Missouri Truck Accident Lawyer Blog

Wilfred Solano, a 56 year old man from St. Joseph, Missouri was injured in a Buchanan County Missouri tractor trailer accident on December 13, 2011. The early morning Missouri truck accident occurred as Solano was driving a 2004 Honda Civic on southbound I-29, 1 mile south off St. Joseph, Missouri. The towed unit of a 2003 Freightliner tractor trailer collided with Solano’s Honda.

The Honda spun around on the interstate highway after the initial impact, and then struck the towed unit of the Freightliner for a second time. The Honda stopped on its wheels in the middle of the interstate at the conclusion of the Buchanan County Missouri tractor trailer accident. The Freightliner was brought to a controlled stop on the shoulder of the highway by out of state truck driver Kenneth I. Harris.

Solano was transported to Heartland Regional Medical Center for medical treatment for his injuries. Solano’s Honda was totaled in the Missouri truck accident. The Honda was towed away from the scene of the accident. The truck driver was not injured and the tractor trailer was driven for the scene.

Missourians injured in Buchanan County Missouri semi-truck accidents often worry about their legal expenses. Trucking companies are sometimes represented by “insurance defense” attorneys who exclusively work to keep compensation out of the hands of truck accident victims. Truck accident victims often wonder how they can afford to pay the high hourly rates of a lawyer.

Our Buchanan County Missouri personal injury attorneys will not send truck accident victims bills while a lawsuit is ongoing. In fact, we do not charge our clients any fees until the case is settled or a verdict is issued. Our attorneys work on contingency so that truck accident victims can focus on the emotional and physical consequences of a truck accident.

Two Edgerton residents were killed in a Clinton County Missouri truck accident that occurred on December 1, 2011. Two other Edgerton residents were seriously injured. The fatal Missouri truck accident occurred at the intersection of Missouri highway 116 and U.S. highway 69, roughly four miles east of Lathrop, Missouri.

The accident victims traveled in a 1995 Honda Accord driven by Larry R. Cockriel, 66, on eastbound MO-116. A 2006 International Conventional driven by an out of state truck driver failed to stop at a stop sign as it drove northbound on US-69. The Honda crashed into the trailer in the intersection. The Honda came to rest lodged underneath the trailer of the International.

Cockriel and occupant Carol J. Cockriel, 66, were pronounced dead at the scene of the fatal Missouri truck accident. Two other occupants in the Honda were seriously injured in the accident. 15 year old Draven M. Cockriel of Edgerton was taken to Liberty Hospital by Tri-County Ambulance. Draven Cockriel was later transferred to Children’s Mercy Hospital. 59 year old Wendy S. Wall of Liberty, Missouri was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital by Lifenet Helicopter. Wall was the only occupant in the Honda who wore a seatbelt during the Missouri stop sign truck accident.

Fatal truck accidents leave tragedy in their wake. The families left behind have to deal with the flood of negative emotions associated with the loss of a loved one. Deadly traffic accidents happen occur suddenly, meaning families have to make unexpected decisions while grieving. Families may have to worry about funeral arrangements. If the family depended on the accident victim for an income, the family may grow anxious about their ability to pay for their living expenses. No family should ever be put in this position because of a negligent truck accident.

The laws of Missouri aim to help families put in this position through its wrongful death statute. Missouri statute 537.080 allows the families of accident victims to obtain compensation for a wrongful death. A wrongful death is a death that is caused by the negligent or wrongful conduct of another. When an accident victim is killed in an accident caused by a truck driver’s failure to simply stop at a stop sign, the family left is able to file a wrongful death claim.

Continue reading "Trucker Causes Double Fatality in Missouri Stop Sign Truck Accident" »

Christine Boone of Bucyrus, Missouri was pronounced dead after a Missouri truck accident that occurred on Fort Leonard Wood. According to reports, Boone was driving a 2005 Dodge Neon. The Neon was involved in a two-vehicle Missouri truck accident with a Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck in the afternoon.

Boone was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident by medical personnel from the General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital. An occupant in Boone’s vehicle was sent to the University of Missouri Hospital in Columbia, Missouri. The occupant was transported to the University Hospital by St. John’s Life Line Medical Services. The Fort Leonard Wood Military Police indicated that the occupant was in critical condition. There were no reported injuries for the soldier who drove the Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck.

Missouri truck accidents are a potentially devastating event in someone’s life. Truck accident victims may suffer from a number of serious injuries – traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, and painful fractures. Truck accident victims may have to endure expensive hospital stays, multiple medical tests, and painful surgical operations. The physical and financial consequences of a Missouri truck accident may be immense for a truck accident victim.

The emotional consequences may be severe as well. Many truck accident victims report suffering from nightmares after the accident. Flashback memories may cause the truck accident victim to repeatedly relive painful memories from the accident. The emotional consequences may be compounded by “survivor’s guilt” – a mental condition by which someone who has survived a life-threatening event feels guilty because other victims did not survive.

Truck accident victims may feel devastated by the physical, financial, and emotional consequences of a Missouri truck accident. In this stressful stage, decisions about whether to file a lawsuit or accept a settlement offer from an insurance company may feel overwhelming. Truck accident victims and their families are advised to get an experienced Missouri truck accident lawyer involved in the process as early as possible. A knowledgeable Missouri truck accident attorney will understand how to obtain just compensation from negligent truck drivers or trucking companies.

An 18 year old from Florissant, Missouri was killed in a Saint Charles County Missouri trucking accident. The fatal St. Charles County Missouri truck accident occurred on October 5, 2011 at 6:10pm.

The St. Charles County truck accident occurred as 18 year old Hamza J. Hamdan of Florissant travelled along U.S. Highway 67 behind a Freightliner tractor trailer. The tractor trailer, driven by Dale W. Mennemeier of West Alton, unexpectedly slowed. Hamdan’s 1996 Cadillac ETC crashed into the rear of the Freightliner.

Hamdan was transported to Alton Memorial Hospital after the accident in the Arch Helicopter. The teenager was later pronounced dead by Dr. Shiv Patil. The accident victim’s next of kin has been notified.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), thousands of large trucks are involved in fatal traffic accidents each year. The substantial size of a tractor trailer acts as a multiplier for the force of the collision. Large commercial motor vehicles cause significantly stronger forces during a collision than a passenger vehicle or SUV. As a result, accident victims may be more likely to suffer a fatality in a Missouri truck accident than in a typical car accident.

Truck drivers and their insurance companies will attempt to defend any lawsuit that results from a Missouri truck accident, even when the truck accident kills the accident victim. Under Missouri statute §537.085, a wrongful death lawsuit defendant may bring the defenses that the defendant would have been entitled to “had death not ensued.” Missouri statute §537.085 essentially enables wrongful death defendants to use any defense available.

Missouri statute §537.085 does not limit the defenses available to wrongful death defendants. Truck accident wrongful death plaintiffs should consult practiced Missouri wrongful death attorneys to strategize how to overcome the opposing side’s defenses. Experienced plaintiff’s attorneys will be able to anticipate the common defenses that truck accident defendants make based on the facts. By reviewing the police report, the crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the accident reconstruction report, an experienced Missouri truck accident attorney may understand how to combat the defenses raised by the defendant.

Continue reading "Florissant Teen Killed in St. Charles County Trucking Accident" »

Shana M. Peterson from Stoutland, Missouri was injured in a Laclede County Missouri truck accident this week. The Laclede County truck accident occurred on Route T at I-44.

Peterson drove a 2001 Pontiac Sunfire on Route T near I-44. A large 2005 Kenworth tractor trailer attempted a left turn onto Route T. The tractor trailer, driven by Donald E. Wilkinson of Mount Vernon, crashed into the Pontiac. Peterson suffered the only reported injuries in the accident. She was transported to St. John’s Hospital in Lebanon, Missouri for medical treatment.

Left hand turns are an accident prone maneuver. According to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 6.1% of vehicles involved in fatal crashes were turning left. For comparison, only 0.8% of vehicles involved in fatal crashes were turning right.

Tractor trailers that attempt a left-hand turn are particularly dangerous to other vehicles. Tractor trailers make wider turns than passenger vehicles. The wide turning radius of tractor trailers causes them to cross into multiple lanes while turning. Truck drivers sit much higher than passenger vehicle drivers. As a result, a truck driver making a left turn may not be able to see all the nearby vehicles. Missouri left-hand turn truck accidents are a possibility whenever a tractor trailer attempts a left turn near other vehicles.

Truck drivers should attempt left turns prudently, in full awareness of the vehicles nearby. Truck drivers who rush into a left turn during a yellow light or turn left without monitoring nearby vehicles are putting the public at risk. If truck drivers cause a Missouri truck accident by negligently attempting a left turn, they should be held accountable.

Truck accident victims are empowered to obtain compensation from the truck drivers and truck companies that caused their injuries. Missouri truck accident lawsuits are often more complex than car accident lawsuits. Truck accident victims should contact experienced Missouri truck accident attorneys who understand how federal regulations and state tort laws affect their case.

Ruth A. Cunningham of Columbia, Missouri was injured in a Boone County Missouri tractor trailer accident on U.S. Highway 63 at Calvert Hill Road. The Boone County Missouri truck accident occurred on September 27, 2011 at 3:10pm.

Cunningham was an occupant in a 1998 Buck driven by Mark H. Ballenger of Columbia, Missouri. A 2009 Freightliner tractor trailer travelled near the Buick. The towed trailer of the massive crashed into the Buck as the Freightliner turned onto northbound US-63 from the median crossover.

Cunningham was the only reported injured party. She was transported by ambulance to Boone Hospital for medical treatment. There were no reported injuries for truck driver Dwain K. McKenzie of Mount Vernon, New York.

Truck accident victims deserve compensation for the injuries they suffered as a result of a Missouri trucking accident. Truck accident victims may incur great expenses for medical treatment related to their injuries. Medical treatment may also cause the truck accident victim to lose wages, since treatment may take a while. Even truck accident victims without serious injuries may incur a financial loss as a result of a Missouri tractor trailer accident. Medical personnel may want to keep a truck accident victim overnight for observation, resulting in steep medical fees. Truck accident victims should not have to bear the cost of a truck driver’s negligence.

Truck drivers and trucking companies negligently cause truck accidents in multiple ways. Some of the most common types of trucking negligence involve defective trucking equipment and load size. Tractor trailers are massive vehicles designed to transport large volumes of freight across public roadways. Overloaded or improperly loaded trailers may increase the risk of Missouri truck accidents. Overloaded tractor trailers are dangerous because the truck driver may not be able to operate a tractor trailer that weighs more than its mechanisms can control. Improperly loaded trailers are dangerous because they may cause a load shift. If the load shifts dramatically during operation, the truck driver may lose control.

Missouri truck accident lawsuits hold trucking companies and truck drivers accountable for their negligence. Some trucking companies may overload their fleet to save money. Other trucking companies may improperly load their fleet as a result of inattention to detail. These negligent trucking companies are willing to put their interests before public safety, even though their business model depends on using public roadways. Contact our Missouri personal injury attorneys today for a free legal consultation about how you can hold these negligent companies accountable for their actions.

Theresa D. Culberson, 41, of Jackson, Missouri was moderately injured in a Cape Girardeau Missouri truck accident on September 26, 2011 at 6:59am. The Missouri truck accident occurred on U.S. Highway 61, south of Route C.

Culberson was driving southbound on US-61 in a 2004 Mercury when a 1982 Kenworth tractor trailer pulled out of a private driveway in front of her. Culberson crashed into the trailer unit. Culberson suffered the only reported in the Cape Girardeau Missouri truck accident. She was transported to the Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau.

Motorists should be alert whenever operating a motor vehicle near a tractor trailer. While tractor trailers are equipped with multiple mirrors to help the truck driver see the roadway, the truck driver’s ability to see other vehicles is far less than ideal. Tractor trailers have massive blind spots – deemed “No Zones” by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), an arm of the United States Department of Transportation.

Tractor trailers have more No Zones than typical passenger vehicles. For example, passenger car drivers may be able to see a person walking directly in front of their vehicle. Tractor trailer drivers cannot, on account of the large No Zone in front of tractor trailers. Tractor trailers have No Zones on either side, the rear, and the back. The FMCSA warns that the side No Zone on the right is particularly dangerous because tractor trailers make wide right turns. Motorists should avoid the No Zones of tractor trailers to avoid serious injury or even death.

Continue reading "Jackson Woman Injured in Cape Girardeau County Truck Crash" »

A truck driver from Craig, Missouri was injured in a Missouri truck accident on September 23, 2011. The Holt County Missouri truck accident highlights the important role that commercial motor vehicle maintenance plays in preventing injurious accidents.

William H. Stone, 42, of Craig, Missouri was driving northbound on U.S. Highway 59 in a 2003 Peterbilt Concrete Mixer. The Missouri truck accident occurred when the left front tire of concrete truck blew out. Stone lost control of the concrete truck, crossed the centerline, and drove off the side of the roadway. The truck crashed into an embankment, then a fence. The truck caught fire as it traveled into a nearby corn field. The accident concluded as the truck came to rest on the passenger side.

Stone was moderately injured in the accident. He was transported to Heartland Regional Medical Center in St. Joseph by Atchison-Holt ambulance. Stone had to be assisted by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Holt County Sheriff’s Department, Craig Fire Department, and Fairfax Fire Department.

Trucking companies must properly maintain their vehicles in order to prevent Missouri trucking accidents. Commercial motor vehicles must be regularly inspected and serviced to function properly. Negligently maintained commercial motor vehicles may malfunction in a way that causes a serious traffic accident.

Tires are vital for commercial motor vehicle safety. The tires of large commercial vehicles like tractor trailers and concrete mixers carry tremendous weight. Tires with that level of burden must be maintained and replaced appropriately. If trucking companies fail to take tire maintenance seriously, a tire blowout may cause a serious accident. Not only are tire blowout accidents potentially devastating, they are preventable. Trucking companies must maintain their fleet.

Continue reading "Tire Blowout Causes Fiery Holt County Missouri Truck Accident" »

A 70 year old Wentzville woman was killed in a St. Charles County Missouri dump truck accident. Her husband witnessed the fatal Saint Charles County Missouri trucking accident from his vehicle, which was behind hers during the accident.

Shirley A. Kutter of Wentzville, Missouri stopped her 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser in the cross over section of Highway 61 at Peine Road. Kutter stopped her vehicle in the cross over to yield to emergency vehicles – a fire truck and an ambulance were near. After the emergency vehicles left her vicinity, Kutter pulled away from the median. The front of a 2007 Sterling Dump Truck slammed into her car.

Kutter was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident by EMS. Truck driver Robert W. Stone of O’Fallon, Missouri only sustained minor injuries in the accident. Kutter was with her husband before the accident, but they decided to take separate vehicles to their destination. According to local news reports, Kutter’s husband witnessed the entire accident. He was not physically harmed during the accident.

Fatal Missouri car accidents put substantial emotional strain on the accident victim’s surviving loved ones. Grief is linked to serious declines in both emotional and physical health. Bereaved adults are at risk of developing major depression, a serious psychiatric condition. Grief-related depression may cause adverse physical reactions such as dramatic weight gain or loss, changes in appetite, sleep problems, and suicidal thoughts. Bereaved individuals who actually witness the catastrophic death of a loved one may suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD symptoms include high levels of anxiety, nightmares, and “flashback” memories of the catastrophic event.

Fatal Missouri car accidents put an enormous financial strain on the accident victim’s spouse. If the accident victim received medical treatment for accident-related injuries before passing away, the victim’s spouse may face resulting medical bills. The victim’s spouse may have to struggle with the expenses incurred funereal expenses, which are most often unplanned for before the accident. The accident victim’s spouse must face these unexpected expenses without the benefit of the victim’s wages. If the accident victim’s spouse wants to pursue a Missouri wrongful death lawsuit, the threat of attorney’s fees may add to the pressure.

Accident victim spouses should consider hiring a personal injury attorney on a contingency basis. Missouri car accident lawyers who work on contingency do not charge for their services upfront. If the client wins a judgment or settles a case, a portion goes to the attorney as payment. If the client loses, the attorney does not charge. Contingency fees help accident victims and their loved ones by reducing their financial risk in their pursuit of compensation.

Continue reading "Husband Watches as Wife Killed in St. Charles Missouri Truck Accident" »

Melva N. Turner and Eugene H. Turner of Joplin, Missouri were killed in a fatal Jasper County Missouri trucking accident on August 23, 2011 at 3:52pm. The Jasper County Missouri truck accident resulted in moderate injuries for a third man from Diamond, Missouri.

The accident occurred as Eugene Turner attempted to cross Highway 59 in a 2004 Buick LeSabre. As Turner crossed the highway, a 1999 Kenworth Straight Truck slammed into the side of Turner’s vehicle. The Kenworth truck then travelled off the roadway and overturned. Jasper County Coroner Rob Chappel pronounced Eugene and Melva Turner dead after responding to the scene. Truck driver James W. Body transported to McCune Brooks Hospital in Carthage, Missouri with moderate injuries.

Missouri side collision truck accidents may result in serious injuries or fatalities. When a massive tractor trailer crashes into the side of the passenger vehicle, the passenger vehicle occupants often suffer immensely. Semi-trucks are much larger than standard cars, pickup trucks, and SUVs. While all vehicles involved in a side collision truck accident absorb the shock of the impact, the forces of proportionally much stronger for small vehicles.

Fatalities and serious injuries may result from what occurs after the major impact of a Missouri side collision truck. The passenger vehicle and the tractor trailer may rollover after they collide. Either vehicle may be pushed into oncoming traffic. The forces of the impact may push a vehicle onto a sidewalk. The risk of serious injury or death during and after impact in a side collision truck accident is high.

Determining liability in a Missouri side collision truck accident may be difficult because numerous factors cause that type of Missouri truck accident. Factors that lead to side collision truck accidents are: driving at a speed higher than the posted speed limit, driving while distracted, driving while intoxicated, mechanical failure, and brake failure. A skilled Missouri truck accident lawyer will investigate the facts of an accident victim’s case to find evidence of negligence.

Continue reading "Two Joplin, Missouri Residents Killed in Jasper County Missouri Truck Accident" »

A 5-year-old from Warrensburg, Missouri was injured in a Benton County Missouri trucking accident on Monday evening. The Benton County Missouri truck accident resulted in injuries for two adults as well.

The Missouri multivehicle truck accident occurred on August 15, 2011 at 7:20pm as two tractor trailers drove on US-65 near Cedar Gate Drive. One Peterbilt tractor trailer attempted to overtake another that was slowing on the roadway. The two tractor trailers collided in a Missouri rear end truck accident. The forces of the impact pushed a tractor trailer across the centerline of US-65 and that tractor trailer crashed into a passenger vehicle

The tractor trailer crashed into a 2004 Chevrolet by Dale T. Crabtree from Lincoln, Missouri. The Chevy went off the right side of the road and crashed into a culvert. The Chevy hit a road sign and then overturned.

There were no reported injuries for the tractor trailer drivers. Dale Crabtree, the driver of the Chevrolet, was seriously injured in the accident. He went to the Staff for Life University Hospital for treatment. Terri J. Crabtree sustained serious injuries. 5-year-old Maycie D. Streb suffered injuries as well. Terri Crabtree and Steb went to the Bothwell Hospital.

In 2010, more than 500,000 large commercial vehicles were involved in traffic accidents. These accidents resulted in serious injuries for more than 100,000 people. Thousands of Americans lost their lives because of trucking accidents. In an effort to decrease the devastation caused by Missouri truck accidents, the federal government enacted a number of safety regulations for the commercial trucking industry.

The federal government enacts and enforces federal motor carrier regulations, the safety laws that apply to the trucking industry. The different categories of motor carrier regulations are designed to combat the causes of trucking accidents. For example, Hours of Service (HOS) regulations govern how long a truck driver may operate a commercial motor vehicle to combat the trend of drowsy driving accidents. The prohibition on texting while driving a commercial truck is designed to combat distracted driving accidents.

An experienced plaintiff’s attorney understands that federal motor carrier regulations play an important role in a Missouri truck accident lawsuit. If the truck driver was violating a motor carrier regulation when a Missouri truck accident occurred, the violation may be evidence of truck driver negligence.

Continue reading "5-year-old Injured in Double Benton County Missouri Trucking Accident" »

A Nebraska truck driver caused a St. Charles Missouri truck accident when he slammed into a car while changing lanes. Truck driver Rand S. Peterson of Niobrara, Nebraska drove a 1997 International Tractor Trailer southbound on highway 61 early Friday morning. The St. Charles Missouri trucking accident occurred when Peterson attempted to change lanes and crashed into the rear of a 1999 Ford Contour driven by David C. Spaulding of Moscow Mills, Missouri. After impact, Spaulding’s car spun out and off the roadway. The car came to rest in a ditch. Spaulding was transported to St. Joseph West Hospital in Lake St. Louis by St. Charles County Ambulance. His car was totaled, while the tractor trailer only sustained minor damage.

