Texas TransEastern founder: ‘80% of the incidents we are involved in are not our fault, but we still get sued'

JJ Isbell, founder of Texas TransEastern, said that 80% of incidents involving his company are not their fault, yet they face lawsuits every time because trial lawyers perceive trucking companies as easy targets with high insurance coverage.

"80% of the incidents we are involved in are not our fault, but we still get sued for every one of them because trucking companies are an easy mark because they know we carry high levels of insurance," said Isbell, Founder and President, according to YouTube.

The Lone Star Economic Alliance (LSEA), supported by Texans for Lawsuit Reform (TLR), commended the Texas House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence Committee for advancing Senate Bill 30. The bill is seen as a significant step toward restoring fairness and predictability in the state's legal system. According to LSEA, SB 30 addresses a surge in abusive lawsuits that have increased costs for Texans and threatened business operations. The bill aims to reduce pressure to settle meritless claims and improve transparency by exposing improper coordination between lawyers and medical providers. It would also provide juries with market-based evidence on the true cost of medical services.

Isbell's May 19 statement | YouTube.com

In 2024, Texas led the nation with 23 nuclear verdicts—jury awards exceeding $10 million—more than any other state, according to Marathon Strategies’ report "Corporate Verdicts Go Thermonuclear." These cases contributed to a national surge in such verdicts, which rose 52% from the previous year, totaling $31.3 billion. Texas also ranked third in total award sums, with $3 billion in verdicts, following Nevada and California. This volume highlights Texas' increasing exposure to high-stakes corporate litigation. In contrast, Florida fell sharply in the rankings following recent tort reform efforts.

A study by The Perryman Group, commissioned by Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA), found that Texans pay an average of $1,725 annually in higher prices due to excessive lawsuits and massive court awards—above the national average of $1,666. This "lawsuit tax" drives up the cost of goods, insurance, and services, impacting consumers and businesses alike. From 2009-2023, Texas led the nation with 207 "nuclear verdicts" (awards over $10 million), totaling more than $45 billion. These lawsuits have caused $33.6 billion in annual direct costs and over 450,000 lost jobs across the state. Business leaders and CALA officials are advocating for reforms to limit inflated medical bills, enhance billing transparency, and ensure fair noneconomic damage awards.

According to a report from the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA), Texas is a major hub for legal services advertising. Dallas and Houston both rank among the top ten U.S. media markets for total spending on these ads in 2024. Dallas saw approximately $69.8 million spent on 622,212 ads while Houston accounted for over $56.6 million on more than 411,000 ads. These figures reflect a broader national surge in trial lawyer advertising that reached $2.5 billion across the U.S.—more than double what pizza restaurants spent last year.

JJ Isbell is a fourth-generation Texan and serves as founder and president of Texas TransEastern—a privately held petroleum logistics company based in Pasadena, Texas. He has participated in various civic and industry leadership roles including board membership at Pujols Family Foundation and Texas Trucking Association; he is also a former Pasadena City Council member as well as past chairman of both Pasadena Livestock Show & Rodeo along with Deer Park Education Foundation.