Missouri Truck Accident Lawyer Blog

Gary Whitledge, 66, was seriously injured after a collision with a tractor trailer Sunday afternoon on Highway 61.

Whitledge was driving his 2002 Ford northbound just before the crash. He approached the intersection of Highway 61 and Missouri 177 at the same time as a 2000 Peterbilt tractor trailer, driven by Phillip Ray, 31. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Ray pulled the tractor trailer into the path of Whitledge, who was unable to avoid the crash.

Whitledge was seriously injured and taken to St. Francis Medical Center for emergency treatment. Ray was uninjured and was able to drive his big rig from the scene.

While the initial crash report states that Ray pulled in front of Whitledge, it does not describe the details leading up to this Missouri tractor trailer injury accident. If the intersection was controlled, who had the right of way? How fast were the vehicles going? Did Ray make a negligent maneuver in pulling out in front of Whitledge? All these questions will need to be answered by further investigation.

Investigations into tractor trailer crashes can last a long time, depending on the severity of the crash. The driving logs of the truck driver are usually investigated to see if any motor carrier violations occurred. An accident reconstruction is also sometimes performed to try and determine liability. During this period, insurance companies will often try and contact those involved for statements. It is advisable to crash victims to consult a Missouri personal injury attorney to learn your rights before talking to insurance representatives. Many times they will be looking for ways to lower their damage payment or even eliminate it entirely.

In a move designed to prevent deadly tractor trailer crashes, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has banned commercial truck and bus drivers from texting behind the wheel.

The rule goes into effect immediately and drivers caught texting can face penalties of up to $2,750. It is unclear how the new rule will be enforced.

This ban fits with the trend as the nation tries to control distracted driving and prevent the car and truck accident injuries that it causes. 19 states already have some sort of texting ban for drivers, according to a CNN report.

The dangers of texting and driving are clear. Two recent train accidents, one in California and one in Massachusetts, have been blamed on engineers missing signals due to texting. In the St. Louis area, there have been a couple high profile cases of tractor trailer drivers being distracted by their cell phones.

According to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration statistics cited in a CNN report, drivers have their eyes off the road for 4.6 out of every 6 seconds while texting. Texting drivers are 20 times more likely to cause an accident and eighty percent of all accidents are related to driver inattention.

Three people were injured Sunday when a tractor trailer collided with a car on Highway 36 in Macon County, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The initial crash report filed for this Missouri tractor trailer injury crash says the accident took place two miles east of the city of Macon as a 1994 Buick, driven by Joseph P. Joseph, 52, headed westbound on the highway. A 2006 International tractor trailer, driven by Adam Neisen, 28, was also traveling westbound behind the Buick. Joseph then attempted to make a left turn at the same time that Neisen attempted to pass Joseph's vehicle. The big rig then crashed into the Buick, totaling the smaller passenger car.

Joseph and two passengers in his car, Binu Joseph, 46, and Loren Joseph, 14, were all injured and taken to Samaritan Memorial Hospital for emergency treatment. Neisen was not injured, according to the initial crash report.

All the passengers in the Buick were wearing a seat belt. No citations were described in the report on this commercial truck crash.

While the report gives some details on how the accident occurred, it does not lay out enough information to determine who was at fault for the crash. Further investigation will be needed to determine whether Joseph make a quick and negligent turn, or if the Neisen caused the accident by attempting to pass after Joseph had initiated the turn.

An investigation into this accident will also reveal whether any motor carrier regulations were violated by the tractor trailer driver or the company he works for. If you have been involved in an accident with a tractor trailer and you would like to learn your rights as an accident victim, contact a Missouri truck accident lawyer as soon as possible.

Photo by WDAF-TV

A 3-year-old boy was killed and at least 30 others were injured in a staggering pile up near Kansas City on Saturday morning. 19 vehicles were involved in all, including six tractor trailers.

This chain reaction tractor trailer crash occurred on I-35 and authorities say that low temperatures, slick roads and a thick fog made the area very treacherous. The crash happened around 7 a.m. so the sun had not quite risen yet either, further reducing visibility.

According to a WDAF-Kansas City report, this fatal tractor trailer and car wreck was first triggered when a tow truck, which had been stopped to help a disabled vehicle, was hit. A chain reaction occurred where several big rigs jack-knifed and other cars began rear ending one another.

The boy, whose name has not been released, was apparently riding without a seat belt or car seat and was involved in one of the worst collisions in this pile up. 15 others were taken to area hospitals, six with life-threatening injuries. At least 30 people sustained some type of injury, though officials quoted in the WDAF report say the accident could have been much worse given the conditions.

Our thoughts our with the family of the deceased and hopefully all of the injured make a full recovery.

An unusually large amount of fog has been present across the area for several days now and continues to cause problems. Patchy ice may still remain on roadways for days after a snowfall.

While there is no doubt the weather played a factor in this tragic accident, all drivers are responsible for their own vehicle despite the conditions. Driving in conditions you or your vehicle can't handle will increase your chances of being involved in a serious injury accident. Know your limitations and know the conditions of the road before getting on the highway.

In our last post we talked a little about the dangers of ice falling from trucks and causing serious personal injury and property damage. While the danger of ice falling from a tractor trailer is a concern limited to colder weather, drivers have to be on the lookout for lost cargo all year long.

You've probably seen a piece of debris on the highway before. Maybe it was a mattress blocking lanes during the morning rush or a tire propped up against the median. It could have fallen from the back of a pickup or an open bed tractor trailer, but wherever it came from, these items can be very dangerous. Large items like construction equipment can crush smaller cars and even tiny pieces of debris can pop a tire and make a car spin out of control.

To prevent fatal car accidents caused by debris falling from tractor trailers, the FMCSA has made a detailed a set of rules for truck drivers on how to properly secure cargo. These rules are very elaborate and specific to certain items. There are guidelines for securing logs, concrete pipe, cars and many more.

If these rules are not followed, there is a chance that the cargo could come loose and fall into the roadway damaging other vehicles and injuring their occupants. In certain situations it can even be difficult to find the person responsible for losing the debris as a tractor trailer driver might not even realize he's lost cargo until miles down the road.

While it may take some investigation to find a vehicle that left debris in the roadway, it is necessary to hold that driver responsible. If you have been involved in a tractor trailer accident, contact a Missouri personal injury lawyer as soon as possible to discuss your rights.

One danger that may not be readily apparent to you as you drive on the highway this winter is the risk of large sheets of ice falling off of tractor trailers. Every year, there are numerous incidents where a driver suffers a serious personal injury or is involved in a car accident after losing control of the vehicle when a chunk of ice smashes through the windshield.

If you've driven on the highway long, you've probably had to deal with minor debris hitting your car from large trucks. The large tires of tractor trailers are good at kicking up small rocks and dump trucks have a tendency to lose small bits of what they're hauling as they hit bumps in the road. Usually this only causes minor scratches or cracks in passenger cars (not to mention the headache of patching these minor damages).

In the winter time, though, the tops of tractor trailers can accumulate large blocks of ice that are liable to break free at any moment. The large flat surface of a trailer roof catches lots of snow and water which can shift easily as the truck moves.

The Chicago Daily Herald has recently reported on a handful of accidents in which thousands of dollars in damage and moderate personal injuries have been caused by falling sheets of ice. New York is considering changing its laws about clearing ice from trucks after a woman there was killed when a piece of ice smashed through a windshield after falling off a tractor trailer.

Unfortunately, it is hard to track the number of these types of incidents each year. Sometimes they go unreported and even in severe cases, the truck that loses the ice is often never found. Perhaps if we had a better understanding of just how big a problem this is, we might see more aggressive regulation to reign in these types of accidents.

If you have been involved in an accident where ice or some type of falling debris has damaged your car and caused injury, contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your case as soon as possible. Be sure to document any information you have about the incident and vehicles involved.

It should go without saying that drivers need to be extra cautious when traveling on ice or snow covered roadways, but every year around this time hundreds of accidents occur because someone was driving recklessly. Drivers should be aware of how the slick conditions affect their ability to brake and turn as well as the effect these conditions have on other vehicles like tractor trailers. We have already seen some terrible Missouri car and truck accidents this winter like a recent crash where a man rear-ended a tractor trailer and several wrecks where vehicles have slid off the roadway.

Tractor trailers, which are already had to stop because of their weight, can slide out of control and become an 80,000 pound wrecking ball in the hands of an inexperienced driver. Be aware of every truck on the road and don't make any risky maneuvers such as following too closely for the driver's mirrors to see you or racing to get ahead of a truck on an entrance ramp. These maneuvers already cause many Missouri tractor trailer injury accidents in good weather conditions and are only made worse with winter weather.

Here are some other tips to keep in mind when driving in the snow:

-Slow down. While you can still slide out of control at surprisingly slow speeds, going slower does give you more time to correct yourself should you find yourself skidding out of control.

-Be prepared before you get in the car and be prepared for anything when you are behind the wheel. Before you start driving, make sure your windows and mirrors are cleared so you can see while driving. In extreme conditions, you may also want to equip your car with snow tires or chains to help gain traction. Once you are on the road, be prepared for any vehicle to lose control and start sliding. Make sure you leave plenty of space between your car and other vehicles.

-Brake before turns. Slow your vehicle by braking before you have to make a turn, then accelerate through the turn. This gives you far more control and reduces your risk of spinning out than if you accelerate all the way up to the turn and then attempt to brake as you make the turn.

There are many other tip available online and I would recommend preparing yourself before you drive, especially if you are not used to winter driving. While winter conditions certainly play a role in crashes, they are not necessarily a legal defense should a crash occur. If you have been injured in a crash and would like to discuss your rights as an accident victim, please contact an experienced Missouri personal injury attorney as soon as possible.

Wayne Priebe, 66, was seriously injured in a Missouri truck accident after his pickup collided with a dump truck Monday morning on Route B in Lewis County.

Priebe was traveling southbound on Route B when the accident occurred, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. A 2005 Western Star Diesel dump truck, driven by Daniel Fahser, 43, was backing up on 160th Street right off of Route B. As he did so, the dump bed of the truck entered Route B and Priebe was unable to avoid a collision.

Priebe was seriously injured and airlifted to Blessing Hospital for treatment. Fahser was uninjured according to the initial crash report.

The big question surrounding this case is whether the dump truck made a unsafe maneuver in backing up or if Priebe was being inattentive. If the truck driver didn't have the appropriate reflectors on his dump truck or began backing up in a negligent manner, he will likely be held responsible for the crash. Accident reconstuctionists and investigators can examine the crash scene and determine the speed of the vehicles and whether any violations occurred that may have contributed to the accident.

If violations are discovered, a Missouri truck accident lawyer may be able to recover damages for the injured party. An experienced attorney will be able to used the evidence given by the investigators to reveal all violations and recover the maximum award to compensate a victim for their medical bills and other expenses.

The enormous size and weight of tractor trailers makes them very imposing vehicles to drive alongside on the highway. These same factors also make the truck driver's job more complicated as he has to account for the size of his truck in every maneuver he makes in order to avoid a tractor trailer wreck.

A tractor trailer's average length is between 70 and 80 feet long. As you can imagine, this makes every turn a challenge. Tractor trailers don't have nearly the same turning radius as a passenger car and drivers must calculate whether the road they are on is wide enough to make a safe turn. It takes an experienced driver to make these turns safely, but accidents do still happen. That is why you see labels on the back of trailers warning about wide turns. Many tractor trailer accidents have occurred as a result of a passenger car moving too close to a tractor trailer as it was trying to make a turn.

The weight of a tractor trailer also contributes to injury accidents as heavier trucks are harder to stop and cause more damage when an accident occurs. The legal limit for a truck's weight is 80,000 lbs. The average car only weighs about 5,000 lbs. To help control this extra weight, tractor trailers have been fitted with numerous powerful braking systems, but it still takes 40% longer to stop a tractor trailer as it does a passenger car traveling at the same speed.

If the driver doesn't know how to turn properly or is forced to brake hard, he may also force his tractor trailer into a jackknife. If the cab turns at a 45 degree angle in relation to the trailer then a jackknife is almost unavoidable as the weight of the trailer will push forward and lock the two halves in a folded position similar to an open pocket knife, hence the term jackknife.

With all these complicating factors, it takes an experienced driver and a trucking company devoted to safety to avoid potentially fatal 18 wheeler crashes. Unfortunately, not all companies follow federal guidelines and some operate their vehicles with dangerous negligence. These companies must be held accountable to make the roads safer for everyone. If you or a loved one has been involved in a tractor trailer accident, call a Missouri truck accident lawyer to learn your rights and have him look over your case.