Missouri Truck Accident Lawyer Blog

Two fatal tractor trailer accidents in the past week have become tragic reminders that drivers must use caution when driving near tractor trailers.

The first accident occurred on Monday when Missouri Southern State University student Tyler Tuthill, 22, was killed while driving in Oklahoma. He was behind a tractor trailer as it was approaching a construction zone. The truck slowed down, but Tuthill didn't and crashed into the back of the trailer.

We have previously commented on the number of accidents involving both tractor trailers and construction zones.

The second accident happened in Springfield, Missouri and took the life of an 42-year-old Amish farmer, Edward Kropf. Kropf was riding in a pickup truck with his brother when the pickup ran a red light. The pickup pulled directly in front of a tractor-trailer, which crashed into the side of the pickup, killing Kropf.

Tractor trailer crashes are usually more severe due to the extreme forces involved due to their size. Drivers have to be especially cautious when they know a big rig is present. In fact, most tractor trailer crashes are caused by other vehicles hitting or pulling into the path of a tractor trailer.

There are other times when the accident is caused by a negligent truck driver or trucking company who violates a Federal motor carrier regulation. In these cases, it is important to contact an experienced truck accident lawyer as soon as possible so that no evidence is lost.

A tractor-trailer accident in Florida involving three big rigs killed one of the drivers Friday night. One of the other drivers in this fatal truck accident was from right here in Missouri.

According to local media reports, the accident happened on I-95 as a group of vehicles had stopped due to traffic. Among the vehicles that were stopped were two tractor trailers, one driven by Missourian Donald Shrum, 28, and another driven by Alejandro Marquez, 46. A third tractor trailer, driven by James Fairbairn, 63, was approach the line of cars and trucks and failed to stop. Fairbairn's truck slammed into the back of Marquez's, which in turn was pushed into Shrum's.

Fairbairn was rushed to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. The other drivers did not suffer serious injury.

Clean up crews worked for hours to remove the wreckage and clean up hundreds of gallons of spilled diesel fuel.

Like the other chain reaction fatal tractor-trailer wreck we've commented on this month, the forces involved in this accident must have been overwhelming to move and severely damage two trucks weighing up to 80,000 pounds each. These dangerous forces are why commercial trucking is subject to stricter regulation and why all drivers must be careful when operating or driving near a tractor trailer.

If you have been involved in a tractor trailer accident, consult a tractor trailer accident attorney who is knowledgeable about trucking laws will be able to teach you about your rights as an accident victim.

Three tractor-trailers were involved in a Missouri truck accident on I-29 near St. Joseph.

According to local media reports, there were multiple collisions in this incident. The first tractor-trailer struck a car in front of it in the snowy weather causing other vehicles behind to make evasive maneuvers to avoid further collisions. Mac Grant, the driver of the second tractor-trailer, tried to stop to avoid the first accident, but in doing so a third big rig crashed into his truck. The impact of the second crash sent both trucks into the median.

Fortunately, despite the weather and multiple collisions, nobody was seriously injured in this Missouri tractor-trailer accident.

Missouri is approaching the end of winter, but the temperature is still cold enough to make patches of ice on the roadway. Use extra caution when driving in winter weather and make sure that you leave plenty of space between you and other cars and trucks on the road.

Even if you follow every safety tip in the book, other drivers may involve you in an accident with their negligent driving. If this should happen to you or a member of your family, consult a Missouri personal injury attorney as soon as possible to learn your rights as an accident victim and make sure you receive fair compensation.

Karl Krueger, 62, was killed and another man was injured Tuesday in a chain reaction crash that involved five tractor trailers near Missouri Valley, Iowa.

This fatal tractor trailer accident occurred before noon as four of the trucks were stopped on highway I-29. Krueger was driving the fifth truck and, for some reason, failed to notice the line of traffic ahead of him. His truck crashed into the back of the fourth tractor trailer and a chain reaction spread the force of impact to the other trucks.

Krueger was rushed to an area hospital, but was pronounced dead after arriving. The driver of second big rig in the line of four, Charles Sundt, 62, was also taken to the hospital by emergency responders.

Early reports on this serious semi-truck crash have not determined why Krueger was unable to stop his truck before hitting the line of traffic. It has also not been reported what caused the backup of traffic on the highway in the first place.

The crash is still under investigation.

While we don't know what exactly caused this accident, we do know that Krueger must not have had much of a chance to slow down before the impact if his tractor trailer was able to move a line of four others. Each semi-truck with a trailer can weigh up to 80,000 pounds (or more, if motor carrier regulations are violated) so the physical forces involved in this crash must have been incredible. This is especially so if Sundt, the driver of the second truck, was hospitalized even though he had two other big rigs between his truck and Krueger's.

The amount of damage that can be caused by a tractor trailer in an accident is catastrophic. That is why we must ensure that all regulations are followed and negligent companies and drivers are held accountable for their actions. If you have been involved in a tractor trailer accident and would like to discuss your case with a legal professional, contact a tractor trailer accident attorney as soon as possible.

Edward Montgomery, 57, was seriously injured Wednesday after a serious tractor trailer injury accident on Highway 63.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Montgomery was driving a 1991 Mercury cab on Highway 63 around 3:20 p.m. when the crash occurred. A 2007 International tractor trailer was ahead of Montgomery and had slowed to make a right turn. Montgomery rear-ended the trailer and both vehicles came to a stop on the highway.

Montgomery was airlifted to University Hospital in Columbia for emergency treatment. The tractor trailer driver, Ronald Osterholt, 52, was not injured.

Fortunately, Montgomery was wearing a seat belt or this Missouri tractor trailer accident could have been much worse.