Tractor trailers become particularly dangerous to other drivers while changing lanes. Truck drivers must pay attention while changing lanes because the size and height of their tractor trailers reduce visibility. Negligent truck drivers may attempt to change lanes without exercising due care to make sure no other vehicle is in their blind spot. When a tractor trailer changes lanes, the potential for a St. Charles Missouri truck accident is high.

When truck drivers fail to monitor their surroundings before changing lanes, they may easily miss the presence of another vehicle. Tractor trailers provide lesser visibility for their drivers because they have large blind spots. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) refers to tractor trailer blind spots as “No-Zones” to discourage motorists from driving within them.

According to the FMCSA, cars driving in a No-Zone virtually disappear from the perspective of a truck driver. Most motorists are aware that tractor trailers and other vehicles have blind spots on the side. Driving in the side blind spot of any vehicle increases the likelihood of a Missouri side impact car accident. However, the FMCSA designates the area in front of and behind a tractor trailer as a No-Zone as well. If a tractor trailer appears to be changing lanes behind or in front of your vehicle, putting ample distance between the tractor trailer and your vehicle is advised to avoid a Missouri rear end truck accident.

Continue reading "Tractor Trailer’s Unsafe Lane Change Causes St. Charles Truck Accident" »

A Cass County Missouri truck accident left a man from Shell Knob, Missouri seriously injured on July 18, 2011 at 2:50pm. The Cass County Missouri trucking accident occurred as a 2005 Kenworth and a 2005 Hyundai travelled on northbound U.S. Highway 71. Michael E. Finney of Shell Knob, Missouri slowed down the Hyundai because of the congested traffic ahead.

Truck driver Greg J. Tucker of West Branch, Iowa overtook Finney’s Hyundai and slammed into its left rear bumper. The force of the collision forced Finney off the right side of the highway. Finney’s vehicle overturned, coming to rest facing south. Finney was ejected from the Hyundai during the course of the accident. The Kenworth truck came to rest in the highway median. Whether either driver wore a seat belt is unknown.

There was a noticeable imbalance in the consequences of the accident. Finney was taken to Research Hospital with serious injuries. There were no reported injuries for the Iowan truck driver. The Hyundai was totaled. The Kenworth truck only sustained minor damage and could be driven from the scene of the accident.

Typical drivers of passenger cars, vans, and SUVs are at a great disadvantage in a Missouri tractor trailer accident. Commercial motor vehicles are much larger than typical passenger vehicles. Passenger vehicles and the occupants inside them are far more likely to sustain serious damage in a Missouri truck accident.

The potential of serious injury is high for truck accident victims. In response to the high volume of truck accidents, the federal government enacted a number of safety regulations for truck drivers and trucking companies. Truck accidents are often a result of one or more violations of safety regulations. For example, the truck driver may have been texting in violation of the prohibition on texting while driving for truck drivers. The truck driver may have been fatigued for operating the tractor trailer longer than what is allowed.

Truck accidents are not mere car accidents with greater damage. Successfully suing a truck driver or trucking company after a Missouri trucking accident understanding which trucking regulations were violated during the accident. A truck accident victim needs a Missouri trucking accident attorney with experience combing through federal regulations and applicable state law to successfully obtain compensation for truck accident victims.

Continue reading "Cass County Missouri Man Seriously Injured by Kenworth Truck" »

A 49 year old Missouri man from Shelbina, Missouri died in a Missouri truck accident on July 12, 2011 at 3:15am. He was struck by a Freightliner tractor trailer while walking in the roadway.

The Missouri trucking pedestrian accident occurred as Kevin W. Shipley of Shelbina, Missouri was walking in the northbound right lane of US-61 before sunrise this morning. Shipley was struck by a 2007 Freightliner that was driven by Edward L. Pinkham, 34. Pinkham was an out of state truck driver from Defiance, Ohio. Shipley died at the scene of the accident. His death was pronounced by the Pike County Coroner Jim Turner at 8:35am. Shipley’s next of kin has been notified of his death. There were no reported injuries for the truck driver.

Pedestrians must stay alert when walking near public roadways. Tractor trailers, buses, and other large commercial vehicles have a limited visibility. Commercial motor vehicle drivers have difficulty seeing individual walkers, a fact that spells danger for pedestrians. Pedestrians should exercise care when walking near highway to prevent the deadly combination of Missouri truck accidents and pedestrians. Pedestrians are advised to avoid walking directly in the roadway outside of a designated crossing area. Walking in the roadway increases a pedestrian’s risk of being involved in a Missouri trucking accident.

Pedestrians who are struck by large trucks while walking in the roadway may still be entitled to compensation. Missouri statute §304.012.1 states: “Every person operating a motor vehicle on the roads and highways of this state shall drive the vehicle in a careful and prudent manner and at a rate of speed so as not to endanger the property of another or the life or limb of any person and shall exercise the highest degree of care.” This statute requires truck drivers to drive carefully and exercise care. Even if the pedestrian accident victim was walking in the roadway when the accident occurred, the truck driver in violation of statute §304.012.1 may still be found negligent and liable for damages.

Continue reading "Missouri Truck Accident Kills Pike County Pedestrian on Highway 61" »

A 19 year old from Hannibal, Missouri was injured when a truck driver’s error resulted in a Missouri side collision truck accident on June 22, 2011. The Marion County Missouri truck accident occurred in Hannibal, Missouri.

Paul W. Shear of Taylor, Missouri was the truck driver who drove a 2004 Freightliner on Veteran’s Road at Route MM in Hannibal, Missouri. As Shear drove the Freightliner to the intersection, he failed to yield to traffic. Shear crashed the Freightliner into the driver’s side of a 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix driven by Kayla M. Rodgers of Hannibal, Missouri. Both vehicles ended off the roadway.

The 19 year old Rodgers suffered moderate injuries in the Missouri side collision truck accident. She was transported to Hannibal Regional Hospital by Marion County Ambulance. She wore her seat belt during the accident. Rodgers’s Pontiac was totaled in the accident. The Freightliner only sustained minor damage. There were no reported injuries for the truck driver.

Missouri side collision truck accidents often result in catastrophic injuries. Tractor trailers are significantly larger than passenger vehicles. Passenger vehicle design cannot absorb the forces of a collision with such a large vehicle. Side airbags help prevent injuries when two passenger vehicles collide. However, side airbags are far less effective in tractor trailer accidents.

Missouri drivers should be aware of conditions that increase the risk of side impact collisions with tractor trailers. Intersections are dangerous because truck drivers may cross without being able to properly see other vehicles in the intersection. Truck drivers may also have a difficult time seeing other vehicles while changing lanes or making turns. Drivers of passenger vehicles should give tractor trailers ample space in those conditions. Other conditions that may lead to a Missouri side collision truck accident are adverse weather, and poor road conditions.

Continue reading "Hannibal Teen Injured in Marion County Side Collision Truck Accident" »

A Cass County Missouri truck accident happened on June 23, 2011 at 3:25pm. The Missouri rear end truck accident occurred when a tractor trailer crashed into another vehicle on US-71.

Truck driver Hector H. Marrero of Houston, Texas drove a 2005 International tractor trailer on US-71 at 307th Street. Marrero slammed the tractor trailer in the left rear bumper of a 1999 Chevrolet driven by George W. Hess of Clinton, Missouri. After impact, the tractor trailer drove into a ditch off the side of the roadway and overturned. Both vehicles were totaled in the accident. The injured went to the Research Hospital in Kansas City, transported by West Peculiar E.M.S.

Missouri truck accidents may be caused by truck drivers from out of state. Missouri accident victims may wonder whether they may successfully sue out-of-state defendants in Missouri state court. State courts have limited jurisdiction. The Missouri state court does not have the authority to issue judgments on people who lack meaningful contact with the state.

Missouri Rule of Procedure 54.06 determines whether out-of-state defendants may be sued in Missouri state court. According to Rule 54.06, serving process on a person, firm, or corporation who “commits a tortious act” in Missouri is enough to authorize a judgment in Missouri state court. Motor vehicle accidents that result in injury are always considered a tortious act. Therefore, Rule 54.06 grants Missouri state court the authority to issue judgments against out-of-state truck drivers who cause injury in Missouri truck accidents.

Accident victims may additionally sue out-of-state trucking companies under Rule 54.06. When truck drivers injure an accident victim within the course of their employment, their employer trucking companies may be liable for that tortious act. Firms and corporations that commit tortious acts within Missouri are under the authority of Missouri state court. Under Rule 54.06, trucking companies may be held accountable in Missouri state court for causing Missouri truck accidents.

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An inattentive truck driver caused a four vehicle Columbia Missouri truck accident when she failed to notice slowed traffic. The Boone County Missouri tractor trailer accident, which injured five people from Columbia, occurred on June 1, 2011 at 4:05pm.

Photo from the Columbia Missourian

Truck driver Pearl T. Anderson of Pine Bluff, Arkansas failed to notice that traffic on US-63 was slowing because of another accident on the roadway. When Anderson noticed the traffic, she swerved a 2009 Frieightliner and struck three passenger vehicles. First, the tractor trailer struck a 2000 Chevrolet driven by Gilberto M. Rodriguez. The tractor trailer then crashed into a 2000 Buick driven by Janice M. Palmer. The tractor trailer slammed into the rear of a 1997 Mercury driven by Amber K. Splitter. After striking the three passenger vehicles, the tractor trailer drove off the left side of the roadway and lost its load of rebar.

The tractor trailer totaled all three passenger vehicles and injured six people. The forces of the collisions pushed all three passenger vehicles off the left side of the roadway. A passenger in the Chevrolet and the driver of the Buick became entrapped in their vehicles.

Five Columbia residents were injured in the Boone County Missouri truck accident, including 1-year-old Latavia L. Franklin. Janice Palmer, 62, suffered the most severe injuries in the accidents. The other injured Columbians were Lylvester Franklin, 25, Amber Splitter, 30, and Marybell Garcia, 32. The truck driver, the only non-Missourian involved in the accident, sustained minor injuries.

Missouri distracted driving is the number one contributing factor to accidents. Cell phone use and texting while driving are popular examples of distracted driving, but any activity that takes attention away from the road contributes to distracted driving. Eating, applying makeup, using a GPS device, and looking at a nearby car accident decrease the amount of brain power used to safely operate a vehicle. Directing attention to another activity while driving for even a moment is dangerous because road conditions change quickly. For example, fast-moving highway traffic may suddenly slow because of an obstruction. If a driver is looking away from the road, she may not be able to slow down enough to prevent a Missouri truck accident.

Continue reading "Inattentive Truck Driver Causes Multivehicle Columbia Missouri Truck Accident" »

A Madison County Missouri trucking accident proved fatal for an 8 year old girl from Poplar Bluff, Missouri. The Missouri big rig accident injured three other Poplar Bluff residents.

James H. Murphy, a 54 year old truck driver from Arkansas, attempted to cross US-67 at Route C while traffic was in the intersection. Murphy slammed into the 2003 Ford containing the four accident victims. The Ford ran off the side of the roadway and overturned. The Ford was totaled in the accident.

8 year old Abby N. Burke died in the Missouri big rig accident. She was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident by the Madison County Coroner Chris Follis. Three other people were injured. Ronald E. Daughhetee, 40, and Abby N. Burke, 17, were seriously injured. Melissa L. Daughhetee, 41, suffered moderate injuries. Ronald and Melissa Daughhetee were taken to Parkland Health Center in Farmington, Missouri by ambulance. Abby Burke was transported by Arch Helicopter to St. Louis University Hospital.

The death of a child is an unexpected, tragic event. Parents may be saddled with funeral expenses and medical bills during a time of enormous grief. Missouri law allows family members left behind to obtain compensation for losses related to the wrongful death. However, the circumstances that lead to a Missouri wrongful death lawsuit are emotionally trying.

The emotional difficulty of coping with the death of a loved one highlights the importance of obtaining an experienced Missouri big rig accident lawyer when filing a wrongful death lawsuit. Missouri law limits the recovery of compensation for a wrongful death to the closest family members of the accident victim. As a result, the plaintiffs in a wrongful death lawsuit are often the most emotionally devastated by the accident. An experienced plaintiff’s lawyer is a vital component of a successful wrongful death claim.

Continue reading "Madison County Truck Accident Fatal for Poplar Bluff Girl" »

A Georgia couple was injured in an accident involving a Springfield, Missouri tractor trailer. The Missouri 18 wheeler accident occurred on May 30, 2011 near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Frank Edward Shepherd, 58, and Pamela Shepherd, 48, passed away in fiery 18 wheeler accident on eastbound I-70. The Shepherds rode in an O&S Trucking tractor trailer behind another large commercial vehicle while exiting the interstate in Donegal Township, Pennsylvania. The Shepherds hit the rear of the other commercial vehicle. The Shepherd’s tractor trailer then lost control and slammed into the side of a parked tractor trailer. The crashed ended when the Shepherd’s crashed into the rear of another parked commercial vehicle, causing the Shepherds’ trailer to catch fire. The Shepherds were pronounced dead at the scene of the fiery Missouri 18-wheeler accident. According to a national news agency, one of the victims may have been ejected from the tractor trailer during the multi-vehicle truck accident.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is an agency of the federal government that focuses on preventing the property damage, serious injury, and death caused by commercial motor vehicle accidents. The FMCSA publishes safety data about motor carrier firms on its Safety and Fitness Electronic Records (SAFER) System to hold trucking companies more accountable for properly maintain their fleet according to federal regulations.

The SAFER system shows dozens of safety violations for O&S Trucking, the Missouri motor carrier firm that owned the 18-wheeler involved in the Shepherds’ death. In the past two years, 44 inspections of O&S vehicle resulted in an “Out of Service” status. That status means that one or more violations were found in a single inspection. 12.5% of O&S’s inspections have garnered an “Out of Service” status in the past 24 months. In 2005, the firm had an FMCSA safety rating of “Satisfactory.” When the firm was reviewed in 2009, the FMCSA changed the rating to “Non-Ratable.”

Few people would search for a trucking company’s FMCSA safety rating after being injured in a Missouri 18 wheeler accident. Insurance claims, medical concerns, and the grieving process may dominate the thoughts of accident victims and their families. Investigating the facts of the company may not occur to the injured parties. An experienced attorney with knowledge of the trucking industry would know that gathering facts about the motor carrier’s safety record may help the victims obtain compensation after a Missouri 18 wheeler accident.

Continue reading "Missouri 18-Wheeler Kills Georgia Couple in Fiery Truck Accident" »

Two Arkansas men were injured in a Taney County Missouri truck accident on May 23, 2011 at 11:50am. The Missouri side collision truck accident occurred on MO-86, just 4 miles west of Ridgedale, Missouri.

Truck driver Terry A. Ozley of Willard, Missouri lost control of a 2001 Freightliner on MO-86 near Ridgedale, Missouri. The Freightliner crossed the centerline of the roadway into oncoming traffic. The Freightliner slammed into the side of a Ford F450 driven by Johnny L. Carter of Harrison, Arkansas. The Freightliner and the F450 both sustained damage in the Missouri side collision truck accident.

The two men injured in the Missouri truck accident were from Harrison, Arkansas. Carter, the driver of the F 450, suffered moderate injuries. Occupant Jeffrey A. Meier sustained minor injuries. Both men were taken to Skaggs Hospital in Branson, Missouri. Both accident victims wore a safety device. There were no reported injuries for the truck driver.

Out-of-state accident victims are advised to obtain a Missouri trucking accident lawyer for legal representation after an accident occurs in Missouri. A Missouri lawyer is well-positioned to understand how Missouri tort law applies to the facts of the accident. Accident victims often sue in the state in which they were injured to avoid jurisdictional issues. An individual court does not have authority over anyone. Rather, a court’s authority is limited by the rules of personal jurisdiction. Personal jurisdiction is the court’s ability to exercise power over a defendant.

State citizenship is one way to establish personal jurisdiction. State courts have personal jurisdiction over the citizens of the state in which they sit. However, the citizenship of the defendant is the determining factor. Even if all the accident victims are from Arkansas, only Missouri state courts can exercise personal jurisdiction based on citizenship over a Missouri truck driver. An Arkansas court does not have personal jurisdiction over the Missouri truck driver through citizenship.

Personal jurisdiction is additionally determined by state laws called “long arm statutes.” The long arm law in Missouri is determined by Missouri statute §506.500. Statute §506.500 gives Missouri courts jurisdiction over defendants in Missouri truck accident cases because injuring an accident victim in Missouri is committing a “tortious act” within the state. Out-of-state accident victims injured in Missouri should seriously consider filing suit in Missouri instead of their home states.

Continue reading "Taney County Truck Accident Injures Two Arkansas Victims" »

Grace E. Stanton of Springfield, Missouri was killed in St. Clair County Missouri trucking accident on May 21, 2011 at 11:56am. The Missouri truck accident occurred at the intersection of MO-13 and 3rd Street in Lowry City, Missouri.

Stanton drove a 2004 Oldsmobile Alero on MO-13. Truck driver Chad D. Long of Ash Grove, Missouri drove a 2007 International Tractor directly into her path. Stanton’s vehicle crashed into the International’s trailer. Stanton’s Oldsmobile was totaled in the accident, while the tractor trailer sustained only minor damage.

Stanton and occupant Joshua A. Thompson of Brookline, Missouri were injured in the Missouri truck accident. Both were taken to Golden Valley Hospital at Clinton, Missouri by ambulance. Thompson sustained moderate injuries. The accident was fatal for Stanton. She was pronounced in the hospital by Dr. William Comporon at 1:20pm. Her next of kin has been notified by the authorities. Truck driver Chad D. Long was tested for alcohol as required by law.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is the agency of the federal government that promulgates safety regulations to decrease the occurrence of Missouri fatal truck accidents. According to the FMCSA’s motor carrier regulations, commercial drivers involved in fatal accidents must be tested for drugs and alcohol. Alcohol tests must be performed within eight hours of the accident. Drug tests must be performed within 32 hours. The FMCSA requires that the drug tests monitor five categories of controlled substances – marijuana, cocaine, opiates, amphetamines and methamphetamines, and phencyclidine (PCP). Those controlled substances have been found to negatively affect driving ability.

If a truck driver tests positive for drugs or alcohol, the trucker cannot legally operate a commercial motor vehicle on public roadways. The driver has to complete a “return-to-duty” process before being able to operate any commercial motor vehicle. The “return-to-duty” process may result in lengthy periods of unemployment. Truck drivers with a history of drug and alcohol use while driving often have difficulty finding another job. Even after the “return-to-duty” process is completed, follow-up drug testing adds additional financial stress to the truck driver. The FMCSA regulations deter truckers from driving roadways while under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

Continue reading "Young Springfield Woman Killed in St. Clair County Truck Crash" »

A Missouri trucking accident injured a Missouri truck driver when he slammed into nine head of cattle on the I-70 on May 17, 2011, just after midnight. The Missouri 18 wheeler accident occurred in Russell County, Kansas on I-70 near the Dorrance exit.

Truck driver John Kenneth Arthurs II, 50, from Independence, Missouri was injured in the single vehicle accident. Arthurs drove a 2004 International 18 wheeler with two Strick trailers, one from 2005 and another from 2006. Arthurs drove the International 18 wheeler on westbound I-70 and crashed into nine head of cattle. Arthurs was injured in the accident. He was taken to the Russell Regional Hospital in Kansas. The semi-trailer was towed from the scene of the accident. The status of the cattle was not reported. The truck driver had appropriate insurance.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires motor to carry public liability insurance. A regulation public liability insurance policy must cover the bodily injury, the property damage, and the environmental restoration that could result from a collision. The Missouri motor carrier regulation requiring public liability insurance is broadly applied. Motor carriers that operate in interstate commerce, intrastate commerce, or foreign commerce are within the confines of the regulation. The FMCSA regulations mandate strict compliance with insurance requirements for truckers of all kinds.

FMCSA motor carrier regulations are promulgated to prevent the serious injury and extensive property damage that may be caused by Missouri truck accidents. Other vehicles sustain most of the property damage caused by trucking accidents. However, truck accidents may cause extensive damage to other nearby property. 18 wheeler trucks are humongous vehicles that can weigh nearly 80,000 pounds. If an 18 wheeler crashes into valuable property like livestock, the property owner may suffer a dramatic loss.

Since the FMCSA requires motor carriers to obtain public liability insurance covering property damage, an insurance company is likely to compensate a property owner whose possessions have been damaged by a Missouri truck accident. However, insurance companies may search for reasons to avoid covering a claim. Property owners who have suffered loss because of Missouri 18 wheeler accidents should have knowledgeable legal representation to protect their legal right to compensation.

