair and balanced civil justice system.

bit.ly

Reply on Twitter 1384266816038440962Retweet on Twitter 1384266816038440962Like on Twitter 1384266816038440962Twitter 1384266816038440962
lawsuitreform avatarTLR@lawsuitreform·
15h 1384236621071929345

Fighting lawsuit abuse keeps our courts fair and our economy strong. Learn more →

About - Texans for Lawsuit Reform

TLR's objective is to restore litigation to its traditional and appropriate role in our society. A lawsuit takes a heavy emotional and financial toll ...

bit.ly

Reply on Twitter 1384236621071929345Retweet on Twitter 1384236621071929345Like on Twitter 13842366210719293451Twitter 1384236621071929345
lawsuitreform avatarTLR@lawsuitreform·
18h 1384194551007485954

Living through a pandemic has made us aware of how important delivery & service vehicles are to our daily lives. Unfortunately, some personal injury lawyers have set their sights on the very businesses that are getting us through it. Read & RT: #tortreform

Forum: South Texas commercial vehicle operators, owners under attack

Living through a pandemic has made us keenly aware of how important delivery and service vehicles are to our daily lives. From groceries to vaccinatio...

bit.ly

Reply on Twitter 1384194551007485954Retweet on Twitter 1384194551007485954Like on Twitter 1384194551007485954Twitter 1384194551007485954

Texans for Lawsuit Reform
1701 Brun Street
Houston, Texas 77019

Ph. 713-963-9363
  • About TLR
  • Our Mission
  • Our Team
  • Timeline of Reforms
  • Videos
  • Issues
  • Resource Center
  • For the Record
  • Special Reports
  • In the News
  • Press Releases
  • Invite a TLR Speaker
  • Get Involved
  • Invite a TLR Speaker
  • Donate
  • Stay Informed
  • Contact TLR

Copyright © 2021 · Texans for Lawsuit Reform. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2021 · Texans for Lawsuit Reform.
All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy