Trucking Accident Attorney Blog

Tractor-trailers are loaded with hi-tech devices. Computers, on-board data recorders, electronic logging devices and GPS systems can track speed, hard-braking and maintenance.

As Lawyers Weekly USA reporter Sylvia Hsieh points out in, “Tech devices leave trail of evidence in trucking litigation,” the information is a boon for lawyers who represent truck crash victims.

But it also means that trucking litigation has become much more specialized. A lawyer who treats a case involving 18-wheeler as if it were one involving a really big car is flirting with malpractice.

An experienced trucking accident lawyer knows what devices are used on trucks, how to mine the data from the sophisticated devices and how to turn that information into evidence. Therefore, victims injured in an accident involving an 18-wheeler - or those who have lost a family member as a result of a trucking accident - should hire a lawyer who has successfully handled trucking litigation cases in the past.

The article also highlights the importance of hiring an experienced lawyer quickly. A delay in retaining a lawyer could mean that evidence is lost.

If you have been hurt or a loved one has been hurt or died as a result of a truck driver's carelessness, contact The Lowe Law Firm Missouri/Illinois trucking-accident lawyers online or by calling 877-678-3400.

Large commercial trucks, also known as 18-wheelers, semis, and tractor-trailers, account for more than their share of serious injuries and traffic deaths on America's highways. According to the National Center for Statistics and Analysis , large trucks are responsible for 12 percent of all traffic fatalities, even though only 3 percent of all registered vehicles are trucks and trucks account for only 7 percent of vehicle miles traveled.

As a result, big rigs are heavily regulated. The federal rules, found at 49 C.F.R. Section 392, cover a variety of issues including driver impairment, drug and alcohol use, speed limits, equipment maintenance and cargo distribution.

According to Section 392.3, a trucker may not drive if his or her ability or alertness is impaired by fatigue or illness.

Section 392.4 prohibits possession or use of amphetamines, narcotics and any other drug that might render the driver unsafe. Furthermore, a trucker may not drive while using prescription drugs unless the doctor has advised that the medication will not affect his or her driving ability.

A driver may not drink alcohol within four hours before hitting road or driving while under the influence. Section 392.5 also prohibits drivers from possessing wine, beer or alcohol unless it is part of a shipment.

According to Section 392.7, the following parts to be in good working order before a tractor-trailer can be driven: service brakes, parking brake, steering mechanism, lighting devices and reflectors, tires, horn, windshield wipers, rear-vision mirrors and coupling devices.

When it comes to cargo, Section 392.8 requires that the load must be adequately distributed and secured.

If a truck driver or commercial carrier fails to follow these common-sense rules, innocent motorists can get hurt or even killed.

If you have been hurt or a loved one has been hurt or died as a result of a truck driver's carelessness, contact The Lowe Law Firm Missouri/Illinois trucking-accident lawyers online or by calling 877-678-3400.

A truck driver who fell asleep behind the wheel of his semi and killed seven children has been sentenced to seven years in prison -- one year for each child, The Florida Times-Union reports in an article written by Paul Pinkham.

In January 2006, Alvin Wilkerson was 25 miles into an 85-mile trip hauling bottled water for Crete Carrier Corp. when he slammed into the back of a van that was stopped behind a school bus. He had been awake for nearly 34 hours and fell asleep while driving.

In the van were the 15-year-old driver, Nikki Mann, her siblings, Elizabeth Mann, 15, Johnny Mann, 13, and Heaven Mann, 3; two cousins, Ashley Keen, 14, and Miranda Finn, 10; and the Manns’ foster brother, Anthony Lamb, 20 months.

Both the van and tractor-trailer rammed into the school bus. The van burst into flames and killed everyone inside. Ten children on the school bus were also hurt, some severely.

Wilkerson was charged with seven counts of vehicular homicide and 10 counts of misdemeanor culpable negligence.

State Attorney William Cervone of Gainsville said that the conviction may be the first case in Florida where someone went to prison for falling asleep behind the wheel.

Cervone also indicated that the prison sentence doesn’t end the pursuit of justice in the case. Wilkerson has already discussed his sleep deprivation with prosecutors.

Assistant State Attorney Geoffrey Fleck added:

“We’re hoping that this will send a message to the trucking companies that if they drive sleep-deprived drivers, they could be not only civilly but criminally liable.”

That message is vital. Companies that pressure truckers to break the hours-of-service rules put the lives of innocent men, women and children at risk. Those companies should have to face criminal charges.

If you have been hurt or a loved one has been hurt or died as a result of a truck driver's carelessness, contact The Lowe Law Firm Missouri/Illinois trucking-accident lawyers online or by calling 877-678-3400.

Thirty-nine dangerous trucks were taken off the road last week after the Nebraska State Patrol conducted surprise inspections in Grand Island.