Continue reading "Missouri Truck Driver Injured in Kansas Cattle Crash" »

Four Kansas citizens were injured in a Jasper County Missouri trucking accident near Joplin, Missouri. The Missouri truck accident occurred on May 3, 2011 at 12:25pm.

A 1998 Kenworth tractor trailer slammed into the driver’s side of a 1998 Chevrolet Monte Carlo on MO-43, five miles north of Joplin. After the collision, the Kenworth truck drove off the roadway and overturned. The Kenworth was driven by Jeffrey L. Oglesby of Lamar, Missouri. The Chevrolet, which was totaled in the accident, was driven by Larry D. Hawkins of Parsons, Kansas.

Four citizens of Parsons, Kansas sustained injuries in the accident. Hawkins, the driver, suffered moderate injuries in the accident. James C. Glass and 14-year-old Adreanna M. Kendrick also sustained moderate injuries. Carla D. Kendrick suffered serious injuries. All four injured people went to St. John’s Hospital of Joplin via ambulance. Oglesby the truck driver did not have any reported injuries. The truck sustained extensive damage.

Filing a lawsuit to obtain compensation for injuries sustained in a Missouri trucking accident can be a complex process for an accident victim. The process may be even more daunting when the trucking accident occurred in another state. Each state has the sovereign authority to create its own traffic laws. As a result, a particular turn may be legal in one state and illegal in a neighboring state. This system allows state legislatures to create the traffic laws that are suited for their state’s terrain, population density, and traffic problems. However, it complicates filing a negligence claim for plaintiffs who reside in another state.

An out-of-state accident victim injured in Missouri should contact a Missouri truck accident lawyer. A Missouri truck accident lawyer will understand how Missouri’s traffic laws apply to the facts of the accident victim’s case. A Missouri lawyer will be aware of recent changes in Missouri tort law, the body of law that governs compensatory claims for accident injuries. Like traffic laws, tort laws differ from state to state. A lawyer from the accident victim’s home state may not understand Missouri tort law as well as a Missouri trucking accident attorney.

Out-of-state accident victims should also consider filing in a Missouri state court or federal district court in Missouri. Personal jurisdiction is the power of a court over a defendant in a lawsuit. Every court does not have personal jurisdiction over every defendant. For example, an Alaskan court would not have personal jurisdiction over a non-Alaskan truck driver who injured a Kansas citizen in a Missouri truck accident. However, a Missouri court would have personal jurisdiction over the truck driver because the accident occurred in Missouri. Therefore, the accident victim could sue the truck driver in Missouri but not Alaska.

Continue reading "Four Kansans Injured in Jasper County Truck Accident" »

A Clinton, Missouri woman sustained injuries in a Missouri trucking accident after a tractor trailer reversed into her at 8:15am on April 8, 2011.

Truck driver Jordan T. Nelson, 22, of Altamont, Illinois reversed at a traffic signal on Business 13 just south of MO-7 in Henry County, Missouri. Nelson crashed a 1997 Peterbilt into the vehicle of Terry L. England, 50, of Clinton, Missouri. The 2003 Ford Focus that England drove sustained extensive damage in the Missouri truck accident.

Crystal M. Freeman, an occupant of England’s car, was injured in the Missouri big rig accident. The 30-year-old from Clinton, Missouri was taken to Golden Valley Hospital by a private vehicle. Freeman was reportedly not wearing her safety device. The Highway Patrol did not report any injuries for England or Nelson, who wore their safety devices.

Under Missouri law, failure to wear a seatbelt may reduce the damages for the victim in a negligence claim. Missouri is a comparative negligence state, meaning that the defendant may pay reduced damages after a Missouri trucking accident if the accident victim was partially at fault. The reduction in damages is typically in proportion to the percentage of fault assigned to the victim. For example, if the damage award is $10,000 and the accident victim was 50% at fault for the accident, the accident victim would only be compensated $5,000. The defendant can use failure to wear a seat belt as evidence of comparative negligence.

Missouri statute §307.178 determines how failure to wear a seat belt can be used as evidence of Missouri comparative negligence. The defendant must introduce expert evidence that the accident victim’s injuries were partially caused by the failure to wear a seat belt. The court may find that the victim’s failure to wear a seat belt contributed to the injuries and reduce the victim’s compensation. In Missouri, failure to wear a seat belt may reduce the victim’s compensation by up to 1% of the damages.

Continue reading "Tractor Trailer Crash Injures Clinton Missouri Woman while Backing Up" »

A Missouri pedestrian was killed in a Missouri trucking accident on April 5, 2011 at 4:40am in Newtown County, Missouri.

Michael L. Shulz, a 27-year-old from Duenweg, Missouri, was walking along westbound I-44 just outside of Joplin, Missouri early Tuesday morning. As he was walking, he was hit by a 2003 Freightliner Tractor Trailer driven by Curtis C. Dixon, 32, of El Paso, Texas.

Shulz was pronounced dead at the scene by Deputy Coroner Lee Ireland. There was no injury reported for the truck driver. The tractor trailer was driven from the scene with moderate damage. The authorities tested the truck driver for impairment. This Missouri truck accident is the 21st fatality for Troop D in 2011.

Missouri pedestrian accidents often result fatalities and serious injuries because a pedestrian is unprotected from the strong forces of a collision. When a pedestrian is hit by a truck, the potential for serious injury is even greater. Missouri truck accidents and pedestrians are too often a fatal combination.

Courts review many factors when determining fault in Missouri semi-truck accidents. The courts monitor factors including the location of the impact, the speed of the tractor trailer, the truck driver’s schedule, and the condition of the roadway during the accident. Proving fault in an accident case is a complex endeavor. Moreover, attorneys for the trucking company and the trucking insurance company will try to reduce their losses as much as possible. An accident victim without experienced, knowledgeable legal representation may have a difficult time fighting for the full compensation that he or she deserves.

Continue reading "Pedestrian from Duenweg Killed By Tractor Trailor in Newton County Missouri on I-44" »

A fiery Saint Charles County Missouri crash between a gas tanker and a Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) truck blocked westbound I-70 traffic at 11:05am on April 1, 2011. The tanker driver has been issued a summons for charges.

Brian M. Heintzelman, 39, of Winfield, Missouri was operating a 2009 International Work Star truck while providing traffic control for a road repair crew on westbound I-70, west of MO-94. A gas tanker driven by Mark W. Schutzback, 42, of Nokomis, Illinois slammed into the MoDOT truck. The gas tanker involved in this Missouri truck accident was a 2001 Western Star Tractor Trailer.

According to local reports, the Missouri trucking accident caused the cab of the gasoline tanker to catch fire. Schutzback, the tractor trailer driver narrowly avoided injury by escaping the vehicle. He was later issued summons for careless and impudent driving. Heintzelman suffered minor injuries as a result of the crash. He was transported to St. Joseph Health Center by the St. Charles County Ambulance. The I-70 completely reopened hours later, after 4:30pm. Crews spent hours taking fuel off of the gas tanker. The collision caused an extensive backup in traffic.

The accident occurred just before National Workzone Awareness Week, established by the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) of the U.S. Department of Transportation. This year’s National Workzone Awareness Week is April 4-8, 2011. The theme is “Safer Driving. Safer Work Zones. For Everyone.” According to the FHA, 85% of work zone fatalities are drivers and their passengers. Missouri highway safety in workers is important for the safety of drivers as well as workers. In 2009, there were 667 highway work zone fatalities. More than 40,000 Americans were injured.

In order to decrease the number of Missouri trucking accidents in highway work zones, Missouri passed legislation enhancing sanctions for traffic violations in work zones. In Missouri, both speeding and passing traffic violations have enhanced punishments in work zones. According to Missouri statute §304.582, $250 is added onto the original fine for the first offense. For example, a speeding violation that would normally result in a $50 fine is enhanced to a $300 fine in a work zone. $300 is added onto the original fine for subsequent offenses. Driving prudently and obeying traffic statutes is the best combination for preventing Missouri trucking accident injuries in work zones.

Continue reading "Fiery Collision on I-70 When Tanker Trunk Filled Gasoline Collides with MoDOT Truck" »

An early morning Missouri tractor trailer accident in Chillicothe, Missouri near the intersection of highway US-36 and Mitchell Avenue seriously injured one man and moderately injured another on March 28, 2011 at 6:47am.

Max W. Archer, 22, of Hamilton, Missouri crossed US-36 while driving on Mitchell Avenue in a 1994 Chevrolet Corsica. Truck driver Luke J. Swords, 30, of LaSalle, Illinois was driving a 2004 International on US-36 as Archer crossed the roadway. Swords skidded off the roadway in a failed attempt to avoid a collision. The tractor trailer slammed into Archer’s vehicle, causing a Missouri semi-truck accident. After colliding with Archer’s vehicle, the semi-truck drove off the roadway, crashed into a sign, and overturned into a ditch. Both vehicles were totaled and towed away from the scene of the accident.

Archer was seriously injured. He was reportedly not wearing his safety device. The Life-Flight Eagle Helicopter transported him to St. Luke’s hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. Swords was moderately injured. Chillicothe E.M.S. transported him to Hedrick Medical Center. The men were additionally assisted by the Livingston County Sherriff’s Department, Chillicothe Police Department, and Chillicothe E.M.S. and Fire Department.

The accident was similar to another Missouri tractor trailer accident that occurred at the same intersection earlier this year. According to local reports, Walker Trent, 84, of Ludlow, Missouri was killed in a Missouri truck accident with a 2005 Trail King flatbed trailer in a September 2010.

Missouri trucking accident injuries are usually more severe than injuries sustained in car accidents. The increased severity of the injuries causes dramatic financial consequences for the victim of the crash, often an automobile or motorcycle driver. Obtaining compensation for the injuries sustained in the trucking accident is essential for the victim to be made whole after the accident. With the goal of making the victim financially whole after the accident, Missouri law allows recovery for medical bills, lost wages, diminished quality of life, pain and suffering, and other negative consequences caused by a Missouri truck accident.

Continue reading "Two Men Injured in Livingston Missouri County Truck Accident in Chillicothe" »

Two people were injured in a Missouri truck accident when a tractor trailer overturned on highway US 36, 6 miles east of Hamilton, Missouri. The accident occurred on March 20, 2011 at 5:15am in Caldwell County, Missouri.

According the Missouri State Highway Patrol, truck driver Pablo Herrera-Torres of Las Vegas, Nevada fell asleep while operating a 2002 Freightliner Tractor-Trailer. As a result, the massive tractor trailer went off the road. As Herrera-Torres attempted to steer back onto the roadway, the tractor trailer overturned on the passenger side. The tractor trailer blocked the westbound lane of the highway when it finally came to a stop.

The truck driver was injured in the Missouri semi truck accident. Miguel F. Perez-Martiuez, an occupant in the tractor trailer, was additionally injured. Both men were transferred to the Cameron Regional Medical Center by Caldwell County Ambulance. Herrera-Torres was wearing his safety device. Perez-Martinuez was reportedly not wearing a safety device.

Drowsy driving is a significant Missouri truck accident cause. However, the specific number of Missouri 18 wheeler accidents caused by drowsy driving is difficult for researchers to discern. According to a report from the National Sleep Foundation, Missouri is the only state that does not include a fatigue or drowsiness code in its crash reports. Missouri removed its code years ago for an unspecified reason.

Missouri motor carrier regulations aim to decrease the number of Missouri truck accidents, fatalities, and injuries caused by drowsy truck drivers. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) restricts the number of hours that a truck driver can operate a commercial vehicle before taking a break. Under current federal law, trucking companies are required to retain truck driver’s logs for half a year. Despite these laws, some truck drivers do not get enough rest to drive because of unrealistic schedules and the drive to earn more. Missouri truck accident attorneys can use driver’s logs as evidence in personal injury claims against motor carriers and their drivers.

Continue reading "Trucker Overturns after Falling Asleep at the Wheel in Caldwell County Missouri" »

An out-of-control tractor trailer seriously injured Vander L. Coltrane of Columbia, Missouri in a Missouri head-on truck accident when it crossed a highway median on March 7, 2011 at 7:50pm.

According to the highway patrol, truck driver Abhi J. Farah of Ohio lost control of a 2006 Kenworth Tractor Trailer Unit while driving on I-70 near the Midway exit. The tractor trailer tore through the highway cable median barrier into oncoming traffic. Then the tractor trailer slammed into a minivan in a near head-on collision before overturning. Vander L. Coltrane of Columbia, Missouri was driving the 1997 Plymouth Voyager minivan that was totaled by the tractor trailer. Coltrane sustained serious injuries in this Boone County Missouri truck accident. EMS transported Coltrane to University Hospital in Columbia, Missouri. Farah, the tractor trailer operator, was transported to the same hospital with serious injuries. Farah’s condition was reportedly updated to fair on March 8. Coltrane’s condition was still serious.

Commercial trucks like the Kenworth Tractor Trailer are more likely to cause serious injuries than a typical vehicle because of their immense size. The injuries an automobile driver can sustain in a Missouri front-impact collision with a tractor trailer are even more pronounced. Head-on truck accidents are the most deadly type of truck accident. Missouri head-on truck accidents also increase the likelihood of spinal cord or traumatic brain injuries.

Onsite medical treatment is critical after an accident with a tractor trailer, regardless of whether the victim appears injured. Serious injuries affecting the brain and spinal cord may not show outward symptoms for days, but may be treated immediately after the accident. Moreover, insurance companies will actively use delayed treatment as evidence that the injury was not caused by the accident. The insurance companies will argue that if the collision caused the serious injury, the victim would have sought treatment immediately after the accident. Waiting for the onset of symptoms before seeking medical treatment after a Missouri truck accident can dramatically alter a claim’s success.

Continue reading "Tractor Trailer Crashes Across Highway Median and Seriously Injures Columbia, Missouri Resident" »

Slick, icy roads Wednesday morning in Missouri caused a serious truck accident and led to 31-car pileup on Highway 64/40 in Midtown St Louis. According to local reports, a FedEx tractor trailer was the catalyst for this crash when it lost control on eastbound highway 64. Vehicle after vehicle crashed into the FedEx tractor trailer after losing control on the ice.

Doug Lemmons, a driver from Dardenne Prairie who was involved in the 64/40 pileup, said he could hear the screams of a victim lodged between an SUV and his car while he waited for help. Lemmons himself was trapped in his car until he was extricated by rescuers.

The massive pileup caused roughly 30 people to be sent to local area hospitals. Most of the victims have been treated and released. Fifteen of the injured were sent to Saint Louis University Hospital, one of whom was admitted to surgery. Other victims went to the emergency room at Barnes Jewish Hospital, also in St Louis. There were no serious injuries, though some victims suffered broken bones.

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) stated it could not clear the roads of ice fast enough because of the inadequate weather forecast. The weather forecast changed to ice and freezing rain before dawn. MoDOT called in all of its workers and sent out trucks to salt the road however those actions were not enough to prevent this Missouri truck accident.

Since large commercial motor vehicles can cause significantly more damage than smaller vehicles, the regulation of tractor trailers like the FedEx truck involved in the pileup is essential for safe roads and highways. The Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986 created stringent requirements for commercial motor vehicles, drivers and carriers, and each must follow the regulations to prevent serious injury and death on our roadways.

Continue reading "Tractor Trailer Causes 31 Car Pileup in St Louis Missouri" »

The last week of 2010 saw a fatal accident on Interstate 70, near Agate, Colorado. A St. Louis, Missouri tractor-trailer driver is charged with causing the accident which took the life of a 71-year old man, and seriously injured two others. It is believed the driver of the 18-wheeler was traveling on the wrong side of the Interstate when the collision occurred. Eyewitness accounts state the driver of the semi-truck, Jason Ross, drove down I-70 the wrong way for at least nine miles with his lights off before the fatal collision. A Limon police officer responded to a call concerning the impaired truck driver. The officer caught up to Mr. Ross’s truck by driving west in the correct lane, then pulled his cruiser into the median.

Although the officer had both lights and sirens going, there was no response from Ross. As the officer continued to try to get the truck to pull over, Martin Hernandez, along with his wife and granddaughter, approached in the eastbound lane driving a Buick Park Avenue. Mr. Hernandez, 71, died at the hospital following the crash, while Angie Hernandez, 77 was later listed in fair condition. Audianna Hernandez, the nine-year old granddaughter of the couple was miraculously unhurt. Because alcohol was suspected as a cause of this tragic accident, Jason Ross was incarcerated and may be charged with vehicular homicide, vehicular assault, DUI, reckless driving, driving on the wrong side of a divided highway, and driving with no headlights.

Most any traffic accident involving a semi-truck will likely be serious due to the sheer size and weight of the big rigs. When a semi hits another vehicle head-on, however, the results are most often shattering. While excessive speed or simple inattention are the cause of a large portion of truck-involved accidents, alcohol and drugs can also be a factor even though the majority of trucking companies have implemented random drug testing. Because it appears the driver of the semi was intoxicated, it is likely the family of Mr. Hernandez may have a wrongful death claim and may be able to pursue punitive damages as well. If you have suffered a serious injury accident involving a tractor-trailer, a Missouri personal injury attorney who is knowledgeable about trucking accidents can help. While nothing can bring back a loved one who dies due to the negligence of a truck driver, the family left behind is certainly entitled to reparation for their devastating loss.

James Admire, 47, was seriously injured after his car collided with a tractor-trailer on Highway 54 in Callaway County.

The initial report on this Missouri tractor-trailer accident says that Admire was heading southbound on the highway in a 2009 Mercury at the time of the crash. As he approached Old Highway 54, a 2003 International tractor-trailer, driven by Jesse Bish, 37, entered the highway in front of Admire. Admire's car then slammed into the back of the tractor-trailer unit.

Admire was taken to University Hospital for emergency treatment of serious personal injuries. He was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident.

Bish did not sustain any injuries.

Generally in rear-end collision cases, negligence is assumed on the part of the at-fault driver since every driver should be in control of where their vehicle is heading. Some more information needs to be investigated with regard to this incident, however, like the speeds of the two vehicles.

Since every case is unique, it is important to get the advice of a legal professional with lots of experience. If you have questions about how to handle an accident, you should contact a Missouri personal injury lawyer for a consultation. Most will charge nothing for this initial meeting where you can discuss your case and determine the best course of action for you and your family.

Last January, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood banned the practice of texting by truck drivers in order to cut down on tractor-trailer crashes. At the time of the announcement, it was only a regulatory guideline and not yet an official FMCSA rule. That changed at the end of last month when a final rule banning texting by truck drivers took permanent effect.

The final rule specifically targets texting, not just talking, as studies have shown it to impair attention far more and thus making it more likely to result in a serious injury accident. While any number of distractions can exist in the cab of a tractor unit and result in riskier situations, texting results in crash rate 23 times higher than focused, undistracted driving.

The ban comes at a time when text messaging has exploded as a means of communication. The total number of text messages sent last year was 22 times higher than it was just four years ago.

While support of the ban is pretty widespread, some groups, like the American Association for Justice, say it doesn't go far enough. They and other safety advocacy groups argue that there are many more in cab distractions that should be banned, such as some on-board computers. The final rule on texting bans the practice on personal phones and other dispatch or communications equipment, but many other on-board distractors are not addressed by the rule.

The family of Anita Gibbs, an elementary school principal from Kansas City, was awarded $35.25 million for damages stemming from the Missouri tractor-trailer crash that claimed Gibbs' life.

According to local media reports, the accident in question occurred in 2006. A tractor-trailer, driven by George Albright, Jr., crashed into to Gibbs' car. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The verdict in this truck accident case went against CenTra Trucking, which is the trucking company that operated the rig that hit Gibbs. It was argued that Albright, the truck driver, was driving without proper rest and not keeping up his time logs according to regulation. Albright himself was found not guilty of manslaughter in a previous ruling.

While no amount of money can possibly ease the pain of losing a loved one, the verdict will allow Gibbs' family to cover the expenses that have arisen as a result of the crash. It also shows that trucking companies need to follow the commercial motor carrier regulations as the civil courts system will hold them accountable should they cut any corners.

A Missouri car accident involving a tractor-trailer sent four people to the hospital in Buchanan County, one with serious injuries.

According to local media reports and the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the accident occurred around 4:15 p.m. on Highway 36. Stephanie Bramblett, 20, was driving a 2002 Ford Focus eastbound on the highway with three passengers: Noah McCrary, 18; Lindsey Hulett, 17; and Colton Shaw, 18. Ahead of Bramblett's vehicle, a tractor-trailer, driven by William Sager, 60, turned onto Highway 36 from northbound Highway 31. As it merged onto the highway, the 1993 Peterbilt tractor-trailer was hit from behind by Bramblett's car. The car ran off the road and came to rest in the median while the tractor-trailer pulled over to the shoulder.

The force of the impact ejected Hulett from the vehicle. She was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.

Hulett was seriously injured in this tractor-trailer accident and had to be flown to Heartland Regional Medical Center for emergency treatment. Bramblett, McCrary, and Shaw all sustained less serious injuries, but were still taken to local hospitals for treatment.