Vernon Stokes, 69, was seriously injured Friday morning after his pickup was hit by a tractor trailer on Highway 60.

According to the initial crash report on file with Missouri State Highway Patrol, the tractor trailer was a 2001 Freightliner being driven by John Hammond, 49. Stokes and Hammond simultaneously approached an intersection on Highway 60. Stokes failed to yield to oncoming traffic when making his turn and pulled in the path of the big rig. Hammond's tractor trailer slammed into the driver's side of Stokes' pickup.

Stokes was seriously injured and rushed to Cox South Hospital. Hammond was uninjured, riding in the larger truck.

This Missouri tractor trailer accident should serve as another warning to be vigilant on the roadways for large trucks. In an accident, they can cause devastating injuries. Hopefully Stokes can make a full recovery.

Driver error, like in most accidents, seems to be the main contributing factor here. Driver's should give tractor trailers extra clearance on the highways due to their large size and limited mobility. Sometimes, the driver making the error is the tractor trailer driver. Since the vehicles they drive can cause so much damage, truck drivers have to receive special training and are subject to stricter regulation than the average driver. Whenever these regulations are violated, the chances for accidents increases. If you've been involved in an accident with a tractor trailer, it is advisable to have your case examined by a tractor trailer accident attorney who is knowledgeable about Federal Motor Carrier Regulations.

Traffic on Interstate 29 near Dearborn, Missouri had to deal with the highway being limited to one lane after a Tuesday morning tractor trailer crash spilled debris on the roadway.

According to local media reports, two tractor trailers were involved. One was carrying soda and the other was hauling milk. Details of how this Missouri truck accident occurred are sketchy at the moment, but the soda truck did lose its cargo onto the road while the milk truck went off the road and down a 40 foot embankment. At the moment, it is not known if other vehicles were involved or if it was just the two commercial trucks.

At least one person was injured, but names have not been released.

With the limited details available, it's hard to deduce what caused the accident. Weather might have played a factor as well as darkness since the accident was more than an hour before sunrise. Investigators will look into these and other possible factors as well as determine if any motor carrier regulations were violated.

If more details emerge, we will add them here.

Last month, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood banned all truck drivers from texting while behind the wheel. While this is a step toward preventing serious semi-tractor trailer crashes, texting is not the only distraction for truckers.

Just like other drivers on the road, commercial truck drivers have a plethora of seemingly innocuous distractions that could tempt their attention away from the road. In addition to phones, there are other small personal data devices that drivers could be tinkering with. Navigation systems, which are handy if driving an unfamiliar route, still need to be programmed by hand and can still lure a driver’s eyes away from the task of driving. Aside from the gadgets, drivers could also be taking their hands off the wheel for a bite to eat or even to comb their hair in the rearview mirror. Anything that requires a driver’s attention, even for a couple seconds, can be a recipe for disaster when mixed with a truck weighing 80,000 pounds.

Laptops in the cabin are becoming more popular as well. Trucking companies defend their use because drivers can use them to track their route and communicate more efficiently. While this may be true, negligent use can lead to fatal truck accidents. Recently, a woman in Ohio was killed when a truck driver, who was distracted by his laptop, hit her. While this accident would have been tragic no matter what the trucker was doing with his laptop, the incident was made even more shocking when it was later revealed the truck driver was watching pornography at the time of the crash.

Not all truck drivers are so grossly negligent. It is, in fact, a small percentage of people who would risk other people’s lives because of some silly distraction. It is a danger to be aware of, however, and all drivers should be vigilant on the roads.

If you have been involved in an accident with a tractor trailer and would like professional legal counsel, contact a truck accident lawyer as soon as possible to discuss your case. Accident cases like these are very time sensitive and any delay could result in important evidence being lost.

Holly McIntyre, 39, was killed earlier Thursday morning when she was involved in a serious dump truck crash.

According to the St. Louis Post Dispatch, the accident occurred on Gravois Road at I-270. McIntyre was exiting the highway onto Gravois when the truck hit her car. The truck, which was owned by Missouri American Water and hauling gravel, then overturned, seriously injuring the driver.

McIntyre failed to yield to the truck as she exited the highway just before the fatal truck accident, according to the Post Dispatch report.

McIntyre died at St. Anthony's Medical Center. The truck driver, whose name has not been released, was also rushed to a local hospital for emergency treatment.

Since there was a fatality, an accident reconstruction will follow to definitively describe the series of events that led to this tragic incident.

A St. Louis area tractor trailer crash seriously injured the driver and closed down the eastbound lanes of I-64 on Monday.

The accident occurred when a 2001 Freightliner, driven by Ladon Trigg, 35, slid off the roadway out of control. According to a St. Louis Post Dispatch report, police say Trigg was driving too fast into the curve, which caused him to run off the road and strike the guardrail. The tractor trailer then overturned and one of the fuel tanks exploded sending up large columns of black smoke.

It took more than an hour for emergency responders to pull Trigg from the truck. He was seriously injured and taken to St. Louis University Hospital for treatment.

Clean-up of this St. Louis trucking accident took hours as diesel fuel and hydraulic material was spilled in the crash.

Charges may be pending for the driver, according to the Post Dispatch.

Thankfully no other vehicles were involved or this accident could have been much worse. Hopefully Trigg makes a full recovery. All signs point to Trigg having been operating his vehicle in a negligent manner by speeding through the curve. Investigators will also check to see if any other motor carrier regulations were violated.

While no smaller cars were involved in this crash, many times this is not the case. If you or someone you love has been involved in a crash with a tractor trailer, contact an experienced truck accident attorney as soon as possible to discuss your rights as an accident victim.