Trucking Accident Attorney Blog

A few days ago, I saw an article in the Marshfield Mail about a woman and her daughter who got into a wreck on I-44 because a tractor-trailer had failed to yield the right of way. Apparently in order to avoid colliding with the big rig as it unexpectedly moved forward, the woman swerved and ended up hitting a guardrail. She and her daughter sustained moderate injuries and were left there to wait for an ambulance. Meanwhile, the truck driver left the scene unscathed.

It is unfortunate that the two injured parties were apparently were in their right minds, on the right side of the law and did everything they could to avoid an accident, yet they still were injured and the truck driver who disobeyed the law was not. As a Missouri large truck accident lawyer, I see situations like this all too often, and unfortunately that's sometimes the way it goes. However, that doesn't mean that the woman and her daughter do not have the right to be compensated for their injuries.

The MSHP did catch up with the tractor-trailer and identified the driver. However, there has been no official report of citations for him. This may be because there was (thankfully) no contact between the two vehicles, but as a St. Louis tractor-trailer wreck attorney I must emphasize that just because there was no contact between vehicles doesn't mean that the truck did not cause an accident. Due to the danger of carrying large and heavy loads, commercial truck drivers should be held especially accountable for their actions when they break the law. If this woman or her daughter ended up with whiplash or other sustained injuries that negatively impact their quality of life, they would have a case and should talk to a Missouri 18-wheeler accident attorney as soon as they can.

Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, The Lowe Law Firm represents people in Missouri and southern Illinois who have been seriously injured in accidents that involve large trucks. If you or a loved one have been harmed or killed due to a commercial truck driver's carelessness, help is available. In a Missouri commercial truck lawsuit you can claim all financial losses incurred by the accident, including but not limited to hospital bills and lost income. You also can be compensated for any injury, pain, disability or wrongful death that came about as a result of the incident. To set up a free consultation and learn more about your rights and your claim, please do not hesitate to contact us online, or call our offices toll-free at 1-877-678-3400.

A tractor-trailer truck recently overturned in Shelby County, injuring a man nearby. Overturning is a particularly deadly hazard with commercial trucks -- a study by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration called it the most common large truck driver fatality accident type. However, what I as a St. Louis tractor trailer accident attorney find remarkable about this story is that the injured party wasn't even close to the road -- in fact, according to reports, he was 200 feet away.

Let's take another look at the situation. The accident happened at nighttime, so the road was likely dark and traffic was probably light. Reportedly, all that the driver did was fail to stop at a stop sign before making a turn. All of this might sound harmless enough, but in a two-ton 18-wheeler, the stakes go way up, no matter how deserted the road appears. The smallest failure to follow traffic rules can result in the truck's load overturning, leading to serious injuries not only for the driver, but also for whomever and whatever might be nearby.

Fortunately, the victim reportedly only sustained only minor injuries as a result of this wreck. But as a Missouri commercial truck injury lawyer, I know that other victims aren’t always so lucky. Because large commercial trucks outweigh cars by as much as 200 times, they can cause very severe damage in an accident that pits the two vehicle types against one another. Victims can be killed or suffer catastrophic, life-changing injuries, including permanent brain damage or paralysis. Just like all drivers, truck drivers have a legal responsibility to take care on the road, and that includes obeying traffic laws. When they fail, victims have the right to hold them legally and financially responsible for their actions with a Missouri trucking accident lawsuit.

With law offices in St. Louis, Missouri and Belleville, Illinois, The Lowe Law Firm represents clients in Missouri and southern Illinois who were seriously hurt in a serious accident with a large truck. If you have been injured by a commercial truck, or lost a loved one in an accident that you believe was caused by a trucker’s carelessness, we can help. In a Missouri semi truck accident lawsuit, you can claim all of your losses related to the accident, including financial losses like hospital bills and lost income, as well as compensation for an injury, pain, disability or wrongful death. To set up a free consultation and learn more about your rights, please contact us online, or call our firm toll-free at 1-877-678-3400.

Last week, an annual campaign dubbed Road Check 2009 was held at more than 1,000 locations across North America. Sponsored by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), the inspections took place from Tuesday, June 2 through Thursday, June 4. Over these three days, state law enforcement agencies conducted intensive inspections of safety equipment and practices aboard 18-wheel vehicles. The inspections included seatbelt use, vehicle condition, truck drivers' logbooks (to verify that drivers were getting enough sleep), licenses and insurance documents. Signs of possible drug and/or alcohol use also were investigated. "Our ultimate goal is the safety of everybody on the roadways," said Texas DPS Trooper Gabriel Medrano in a statement. "With these trucks being as large as they are and with I-40 being as packed as it is with trucks, [we want] to ensure that everybody on the roadway [is] safe and taken care of."

