A bill that makes it harder to get damages from trucking companies after crashes is headed to Governor Greg Abbott鈥檚 desk. On Friday, the Texas House confirmed changes to the bill made in the state Senate.
HB 19 splits a liability trial for trucking companies into two phases, with the first phase focused on the fault of the driver and the second phase focused on the fault of the company. Trial lawyers and safety advocates had complained this would make it harder to extract financial damages from companies, something they say keeps firms compliant with safety rules and best practices.
Amendments to the bill, however, may soften the impact of the two-part trial. They would allow some specific evidence against companies to be introduced during the first phase.
The amendments expanded the political support for the measure as it moved through the legislative process. HB 19 passed with votes from both parties, although not unanimously.
The trade group for the trucking industry in Texas applauded the bill鈥檚 passage in a statement on Friday, saying this will reduce unfair lawsuits.
鈥淭oday is a monumental day for the Texas trucking industry,鈥� said John D. Esparza, President and CEO. 鈥淔or too many years, the trucking industry has been a lucrative profit center for some trial attorneys.鈥�
Yet Adrian Shelley, Texas office director at the consumer rights group Public Citizen, said the underlying problem is Texas鈥� unsafe roads.
鈥淎ll this is doing is addressing exposure from companies for the accidents that they cause. It鈥檚 just a bad approach to the problem,鈥� Shelley said.
Texas had more fatal crashes involving large trucks than any other state in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
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