When the Road Itself is the Hazard
When a devastating crash with an 18-wheeler happens on a rural highway, it is easy to assume that one of the drivers simply made a mistake. But what happens when the road itself was dangerously flawed?.
In East Texas, our highways are heavily traveled by massive logging trucks, oilfield transports, and commercial freight. When these giant vehicles encounter poorly designed construction zones, missing warning signs, or uneven lanes, the results can be catastrophic.
Since 1971, Chandler, Mathis & Zivley (CMZ Law) has investigated the hidden causes of severe commercial crashes. Led by board-certified trial attorneys W. Perry Zivley Jr. and Kirk Mathis, our team has recovered over $1 Billion for injured clients. We are not a volume “settlement mill” that just accepts the initial police report. We hire specialized engineers and accident reconstructionists to find out the whole truth—even if that means taking on massive construction companies or government contractors.
Our $1.6 Million Verdict: Uncovering the Truth
After a fatal wreck, investigating officers often focus entirely on driver error because they do not have the resources to analyze the roadway design. If you hire a lawyer who stops at the police report, the true at-fault parties might walk away.
For example, our client’s husband was tragically killed in a head-on collision with an 18-wheeler on an Arkansas highway. Initially, law enforcement blamed the other driver, stating he was simply traveling too fast in a construction zone and lost control.
But our trial team dug deeper. We employed several top experts and proved that dangerous defects in the roadway and poor signage actually played a critical role in causing the fatal wreck. By holding the negligent road contractors accountable, we secured a $1.6 Million verdict for the grieving family.
Identifying Third-Party Liability in Roadway Crashes
Our Practice Focus
Cases We Specialize In | Areas We Do Not Handle |
|---|---|
18-Wheeler & Commercial Truck Crashes | Medical Malpractice |
Oilfield & Refinery Accidents | Workers’ Compensation |
Catastrophic Personal Injuries | Product Liability Claims |
Wrongful Death Claims | Family Law or Probate |
(Please Note: CMZ Law dedicates its resources to complex personal injury and third-party liability claims, such as commercial trucking and oilfield accidents. We strictly do not handle standard workers’ compensation, medical malpractice, or product liability claims.)
If a defective road contributed to your crash, the liability can be incredibly complex. Our attorneys meticulously investigate every angle to identify third-party liability, which may include:
- Private Construction Firms: Did a contractor fail to set up proper warning signs, barriers, or detours in a highway work zone?
- Maintenance Companies: Did a company ignore massive potholes, dangerous drop-offs, or uneven pavement that caused an 18-wheeler to lose control?
- Government Entities: Were the roads defectively designed from the start, lacking safe shoulders for trucks to pull over?
Get a Trial-Tested Team on Your Side
Taking on a major construction corporation or government contractor requires immense legal firepower and financial resources. When these entities see that CMZ Law is representing you, they know we are fully prepared to take the case to trial.
If your family is suffering because of a commercial vehicle crash, do not face the insurance giants alone. Contact our headquarters for a free, confidential consultation:
Lufkin Office: (936) 632-7778
Houston Office: (713) 739-7722
Toll Free: (800) 657-2230
Let us handle the legal fight so you can focus on healing.