In my time as a St. Louis commercial truck accident lawyer, I have seen more than my share of these unnecessary and tragic accidents, so I applaud this campaign wholeheartedly. The amount of potential damage caused by these large vehicles is much higher than that of cars, pickup trucks, SUVs and other conventional vehicles. Let's face it: in a head-on collision with a big rig, a compact car doesn't have a fighting chance. For this reason, commercial truck drivers are held to driving laws significantly more stringent than those of the average motorist.

But as accident statistics show, truck drivers don't always comply with these rules. Commercial drivers are typically paid by the mile and penalized financially for failing to meet deadlines, so they have an incentive to drive longer, even after fatigue has set in. To combat this, some drivers use stimulants to keep themselves alert on the road, but the effects of these drugs can be hard to predict, and often make the driver and other motorists less safe, not more.

As not only a Missouri commercial truck crash attorney but a concerned citizen, I sincerely hope that there will be more checks like these in the coming year. Still, one might argue that these test should be taken a step further. For example, Road Check is announced a year in advance, giving truckers plenty of advance warning so they could be sure to be on their best behavior. To quote a January 1 post on a popular trucking industry blog, "Make your vacation plans in advance this year...No I am joking, it really is not that bad, just make sure you are legal these days."

The comment was made in fun, but it does point to the fact that many drivers who habitually break the law could refrain from doing so on those days, only to return to old habits when the checks were over. I can see why the CVSA might want to conduct the inspections only once a year as a concerted effort, but I would speculate that random vehicle checks would give drivers more incentive to stay clean and sober, and to work realistic shifts that end well before they are too tired to maintain control of their faculties. In addition to making the roads safer, it could help to ensure that law enforcement resources, and your tax dollars, are being used efficiently.

In spite of the advance warning, the CVSA said last year's road checks cited more than 1,400 violations from nearly 200 drivers. That's over just a few days. This goes to show that big rig accidents are still far more common than they should be -- especially when you consider that the law not only holds drivers accountable for commercial truck traffic violations, but often the companies they work for as well.

If you or someone you love has been seriously injured or killed in a Missouri or southern Illinois trucking accident, don't wait to contact The Lowe Law Firm. With offices in St. Louis and Belleville, Ill., our St. Louis big rig accident lawyers represents people throughout Missouri and southern Illinois who have been seriously hurt in accidents involving large trucks. To learn more about how we can help you in a free, confidential consultation, please contact us online, or call us toll-free at 1-877-678-3400.

A few days ago I came across an article in the St. Clair Record about a particularly disturbing southern Illinois trucking accident. On May 22, Aisha Wright filed suit in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Reithoffer Shows truck driver Tina Hales. Wright cited severe head, neck and back injuries as a result of Hales’ attempt to turn left across the highway -- at a red light.

According to her statement, Wright was driving west on Illinois Route 15 in Alorton on July 21, 2008. As she approached the highway’s intersection with Race Horse Drive and Lakewood Place, the green light was in her favor, so she continued across. But at that same moment, Hales attempted a left turn onto Race Horse Drive, in violation of a red light. As a result, the Reithoffer Shows carnival truck that Hales was driving crashed violently into Wright’s vehicle.

Many wrecks involving commercial trucks can be traced to the driver not having had enough sleep, or having been under the influence of drugs or alcohol. But speaking as a southern Illinois trucking accident lawyer, I can tell you that the simple mistake of not stopping at designated intersections can have devastating consequences. Commercial truck drivers who do not heed basic road signs can wreak havoc on the innocent people sharing their roads, causing death, brain damage and other catastrophic injuries.

The suit charged Hales with several types of negligence: failing to stop the truck as she entered the intersection, failing to make a proper left turn, failing to yield the right-of-way, failing to pay attention, and failing to keep a proper lookout. It seeks a judgment in excess of $100,000 plus costs. But Wright’s injuries are just the beginning; her vehicle also was severely damaged and its value dramatically depreciated. In addition, she says she will suffer disability, pain and suffering, lost wages, incurred medical expenses and, ultimately, the loss of a normal life.

It is hard to put a price on how, in a single instant, one negligent truck driver can irreparably alter a person's life and the lives of their loved ones. However, as a southern Illinois trucking accident attorney, it is my job to make sure that whatever can be recovered, is. If you or a loved one has been in a serious trucking accident in Missouri or southern Illinois, you should call The Lowe Law Firm as soon as possible. Based in St. Louis and Belleville, Ill., we represent people throughout Missouri and southern Illinois who have been injured by the carelessness of a truck drivers or trucking company. We can help you win the money you need to pay medical bills, replace income lost while you cannot work, and compensate you for a permanent disability or the loss of a family member. Please contact the Lowe Law Firm online today for a free, confidential consultation, or call us toll-free at 1-877-678-3400.