Ryan Orsatti Law

10/09/2026

Meet Ryan Orsatti, a San Antonio personal injury attorney.

Get to know the lawyer behind Ryan Orsatti Law.

Ryan Orsatti Law | San Antonio, Texas
Ryan Orsatti, responsible attorney
210-525-1200 | ryanorsattilaw.com

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

10/09/2026

After a crash, most people grab their phone and start taking pictures. When the truck carries a diamond-shaped hazmat placard and something is leaking, that instinct can hurt you.

Distance comes first. Get uphill, upwind and upstream if you can do it safely. Stay out of liquid, runoff, smoke and fumes. Call 911 and say a placarded hazardous materials truck is leaking.

If you can see the placard number or the company name from where you are, tell the dispatcher. If you can't, don't walk closer to read it. Use your zoom. Responders can identify the cargo through shipping papers and carrier records.

Then get checked by a doctor, even if you feel fine, and make sure the record says chemical exposure, not just car accident.

Full guide: https://ryanorsattilaw.com/what-should-i-do-if-the-truck-was-carrying-placarded-hazardous-materials-and-there-is-a-leak-or-spill/

Ryan Orsatti Law, San Antonio, TX. 210-525-1200
Informational only, not legal advice. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

10/09/2026

Last week it was the claims floor. This week Good Faith Mutual sent two investigators and a camcorder to a Friday night football game.

GOOD FAITH MUTUAL, Episode 3: The Van. The subject is a dad in the bleachers with two crutches and a knee brace the size of a canoe. Their orders: get him on video without the crutches. He never lets go of them, so they get creative with the editing. It does not go well for them.

The real-world part is simple. If you're hurt, someone might be watching. Don't let that stop you from getting better. Keep doing what your doctor tells you.

New episode every Friday.

Ryan Orsatti Law, San Antonio, TX. Ryan Orsatti, responsible attorney. 210-525-1200.
Attorney advertising. Dramatization: Good Faith Mutual is a fictional company, and the voices and images are AI-generated. Not legal advice. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

10/08/2026

After a crash, the most helpful person on the shoulder may be the one about to drive away.

A fellow trucker or another driver saw what happened, but they have a load to deliver or somewhere to be. In Texas, the duty to stop and exchange information applies to drivers involved in the crash (Transportation Code Chapter 550), not to bystanders who only saw it. So a witness can leave, and once they do, finding them again can be hard.

If you only have 30 seconds, ask for a text instead of a conversation:
"Could you text me your name, number, and one sentence about what you saw?"

Why a text works better than a scribbled note:
- It gives you a working number, not one you misheard
- The name is spelled the way they spell it
- It has a time stamp

If the witness is a truck driver, also note the carrier name, tractor or trailer number, and ask if they have dashcam video.

Then give the witness's name and number to the officer so they can get into the crash report. Save the text thread. Don't argue with or coach the witness. Safety and medical care come first.

Full guide:
https://ryanorsattilaw.com/how-do-i-preserve-the-contact-information-of-a-fellow-trucker-or-motorist-witness-who-has-to-leave-the-scene/

Ryan Orsatti Law | San Antonio, TX
Informational only, not legal advice. Prior results do not guarantee future outcomes.

If a truck crash witness has to leave, get their name, cell number, and vehicle ID, or ask them to text you one sentence about what they saw. Here is how.

10/07/2026

Were you a passenger in a delivery van, company pickup, or work truck when it crashed? It's tempting to think the company name on the door tells you who pays. It doesn't. Your role in the vehicle does.

Start with two questions:

1. Were you riding for work?
In Texas, most private employers can choose whether to carry workers' compensation (Texas Labor Code 406.002). If your employer has it, workers' comp is generally your remedy against the employer and coworkers. If your employer does not have it, the path can look very different.

2. Did someone outside the company help cause the crash?
Another driver, the vehicle owner, a maintenance shop, or a loading contractor can be a "third party." Texas law lets an injured worker pursue a third party and still claim workers' comp benefits (Labor Code 417.001). The carrier may ask to be paid back from that recovery.

Not riding for work? You may still have a claim, and insurance like PIP, MedPay, or UM/UIM may come into play.

Get medical care first. Save texts, route or app screenshots, and coworker names. Hold off on recorded statements and releases until you know which path you're on.

Full guide:
https://ryanorsattilaw.com/what-if-i-was-a-passenger-inside-the-commercial-vehicle-that-crashed-in-texas/

Ryan Orsatti Law | San Antonio, TX
Informational only, not legal advice. Prior results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Hurt as a passenger in a commercial vehicle crash in Texas? You may have a workers' comp claim, a third-party claim, or insurance claims. Learn the basics.

10/06/2026

After a crash with an 18-wheeler, should you ask to see the driver's CDL? Yes, if it's safe. Ask once, politely, and don't turn it into a fight.

Texas Transportation Code 550.023 requires a driver in a crash to give their name, address, vehicle registration number, and liability insurer, and to show their driver's license if you request it and it's available. "Show" is the key word. You can ask to take a photo, but you can't force one.

Try: "Can I take a photo of your CDL, insurance card, and registration for the report?"