Hopefully all involved make a full recover. Our thoughts are with the injured parties and their families.

It has not yet been reported why Bramblett failed to stop before slamming into the back of the tractor-trailer. More investigation into this incident could reveal additional contributing factors not yet identified in these early reports.

More than any kind of mechanical failure, the most common cause of tractor trailer crashes is driver error. While most drivers and companies prioritize safety, a few bend the rules in order to cover more miles or bring in bigger shipments. This can be done by driving excessive hours or speeding, and whenever this happens, mistakes are more prone to occurring. The best way to shift priorities back to safety is to hold negligent drivers and their companies responsible.

There are several ways to do this. The simplest way is simply calling the trucking company directly. You might see a phone number on the truck or a company name that you can search for later. If you feel that contacting the company is not the best solution, there are other agencies you can call.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has a special hotline set up where people can call to report negligent companies and unsafe maneuvers by drivers. The number for this is 1-888-368-7238. It may also be helpful to call the local highway patrol. Here in Missouri, that number is 573-751-3313.

Another way to hold a company responsible for a serious truck accident is through the civil courts system. If you feel like an accident involving you or a loved one was caused by driver negligence, or you simply have questions about how to handle an injury accident, contact a personal injury attorney as soon as possible.

Johnny Heckman, 36, and William Hilles, 45, were both injured after the vehicle they were in was hit by a tractor-trailer, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

This Missouri truck accident happened on Highway 38 near Marshfield just after midnight on Tuesday morning. The two men that were injured were heading eastbound in a 1999 Ford F350, with Heckman driving. They approached a curve on the highway at the same time as a westbound 2009 Sterling tractor-trailer, driven by Bryan Wells, 44.

According to the accident description in the initial report, as the big rig came around the curve in the roadway, it crossed over the center line. Wells tried to correct by swerving to the right, but the trailer unit still remained across the center line and struck the pickup.

Hilles' injuries were listed as serious, while Heckman's were described as moderate. They both received emergency treatment at Cox South Hospital.

An initial crash report is not considered a comprehensive description of the accident and further investigation, including accident reconstruction, is often performed on more serious accidents.

Those injured in a tractor-trailer crash would be wise to discuss their accident with a truck accident attorney. Trucking companies, especially large national shipping organizations, sometimes have a team of legal experts and crash responders who are often on the scene within hours protecting the interests of the company. Personal injury lawyers will work to make sure the accident victim's rights are preserved.

A Camdenton School District bus and a tractor-trailer were two of the five vehicles involved in a Missouri injury accident on Route 5 that sent 19 people to the hospital, though thankfully, most of the injuries were minor and there were no fatalities.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, this tractor-trailer crash began when the commercial truck, driven by Patrick Wortman, rear ended the school bus. The bus was stopped as a line of cars ahead of it waited for a driver to make a left turn. The initial impact forced the bus into the line of cars, causing a chain reaction collision that ultimately involved three other vehicles besides the bus and tractor-trailer.

A passenger in one of the cars, the bus driver, and 17 students were taken to the hospital for treatment after the wreck. A 13-year-old girl sustained the worst injuries and was airlifted to a local hospital. Her injuries were described only as moderate, however, and she was released later in the evening.

After an accident like this, there will be much investigation into the cause including drug and alcohol tests for the bus and truck driver.

Missouri has already seen a horrible school bus and tractor-trailer accident this year. Thankfully, we didn't see the same level of tragedy in this most recent incident as we did in that terrible school bus crash on I-44 in August where two people were killed.

A serious Missouri truck accident sent the driver to the hospital and shut down westbound I-70 for hours.

The driver, later identified by local media as Jerry Oiler, 51, was airlifted from the tractor-trailer crash site and flown to St. John's Mercy Medical Center for emergency treatment.

The crash happened around 1:20 p.m. near Wright City, Missouri. Oiler's truck began to drift to the right side of the roadway, where it hit a parked car. After the collision, the car and truck burst into flames.

The parked car was unoccupied at the time of the crash. Hopefully Oiler can make a full recovery.

More investigation will be needed to determine why Oiler's tractor-trailer drifted off the road and why he didn't see the parked car.

Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board who had been examining evidence from a fatal tractor trailer crash involving a truck that left from Missouri have evidence to believe that fatigue played a major role in the cause of the accident.

The deadly truck accident took place last June near Tulsa, Oklahoma. The driver, Donald Creed, 76, worked for a Kansas City company called Associated Wholesale Grocers and departed from Springfield, Missouri on the morning of the crash.

The tractor trailer crashed into a line of cars that had stopped due to an earlier accident. Multiple vehicles were crushed and 10 people were killed, including a six-year-old boy. Physical evidence at the scene showed no signs that the driver of the big rig tried to slow down or avoid the collision.

Based on travel logs made available to the investigators, the NTSB says that Creed left in early morning hours and probably had only five hours of sleep. Creed also suffers from sleep apnea, according to media reports of the investigation. This condition can keep those who suffer from it from having a good night's sleep and leaves sufferers feeling fatigued.

NTSB officials are finalizing their investigation and will later release a full report of the crash and its causes, as well as provide recommendations to prevent this accident from occurring in the future

Photo by KMOV TV

Eastbound Interstate 70 near the Memorial Drive exit is completely shut down after a St. Louis tractor-trailer crash involving two trucks and several other vehicles.

Emergency responders and clean-up crews are still at the scene and many details are still sketchy, but we do know that the accident took place just before 11 a.m. One of the tractor trailers, which was carrying concrete tubes, partially overturned and dumped it's shipment across the roadway.

It appears that at least four other vehicles were involved in this serious truck accident as well.

No indication on whether there were any serious injuries has been given. We will keep an eye on this situation as it develops.

Changes to the weight regulations for tractor-trailers are expected to be debated by legislators and transportation officials and could lead to looser restrictions on weight limits for these commercial trucks.

The current proposal being advocated by some in the trucking industry is to raise the weight limit from the current 80,000 pounds to 97,000 pounds, an increase of more than 20 percent.

The weight restrictions exist as a safety measure to limit the amount of damage done in the event of a commercial truck accident. These vehicles are massive and, while many drivers are very skilled and accident-free, mistakes do happen. Anytime a tractor-trailer driver loses control on a highway, the potential for extensive damage and injuries exists. Tests have shown that it takes anywhere from 250 to 450 feet of hard braking for a truck driver to stop a fully loaded tractor-trailer traveling at 55 m.p.h., depending on reaction time and the condition of the brake pads.

Those advocating a higher weight limit say that while safety is of the utmost importance, the current regulations are too restrictive, especially for this economy. If trucks could carry more, companies would be more profitable. You could also see fewer trucks on the road if each individual vehicle could carry a heavier load.

Opponents to the rule change point to a number of high-profile tractor-trailer crashes and the deaths and injuries caused by truck accidents. One such incident took place in St. Louis two years ago when a tractor-trailer driver, who had become distracted by his cell phone, plowed through a line of ten cars near a construction zone before finally coming to a stop. Had the truck been carrying more weight, it would have taken longer to stop and more passenger cars would have been crushed.

The number of people killed in a traffic accident fell to 33,808 for the year 2009, which is the lowest that number has been in 60 years, according to data released by the Department of Transportation.

In addition to the overall decline in accidents, there has been a significant drop in the number of fatal tractor-trailer accidents as well. There was more than a 25 percent drop in these types of crashes when comparing last year to 2008.

Several factors are contributing to this decline in accidents. The economic recession is probably why last year's drop was so dramatic. With many companies scaling back, there were less trucks on the road and less opportunity for wrecks.

While the recession might get credit for the sharpness of the decline last year, truck accidents have been steadily falling for years due to other reasons.

New technological advances, such as collision warning systems and electronic data recorders, are becoming more commonplace and cutting into the number of crashes.

Regulations on the trucking industry are also having an effect. Since the latest Hours of Service regulations took effect, there has been a 20 percent drop in large truck crashes.

An investigation is underway to determine what caused a tractor-trailer accident on I-57 in Union County.

According to local media reports, the accident involved two tractor-trailers and no other vehicles. The two trucks involved were a 2009 Peterbilt, driven by James Woodley, 45, and a 2007 International Harvester, driven by Warren Gross, 31.

Woodley had parked his rig on the right side of southbound I-57 about five miles north of Illinois 146. Woodley had gotten out of the cabin to check his vehicle when, for some unknown reason, Gross's tractor-trailer crossed into the shoulder and collided with the left side of Woodley's trailer. Gross continued off the shoulder and eventually ended up down a ditch off the right side of the roadway.

Both rigs sustained extensive damage and the cleanup caused traffic to back up for nearly an hour.

Remarkably, neither driver was injured in this Illinois truck accident. Woodley was especially vulnerable, since he had exited his vehicle and was standing alongside it on the shoulder.

The crash is still under investigation, but we do know that Woodley's truck was legally parked on the side of the road. What is still to be determined is what caused Gross to drive into the shoulder and why he didn't see the other truck ahead of him.

Tractor-trailers can be intimidating. They are loud, huge vehicles weighing up to 80,000 pounds, or possibly more if regulations are not followed by the trucking company. This makes most people uncomfortable when driving near them, and with good reason. While many truck drivers handle their work professionally and have excellent safety ratings, stories of negligence leading to deadly tractor-trailer crashes are all too common.

The one thing to remember when driving around big rigs is while they have incredible size and power, they don't have the maneuverability of smaller vehicles. If you don't respect the limitations of these large vehicles, you may put yourself in a dangerous position.

For instance, if at all possible, don't ride directly in front of a tractor-trailer or cut them off unexpectedly. At full speed and full weight, it could take up to 400 feet before a truck comes to a complete stop after braking hard. You don't want to be within that distance if you can avoid it.

The length of a standard tractor trailer also makes turning a challenge. You've probably seen the warning label that says "This Vehicle Makes Wide Right Turns" a hundred times, but cars colliding with trucks making one of those turns is a daily occurrence.

Aside from limited maneuverability, truck drivers must also contend with limited visibility as well. The blind spots for tractor-trailers are huge and extend 300 feet behind the trailer and couple lanes wide on either side. There's even a blind spot in front of the truck cabin for about 20 feet due to the fact the driver and the hood of the vehicle are so high off the ground. This can lead to accidents on the road, but also with pedestrians who are walking near tractor-trailers. Our St. Louis personal injury firm recently negotiated a $2 million settlement for the family of Cathie Dolter, 61, who tragically lost her life after she was hit by a tractor trailer while walking in a parking lot.

A Missouri tractor-trailer crash on I-44 injured six people, four seriously, and snarled traffic for hours as crews had to clean up 40,000 pounds of blueberries that were being transported by the big rig.

According to local media reports, the crash occurred just east of the Piney River Bridge in Pulaski County. The truck driver, Kalisa Evariste, 50, lost control of the 2009 Freightliner and crossed the median into oncoming traffic. After crashing through the median cables, the tractor-trailer hit an oncoming pickup truck, driven by John Korenak, 59, and then went off the roadway down an embankment.

After the initial collision, Korenak's pickup then collided with a 2003 Acura, driven by Angelia Varga, 40, and both the pickup and the Acura also spun out of control over the embankment.

Evariste and a passenger in the semi, Nicholas Sohns, 29, were seriously injured and taken to Phelps County Regional Medical Center. John Korenak and a passenger in the pickup, Behel Korenak, 60, were also seriously injured and taken to different hospitals for emergency treatment. Angelia Varga and her passenger, Francis Varga, 55, also sustained injuries, but theirs were considered less serious and they refused treatment at the scene.

The right lane of westbound I-44 was closed for hours as workers cleared the scene of the passenger vehicles and then worked to unload the berries being hauled by the truck.

Local media reports said that the tractor-trailer was operated by the England trucking company. This large shipping company has more than 5,000 drivers and has been involved in more than 400 total tractor-trailer crashes in the past two years, with a 161 of those crashes causing injury.

The American Trucking Associations and industry representatives have recently been voicing their concerns over several aspects of the new safety enforcement plan, CSA 2010, being tested in Missouri and other states to prevent tractor-trailer accidents. We recently blogged about issues with the release of data to the public, but there are still other issues that trucking companies would like to see worked about before the program officially goes live.

One of these other issues is the way the program tracks commercial truck crashes. As it is currently designed, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration doesn't designate accountability or fault when tracking the number of crashes a company or driver has been involved with. The data only reflects that an accident occurred and the severity of the accident.

Some trucking companies believe the FMCSA should differentiate between preventable and non-preventable accidents so that drivers and their companies are not punished for wrecks that aren't their fault.

Representatives with the FMCSA team organizing CSA 2010 say they've always tracked accidents without recording fault. They claim that crash data, regardless of fault, is an accurate predictor of the chances of future crashes.

Even though the data as is may be a useful tool in predicting accidents, the FMCSA did say they will consider a new way of tracking accountability so that drivers involved in accidents that weren't their fault are separated from negligent drivers whose actions contributed to a wreck.

Tom Sargent, 32, was killed when the car he was driving crashed into a tractor trailer on Highway 412 in Dunklin County, Missouri.

According to the initial crash report, Sargent was traveling south on Route C in a 2002 Saturn at the time of this Missouri tractor trailer crash. As he crossed into the intersection with Highway 412, he struck the rear of a 1998 Freightliner, driven by Glen McBride, 38.

Sargent was pronounced dead at the scene. McBride was uninjured.

Sargent was not wearing a seat belt.

Much more investigation will be needed as the initial crash report leaves out many important details from this fatal truck accident. We don't know why Sargent hit the back of the tractor trailer or if either driver was breaking traffic laws. An accident reconstruction will be able to determine the speeds of the vehicles in question and piece together the events leading up to the crash.

Cars hitting the trailers on big rigs has been a problem for years, but certain steps have been taken to reduce tractor trailer accident injuries. An underride bar has been made mandatory on trailers to prevent smaller cars from traveling under the rig in the event of a rear-end collision. Some trucks are also being fitted with collision warning systems to help the truck driver keep his rig out of harm's way.

Danny Ross, 41, was seriously injured in a tractor-trailer accident on Route F in St. Francois County, Missouri.

Ross was driving westbound in a 2008 Pontiac G8 at the time of the crash, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Ahead of Ross was an International tractor-trailer, driven by John Redmond, 62. Ross attempted to pass the truck on the left, but at that exact moment, Redmond attempted to make a left turn. The truck pulled into the path of Ross' car and he was unable to avoid a collision.

Ross was seriously injured and flown to Barnes Hospital for life-saving treatment. Redmond suffered minor injuries and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

Ross wasn't wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.

Hopefully both drivers will be able to make a full recovery.

From the initial description of this Missouri truck accident, we don't get all the details that could explain why this crash happened. Was Ross attempting to pass in a safe manner at an area where passing on the left is allowed? How fast were the two vehicles traveling? Did Redmond signal before attempting to make a left turn?

All of these questions will be answered by further investigation as liability and insurance issues will need to be settled. Since accident cases can become very complicated, it is advisable to seek legal advice from an experienced truck accident attorney before making any statements or agreements with insurance companies.

Officials with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration are engaging in ongoing talks focused on combating health issues like sleep apnea, a major problem contributing to tractor trailer accidents.

Sleep apnea is a condition often associated with obesity that can disrupt normal breathing patterns while a person is at rest. As a result, sleep is disrupted and people suffering from this condition often find themselves fatigued.

This fatigue can lead to very serious truck accident injuries once the driver gets behind the wheel. Fatigue is a significant contributing factor in as many as one out of every seven tractor trailer crashes.

Truck drivers are especially likely to be obese and thus are more at risk for sleep apnea. The nature of the job requires a person to sit for eight hours or more each day and doesn’t provide many opportunities for a regular exercise cycle. As a result, as many as 40 percent of truck drivers are classified as significantly overweight.

Truck drivers receive medical exams every couple years, but it has never been required that they be tested for sleep apnea as part of the exam. That may change in the future as the American Trucking Associations estimate that as many as one-third of truckers suffer from the condition.

While the FMCSA is discussing the final changes to their health monitoring policy, proactive truckers and their companies should be doing everything they can to start exercise programs and reduce their weight so they are not at risk for sleep apnea. This is not only for the driver’s personal health and well being, but for the safety of everyone on the road.

Photo by KMOV TV

While the cause of the fatal Missouri school bus crash on Interstate 44 near Gray Summit is still being investigating, some more details are beginning to emerge, including the names of the two that were killed.

The female student who was killed was Jessica Brinker, 15, and the other death was Daniel Schatz, 19, who was driving the GMC pickup that was also involved in the fatal car crash. Brinker was a member of the John F. Hodge High School band, which was on its way to Six Flags and split up between the two buses involved in the wreck. Schatz was a reserve quarterback for the University of Missouri football team and son of Dave Schatz, a Republican candidate for the Missouri House of Representatives.

In addition to the two deaths, there were more than 50 injuries. Several of the injures were considered serious, but fortunately, most were able to escape the crash with relatively minor scrapes and bruises.

Again, the full investigation is still weeks away from being completed, but local media reports have begun to piece together some of the events leading up to the crash. The two buses were following behind Schatz’s pickup and a Volvo truck tractor. The driver of the truck tractor began to slow down for construction related traffic when Schatz crashed into the back of the truck, which was without a trailer. Moments later, the first school bus crashed into the back of the pickup and came to a rest on top of the first two vehicles. The second bus then collided with the rear of the first.

The National Transportation Safety Board has sent a team of 15 people to assist in the investigation, according to the St. Louis Post Dispatch. An accident reconstruction will be performed to determine the exact cause of the crash. Representatives from the NTSB told the Post Dispatch they are particularly interested in this incident because they are looking for ways to improve school bus and construction zone safety, as well as determining whether crash-sensing devices on larger vehicles could prevent future school bus and tractor trailer crashes.

The NTSB will not make any statements regarding fault or liability and are requesting that any witnesses to the crash contact the Missouri State Highway Patrol or the NTSB directly. Coming forward as a witness takes a lot of courage and many people would choose not to involve themselves in the situation. It is important, though, that investigators get all the facts about this St. Louis bus crash so they can determine who was at fault. More than simply getting to the bottom of this incident, the NTSB will be able to use information gathered about this crash to help stop future crashes.

If you feel uncomfortable speaking directly to authorities, you can also email me with any information concerning the St. James bus accident and I will forward it to the appropriate officials.

Paige Hicks, 21, a Brown University student originally from Chesterfield, was killed in a tragic tractor trailer accident while she was bicycling across the country for charity.

According to various media reports, Hicks had left Providence, Rhode Island, location of Brown University, five weeks ago on a trip to Seattle for the Bike and Build charity. She stopped Tuesday in South Dakota to check messages on her cell phone. Hicks and a fellow cyclist pulled off to the shoulder to avoid traffic, but behind them was a tractor trailer, driven by Scott Wenzel, 45, hauling a farm combine. The combine was a wide load that extended past the side of the trailer and into the shoulder.

Hicks was hit and suffered fatal injuries. The no other cyclists were harmed.

Officials investigating this fatal truck accident say they will continue to look into the incident, but early indications are that no charges will be filed.

Any accidental death is certainly a tragedy, but the fact that this one took the life of a young woman working for a charity makes this accident especially saddening. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the victim.

George S. Bush, 50, and his mother, Ella Bush, 84, were both seriously injured in a Missouri truck accident when their pickup collided with a trash truck on Missouri Highway 28.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, both the pickup and the trash truck were heading westbound. The 2007 Freightliner Trash Truck, which was driven by Kyle Rutz, 20, was ahead of the pickup. Bush attempted to pass the large trash truck, but at that same moment, the trash truck attempted to make a left turn. The two vehicles collided causing extensive damage to both.

George and Ella Bush were both rushed to a local hospital with serious injuries. Rutz was not listed as injured on the initial report filed by the investigating officer.

There are still many details of this Missouri trash truck crash that need to be uncovered. We don't know what speed the two vehicles were traveling or if either driver signaled before making their respective maneuvers. Also, were the conditions safe for Bush to attempt to pass the trash truck.

Since there are so many complicating factors to most accidents, it is advisable to get the best legal advice possible to help you protect your rights as an accident victim. Many times, insurance companies will be working to limit the amount they have to pay accident victims. Contact a Missouri personal injury attorney to ensure you receive adequate compensation to assist in your recovery.

The way we track the safety records of trucking companies will be undergoing some changes in the near future and Missouri is at the forefront of the transition. Our state is helping to test the new Comprehensive Safety Analysis, or CSA, which will replace the current programs in use by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to evaluate companies and prevent Missouri tractor trailer crashes.

