Texas Wrongful Death Attorney J. Gonzalez
by Benjamin Treviño | January 7th, 2026 | 18 Wheelers, Blog, Fatal Crash
Can companies be sued for the actions of its contractors?
Yes, and no. Generally, companies are not held liable for its contractors’ actions, but there are exceptions.
The main reason companies generally aren’t held liable is that Independent contractors control how they do the work, unlike employees.
However there are certain circumstances in which a company can be held accountable for the actions of its contractors.
Here are some of the exceptions:
Negligent Hiring: If the company fails to exercise reasonable care in choosing a contractor. For example; hiring an unqualified or known-to-be-reckless firm, and that contractor causes harm.
Inherently Dangerous Activities: For tasks that are inherently risky, such as blasting, high-rise construction, or handling hazardous chemicals, the company can’t delegate the duty to keep the public safe.
Non-Delegable Duties: Some duties are so important (e.g., maintaining safe premises for the public) that the law won’t let a company escape responsibility by hiring a contractor.
Control Over the Work: If the company dictates the methods or details of the contractor’s work, they may assume responsibility.
Agency/Apparent Authority: If a contractor acts as the company’s agent or appears to have authority to act on the company’s behalf (especially in discrimination cases like Title VI), the company can be liable.
Contact J. Gonzalez
While the default is no liability for the company, the line blurs quickly when a company delegates risky tasks or fails to act responsibly in hiring. In these cases and others the company retains responsibility for the outcome. That’s why you need the experts at the J. Gonzalez Law Firm. They have the expertise to bring into focus those blurry lines to make sure companies are not shirking their responsibilities.
The best way to find out if you have a case is to get a free consultation from the J. Gonzalez Law Firm. It won’t cost you anything and you pay no fee unless we win your case.
Contact us today via this website or by calling 1-800-CAR-CRASH. We’re ready to go to work for you.
Lawsuit filed against H-E-B, driver, and two trucking contractors over fatal 2025 Panhandle crash
HOUSTON (WOAI/KABB) — Attorneys have filed a lawsuit seeking more than $1 million in damages from H-E-B, two of its contractors, and a truck driver in connection with a November 2025 crash that killed four women in the Texas panhandle.
The lawsuit names H-E-B, Parkway Transit Inc., Scrappy Trucking LLC, and driver Guadalupe Villarreal as defendants.
According to the lawsuit, on November 5, 2025, the four women were traveling south in a Nissan Altima on U.S. Highway 87, ten miles south of Dalhart.
The suit alleges Villarreal (39) was driving an 18-wheeler in the same lane behind them. Villarreal was driving for a contractor and hauling a load of potatoes for H-E-B, according to the lawsuit.
Attorneys allege Villarreal was driving too fast, was inattentive, and failed to control his speed before slamming into the back of the women’s car. The impact sent the passenger vehicle spinning into the median where it rolled over. The 18-wheeler overturned onto its side in the median as well.
The lawsuit says that the collision caused “catastrophic injuries that ultimately killed all four women.” Attorneys argue the victims did nothing to cause the crash.
The victims included the driver, 20-year-old Monique Johnson of Stratford, 18-year-old Lakeisha Brown of Galveston, 31-year-old Breanna Brantley of Rosharon, and 28-year-old Taylor White of Missouri City.
The lawsuit also accuses the trucking companies of failing to preserve key evidence after the crash.
Attorneys say they sent letters on Nov. 17 requesting that the truck and its data be preserved, but those requests were ignored. They claim multiple follow-up calls and emails also went unanswered.
Plaintiffs say early evidence suggests Villarreal may have been distracted, possibly by his cell phone, and are asking the court to order the preservation and inspection of his phone and any other devices he had with him that day.
The defendants had not issued a statement as of this writing.