Waste management accidents involve injuries caused by garbage trucks, recycling vehicles, landfills, transfer stations, and material recovery facilities. In Texas, these crashes and workplace events often involve backing trucks, roadside strikes, roll-aways, machinery, and heat. Texas law gives injured people two years to file most claims, with special rules and damage caps if a city or county vehicle is involved. “Move Over or Slow Down” also protects stopped garbage trucks on Texas roads.
Key Takeaways
- Collection work was the 4th deadliest U.S. job in 2023; rate 41.4/100,000.
- Texas “Move Over or Slow Down” applies to stopped garbage/recycling trucks using lights.
- Most Texas injury claims have a 2‑year deadline; cities/counties also require quick notice.
- Laws cap damages against government units (e.g., cities) in garbage‑truck cases.
Joe I. Zaid & Associates is here to help if you’ve been hurt
If a garbage truck hit you or you were injured working a collection, landfill, or recycling job in Texas, Joe I. Zaid & Associates can investigate fast, preserve critical video, and navigate the Tort Claims Act when a city or county truck is involved. Our firm handles personal injury claims across Texas and can advise on workers’ compensation or third‑party claims depending on who caused the harm. Reach out early so notice and evidence deadlines don’t pass.
Waste management cases turn on fast action, Texas‑specific rules, and industry safety standards. A focused Texas lawyer can make the difference between a denied claim and a fair result.
What is a waste management accident and what injuries happen most?
A waste management accident is any injury linked to garbage, recycling, or landfill operations—on the road or at a facility. Common injuries include crush injuries from backing trucks, falls from riding steps, being struck by passing cars, and machinery injuries at MRFs and landfills. Heat illness also affects Texas workers. NIOSH and SWANA identify backing strikes, step falls, and equipment hazards as frequent causes. (cdc.gov)
How do garbage truck and recycling vehicle crashes usually happen?
Most serious events occur when trucks stop and start along routes. Risks include:
- Backing without a spotter or losing visual contact
- Riding the rear step at unsafe speeds or while backing
- Third‑party drivers failing to slow down or move over
- Roll‑aways from poor parking/braking These patterns appear across NIOSH investigations and SWANA safety bulletins.
What recent safety data shows about waste industry dangers?
The most important recent numbers:
- Refuse and recyclable material collectors had a 2023 fatality rate of 41.4 per 100,000, with 41 worker deaths—ranking 4th deadliest occupation.
- Fatal incidents at MRFs and landfills rose in 2022, highlighting post‑collection hazards.
- Texas agencies are actively enforcing Move Over compliance in 2025.
Which Texas laws apply after a garbage truck injures someone?
- Move Over or Slow Down: Drivers must change lanes or slow 20 mph below the limit when passing a stopped garbage or recycling truck using proper lights. The statute expressly covers vehicles transporting municipal solid waste or recyclable materials.
- Two‑year deadline: Most Texas personal injury and wrongful death claims must be filed within two years. (texas.public.law)
- Tort Claims Act (government vehicles): You must give written notice within six months (some city charters require less). Damages against municipalities are capped ($250,000 per person; $500,000 per occurrence; property $100,000). Other local units often have lower caps ($100,000/$300,000).
Does the law treat city garbage trucks differently from private waste haulers?
Yes. If a city or county vehicle caused the harm, the Texas Tort Claims Act controls liability, notice, and damage caps. Private companies (e.g., national haulers) do not get those caps, and standard negligence rules apply. The key difference is strict notice deadlines and capped recovery for government units.
How do worker injuries at landfills, transfer stations, and MRFs fit in?
Public employees (cities, counties, special districts) generally receive workers’ compensation under Texas Labor Code Chapter 504; political subdivisions must provide coverage by insurance or self‑insurance. Private employers in Texas can opt out of workers’ comp (become “non‑subscribers”), which changes rights and defenses. Best practice is to check your employer’s coverage status immediately.
What should I do right after a garbage truck crash or roadside injury?
Follow this step‑by‑step plan:
- Call 911 and get medical care. Note the truck number, company name, and plate.
- Photograph the scene, the truck’s lights, cones, and lane position.
- Get witness names and contact info; save dashcam footage if you have it.
- Report the incident to your insurer; avoid recorded statements to the hauler’s insurer until you get counsel.
- Ask a lawyer to send a preservation letter for onboard video, telematics, route logs, maintenance records, and driver cell records—many systems overwrite in days.
- If a city or county truck is involved, meet the short Tort Claims Act notice deadline while your lawyer investigates. (texas.public.law)
Who can be held liable after a Texas waste management accident?
In Texas waste management accidents, several parties can be held liable. The truck driver and their employer are often responsible for negligent driving or poor training. If the vehicle belongs to a city, county, or their contractor, those government entities may be liable under the Texas Tort Claims Act. Third-party drivers who cause crashes or maintenance contractors and equipment manufacturers—if a mechanical failure caused the accident—can also be at fault. Liability depends on evidence from cameras, logs, company policies, and expert analysis.
What safety rules and industry standards matter in these cases?
- NIOSH guidance: limit riding‑step use to short, slow moves; never ride steps while backing; use spotters; follow safe backing procedures.
- SWANA “Five to Stay Alive” reinforces PPE, seatbelts, speed limits, no phones, and step rules for collection, and lockout/tagout and equipment distance rules at MRFs and landfills. (swana.org)
- Texas Move Over or Slow Down protects stopped garbage/recycling trucks and workers from passing traffic.
What are common mistakes people make after garbage truck or landfill injuries?
- Missing the six‑month Tort Claims Act notice window when a city or county is involved
- Waiting for the hauler to “pull the video”—onboard footage can overwrite fast
- Giving recorded statements before you understand fault and coverage
- Assuming workers’ comp rules are the same for public and private employers in Texas
How can a Texas waste management accident lawyer help me right away?
A lawyer can secure time‑sensitive evidence (video, telematics, route sheets), identify all liable parties (government entity, contractor, third‑party driver), meet Tort Claims Act notice rules, and calculate damages within any caps. Counsel can also coordinate experts on trucking safety, hydraulics, and human factors to rebuild the event. Best practices suggest contacting counsel within days, not weeks.
Why is Texas’s Move Over law so important in these cases?
The key difference is that Texas explicitly includes stopped garbage and recycling trucks when they use proper signals. If a passing driver fails to move over or slow down, that violation often supports negligence claims for roadside strikes of workers or collisions with trucks. DPS and TxDOT continue focused enforcement.