The evaluation process for trucking companies will be very different once the new rules take effect. Currently, a compliance review of a company examines four areas: Driver, Vehicle, Safety Management and Accidents. CSA 2010 expands the number of areas rated to seven and makes them more specifically defined. Companies will now be rated for Unsafe Driving, Fatigued Driving, Driver Fitness, Vehicle Maintenance, Improper Load Securement, Crash History and Alcohol/Drug Abuse Record. This new method should do a better job of pinpointing the exact problem areas that need to be addressed.

Another change is that drivers themselves will be directly measured and given scores independent of their company. For every violation, a weighted score will be given to both the driver and the company based on their level of responsibility and severity of the violation. These scores will stay with drivers as they move from company to company and will hopefully keep the most dangerous drivers off the road before someone is killed or injured in a truck accident they cause.

If a company or driver is given a marginal or unfit rating, they face interventions or suspensions from the FMCSA. The types of interventions will be tailored to the severity of the violation.

Hopefully these new rules will lead to more accountability in the industry. As a St. Louis personal injury lawyer, I have seen countless cases where a company or driver's negligence has lead to a tragic accident. The small percentage of companies who cause the vast majority of crashes need to be held responsible for their actions.

Driving a tractor trailer or other large truck is a challenging endeavor. The shear size of these vehicles creates numerous control problems for a driver, which is why truck drivers must go through additional training to earn a CDL, or commercial driver's license. Even with extra training, tractor trailer accidents in Missouri and around the country occur every day. Sometimes these accidents are caused by other drivers who don't respect the limitation of a tractor trailer. Here are some things to keep in mind:

- Stopping distance - A tractor trailer can legally weigh up to 80,000 pounds. To put that in perspective, the average passenger car weighs somewhere in the neighborhood of 4,000 pounds. Think of the last time you had to slam on your brakes and how far your car still traveled before actually stopping. Now, multiply that by 20 and you'll get a sense of how hard it is to stop a tractor trailer. Tests have been done with fully loaded tractor trailers driving at 60 mph and, in some cases, it takes 200 to 300 feet to come to a stop. This is the number one reason not to ride directly in front of a tractor trailer on the highway.

- Blind spots - Again, even if you've never driven a tractor trailer, this is a problem that is fairly easy to visualize. Think of the blind spots on a 10 to 12 foot passenger car and then imagine how hard it must be for a truck driver with a rig well over 50 feet to be able to see his blind spots. If at all possible, try not to ride in a truck's blind spot.

- Turning radius - Somewhat connected to the last point, the length of a truck and trailer can make sharp turns a challenge. Truck drivers have to make extremely wide turns and this may catch other drivers off-guard if they are not prepared.

Respect the power and size of tractor trailers and make sure to give them plenty of room on the roadways.

Even if you do everything in your control to prevent a serious truck accident, an incident may still occur if the truck driver makes a negligent error. If you or someone you love has been involved in an accident, it is advisable to contact a Missouri personal injury attorney to learn your rights as an accident victim.

Zona Elkins, 64, and Harold Rittenhouse, 69, were both seriously injured in a Missouri tractor trailer accident when the pickup they were riding in was struck by a large truck.

The crash took place in St. Clair County at the intersection of Missouri highways 13 and 82. At the moment, not much is known about the cause of the crash. The initial report on file with the Missouri State Highway Patrol only says that the tractor trailer, driven by Jude Rhoads, 58, was heading eastbound while the pickup, driven by Rittenhouse, was heading northbound. They both reached the intersection at the same time and Rhoads failed to yield to the smaller pickup.

Elkins and Rittenhouse were taken to local hospitals for treatment. Rittenhouse's injuries were so severe he required an emergency airlift. Rhoads was not injured, according to the investigating officer's report.

A full investigation into this Missouri truck accident will be conducted and officials will determine whether any federal trucking regulations were violated. The name of the trucking company has not yet been released.

A St. Louis truck accident dumped more than 1,600 gallons of diesel fuel across a parking lot Tuesday morning, according to a St. Louis Post Dispatch report.

The accident occurred near East Grand Avenue and Hall Street near the Procter and Gamble Plant. The incident is still being investigated and no indication has been given as to how this spill took place.

Fortunately, nobody was injured or hospitalized in the incident. According to officials quoted in the Post Dispatch, about half of the fuel spilled into the sewer.

The tanker carrying the fuel was operated by the Kiesel Co., which sent workers to assist in the cleanup. The Kiesel Co. generally has a great safety record with no serious tractor trailer crashes over the last couple years.

Photo by KMOV-TV

Initial indications are saying inattention is to blame in a fatal Missouri tractor trailer crash near Herculaneum on northbound Interstate 55. The devastating wreck occurred Wednesday afternoon and left two people dead, five more injured, and multiple cars completely mangled.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the tractor trailer was being driven by Jay Valentine, 32, of Huntsville, Texas. Valentine was heading northbound in a 2005 International Tractor Trailer approaching the McNutt Street exit when the semi-trailer accident took place. A line of cars had stopped, possibly due to construction in that area, but Valentine did not see them until it was too late. He swerved his truck into the left lane, but still collided with with multiple cars including a Ford Focus, which was drug almost 100 yards by the truck.

After the initial collision, the force of the impact created a chain reaction which eventually involved seven other vehicles besides the big rig.

Charles Martin, 52, was driving the Focus and was pronounced dead at the scene. Alana McKnight, 28, a driver of one of the other vehicles, also lost her life in the incident.

Among the most seriously injured were Cathy Hawn, 53, and Terry Hawn, 58, who were both taken to local hospitals for emergency treatment. Also injured were Alice Falk, 79; Mary Davis, 65; and Mark London, 51.

Our thoughts are with the families of the victims. Hopefully the injured parties will be able to eventually make a full recovery.

The tractor trailer had the logo for Western Express, Inc., a commercial trucking company based out of Nashville, Tenn. Western Express is a large company which employs over 2,400 drivers and operates trucks all over the country.

Looking at the safety record of the company, this is not the first fatal crash involving a Western Express truck. In fact, over the last two years there have been six fatal truck crashes and over 119 crashes resulting in serious injury.

In the Herculaneum accident, many local media outlets are reporting that Valentine had taken his eyes off the road just before the crash. Investigators have not revealed what he may have been distracted by, if anything. A full crash reconstruction will be performed which will produce a more detailed account of the events leading up to the incident.

If a driver is found to be criminally negligent, charges may be filed. Just recently, a driver pleaded guilty for involuntary manslaughter charges stemming from another tragic tractor trailer crash on Highway 40 in 2008.

The civil courts also can play a role in these cases as well. Injuries from a massive accident such as this can be devastating and take years to recover from, if a full recovery is even possible. This means there will be medical bills, loss of productivity and increased stress on the family. To make sure that their rights as accident victims are protected, it is a good idea for people injured by a tractor trailer to contact a St. Louis truck accident lawyer to discuss their case.

A tractor trailer jack-knifed on the ramp from Interstate 435 to Highway 210, shutting down traffic in that area for some time.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the driver lost control and began to jack-knife around 3:30 a.m. The rig skidded down the ramp, struck a freeway sign and came to a rest blocking the ramp.

Fortunately, nobody was injured in this Missouri tractor trailer accident.

Jack-knife crashes can cause serious damage. A jack-knife occurs when the angle between the cab and the trailer of a large truck becomes too severe and the trailer begins pushing the cab out of control. Once a tractor trailer has entered a jack-knife position, it is impossible for the driver to regain control and the whole rig can enter a slide. Since commercial trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, they can slide for hundreds of feet and, in the worst tractor trailer crash scenario, crush smaller passenger cars along the way.

Traffic was backed up for miles on Interstate 270 as only one lane was open in each direction due to a early morning St. Louis area tractor trailer crash.

According to local media reports, the accident occurred around 4:30 a.m. near Route 367. A tractor trailer jackknifed and overturned in the roadway. Part of the trailer came to rest across the concrete median.

Fortunately, no smaller cars were caught up in the wreck and the driver did not suffer life threatening injuries.

No word yet on what caused the driver to jackknife.

The westbound lanes of the highway were completely blocked, forcing drivers to pass on the shoulder. Several of the eastbound lanes were also blocked as debris from the Missouri truck accident was scattered on the roadway.

Marry Anderson, 29, was killed and five others were injured in a Missouri tractor trailer accident at a construction zone on Interstate 44.

According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, a tractor trailer driven by Boyd Shropshire, 61, came to a stop in the construction zone around 3:00 p.m. A minivan, driven by Dorlis Germain, 41, was following the big rig as it approached the construction zone. Germain was inattentive to the road ahead, according to the investigating officer, and the van slammed into the back of the tractor trailer.

All of the injuries in this fatal St. Louis area truck crash came from passengers in the minivan.

Anderson was pronounced dead at the scene. Germain and four others were all taken to St. John's Hospital in Creve Coeur for treatment.

Passenger car drivers and truck drivers need to be aware of each other at all times, but especially when approaching a work zone. Construction zones can be very dangerous and drivers must follow the posted instructions and speed limits. Despite numerous adjustments to safety regulations in work zones and many public service announcements about the problem, we still see numerous preventable accidents in these areas.

Two serious Missouri tractor trailer accidents in the same day have left one dead and another hospitalized.

In the more serious incident, Maudie Ham, 73, was driving her 1997 Saturn northbound on Interstate 55. A 1997 International tractor trailer, driven by Jerry Pitts, 44, was following behind her. Pitts attempted to overtake Ham's car on the highway at the same time Ham tried to make a turn toward the crossover. Ham's car was struck on the driver's side and was overturned in the median. The big rig ran off the right side of the roadway and came to rest on the shoulder.

Ham was pronounced dead at the scene. Pitts was uninjured.

The other tractor trailer crash, while not as serious, still sent a Missouri man to the hospital.

Scott Crosser, 23, was driving his 1997 Ford Taurus eastbound on I-44 at the time of the crash. He was passing a 1997 Kenworth tractor trailer, driven by Marc Sadler, 45, when the two vehicles clipped each other. Crosser's car came in contact with the left side of the trailer, slid out of control off the right side of the highway, and overturned.

Crosser was taken to St. John's Hospital for treatment. Sadler was uninjured.

Our thoughts are with the families of the victims and those involved in each case. Hopefully Crosser can make a full recovery.

A tractor trailer crashed into a line of cars that was backed up because of traffic on Highway 71 on Wednesday afternoon. Five vehicles where involved in this serious Missouri truck injury crash, but thankfully no one was killed.

The accident began as traffic began to back up on the highway due to a previous accident. As the line of cars formed, a 1999 Freightliner, driven by Ronald Rotert, 55, approached. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Rotert failed to slow down and the tractor trailer struck four different vehicles. Among them was a 2002 Volkswagon, driven by Victoria Cooper-Tobin, 60; and a 2009 Chevrolet, driven by Terry Wagner, 29. The truck then finally came to an uncontrolled stop in the southbound lanes.

Cooper-Tobin and Wagner were both rushed to local hospitals with serious injuries. Despite extensive damage to all the other vehicles involved, nobody else was listed as injured on the initial crash report.

Our thoughts are with the injured parties and their families. Hopefully they can make a full recovery. Their injuries notwithstanding, this tractor trailer accident could have been much worse, perhaps even fatal.

Investigators quoted in the Kansas City Star said they are trying to determine whether distracted driving was the cause in this incident. It has a lot of the signs of distracted driving accidents we've seen in the past with a line of cars stopping in an unusual place due to a previous accident and the tractor trailer failing to try to stop at all.

Whatever details the investigation turns up will not change fact that the injured parties are in for a long recovery. Many times, serious traffic accidents can cause injures that require months of treatments or therapy and astronomical medical bills. While the liability in some accidents may seem cut and dry, too often we see insurance companies try to talk their way out of paying damages and hurt individuals who did nothing wrong are stuck with the bill. Because of the complicated nature of investigating these incidents, it is strongly advised that anybody involved in a crash contact a Missouri personal injury attorney for a consultation. There, you can discuss your case, usually free of charge and with no obligations, and learn how to protect your rights as an accident victim.

Brandon Haskin, 24, was killed Monday morning when a loose tractor trailer tire crashed through his windshield.

According to local media reports, Haskin was driving a 2003 Dodge Durango eastbound on I-70 near McKelvey Road at the time of this fatal St. Louis area tractor trailer accident. At the same time in the westbound lanes of the highway, two wheels separated from a 2008 Volvo tractor-trailer, driven by Wayne Knickmeyer, 48. One of the two wheels was sent flying over the median wall and hit Haskin's SUV. Haskin's vehicle then collided with another vehicle driven by Jamie Duboise, 26.

Haskin was pronounced dead at the scene. Duboise was treated for moderate injuries and Knickmeyer was not injured.

Our thoughts are with the family of the victim and the others involved in this tragic incident.

It is important in cases like these to find the cause of the accident and hold those responsible accountable. This is the only way to try and prevent truck tire accidents like this from happening again.

According to investigators quoted in the St. Louis Post Dispatch, the truck had recently been serviced, but the lugnuts on the rear axle likely weren't tightened which allowed the wheels to break free. The question now is to find out who serviced the truck and determine how such a simple, yet important, maintenance issue could have been overlooked. Also, did Knickmeyer follow all federal safety regulations pertaining to vehicle maintenance before he took the truck back on the road?

Tractor trailer crashes can be very complicated and require the attention of an experienced professional. If you or a family member have been involved in an accident and you want to make sure your rights as an accident victim are protected, it would be wise to contact a personal injury attorney with tractor trailer crash experience. Most will offer a free consultation where you can discuss your case with no obligation to hire.

Danny Glaspie, 45, was killed in a fatal Missouri tractor trailer accident when he was hit by a truck while riding a bicycle in Kirksville.

According to local media reports and emergency officials, the accident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday morning on North Baltimore St. Glaspie was riding his bike in the northbound lane when a 2005 Freightliner truck, driven by Richard White, 44, approached from behind. The truck driver was unable to avoid hitting the bicyclist.

Glaspie was taken to Northeast Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
Our thoughts are with the victim’s family.

The accident is still under investigation with many details yet to emerge. It is not yet known what type of reflective equipment Glaspie was or was not wearing. Investigators will also examine the truck logs and physical evidence to determine the speed of the truck and if the driver was operating the vehicle according to regulations.

Tractor trailer accidents often result in serious injury and have a higher chance of causing a fatality due to the incredible force of these large vehicles. This is especially true when big rigs collide with smaller passenger cars, motorcycles or bikes that offer passengers little to no protection.

Because of these risks, we must make sure to hold trucking companies accountable when they violate regulations. Most companies and drivers drive safely, but those that don’t can give the entire industry a bad name and cause serious tragedy in the process. If you or a loved one have been involved in an accident with a commercial truck, contact a Missouri truck accident lawyer as soon as possible.

If you drive a smaller compact car, I'm sure you've had the experience of riding on the highway as a tractor trailer rumbles by and realizing you're actually able to see under the trailer. You can see dangling chains and spare tires, as well as all the axles and moving parts. You might even find yourself wondering if your car could fit totally underneath the trailer.

In the movie "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation", the main character, played by Chevy Chase, finds himself accidentally swerving underneath a trailer in the opening scenes. This incident is played for laughs on the big screen, but the reality is much scarier. Every year, these so-called underride incidents occur in numerous tractor trailer accident cases, and often they have very serious consequences.

The reason for the danger is because the bed of a trailer is often higher than the hood of a standard passenger car. The front end of a car is designed to absorb impacts, but the windshield and frame that makes up the passenger compartment is not quite as sturdy. If a car were to drive underneath a tractor trailer, the bed of the trailer has a good chance of entering the passenger compartment and causing serious head and neck injuries. As you can imagine, these injuries are often fatal.

Because of the risk of underride accidents, federal regulations were put in place requiring all trailers to have a guard bar to prevent cars from wedging under the trailer in the event of a serious truck crash. This rear impact guard is designed to hit a passenger car's front end, rather than the passenger compartment.

Occasionally, though, we see cases where these regulations are not properly followed. A tractor trailer may be missing this guard rail completely or the guard rail may be set to an improper height. The rear impact guard may also not be structurally sound due to excessive rust or damage from a previous accident. If the bar snaps off with minimal pressure, it's just as bad as having no bar at all. In fact, it might be worse as now you have another piece of heavy debris that could potentially crash through the windshield and cause injury.

Investigating these details after a crash is important. It holds negligent trucking companies accountable and helps prevent these incidents in the future. If you have been involved in a wreck with a large commercial truck, consult a Missouri tractor trailer accident attorney as soon as possible to make sure your crash receives a thorough investigation.

Two drivers are fortunate to be alive after a major Missouri tractor trailer crash Wednesday morning on Highway 36. Not only did the two drivers, Charles Donahue, 68, and Dewayne Achenbach, 51, survive, they were mostly uninjured.

According to local media reports, both trucks were traveling eastbound on Highway 36 at the time of the wreck. Donahue was driving a 2000 Kenworth and Achenbach was driving a 2011 Freightliner. As the two vehicles approached an intersection, Donahue attempted to make a turn from the outside lane. Achenbach was unable to avoid slamming into Donahue's truck and both vehicles ended up in the median.

Nearly immediately after the crash, both tractor trailers caught fire. Officials believe some type of explosion occurred, which spread the fire very quickly and completely destroyed both vehicles.

Despite the viciousness of the accident and the fact that both rigs were totally destroyed, neither driver was injured in this Missouri tractor trailer accident. Both Donahue and Achenbach were able to get out of their cabins before the fire overcame them.

Thankfully, nobody was hurt in this incident and no other smaller cars were caught up in this wreck. Many times in situations like these, the people involved aren't as lucky. Motor carrier regulations and better safety technology have limited injury accidents over the years, but these measures only work when they are actually used. Too often we see companies break regulations or vehicles without the proper safety equipment. Anybody involved in a tractor trailer accident caused by this kind of negligence should contact a personal injury attorney with tractor trailer crash experience.

One of the more common types of tractor trailer crashes is the jackknife crash. The jackknife is usually caused when the driver applies the brakes and the cab slows down, but the trailer's momentum continues to push it forward. In this situation, the cab and the trailer get offset to an extreme angle and the driver loses control of the whole rig.

While usually caused by braking, a jackknife can occur nearly anytime a driver turns the wheel as well. Changing lanes on the highway or making a turn at any intersection can cause a cause a jackknife if attempted by a poorly trained driver.

This is where federal regulations are useful to help prevent these incidents. By required special licenses, regulations try to promote driver expertise and keep negligent drivers off the road. Weight restrictions on shipments, speed limits and general maintenance requirements are all regulations designed to prevent serious tractor trailer crashes, including jackknifes.

Unfortunately, we still see companies failing to do the proper inspections or overloading trucks to a dangerous degree. When this negligent behavior causes an accident, those responsible must be held accountable. If you or a loved one have been involved in an accident with a tractor trailer, contact a Missouri tractor trailer accident attorney as soon as possible to make sure your rights as an accident victim are protected.

Two people were taken to the hospital Tuesday morning after a Missouri tractor trailer crash on Missouri 291 in which a big rig actually tipped over, hitting other vehicles in the process.

According to local media reports, the tractor trailer was southbound on Missouri 291 just before the accident. The truck driver attempted to make a right turn onto Frontage Road, but took the turn too fast. The tractor trailer tipped over and hit three other cars that were waiting at the light.

The tractor trailer driver and the driver of one of the cars waiting at the light were both taken to a local hospital for treatment.

An investigation into this tractor trailer injury accident is ongoing and charges could be filed.

While more details need to emerge about this incident, it appears that the truck driver was simply driving too fast and lost control of his vehicle. We often see accidents in the trucking industry due to drivers trying to rush their deliveries. Whether it be drivers who break the speed limit or drivers who violate the hours of service rules to get to their destination quicker, dangerous situations arise when tractor trailer drivers put speed over safety.

A Missouri tractor trailer crash sent one person to the hospital Tuesday morning in Newton County.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the accident occurred on Highway 43 about two miles south of Joplin. Sarinda Dudley, 36, was driving a 2000 Chevrolet Malibu southbound and began to slow to make a right turn. As Dudley slowed her car, a 2007 International tractor trailer, driven by Roger Decker, 45, slammed into the back of her car. The Malibu was totaled.

Thankfully, there were no life-threatening injuries. Decker was taken to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries. While Dudley's car was totaled, surprisingly, she escaped significant injury.

The initial report on this Missouri truck accident doesn't say why Decker was unable to avoid hitting Dudley's car. Often times in cases like these, the truck driver doesn't see the car in front of him until it's too late, or the car driver can hit the brakes hard and not give the 80,000 pound tractor trailer a chance to stop. Truck drivers must always be aware of other cars on the road and should leave themselves plenty of room between the car ahead and the front of the truck.

After a tractor trailer wreck, there is supposed to be an investigation into the driver's logs and an inspection of the truck to determine if any motor carrier regulations were violated.

One point of emphasis when the motor carrier regulations were crafted was limiting the number of fatigued drivers on the road. Mental or physical exhaustion can greatly affect your ability to operate a vehicle safely and is a big contributor to tractor trailer injury accidents.