If the driver says no:
- Write down their exact words
- Tell the officer you asked
- Photograph the truck: USDOT number, company name, cab number, trailer plate, and damage

What about the DOT medical card? Since June 23, 2025, federal rules say many CDL drivers with a current medical certificate no longer need to carry it. So a missing paper card does not prove much on its own. The records that matter are usually electronic.

Safety and medical care come first. Full guide and checklist:
https://ryanorsattilaw.com/should-i-ask-to-see-and-photograph-the-drivers-cdl-and-dot-medical-examiners-certificate-at-the-scene/

Ryan Orsatti Law | San Antonio, TX
Informational only, not legal advice. Prior results do not guarantee future outcomes.

After a Texas truck crash, you can ask to see and photograph the driver's CDL if it is safe. Texas law requires drivers to exchange key information.

10/05/2026

If the truck driver who hit you smells like alcohol, has bloodshot eyes, or is slurring words, what you tell the officer in the next few minutes matters.

Skip the conclusion ("he's drunk") and report the facts:

- What you smelled (alcohol, ma*****na)
- What you saw (bloodshot or glassy eyes, stumbling, open cans or bottles)
- What you heard (slurred speech, the driver's exact words)
- Who else noticed (passengers, bystanders, first responders)

Specific observations give law enforcement a reason to investigate and end up in the crash report. A label is easy to dispute.

Timing matters too. Federal rules hold commercial drivers to a 0.04 alcohol limit on duty, half the 0.08 used in Texas DWI law. And when federal post-accident alcohol testing is required, the carrier has 8 hours to give the test before it must stop trying.

Stay out of traffic, don't confront the driver, and get medical care. Our full guide covers the rest:
https://ryanorsattilaw.com/what-do-i-do-if-the-truck-driver-appears-intoxicated-smells-of-alcohol-or-has-bloodshot-eyes-at-the-scene/

Ryan Orsatti Law | San Antonio, TX
Informational only, not legal advice. Prior results do not guarantee future outcomes.

If a truck driver seems intoxicated at the scene, call 911, get medical care, and tell the officer exactly what you saw. Here is why it matters in Texas.

10/02/2026

Last week, a 1996 training tape from a fictional insurer leaked. This week, another tape turned up in the same box.

GOOD FAITH MUTUAL, Episode 2: Quick Check Friday. It's Friday on the claims floor, and the manager has a few reminders over the PA. Make the offer before they go to the doctor. Keep it small. Find a reason. Then the fax machine starts printing.

The real-world version is simpler. The Texas Department of Insurance tells drivers: "Before you sign the release, talk to your doctor about any future medical treatment you might need."

New episode every Friday.

Ryan Orsatti Law, San Antonio, TX. Ryan Orsatti, responsible attorney. 210-525-1200.
Attorney advertising. Dramatization: Good Faith Mutual is a fictional company, and the voices and images are AI-generated. Not legal advice. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

10/02/2026

After an 18-wheeler crash, the trucking company or its insurer may ask to take your vehicle for an inspection. It can sound routine. It is not.

Your car can show the impact angle, crush damage, braking, airbag and seatbelt evidence, and whether the trucking company's version of the crash fits the physical damage. Whoever controls the first photos, the first data download, and the first tear-down has a head start on the fault fight.

The safer answer is not a flat "no," though. A blanket refusal can lead to a claim that you kept them from seeing the evidence. A better approach:

1. Keep the vehicle preserved: no repairs, salvage, or title transfer yet.
2. Have your own independent examiner document it first, or at the same time.
3. Offer a written, non-destructive joint inspection that sets the place, who attends, what can be touched, and how any data is downloaded.

Our full guide walks through what the inspection terms should say:
https://ryanorsattilaw.com/should-i-refuse-to-let-the-trucking-company-take-my-vehicle-for-inspection-before-my-own-independent-examiner-can-look-at-it/

Ryan Orsatti Law | San Antonio, TX
Informational only, not legal advice. Prior results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Quick Answer Usually, yes, you should refuse to let the trucking company take sole possession of your vehicle before your own independent examiner can

10/01/2026

A crash in a school zone, construction zone, or TxDOT work zone can raise a deadline most people never hear about.

If a city, county, school district, or TxDOT may share responsibility, Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 101.101 generally entitles that governmental unit to notice of the claim within six months of the incident. The notice has to reasonably describe the injury, the time and place, and what happened. The same section also recognizes city charter notice periods, so a city claim can carry its own timeline.

This is separate from the general two-year personal injury filing deadline, and it is easy to miss while you are focused on getting better.

It also explains why the scene matters so much in these cases. Barrels get moved, lane closures come down, and school-zone lights stop flashing. Photos of the signs, cones, lane setup, and the time of day can be the only record of what the zone looked like.

Our full guide covers what changes for your claim in a marked school zone or work zone:
https://ryanorsattilaw.com/what-if-my-texas-crash-occurred-in-a-marked-school-zone-active-construction-zone-or-txdot-work-zone/

Ryan Orsatti Law | San Antonio, TX
Informational only, not legal advice. Prior results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Crash in a marked school zone, construction zone, or TxDOT work zone? Learn how the location can affect fault, evidence, insurance, and deadlines in Texas.