Troopers pulled over commercial trucks at six sites on June 11. The aim was to inspect in-town trucks that rarely, if ever, go through weigh stations. Trucks were inspected to ensure they complied with weight and size restrictions, that equipment was in good working order and that valid permits had been secured.

Of the 87 trucks inspected, the highway patrol uncovered 291 violations. Thirty-nine trucks were taken out of service and will not be allowed to return until the problems are fixed. Troopers also issued over $10,000 in fines.

These inspections play an extremely important role in the effort to make sure the roads are safe for motorists, motorcyclists and pedestrians. Mechanical problems and shifting loads are to blame for causing ten percent of all deadly crashes involving trucks.

If you have been hurt or a loved one has been hurt or died as a result of a truck driver's carelessness, contact The Lowe Law Firm Missouri/Illinois trucking-accident lawyers online or by calling 877-678-3400.

Visit our Truck-Accident Information Center.

A trucker who crashed her semi and spilled aluminum onto an interstate in Nashville was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving.

The accident occurred June 10 on eastbound Interstate 40. According to WSMV (Ch. 4), Nashville, the truck driver didn’t notice a curve in the highway. She lost control, drove through the grass and onto the Interstate 440 on-ramp then hit the retainer wall and flipped the big rig on its side.

After smelling alcohol, police tested the truck driver and discovered she was above the limit established for both commercial drivers and regular motorists.

John Pepper of the Metro Police Department said:

“The state of Tennessee requires that a truck driver, number one, shouldn’t be drinking at all when their behind the wheel. But their limit for alcohol is much lower than the average driver that would be operating a standard motor vehicle. In this case, the tractor-trailer driver was significantly above even that level.”

Fortunately, no one was hurt.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Large Truck Crash Causation Study, alcohol played a role in one percent of all truck crashes involved in fatal accidents. Illegal drug use played a role in two percent of all truck crashes involved in fatal accidents.

Drinking and driving is a poor choice for any driver. However, when a trucker drives under the influence, the stakes are even higher. The average car weighs only 3,500 pounds while a fully-loaded tractor-trailer can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds.

If you have been hurt or a loved one has been hurt or died as a result of a truck driver's carelessness, contact The Lowe Law Firm Missouri/Illinois trucking-accident lawyers online or by calling 877-678-3400.

Visit our Truck-Accident Information Center.

On Tuesday, a Greyhound bus carrying 42 people flipped onto its side and injured more than two dozen people, the Daily Herald reports.

Darren P. Duke, 46, was driving the bus as the time of the accident. Police suspect the driver fell asleep.

According to the news article, the bus drifted onto the gravel, fishtailed, then overcorrected. It then hit the center wall. The bus eventually ended up on its right side with its wheels against the concrete barriers in the highway’s median. The passengers' injuries did not appear to be life-threatening.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, more than 11,000 buses were involved in crashes during 2006. Of that number, 299 of the collisions were fatal and more than 6,000 resulted in injuries.

Because trains and buses are common carriers, the companies and their drivers and conductors owe a high degree of responsibility for transporting each passenger in a safe manner. A transit company that fails to fulfill this responsibility may be required to compensate victims for their injuries.

If you have been injured or a loved one has been injured or killed in an accident involving a common carrier, please contact our attorneys for legal assistance as soon as possible. We will investigate to determine whether the bus, train, driver or conductor was responsible for causing the accident.

The lawyers of The Lowe Law Firm are experienced in helping victims of bus and train accidents. We will seek compensation for past and future medical expenses, past and future wages, pain and suffering, disability and other damages. We also represent family members in wrongful death cases.

We offer a free initial consultation for victims of bus and train accidents. If you cannot make it to our office, we will come to you at the hospital or your home.

Contact the lawyers at The Lowe Law Firm today by calling 877-678-3400.

An East St. Louis, Ill. highway worker was killed Monday morning when a semi plowed through a construction site, Fox 2-St. Louis reports.

The 39-year-old worker, Cedric Gasper, was sitting on the rear bumper of a white pickup truck when a semi barreled through several orange, construction zone barrels set up on Highway 15 and Green Mountain Road in Belleville. The semi hit the truck Gasper was riding in, sending him flying through the air. He was airlifted to St. Louis University Hospital where he later died.

The Illinois State Police and the Belleville Police are investigating the cause of the accident.

According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, there are over 7,000 work zone motor vehicle crashes a year in Illinois resulting in 2,600 injuries and 33 deaths. On average, two highway workers are killed.

If you have been hurt or a loved one has been hurt or died as a result of a truck driver's carelessness, contact The Lowe Law Firm Missouri/Illinois trucking-accident lawyers online or by calling 877-678-3400.

Visit our Truck-Accident Information Center.