Just how impaired are you while driving tired? It's a hard question to quantify, but over the years tests were done comparing driver fatigue to drunken driving to give us a scale that we can better relate to. The results are pretty startling.

If you are awake and active for 17 straight hours, your reaction time and coordination is reduced to level of someone with a blood alcohol content of .05. Weight and water consumption can affect BAC levels, but that's roughly comparable to having a few beers over the course of an hour. If you extend the time to 24 straight hours without sufficient rest, you will be as impaired as someone with a .10 BAC. The standard for driving while intoxicated is .08, so effectively, not getting enough rest is as dangerous as driving drunk.

This is why the hours of service regulations were created to limit the amount of time a truck driver can be behind the wheel and on-duty without rest. Study after study has repeatedly shown that fatigued drivers are more likely to cause major truck crashes.

Unfortunately, pressures from trucking companies and the motivation of a per mile pay scale can sometimes lead drivers to violate these regulations. What's more is that drivers will try to fabricate their driving logs to disguise the fact they are driving while dangerously fatigued. This is why every truck accident should be scrutinized by investigators and tractor trailer accident attorneys to hold drivers accountable for negligent practices.

If you have been involved in a tractor trailer crash, consult a personal injury attorney who's knowledgeable in trucking regulations as soon as possible.

Darrell Fryer, 61, was killed and another person was seriously injured Tuesday morning in a Missouri tractor trailer crash on I-44.

Fryer was heading westbound in a 1992 Oldsmobile Cutlass at the time of the accident, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. He was driving in the left lane when he came upon a MoDOT dump truck filling a pothole on the highway just before Antire Road. The dump truck was in the same lane as Fryer and as he tried to maneuver around it, his car began to skid out of control. The Cutlass clipped the back of the MoDOT truck and then spun into the center lane where it was hit by a tractor trailer.

Fryer was pronounced dead by ambulance personnel. A passenger with Fryer, Robert Collins, 46, sustained serious injuries. The tractor trailer driver and the MoDOT workers all avoided injury.

This is a tragic accident and our thoughts go out to the victim's family. Hopefully Collins can make a speedy recovery.

While the initial crash report on file with the Highway Patrol describes the basics of the crash, there are still many details to uncover surrounding this deadly Missouri truck accident. A crash reconstruction will be used to determine the speed Fryer was driving at the time of the crash. Also, if MoDOT was blocking lanes of the highway with their equipment, an investigation into whether they followed procedure to warn other motorists is warranted. If there were caution lights and construction barrels at the work site, why didn't Fryer see them until it was too late?

There are often many complicated questions after a serious injury accident. If you or someone you love has been injured and you are looking for legal advice, contact a St. Louis personal injury lawyer for a free consultation.

Four people were injured, two seriously, in a Saturday morning tractor trailer accident on Highway 61 near Palmyra, Missouri.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol and local media, three of the four injured were riding in a northbound car driven by Lori Peitz, 48. The car was traveling in front of a tractor trailer, driven by Gregory Morris, 44. For some reason, Peitz lost control of the car and began to spin on the roadway. Morris then hit the car with the tractor trailer, then traveled off the roadway where the big rig flipped over. Peitz's car ended up in the median.

Lori Peitz was taken to Hannibal Regional Hospital for treatment. Also in the car was David Peitz, 48, and Maria Peitz, 10. Both joined Lori at Hannibal Regional, though Maria's injuries were less serious. Morris was also treated for minor injuries.

No citation was issued for this Missouri truck crash. No details about why the car spun out in the first place was given.

Hopefully all involved make a full recovery.

Some startling video involving a British tractor trailer crash has surfaced and is making its way around the internet. The video is from a cell phone camera and shows a tractor trailer that has just hit a smaller passenger car and is dragging it down the road. The more unsettling fact is that the truck driver seems to be completely unaware he has hit anything and continues without stopping.

The video can be seen here.

The video lasts only a few seconds and doesn't show how long the car was dragged or what happened at the end of the accident. You can clearly see the truck's logo for a company called Arclid Transport.

According to a BBC News report, the accident actually occurred in January and was investigated as a simple collision at the time. Neither the driver of the car or the tractor trailer was seriously injured. No action was taken against the driver of the truck.

Since the footage of this commercial truck accident has surfaced, though, authorities are reopening the investigation.

Tractor trailers are large vehicles that, when fully loaded, can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. Despite this, one would hope that an experienced truck driver would be able to tell if he has hit another car. The video is brief and doesn't show how long the car was being dragged, but from what we do see it is clear that the driver makes no attempt to stop for at least the 20 seconds shown in the video.

Thankfully, nobody was seriously injured in the truck crash, but everyday in the United States there are accidents where people aren't so lucky. If the accident is the fault of a negligent driver or trucking company, the incident should be investigated to hold them accountable and help prevent similar occurrences in the future. Contact a truck accident lawyer if you or someone you love has been involved in an accident with a tractor trailer.

A serious tractor trailer crash occurred Sunday night on Interstate 65 near Bowling Green, Kentucky when a Freightliner collided with a Greyhound bus and left ten people seriously injured.

According to local media reports, the crash took place around midnight in the southbound lanes of the interstate. Both the tractor trailer and the bus were traveling southbound, with the bus riding ahead of the truck. The bus was traveling slower than the big rig and, for an unknown reason, the truck driver was unable to avoid slamming into the back of the bus.

The truck driver along with 9 passengers on the bus were taken to local hospitals for emergency treatment. An additional 33 others were riding on the bus and did not sustain life-threatening injuries.

More investigation will be needed to determine what caused this truck injury accident, but investigators will likely be checking out a few specific probable causes. One of the most common causes of tractor trailer crashes is fatigued drivers, so the log books of the driver will be examined to see if he was getting the proper amount of rest to help fight fatigue. There is also the possibility of a mechanical failure with the brakes which, if that were the case, would lead investigators to check the inspection records of the truck.

Another common cause of accidents is distracted driving. As hand-held electronic devices become more common, states and federal agencies are looking to restrict their use behind the wheel as a way of preventing fatal car and truck accidents. Just recently a restriction on texting and driving was placed on all commercial truck drivers.

The Missouri Department of Transportation has decided to install median cables along a stretch of highway where a recent Missouri tractor trailer crash occurred which resulted in a car being dragged across the median.

The accident took place Tuesday when a tractor trailer plowed through a line of cars and into the median. Fortunately, nobody was killed, but this truck injury accident is a reminder of why we need to have median cables installed at more locations around the state.

Median cables have become a more common choice for MoDOT over the years due to their effectiveness and relatively low cost. The cables are designed to give way to cars that spin out of control into the median. This bend but don't break approach keeps the vehicles out of oncoming traffic while doing less damage to the vehicle itself. Since the cable system requires less material and machinery to install than a concrete barrier, they are good fiscal decisions, too.

Since median cables were first installed along some highways, the number of fatal car accidents caused by crossovers has dropped 27%. Due to this success, MoDOT has planned to install more cable medians along smaller highways in the coming years.

Three people were injured and several cars were completely destroyed after a Missouri tractor trailer accident on Highway 71 on Tuesday afternoon.

According to local media reports, traffic had become backed up on the highway just north of Missouri 58. A southbound tractor trailer, driven by Jose Valentin, lost control and slammed into the back of the line of cars. The tractor trailer ran over a car and pushed other vehicles into each other. The small car that was run over was actually dragged under the big rig into the median.

Amazingly, nobody was killed in this serious Missouri truck crash. Mindy Osborn was airlifted to a local hospital for treatment. Two others, Adam Moennig and Melissa McClay, were also injured and taken by ambulance to local hospitals. Valentin was uninjured.

It is unclear what caused Valentin to strike the line of cars. The traffic might have stopped suddenly in front of him, making it hard to stop a truck that could have been loaded up to 80,000 pounds. He might also have been distracted and unaware of the traffic ahead of him.Typically, negligence is assumed in rear-end collision accidents, though there may be extenuating circumstances in this case.

An investigation into the accident continues.

After a commercial truck crash, the truck driver submits to an alcohol and drug test and his driving logs are investigated to ensure that no motor carrier violations exist.

Richard Veltrop, 37, was killed and two others were injured in a Missouri tractor trailer crash on Highway 54 late Saturday night.

According to the initial crash report, Veltrop was driving with Julie Trenary, 33, in a 2003 Toyota when the accident occurred. Veltrop traveled into the path of an oncoming tractor trailer, driven by Virgil Russom, 67. The Toyota clipped the trailer being hauled, causing massive damage to both vehicles.

Veltrop was pronounced dead at the scene. Trenary and Russom were both taken to local hospitals for treatment.

Since there was a fatality, this crash will undergo a full investigation including an accident reconstruction to determine the cause. Investigators will be able to examine skid marks and debris patterns to determine how fast the vehicles were going and which vehicle was actually out of its lane to cause this fatal Missouri truck accident.

The truck driver's log books will also be investigated to ensure that no motor carrier regulations were violated.

An explosive Missouri tractor trailer crash sent one man to the hospital and closed a portion of Highway 60 early Friday morning.

According to local media reports, a tractor trailer ran off the road near Poplar Bluff and then hit a guardrail. Shortly after the impact, the rig burst into flames causing officials to close both lanes of the highway until the fire could be extinguished and the roadway cleared.

One person, presumably the truck driver, was taken by ambulance from the scene, but no word has been released on the person's identity or condition after this serious tractor trailer injury accident.

Fortunately, no other vehicles were involved in the incident. The highway was cleared by sunrise on Friday morning.

Aside from the enormous size of tractor trailers causing damage in an accident, the large fuel tanks of big rigs can also become a hazard. If ignited, the explosion can be devastating. This is especially true if the trucker is hauling gasoline or other flammable materials. Drivers are required to get special endorsements on their license for HAZMAT and tanker loads to ensure that he or she is prepared for the special challenges these hauls present.

It is not known what the truck was hauling in the Poplar Bluff accident.

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.

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.

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.

Jack Vaughn, 41, and Carol Cook, 53, were both killed Tuesday in a serious Missouri car accident on U.S. 60 near Poplar Bluff.

This tragic accident occurred when Cook, who was traveling eastbound, crossed the center median, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Her vehicle crossed into the westbound lanes where it collided with Vaughn's 1999 Dodge. Vaughn's car was then struck by a 1998 Peterbilt tractor trailer, driven by Johnny Counts, 57.

Both Vaughn and Cook were pronounced dead at the scene. Counts sustained minor injuries, but his truck was able to be driven from the scene.

This is a heartbreaking incident to have happen near the holidays. Our thoughts go out to the families of the deceased and hopefully Counts' injuries heal quickly.

As far as the cause of this fatal Missouri car wreck, it is still unclear why Cook crossed the median into oncoming traffic. An accident reconstruction will be performed to determine exactly what caused her to lose control of the vehicle.

A Missouri tractor trailer jackknifed and slid off southbound Interstate 29 into the median on Monday afternoon. The truck’s progress was stopped by the cable median before it could cross into oncoming traffic and become a more serious tractor trailer accident.

While there was some damage to the median and traffic was backed up for hours, no serious injuries were reported.

Fortunately this particular Missouri big rig accident was not serious, but that does not mean jackknife incidents aren’t capable of causing major damage. Anybody who regularly drives on highways with large amounts of tractor trailer traffic should be cautious and aware of the dangers at all times.

Jackknifes are caused when the load of a trailer pushes the cabin sideways and folds it backwards. Once in this position, the vehicle becomes impossible to control and it can slide unpredictably into other cars. Anytime a truck driver makes a turn or brakes, there is a potential for a jackknife.

A number of technological innovations have become standard to help limit the number of jackknife incidents. Anti-lock brakes help the driver maintain control when stopping suddenly and special rigging between the cabin and the trailer can help prevent the trailer from jackknifing. Computer assisted braking systems are also becoming common to further assist the driver.

Despite all the advances in technology, the best way to prevent truck accidents is to have skilled and responsible drivers. While most have a great driving record, there are a few negligent drivers and companies that violate regulations and put people in danger. If you have been involved in a tractor trailer accident, it is a good idea to have it investigated by an experienced Missouri tractor trailer crash lawyer.

Perhaps the two obstacles on the roadway most likely to elicit a groan from drivers are construction zones and tractor trailers. While both are necessary to maintain our roads and commerce, they can both lead to delays in an already hectic rush hour commute. Aside from just causing traffic backups, though, they are both involved in a large number of serious Missouri injury accidents, especially when you mix the large trucks with the confusion of a construction zone.

Residents of Kansas City have been given a couple recent examples of the dangers when tractor trailers and construction zones meet. A few weeks ago, a truck hauling dangerous hydrochloric acid crashed spilling the liquid all over the highway. The incident was followed a couple weeks later by another tractor trailer, this one hauling soybean meal, that crashed on the exact same stretch of highway.

Over on the east side of the state, we’ve seen our fair share of St. Louis tractor trailer accidents in or near construction zones. Last year, for a tragic example, multiple cars waiting in the backup from the Highway 40 construction detour were crushed by a tractor trailer whose driver had briefly taken his eyes off the road to grab his cell phone.

The confusion and stress that comes from navigating construction zones and detours makes for a dangerous situation that must be navigated carefully by all drivers. If everyone observes the posted speed limits and maintains awareness of workers and equipment, accidents can easily be reduced.

Unfortunately, inattentive drivers of both cars and tractor trailers often don’t see an upcoming construction zone or traffic backup and that’s when accidents occur. If you or a family member have been involved in one of these accidents, consult a Missouri personal injury lawyer to discuss your next steps and learn your rights as an accident victim.

We often discuss the causes of Missouri tractor trailer accidents on this blog and one of the major problems continues to be truck driver fatigue. Whether it comes from lack of sleep or just a driver exerting himself further than his body can handle, fatigue can have deadly consequences when mixed with 80,000 pounds of freight.

According to the NTSB, one in three tractor trailer accidents are caused by driver fatigue. This includes both fatal and non-fatal accidents. If these estimates are true, that means there are over 160,000 truck accidents that could have been prevented had the driver not been fatigued.

Even more startling is the number of truck drivers that admit to actually falling asleep at the wheel. Some studies claim this number is as high as one in five drivers having fallen asleep at the wheel at least once in their driving careers.

A driver doesn't actually have to fall asleep to put himself and others in danger. Being heavily fatigued limits your reaction time and attention span as well as making it harder to stay in a lane. Perhaps you may have even felt this yourself in your own car when driving late at night. While driving in this condition is not safe in any vehicle, the large size and limited mobility of commercial shipping trucks requires that your mind be totally focused to avoid any problems.

You are also more susceptible to a condition commonly called "road hypnosis" when you are fatigued. Drivers on long road trips often report that they simply don't remember long stretches of the drive because they were in a type of psychological autopilot. Your conscious mind can separate from simple sub conscious tasks using an ability psychologists call automaticity. A driver's automatic responses may be able to keep a car on the roadway for short stretches, but if something unexpected happens, like a sudden traffic backup, the conscious mind may not be able to take over and stop the vehicle in time.

Federal regulations are in place that limit the number of consecutive hours a driver can be behind the wheel, and these restrictions may be expanded further if regulators feel it would be in the interest of public safety. Developing these rules can be tricky, though, because if you limit driver's hours too much, companies argue they will be forced to hire more inexperienced drivers which may also increase accidents.

If you have been involved in an accident with a tractor trailer and suspect the driver was driving while dangerously fatigued, contact a Missouri truck accident lawyer. An experienced attorney will be able investigate the driver's log books and company shipping records to determine if the driver violated any regulations and if these regulations contributed to the accident.

The map to the right provides a good visual representation of the amount of tractor trailer traffic on Missouri’s highways every year and why we need to work very hard to prevent Missouri truck crashes.

The U.S. Department of Transportation provided the map and the data behind it showing the amount of shipping traffic across the country. As you can see, Missouri is a central hub with hundreds of millions of tons passing through the state’s highway, rail and waterway systems.

Looking at just the tractor trailer shipping traffic, you can see why there are so many large truck accidents in the state every year. The two major highways criss-crossing the state, I-70 and I-44, bear the load of more than 200 millions tons of freight by themselves. Perhaps this is one reason why those two highways were recently listed as the two most dangerous in Missouri.

Shipping goods by truck is an important part of our economy and can be handled in a safe way, as evidenced by the thousands of truck drivers who operate their vehicles without incident every day. The shear size of the trucks can quickly lead to tragedy, though, when operated by those few negligent drivers and trucking companies.

The best way to control these negligent practices is with careful federal regulation, constant supervision by state authorities and proper utilization of the civil justice system when an accident occurs. Anybody involved in a Missouri tractor trailer crash should contact a Missouri truck accident attorney as soon as possible to investigate the incident.

Truck driver Johnathon Willmon, 33, is dead after a Missouri tractor trailer crash near Plattsburg, Missouri.

Willmon was driving his 2002 International truck eastbound on Missouri 116 when the crash occurred, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. A second big rig, driven by Douglas Tomlin, 45, was heading westbound on Missouri 116 and began to slide out of control. Highway Patrol troopers said Tomlin began to slide due to snowy road conditions. Tomlin's truck crossed over into the eastbound lanes where it hit a rail on the Little Platte River bridge and jackknifed in the path of Willmon's truck. Willmon was unable to avoid crashing into the trailer attached to Tomlin's truck.

Willmon was pronounced dead at the scene. Tomlin suffered minor injures, but refused treatment at the crash site.

Often when you hear about a fatal tractor trailer crash, it is between a big rig and a smaller passenger car. This incident shows that the power of these large vehicles can cause tragedy or serious injury even for the truck drivers themselves.

Since there was a fatality, this accident will see much more investigation and an accident reconstruction from state authorities. The trip logs of both drivers will be investigated to see if any motor carrier regulations were violated.

Photo by KMBC-TV

A truck carrying thousands of pounds of Pepsi soda overturned on I-435 early Monday morning sending two people to the hospital and scattering soda bottles all over the highway.

According to authorities cited in local media reports, this Missouri truck injury crash was likely caused by slick road conditions. The Pepsi truck was unable to stop and slid into two other cars before slamming into the guardrail and flipping.

Both the driver of the truck and one of the other car's drivers were taken to the hospital for treatment.

The driver of the truck was trapped for nearly 40 minutes before being freed by rescue crews. The rest of the accident took hours to clean.

While slick road conditions can be a factor in Missouri car and truck crashes, the responsibility for safe driving still lies with drivers. If you cause an accident, even if it was because you car skid on an icy roadway, you will be liable for damages caused by the wreck.

Early indications are the Pepsi truck slid on the roadway in the Missouri crash, but these are just scattered early reports. More investigation is needed by local authorities, accident professionals, and perhaps a Missouri truck accident lawyer before liability can be determined.

Ricky Hotop, 48, was hospitalized with serious injuries after crashing his pickup into a tractor trailer in Perry County, Missouri.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, this Missouri tractor trailer crash occurred on County Road 606 near Route K. The tractor trailer was stopped in the westbound lane of the roadway at around 5:20 p.m. Hotop, who was also traveling westbound, apparently didn’t see the tractor trailer and crashed into the back of it, totaling his pickup.

Hotop was taken to Perry County Memorial Hospital for emergency treatment. The tractor trailer driver was uninjured.

In many cases of a rear end collision, a driver is usually distracted and not focused on the road ahead of him. Occasionally, there are circumstances where the driver in the rear is not totally at fault. If a car or tractor trailer is stopped over the crest of a hill, for instance, this creates a very dangerous situation where other drivers may not have the opportunity to stop their vehicles in time. Large tractor trailers should also put out road markers and keep lights on after dusk in order to warn other drivers and prevent serious tractor trailer accidents.

The initial crash report and local media have not released information as to what might have caused this particular crash in Perry County. Further investigation is needed to determine whether Hotop was simply being inattentive, whether the tractor trailer was placed in a dangerous position, or both.

Examining the statistics showing just how many people die or suffer injury in truck accidents in Missouri and around the country each year can lead one to a pretty bleak outlook on the situation. Several thousand people die every year and tens of thousands more sustain injuries that may affect them the rest of their lives.

There are steps that both the trucking companies and the average driver can take to reduce the number of fatal tractor trailer accidents in Missouri.

Time and time again, it is shown that the number one cause of accidents is driver error. Taking the time to re-educate yourself on proper driving techniques can help you break some bad habits. When driving near trucks, for instance, a passenger car should not get too close behind or in front of a truck which could jackknife easily if forced into an evasive maneuver. You should also not attempt to “race” a big rig at an exit ramp just to make sure you are ahead of it on the highway.

Some trucking companies are being very proactive and taking a high-tech approach to limiting accidents by installing driver assistance programs, like the VORAD system. These technologies can alert the driver if a dangerous situation is present and, in some cases, take control of truck’s brake system to avert a crash.

Not all companies go the extra mile, unfortunately, and some have been found to be consistently negligent in how they operate their vehicles. Because of this, the industry will continue to need to examine their regulations and hold companies that violate them accountable.

If you have been involved in a tractor trailer accident and would like an expert to examine the case to determine if regulations were violated, contact a St. Louis area truck accident lawyer.

A tractor trailer hauling more than 4,000 pounds of hydrochloric acid crashed on I-35 in Kansas City on Monday, sending the corrosive liquid spraying out onto the roadway.

The Missouri tractor trailer crash and chemical spill happened just before the morning rush and hospitalized 11 people, according to the Kansas City Star.

According to police cited in local media reports, the truck was traveling through a narrow construction zone and likely moving too fast for the road conditions. A full investigation is ongoing to confirm these suspicions.

The hydrochloric acid being carried was 50 percent concentrated, which is a very powerful mixture according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Concentrations at 10 percent or even lower are to be handled with care. Higher concentrations increase the corrosive ability of the chemical.

If the acid comes into contact with human tissue, it will cause burning and severe damage, especially to the eyes, throat, and other soft tissue. If inhaled, the acid can irritate the throat and lungs, possibly creating ulcers. It has also been shown to cause pulmonary edema, which is a dangerous buildup of fluid in the lungs.

Because of these risks, after the tractor trailer crash, people in the area were advised to remain indoors. The Isle of Capri Casino, which is located near the crash site, shut down its ventilation system to prevent any dangerous fumes from entering the building.

Most of the people that sought treatment at the hospital had been exposed to the chemical and complained of irritation of the eyes or throat. At this time, there are no reports of serious injury or permanent damage due to exposure to the acid.

Road crews also repaired damage to the roadway where the acid had eaten away at the asphalt.

In a report published by NPR using NHTSA data, rural roads are shown to have the highest number of fatal car and truck crashes despite the fact that less people live in rural areas.

In 2008, 56 percent of fatal crashes happened on rural roads despite only 23 percent of the country's population living in rural areas. The report goes on to say that the numbers vary by state and in some areas over 90 percent of highway fatalities are on rural roads.

Urban areas have more people and their residents also drive more, but despite all these factors that should contribute to urban accidents, urban drivers are half as likely to die in a car or truck crash here in Missouri or around the country.

Some reasons for this discrepancy are obvious, while others may not immediately come to mind. Drivers are usually traveling faster on rural roads. Rural roads are also narrower and may lack some modern safety improvements that have been installed on major interstates that run through cities. Tractor trailer crashes are more more deadly as large trucks are forced to share these smaller roads with passenger cars. Rural drivers are also more likely to drive without wearing a seat belt and are more likely to be involved in a drunk driving crash.

Still, despite all these factors, driver error is the cause of most accidents. There's just less room for error on these more dangerous roads. Car and truck drivers that drive negligently must be held responsible if they cause an accident no matter where the crash occurs.

If you or someone in your family is involved in a crash caused by another driver, contact a Missouri car and truck accident lawyer to discuss your rights as an accident victim. You should also consult an attorney if you feel the accident was the result of a dangerous road condition that should have been addressed by transportation officials.

A $1.3 million dollar ruling against the Missouri Department of Transportation was just handed down by a arbitration panel that decided the department could have done more to prevent a Missouri tractor trailer accident in 2005.

The accident in question was a December 6, 2005 crash that killed Jemma Dant, 28. Her car was stopped on I-44 when a semitrailer crashed into the back of her car and sent it into another truck. Her car was in a line of traffic which was backed up unusually far from the Vandeventer exit.

The arbitration panel said that MoDOT could have warned drivers about the backup, which extended past the Vandeventer exit lane and into the right lane of westbound I-44.

A St. Louis Post Dispatch report on the case said since the accident, the exit ramp was restriped and electronic warning signs were added that can update drivers about traffic conditions. Neither of these precautions were in place at the time of the accident.

Dant's family had already been paid damages by the trucking company involved in the crash.

This accident was tragic, but the changes that have taken place since the accident may help prevent a similar Missouri truck accident in the future. By hiring a St. Louis area personal injury attorney after an accident, you can possibly recover damages to help you financially through a difficult time and also draw attention to dangerous conditions that can be remedied to prevent future tragedy.

A semi driver from Missouri was involved in a tractor trailer accident Thursday morning in Eastern Iowa, according to local media reports.

Details are sketchy as investigators are still examining the scene, but we do know the tractor trailer was heading westbound on I-80 when the accident occurred. The truck driver, whose name has not been released, attempted to pass a slower moving minivan. Once he had passed the van in the left lane, he began to merge back into the right lane, but apparently misjudged his clearance room. The trailer hit the van and forced it off the roadway into a ditch. The semi also lost control and drove off an I-80 overpass onto Wells Ferry Road. Luckily, there were no cars crushed by the large truck as it fell.

Neither driver was seriously hurt.

The tractor trailer driver is facing citations, according to a KWQC report.

Fortunately, this crash did not result in any severe injuries or death. Many times this is not the case. Negligent operation by tractor trailer drivers and their companies can have deadly consequences. Anybody who is involved in a crash with a tractor trailer in Missouri should contact a Missouri truck accident lawyer to discuss their case. He or she will be able to examine the case and recover damages to help the injured party cope with serious injury and large medical bills.

Data compiled by a Missouri attorney lobbying for more tractor trailer regulations shows that interstate 70 is by far Missouri’s deadliest highway, followed by I-44, U.S.-63 and I-55, according to a KSDK report.

Last year there were 41 fatalities on I-70 alone, according to the report. I-44, which has a longer stretch through the state, came in second with 25 fatal car and truck accidents.

The data is being used to call attention to the dangers on our roadways and the attorney who published it is hoping also to see some law changes as well. He, along with others, are trying to ban tractor trailer drivers from using portable electronic devices like cell phones and laptops while they are behind the wheel.

Missouri recently passed a law restricting drivers under 21 from texting and driving. Besides that, there are no laws restricting big rig and commercial truck drivers from talking on a cell phone or using a laptop despite the fact that studies show drivers using these devices are up to 23 percent more likely to cause an accident. Many truckers routinely use these devices to report back to their company and keep in touch with family while on the road.

While I respect the fact that drivers need to keep in contact with their employers and their family, it is not worth putting others at risk. The numbers clearly show that distracted drivers cause more accidents. If a negligent driver or company causes an accident they need to be held accountable. The best way to do this is to contact a Missouri truck accident attorney to help investigate your case if you or someone you love is involved in a crash.

The dangers of combining alcohol or drugs and driving are obvious and well documented. Still, we see thousands of fatal car and truck accidents each year as a result of drunk or drugged driving. Every state has laws to curb drunk driving and this applies to commercial truck and tractor trailer drivers as well. In fact, commercial truck drivers are subject to much stricter regulation than the average driver.

Every driver is required to submit to numerous drug and alcohol tests in order to remain employed. There are pre-employment drug screens as well as random tests administered throughout the driver's tenure. If a driver is involved in an accident, he will also have to submit to drug and alcohol screens to determine if these substances contributed to the accident. Failure to comply with these mandatory tests will result in serious consequences for the driver.

Because of these regulations, drunk and drugged driving has been reduced in the trucking industry. While not as rampant as it once was, the problem has not been completely eliminated. Various studies have found that 15% of drivers had illegal drugs in their systems after a crash. Some others were found to have been abusing prescription stimulants to fight fatigue. Even with all the tests for alcohol, 1% of fatal tractor trailer accidents were the result of drunk driving. That still adds up to hundreds of lives lost every year due to terribly negligent behavior on the part of a driver.

Trucking companies can fall short in their duties to police their drivers as well. Tractor trailer accident lawyers can sometimes find cases where tests are not properly administered by trucking companies and unsafe drivers are allowed back on the road. In these cases, the company as well as the driver should be held responsible for the damage caused by an accident.

An experienced Missouri truck accident lawyer will be able to examine an accident and determine if drugs or alcohol played a role. He will also be able to dig into company testing records to determine if the driver had a history of problems that should have kept the driver off the road in the first place.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration's main objective is to make workplaces safe for employees and other citizens. On their website they have suggestions specifically for trucking companies and any organization that operates large trucks as part of their day-to-day business. These suggestions are designed to reduce the number of serious truck accident injuries and fatalities. They also recognize companies that are utilizing these suggestions effectively.

OSHA says that companies need a driver safety program and offers learning materials to companies to help them start one. Aside from simply listing safe driving strategies, they recommend creating a culture of safety where safe practices are rewarded. The attitudes of employees must be in the right place first before any safety tips will help. Once you have employees committed, then you can start to implement the tips on www.osha.gov. If you are an employer who uses large trucks in your business, I strongly recommend taking a look at their suggestions.

Among the companies they spotlight is Nationwide Insurance. They have a private motor fleet as part of their business and in 1998 they started a driver safety program with their employees. As a result, they saw their rate of preventable crashes drop by more than 50 percent. What makes that stat even more impressive is the national rate of accidents actually rose during that same period.

Other companies that had similar results were Charter Communications and GM.

Unfortunately, some companies don't implement these driver safety programs, putting profits ahead of safety while putting innocent people at risk in the process. These are the companies that made the national rate of tractor trailer and large truck accidents rise over the last decade.

These companies need to be held accountable for negligent practices. If you have been involved in a wreck with a large truck or commercial shipping vehicle, contact a Missouri truck accident lawyer as soon as possible. Truck accident cases are incredibly time sensitive and if you delay, you may lose your chance to recover damages to help your recovery.

Two large trucks and a car were involved in a Missouri injury accident Wednesday evening on Highway 70 in St. Louis.

All three of the vehicles were heading eastbound near the Cypress exit when the accident happened. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the driver of the car, 17 year old Stefanie McCauley, lost control of the vehicle and began to spin out. A Volvo 8000, driven by Avramov Znivko, 47, hit McCauley's car as it spun. Moments later, a 1994 Peterbilt truck, driven by Raymond Stambaugh, 55, hit the Volvo truck.

Marilyn Moore, 49, was a passenger in the Peterbilt truck and was seriously injured. Stambaugh also sustained injuries and both were taken to DePaul hospital for treatment.

The investigating officer did not say what might have caused McCauley to spin out.

These chain reaction crashes with multiple impacts can be complicated with regards to sorting out liability. If any driver is found to have been negligent in relation to this Missouri truck crash, then a trucking accident lawyer may be called in to recover damages for the injured parties.

After a serious accident, all you will probably want to do is make sure you and anyone you were with are healthy and get back to your normal life. You'll want to put the accident behind you as quickly as possible. Life, as we all learn, is not so easy and serious car and truck accidents could lead to lots of investigation and dealing with insurance company representatives. Fortunately, you can take some steps to make this period less stressful.

The first thing you should do is learn as much about your own insurance policy as possible. Even if you weren't just in an accident and happened upon this blog by chance, you should look over your policy to make sure you know when you will be covered and for how much. You will have different coverage for medical payments, property damage, bodily injury to the other party and collision. Be sure to read the fine print and call your agent if you have any questions. It's better to have the information before you have a car accident rather than after the fact.

If you were injured in a car or truck accident, take meticulous notes and keep multiple copies of any documentation. Make sure you get the contact and license info from the other driver and the truck number and trucking company info if it was a tractor trailer crash. If you were injured by someone else's poor driving, their insurance company will be looking to limit their payout to you and having all the pertinent evidence on hand is the first step to protecting yourself.

Representatives from the other insurance company may also try and contact you for a recorded statement. It is in your best interest to avoid talking to them until you have consulted a personal injury attorney. Even if you are absolutely sure that the accident wasn't your fault, anything you say can be used to limit the payment you receive which could leave you in a dire financial situation. A skilled personal injury attorney will be able to advise you on your rights and help you make your statement to the insurance company if you even have to make one at all.

Michael Braudrick, 48, was seriously injured Monday when the pickup he was driving was involved in a crash with a Mack truck on Missouri 86.

The accident occurred about one mile south of Wheaton, Missouri. The Mack truck, driven by Harold Roberson, 53, was making a left turn onto Missouri 86 from a country road. The large Mack truck pulled into the path of Braudrick's smaller pickup and he was unable to avoid a collision.

Braudrick was taken to St. John's Hospital for emergency treatment. Roberson was uninjured and the Mack truck was able to be driven from the scene.

Braudrick was wearing a seat belt.

Some more details need to emerge about this Missouri truck crash before liability can be determined. The speeds of the vehicles will need to be calculated as well as how, exactly, did Roberson make the turn onto Missouri 86. Investigators will determine if he should have yielded to the pickup or if Braudrick should have been able to avoid the crash. Should Roberson be found to have been negligent in this instance, Braudrick may be able to collect damages to cover his medical expenses.

People injured in a Missouri truck accident should think twice before handling these claims on their own or just accepting the answer from the insurance company. Many times, the best way to learn about your rights as a victim and get the repayment you deserve is to contact a Missouri truck accident attorney.

By now, you've probably heard about the two pilots for Delta Air Lines who have been dismissed after they overshot their destination by 150 miles due, supposedly, to them being distracted by their laptops. Fortunately, no serious incident occurred and the plane landed safely in Minneapolis-St. Paul. FAA regulations prohibit the use of laptops in the cockpit for this very reason and more deadly incidents are prevented because of these stricter rules.

This is not so on our roadways. Every year, thousands of people die in car accidents and tractor trailer crashes caused by distracted drivers who were talking on a cell phone or playing with some other electronic device. While some individual states and cities have taken the lead on reducing the distractions by banning cell phones while driving, in most areas there are no such laws and seeing someone multi-tasking when they should simply be driving is a regular occurrence.

The dangers are multiplied for tractor trailer drivers who have to maintain control of vehicles stretching dozens of feet long and weighing thousands of pounds. Yet still, even commercial truck drivers are regularly guilty of losing focus on the road because they are talking or texting and sometimes this has fatal consequences. One of the larger tractor trailer crashes in the St. Louis area occurred on Highway 40 last year when a truck driver, apparently distracted by his cell phone, plowed through ten other cars that were stopped for traffic. Three people were killed and more were seriously injured.

Despite tragic incidents like the Highway 40 crash, the FMCSA has not completely banned the use of cell phones or other electronic distractions by tractor trailer drivers while driving. In fact, many big rig drivers regularly use on-board computers to update their company of their progress and track their routes.

Studies have repeatedly shown that these types of distractions are dangerous. Drivers using those on-board computers are approximately ten times more likely to be involved in a crash. Texting drivers are 23 times as likely to crash. Even drivers who use hands-free phones have been proven to be as impaired as drunken drivers.

Drivers and their companies that continue these negligent policies of allowing distractions in the cabin must be held accountable when those same distractions result in serious accidents. If you or a family member has been involved in such a crash, contact an experienced Missouri tractor trailer accident attorney as soon as possible so that they can begin to investigate your case.

Wading through statistics at sites we’ve mentioned in previous posts and articles on other injury sites, we’ve discovered some more sobering statistics about tractor trailer crashes in Missouri.

Depending on what statistics you look at and your definition of a large truck, they make up around 3% to 7% of traffic on the nation’s highways. Not surprisingly, they also account for a disproportionate amount of traffic fatalities. Semi trucks and tractor trailers are involved in 15% of all traffic deaths in Missouri.

There are several reasons for this overly high rate of deaths in Missouri tractor trailer accidents. The most obvious is simple physics. Tractor trailers are large, imposing vehicles that do more damage to other, smaller passenger cars when an accident occurs. If you examine many of these accident cases, you will also see that truck drivers and trucking companies are often guilty of violating Federal regulations meant to prevent accidents.

While many truck drivers do the right thing and follow these regulations, those that don’t need to be held accountable. Victims of tractor trailer crashes should have their case reviewed by an experienced Missouri tractor trailer accident attorney. A skilled lawyer will be able to examine your case and find any violations of federal law that contributed to your accident. Many attorneys even offer free legal consultations to explain your rights with no obligation to hire.

In data released by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Missouri and Illinois are shown to have a higher number of tractor trailer crashes than the national average.

Illinois actually comes in third behind Texas and California for having the most tractor trailer and large truck accidents in the United States.

Missouri had 4,407 total crashes involving a tractor trailer in the last year. This includes fatal Missouri tractor trailer accidents and less serious wrecks. Illinois had 7,156 crashes in the same time span.

When looking at the data, state population clearly has an effect on the number of accidents and for obvious reasons. Sparsely populated states such as Wyoming have less people and fewer trucks so naturally they will have fewer accidents. Even when you adjust for population, however, Missouri and Illinois have accident rates higher than the national average. Both Missouri and Illinois have more tractor trailer crashes than other states of similar size and population.

Many of these crashes didn’t have to happen. They were the product of negligence and if some drivers had been a little more conscious or a trucking company did a better job of inspecting its fleet of vehicles, maybe some of these accidents could have been prevented. Most drivers are responsible, but the ones that aren’t need to be held accountable.

One of the ways to do that is by contacting a Missouri or Illinois truck accident lawyer after a crash. In addition to recovering damages to help you pay back medical bills and lost wages, a personal injury attorney can help send a clear message to the company and maybe prevent future accidents and injuries.

Julius Moore, 23, an officer with the St. Louis Police Department, died Thursday evening from injuries sustained when his patrol car crashed into a tractor trailer last week.

According to a St. Louis Post Dispatch report, Moore had never regained consciousness after the crash and his family made the difficult decision to take him off life support.

The crash occurred last Tuesday when Moore’s patrol car hit a tractor trailer at the South Broadway and Arsenal intersection. Moore was responding to a call and had lights and sirens on while racing to the scene of a burglary. Moore was traveling southbound along with the tractor trailer when the truck driver attempted to make a right turn. The tractor trailer hit Moore’s car and forced it off the road and into a traffic light.

The truck driver was not injured in this St. Louis tractor trailer crash, according to the Post Dispatch. He has been cooperative with authorities and sources cited in the report don’t expect him to face any charges, though the investigation into this incident isn’t complete. An accident reconstruction team is still working on a report and will examine the vehicles’ speeds, debris patterns and computer simulations to determine the specifics of the crash. A full report probably won’t be done for up to 12 weeks.

Police officials have said that it is too early to assign fault to either Moore or the truck driver. Once the reconstruction team's report is finished we will know more, but at the moment, we don’t know how fast the vehicles were going or when Moore turned on his sirens. Many other details need to be fleshed out before liability can be determined.

By all accounts, Moore was a dedicated officer and he died from injuries sustained while performing his heroic duties. This is no doubt a hard time for the Moore family and the St. Louis Police Department.

This case, like most Missouri tractor trailer injury accidents, is very complicated. If you have been the victim of a tractor trailer crash, you should contact a St. Louis personal injury lawyer as soon as possible to learn your rights as the injured party. Keep in mind that any information you divulge prior to talking to a lawyer may be used to limit the payment you receive to cover medical expenses.

One of the most powerful tools to have as a victim of a tractor trailer accident is information. Doing just a little research for yourself will lessen your chances of being taken advantage of by those in supposed positions of power. Having knowledge can level the playing field between the little guy and the big corporation with lots of professional backup.

Fortunately, many resources can be found online to help educate you about the commercial trucking industry, their laws, and who can help you if you or someone you love is injured in a Missouri tractor trailer crash.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s website is a great place to go for basic information on the commercial trucking industry in the United States. The FMCSA oversees the industry and has regulations that all trucking companies should follow to avoid accidents. Unfortunately, all too often these rules aren’t followed and the results are tragic.

Within FMCSA’s site, be sure to check out the Analysis and Information section for all the statistics on tractor trailer accidents.

Another section of the site that you should pay close attention to is the Rules and Regulations page. Here you’ll find a comprehensive listing of the rules that a truck driver must follow.

If you want to look up a particular company’s profile to see how many safety violations they have, you can check the SAFER database. Be aware that the basic information is free, but comprehensive company details do cost a fee.

Finally, if you believe that you were the victim of an accident that was caused by a truck driver’s negligence or an oversight on the part of his company, contact a Missouri truck accident lawyer as soon as possible to discuss your rights. Many offer free consultations to discuss your tractor trailer accident case and will be able to advise you on your next step.

Mechanical failures are the number two cause of tractor trailer injury accidents in the United States, according to data compiled by the National Highway Safety Administration. Driver error is still the most common contributing factor to crashes, but some studies show the rate of mechanical failures is on the rise here in Missouri.

Of the different types of mechanical failures that could cause a Missouri tractor trailer crash, the most common, by far, was brake failure. Brakes on a vehicle that could be hauling thousands of pounds of cargo should be the most scrutinized mechanical device on the road, but every year we see drivers and trucking companies skipping inspections to save on costs or time. As a result, we also see lots of accidents, injuries and fatalities that could have been prevented.

There are already regulations provided by the federal government designed to prompt drivers to have their trucks inspected. These regulations save lives and in areas where truckers are strictly held accountable to these rules, we see a sharp decline in accidents. During the 1990’s, Georgia stepped up its enforcement of tractor trailer inspection laws, specifically on logging trucks. As a result, the rate of accidents by mechanical failure was cut in half. The lesson is that industries held accountable for their actions will respond.

Aside from federal regulation, another way to hold negligent trucking companies accountable is through the civil justice system. In the wake of a tragic accident, your first thought might not be about hiring a Missouri truck accident attorney. While you and your family’s medical care come first, it is important to begin any legal investigation into your case as soon as possible. These matters are time sensitive and it is imperative that the truck inspection records, the driver’s log book, and other important info is gathered before it is lost forever.

Many parents are counting their blessings this morning after what could have been a serious and tragic accident.

A tractor trailer crashed into a school bus in Branson on Tuesday morning, according to a Branson Daily News report. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in this Missouri tractor trailer crash.

The accident occurred on Missouri 248 as the school bus was traveling westbound on its route to pick up students for the start of the school day. It had stopped to allow some children to board when a tractor trailer that was following behind was unable to stop. When the truck driver, who was not identified, realized he wouldn’t be able to slow down in time, he swerved to try and avoid a collision. Despite the evasive maneuver, the front of his big rig still hit the left rear of the bus.

According to Missouri Highway Patrol officials cited in the Branson Daily News report, the tractor trailer driver had suspected there might have been some mechanical problems prior to the crash. Specifically, there seemed to be some issues with the brake lines that prompted the driver to inspect them in a parking lot earlier in the day.

Local authorities are still investigating the accident and a full detailed report is not yet available.

While we should all be thankful that no serious injuries came of this Missouri school bus accident, these situations occur all too often to ignore. Working as a tractor trailer accident attorney I hear stories all the time of a truck driver, under pressure from his company to deliver a shipment on time, who ignores mechanical red flags that later turn into devastating crashes.

We will have to wait for the full report to determine whether the driver should have performed maintenance on his brakes before driving, but even if that is not the case in this accident, the fact is nearly 30% of tractor trailer crashes are caused by improperly maintained brakes.

If you have been involved in an accident with a tractor trailer that may have been improperly maintained or driving in violation of Federal Motor Carrier Regulations, you should find a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible to learn your rights and see what steps you can take to hold the trucking company responsible for their negligence. Many attorneys offer free personal injury consultations that can help you become better educated on the law before making such an important decision.

Jerry Cousins, 74, was hospitalized after a Missouri tractor trailer accident on Highway 43 near Joplin, Missouri.

According to a Joplin Globe report, Cousins was driving a tractor-trailer northbound on the highway when the accident occurred. A second vehicle, driven by Caleb Vermillion, 28, was ahead of Cousins’ truck. Vermillion was attempting a left turn when Cousins’ truck hit Vermillion’s vehicle.

Cousins was taken to St. John’s Regional Medical Center for treatment. No information was given about Vermillion’s injuries or if he sustained any.

The details gathered so far about this tractor-trailer crash are not enough to determine who was at fault. If further investigation from local authorities reveals that one of the drivers was negligent and caused the injury accident, a Missouri truck accident attorney could be called by the injured party to recover damages.

If more details arise about this accident, we will post them here.

Being involved in a serious car accident can be one of the most traumatic experiences of anyone’s life. In the moments after an accident people are often disoriented and dealing with stress, fear or shock. Most people, though, don’t plan how to handle a situation like that until it actually happens. While it is unpleasant to think about, taking a few minutes to mentally walk through the steps you should take after a serious tractor-trailer injury accident will allow you to better handle the situation should it ever arise.

Immediately after the accident you should take a second to assess the situation. Your safety and the safety of everyone involved is the most important consideration so gather your composure, check yourself for injuries, and if you are still in harm’s way, move to safer ground if you are able.

Call 911 to request emergency help and wait for it to arrive. Even if you are not seriously injured do not leave the scene of the accident. It is against the law to leave the scene of a Missouri car accident you were involved with.

Once paramedics arrive, give them as much information as possible. If you can, tell them how many people are injured and the extent of their injuries. If you are injured, make sure to tell the paramedic that you need medical attention and explain every detail so they know how best to treat you. Listen to their instructions and follow them carefully so that you get the proper treatment.

The police may ask you for a statement at the scene. It is important to be truthful in your statement, but do not admit fault. Even if you think you were at fault, there may have been other factors in play that caused the accident that you didn’t even know about. Give just the information you are sure about and if you don’t know something, or feel too stressed to give an accurate answer, tell the officer that you would like to give your statement after you’ve had time to calm down. Make it clear that you are not refusing to offer a statement, but that you can’t offer a valid statement due to your mental state.

As soon as you can, contact your insurance agency and then start gathering information. Get information about the other vehicles and drivers, but do not share your insurance policy limits. In tractor-trailer crashes it is important to get information about the truck, what carrier company it is operated under, and who was driving. All truck drivers are supposed to keep log books to make sure that they do not violate any Federal Motor Carrier Regulations, but that is something the authorities will inspect.

Keep records of all your medical treatments and visits to the doctor as a result of the crash. If you thought you felt fine immediately after the crash, but are feeling pain days later that may be related, go see a doctor as soon as possible. It is not unusual to have lingering internal damage that is not readily apparent at the time of the crash.

You may then want to hire a personal injury attorney to investigate your case to ensure you receive the recovery you are entitled to. It is important to at least consult an attorney on car or tractor-trailer crashes to learn your rights because insurance companies will be looking for ways to reduce their claims and larger commercial shipping companies will have lawyers on staff working to protect their own interests. If you act quickly and give the attorney all the information of your case, you will have a much better chance of receiving the payments you deserve to cover the medical bills and recover quickly from your crash.

Local authorities in Lakota, North Dakota are looking for the driver of a semi tractor trailer who was involved in an injury accident that hospitalized four people on Sunday.

North Dakota State Highway Patrol authorities said the semi truck failed to yield to other traffic on U.S. Highway 2 and sent two vans into a roadside ditch. The truck then continued down the highway without stopping.

Four occupants of the other vehicles were injured and taken to local hospitals, but their names have not yet been released.

Officials have described the truck as a white semi that was not pulling a trailer at the time of the crash. If you have any information on this truck or its driver, contact the North Dakota Highway Patrol Headquarters at 701-328-2455.

Leaving the scene of accident is a serious offense. If the truck driver is found to be responsible for the accident, he may face criminal charges as well as a potential personal injury lawsuit from the injured parties. Anytime you are involved in a car accident, even if you didn’t cause the wreck, stay at the scene until police arrive.

If the driver is never found, the injured parties may be able to make a claim against their own insurance policy’s ‘uninsured motorist’ coverage. These policies are created to protect people if they are injured in crashes with drivers who don’t have the legal minimum liability insurance, but it can also be used in hit-and-run cases. Injured drivers should contact a car accident or personal injury lawyer before talking to an insurance company representative, however, to make sure they understand all their rights.

Photo from KY3.com

Donald Creed, 76, a truck driver with a Kansas City based company, has pleaded not guilty to charges in connection with a fatal tractor trailer accident that killed 10 people in Oklahoma.

Creed is facing 10 counts of misdemeanor negligent homicide from a crash that occurred on June 26. On that day, he was driving a tractor trailer which plowed through a line of cars that had been stopped due to an earlier wreck. In all, six cars were hit and 10 people left dead.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol crash report found there were no mechanical problems with the truck and that Creed’s cruise control was set within the speed limit.

Local media reports say witnesses described the truck as traveling very fast and changing lanes without signaling. It appears Creed did not attempt to brake as there were no skid marks on the road and an arrest warrant cited witnesses claiming they never saw brake lights, according to a NewsOK.com report.

Troopers cited in the NewsOK report also said Creed had been driving for around 10 hours, which is approaching the Hours of Service Regulation limit of 11. Creed had been on his cell phone minutes before the crash.

No new information was available about any potential personal injury or wrongful death lawsuits. If the evidence proves that Creed was distracted by his phone or negligent in some other way causing the crash, the family of the deceased may be able to contact a tractor trailer accident lawyer and recover significant damages.

Local authorities are investigating a tractor trailer injury crash in Tuscumbia, Alabama that sent one man to the hospital Thursday afternoon.

According to local media reports, two tractor trailer trucks were each traveling west on U.S. highway 72 at approximately 3:10 p.m. One of the trucks rear-ended the other with enough force to send debris and oil over the roadway.

Officials did not identify the drivers, but one of them suffered serious injury and was taken to Decatur General Hospital for treatment.

The westbound lanes of the highway were shut down for hours as the debris and oil was cleaned away.

No indication was given as to what may have caused the accident or if any citation will be issued to either driver. The truck crash is still under investigation by the Tuscumbia Police Department.

If evidence is found that either driver was negligent and caused the accident, a tractor trailer accident lawyer may be called in to recover damages to pay for expenses arising from the crash. Since the drivers were commercial truck operators, they are held to higher standards than the average driver and must keep detailed logs of their driving to ensure they don’t violate any federal motor carrier regulations.

Photo from Lexington Dispatch

Police in Lexington, North Carolina have identified a woman who died when a tractor trailer crashed into her car as Mary Green Small, 54, of Louisville, Ky.

According to local media reports, Small was driving her 1990 Nissan along Interstate 85 on Monday morning when the fatal tractor trailer accident occurred. She had stopped her car in a travel lane when a tractor trailer, driven by William Offutt, 49, slammed into the rear of the car. The impact was so intense that the car immediately caught fire and exploded, according to witness reports.

Small was pronounced dead at the scene. Offutt did not suffer any significant injury.

It is not known at this time why Small was stopped or why Offutt failed to slow his truck before rear-ending her. The accident is still under investigation from local authorities.

In most cases where a car or truck rear-ends another vehicle, the rear end collision doctrine applies. This means that negligence is assumed on the part of the at fault driver as all drivers are responsible for what’s ahead of them on the roadway. There are exceptions to this rule and there may be extenuating circumstances to this case that could affect liability. While it is a tragic and trying time, the family of the deceased should contact a tractor trailer accident attorney as soon as possible to investigate the accident and collect any evidence that may prove useful should a personal injury suit arise from the crash.

Two truck drivers were seriously injured Saturday after a Missouri tractor trailer crash involving three trucks on Highway 54 in Camden County, Missouri.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the accident occurred at the intersection of Highway 54 and Carnahan Road where traffic had backed up due to construction. Brian Keith, 42, who was traveling westbound in a 1987 Freightliner Truck, was stopped in the traffic when another truck approached from behind. The second tractor trailer, a 1988 Freightliner driven by Brian Ray, 37, was unable to stop behind Keith’s truck and had to swerve to avoid an accident. Unfortunately, as Ray swerved to avoid the collision, he entered oncoming traffic where he collided head-on with a 2007 International Truck, driven by Larry Burk, 63.

Ray and Burk were seriously injured and taken to St. John’s Hospital in Springfield. Though Keith’s truck was also damaged, he managed to avoid any injury.

The initial crash report does not indicate why Ray was unable to stop for the construction. There may have been some mechanical problems with the truck itself, the load may have been too heavy or Ray could have simply been inattentive at the wheel. These possibilities are still under investigation.

If an investigation into the accident reveals negligence on the part of any driver, the injured parties may be able to contact a Missouri truck accident lawyer to help recover damages needed to pay for medical expenses, lost wages or any other financial hardships arising from the accident.

Roger Walters, 48, was killed Wednesday when the pickup truck he was riding in was slammed into by a larger box truck on Route 837 in Union Township, Pennsylvania.

According to a WPXI report, a box truck driven by an unidentified driver crashed into two pickup trucks, including Walters’, in the northbound lane of Route 837. Walters was thrown from his pickup and pronounced dead at the scene.

No word has been released on the status of the box truck driver or the other pickup driver.

Local authorities are sill investigating the crash to determine exactly what happened and why the driver of the box truck may have lost control.

Box trucks are the type of moving trucks rented out by companies like Uhaul among others. They are smaller than a tractor trailer, but since they are larger that most other passenger vehicles, they can cause serious damage or injury in a crash.

Authorities will likely look into any potential mechanical problems with the truck as well as the state of the driver. If they find that negligence on the part of the driver or the box truck company was to blame for the accident, Walters’ family may be able to pursue a wrongful death claim and recover damages that can be used to cover funeral costs and other expenses. Further investigation by a truck accident attorney will be needed to sort out the legal issues involved with any potential claims.

David Underdale, 61, and Jeremy Imler, 33, were both seriously injured after the Freightliner dump trucks they were driving collided head-on.

The accident occurred Saturday on Highway 24 in Randolph County, Missouri when, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, a passenger car drove into the path of Underdale’s truck. In order to avoid a potentially fatal truck crash with a passenger car, Underdale swerved to the left. Unfortunately, he lost control of his truck and it veered into oncoming traffic where it collided with Imler’s dump truck.

The passenger car was not listed as damaged on the initial crash report and no other information appears to be known about this third vehicle.

Imler and Underdale survived the accident, but with life-threatening injuries. They were flown to University Hospital in Columbia, Missouri.

Without further investigation into the role of the third car, it is hard to determine who is truly at fault for this Missouri injury accident. The crash report seems to indicate that the third vehicle made a negligent maneuver which caused Underdale to crash, but that is just the opinion of the investigating officer and will need to be backed up by an accident reconstruction. A Missouri personal injury lawyer would be able to coordinate with local investigators to determine who is responsible for this incident and possibly recover damages for the injured parties.

Two accidents involving tractor trailers over the past few days have affected the lives of residents in Illinois.

The first and most tragic incident was the death of an Illinois woman who was riding on a motorcycle Saturday near Binghamton, N.Y. While the name of the 57-year-old woman has not been released, local media has reported that she was riding on the back of a motorcycle with a man named David Minter, 52, also a resident of Illinois. According to a WCAX.com report, Minter had to swerve to avoid a collision with a trash can that had been left in the road. As he did so, the bike slid out of control and into the path of a tractor trailer.

The woman was pronounced dead, though Minter managed to survive the tractor trailer crash without sustaining life-threatening injuries.

Debris left in the roadway can be a very dangerous hazard that causes many personal injuries and accidents each year. If the person responsible for losing the debris is ever found, they could be held liable for negligently leaving an obstacle in the roadway. Unfortunately, most of the debris found on the nation's highways does not have any distinguishing characteristics that allow investigators to trace the owner. If the trash can in this situation does have some identifying marks, a personal injury attorney may be able to further pursue damages from the person who left it in the road. Much more investigation into the specifics of this crash has to be done before that is a possibility.

The second accident involving a tractor trailer took place Thursday in St. Charles, Ill. at the intersection of East Main Street and Kautz Road. A St. Charles Republican report said that a tractor trailer, driven by Brent Collins Cooper, 51, failed to stop at the traffic light and crashed into a Ford pickup truck that was in the intersection. The driver of the pickup thankfully just suffered relatively minor injuries. The tractor trailer driver was also fortunate to not have any life threatening injuries, though he was treated for broken ribs at a local hospital.

Traffic was stopped for two hours while officials towed the vehicles and cleared the streets.

Cooper was issued a citation for failing to obey traffic laws and not wearing a seat belt.

A Texas man was killed Sunday when his motorcycle hit a semi-tractor near Arlington, Texas.

The man, whose name was not yet released, crashed into the semi on Interstate 20 in Texas. He was thrown from his bike and crossed the median where he was found and pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the truck, which was not hauling a trailer at the time of the fatal motorcycle accident, was treated for non-life threatening injuries.

Often a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit involving a motorcycle crash will occur because the other vehicles on the road will not see the smaller motorcycle and cut it off or run it off the roadway. Still other times the motorcyclist may have been making a dangerous maneuver and caused the accident himself. Personal injury attorneys and trained professionals should be contacted to investigate these accidents to see if a negligent action caused the injury.

In the case of the Texas crash, investigators had shut down the highway to gather evidence and try to determine the cause of the crash. It is not known at this time who was at fault in this particular case.

Working as a St. Louis personal injury lawyer, you hear a lot of tragic stories from people that have been victims of an injury accident or lost a loved one to someone else’s negligence. Tractor trailer crashes in particular cause the most devastating injuries to the passengers of non-commercial vehicles. While legal representation from a tractor trailer accident attorney may be able to recover damages after a crash, it’s always best to avoid these accidents all together.

When driving near a large commercial truck you have to respect its size and lack of maneuverability. They are just not as quick as smaller passenger cars. When hauling tens of thousands of pounds, they can’t exactly stop on a dime either. Give them plenty of space on the highway and if at all possible, don’t ride directly in front, behind, or to the sides of the truck.

Always think a step ahead if you have to drive past a truck. What lanes are open if the truck driver doesn’t see you and tries to merge into your lane? If the truck starts to jackknife, should you slam on your brakes or is there space to maneuver around the side? Always be game planning different situations in your head. Most of the time you won’t need to use these evasive maneuvers, but there’s always a chance you might have to.

It’s also a good idea to show the truck driver respect. It is a challenge to keep these large vehicles under control and they have to have constant concentration to avoid a fatal tractor trailer accident. Don’t get angry if you are stuck behind a truck for a couple of minutes and try to blow past him the second an opening appears. This may put you in a dangerous situation.

Most truck drivers do an admirable job, but the ones that aren’t as focused can cause serious problems. The average passenger car driver is not at fault in 4 out of 5 tractor trailer accidents involving other cars, though they are often the one to sustain injury. Use these tips and others you might find from highway safety guides to try and protect yourself from personal injury.

A New Jersey man suffered serious injury Tuesday after he was hit by a tractor trailer while he was riding a motorcycle.

The accident occurred just before 8 a.m. as Joseph Granuzzo, 47, rode his motorcycle in Wharton, New Jersey. A tractor trailer, driven by David Zack, 30, crashed into the motorcycle as it drove on the North Street Extension.

Granuzzo was airlifted to a local hospital with serious leg injuries. Zack was uninjured in the tractor trailer accident.

Zack was issued a summons by the police for careless driving.

Since the truck driver was issued a summons by the investigating officer, it would appear likely that he is at fault for Granuzzo’s injuries. If a truck accident lawyer is called in to do further investigation, he may be able to recover damages for Granuzzo. Just the opinion of the investigating officer is not enough, however, and an experienced personal injury lawyer will collect more data such as the truck driver’s log books and any accident reconstruction reports.

A tractor trailer crashed into a line of cars in a construction work zone and killed three people on Interstate 35 near Gainesville, Texas.

The fatal tractor trailer accident occurred at an area where the highway is reduced to one lane due to construction on a bridge. A line of cars had stopped because of the construction, but the tractor trailer, driven by James Crayton, 59, did not even slow down before slamming into the back of the last car.

The first car hit, containing passengers Anthony and Kimberly Brandon, exploded upon impact. Both passengers were killed.

The big rig then plowed through two more cars and sandwiched one between it and another tractor trailer. Darryl Hoosier, 55, was driving this car and was killed instantly. The driver of the other tractor trailer was uninjured.

An investigation into the tractor trailer crash is ongoing. Crayton was taken in by authorities for a mandatory blood test and questioning, but no charges have yet been filed. No indication was made by the investigating officers as to what may have distracted Crayton or caused him to crash into the line of cars.

This fatal trucking accident sounds very similar to a crash that we commented on here in the St. Louis area last year. A tractor trailer driver was distracted by his cell phone and crashed into a line of cars that was backed up due to construction on Highway 40. Three people were killed and a total of 11 vehicles were involved in that accident. Charges against the driver were filed earlier this year.

Gary and Tracey Smith of New Bethlehem, Pennsylvania were killed Saturday when a tractor-trailer crossed the median and crashed into their car.

This fatal tractor trailer crash occurred on State Route 22 in Blair County, Pennsylvania at around 3:30 p.m. The tractor trailer was heading eastbound and, for an unknown reason, crossed the median into the westbound lanes.

Gary and Tracey Smith were pronounced dead at the scene. Their 8-year-old child, Sam, was seriously injured and taken to Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh. The truck driver, Gregory D. Nagy, did not suffer serious injury.

Pennsylvania state police are still investigating the cause of the crash and will perform a reconstruction to try and determine why the tractor trailer suddenly veered into oncoming traffic.

If it is determined that there was negligence on the part of the truck driver or the trucking company, the family of the deceased may be able to recover damages to pay for funeral expenses and other costs related to this tragedy.

A personal injury attorney should be contacted immediately so that all the evidence from the current investigation is preserved. A useful tool in determining whether any motor carrier violations were neglected is the driver’s log book. It will be able to show whether the driver was operating his tractor trailer on short rest or if he had it serviced by a certified mechanic before the crash. These logs are only required to be kept for a limited amount of time so a trucking accident lawyer needs to obtain them as soon as possible.

The Bradley Law Firm, based in St. Louis, handles tractor trailer accidents nationwide and has over 30 years of experience working on personal injury cases related to the trucking industry.