Truck Accident Lawyers Advice

Tractor Trailer Overturns, Catches Fire

May 6, 2014 By James Hoffmann Leave a Comment

Tractor trailer accidents have the potential to cause much damage.

Tuesday, February 25, in Kansas City, Missouri, a fiery single-vehicle semi truck crash thankfully resulted in no injuries. But for many drivers the commute was interrupted early Tuesday morning around 7 a.m. near Cambridge Circle by black smoke when the semi truck caught fire and flying debris damaged several other vehicles.

The semi truck was transporting large pieces of concrete slab, driving near Southwest Boulevard. The truck was to deliver the slabs to a construction site in Merriam where an IKEA is set to be built. From police and eyewitness accounts, it sounds as if as the truck was navigating a curve near Cambridge Circle when all of a sudden the load shifted, tipping the truck over. But momentum caused the entire vehicle to continue sliding down the highway and the friction caused the vehicle to catch fire.

According to Sgt. Deb Randol with the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the accident could have been a whole lot worse. “We had six vehicles that were going northbound that big chunks of concrete came through their windshield,” she said. “Luckily, no one was injured, just a lot of cars that were damaged.” Randol says the lack of injuries is due to the fact that there were no other vehicles nearby when the tractor trailer overturned. Had other drivers been in close range of the accident, the truck itself or the flying debris could have easily crushed any vehicles in its path and or killed those inside.

The truck driver sustained only minor injuries in the accident. He had been wearing a seatbelt when the crash happened. After the truck crashed and caught on fire the driver was able to climb out of one of the vehicle’s windows to escape the blaze. He was taken to the hospital for treatment.

For about an hour after the accident one of the northbound lanes needed to remain closed while the accident site was cleared. But all lanes were reopened by 8 a.m.

The overturned tractor trailer was towed and police say that the highway will need to be inspected by engineers to ensure that it is safe.

Missouri Tractor Trailer Accidents

The trucking industry is carefully regulated to avoid accidents like this one. Trucks must be loaded meticulously to ensure that a load will not shift and cause the vehicle to overturn. This is a major concern for these massive vehicles that are oftentimes loaded down with materials that increase their weight to several tons. Encountering a vehicle this size in an accident scenario can easily result in catastrophic injury or death.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident involving a semi truck, contact a St. Louis truck accident lawyer as soon as possible. You and your family may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, disability, property damage. and other losses resulting from the accident. Your attorney will immediately begin an investigation into whether the actions of the truck driver were negligent, and if the trucking company was in violation of any federal or state regulations and will support you in pursuing legal remedy.

Contact the Law Office of James M. Hoffmann at (314) 361-4300 to schedule a free consultation with a St. Louis truck accident lawyer.

The Risk of Permanent Disability From Truck Accidents

January 30, 2014 By James Hoffmann Leave a Comment

Being involved in any sort of auto accident can be a life altering event.

One that causes a permanent disability will affect not just you, but your loved ones as well. Truck accidents are a major cause of permanent disability. The sheer size of an 18 wheeler makes a collision with one unimaginable. The injuries associated are typically more severe than those seen in passenger car accidents, and the likelihood of fatalities is significantly higher. If you, or someone you love, has been hurt by a collision with a semi truck, a Missouri truck accident attorney may be able to help. If there is now a permanent disability, then your future care will need to be taken into consideration as a part of your compensation.

Truck Accident Injuries

Most passenger vehicles are designed to withstand an impact from a similar sized vehicle. When faced with an 80,000 pound truck, they simply cannot withstand and its occupants will suffer from catastrophic injury. Spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries are not uncommon and can often be permanent. The victim could be left unable to perform routine tasks, return to work or enjoy prior past times and hobbies. Often times a life care planner is called in by a Missouri truck accident attorney to assess the injuries and determine how much future medical and day to day care the plaintiff will need and for how long.

The severity of the injuries involved in truck accidents often mean large settlements and jury awards for the injured person. This is usually a reflection of just how much money will be required to care for the plaintiff for the rest of his life. A Missouri teamster suffered debilitating injury to his back when he was rear ended by a tractor trailer. As a result, he will no longer be able to work in his preferred profession and will require ongoing pain management therapy and medical care. The insurance carrier for the trucking company agreed to a $1.75 million settlement once the details of his future needs were brought to light by a life care planner.

Truck Accident Causes

Despite strict regulation by the federal government of the trucking industry, most truck accidents are still the result of negligence. Either on the part of the driver or that of the trucking company. With looming demands to meet delivery demands and billions of dollars in revenue at stake, truck drivers will often take chances that can cause serious accidents. Usually by either ignoring driving hour limitations in order to make it to their destination on time or by not paying attention to the road. With a continued focus by the NTSB and FMSCA on distracted driving planned for 2014, there is hope that distracted truck driver accidents will decrease.

Missouri Truck Accidents

The serious nature of a truck accident warrants consultation with a St. Louis truck accident attorney before speaking with any insurance adjusters. Trucking companies are well aware of the catastrophic injuries their big rigs can cause and will try to settle any claim quickly before the full extent of damages may be realized.

Call (314) 361-4300 to schedule a free consultation with a St. Louis Truck Accident Lawyer.

photo credit: ER24 EMS (Pty) Ltd.

What Makes a Collision with a Large Truck Different?

October 31, 2013 By James Hoffmann Leave a Comment

Semi Truck Collisions

Large commercial trucks make up only 3% of the vehicles occupying U.S. roadways, but accidents with them are the cause of 12% of highway fatalities.

Consider the weight and size of an 18 wheeler and how much time it takes for them to come to a stop compared with a typical passenger car. Since large trucks pose such a threat to drivers, the federal government has imposed its own set of rules and guidelines on operating one.

An interstate truck driver is required by federal law to keep a log of his driving activities and sleep hours. He must not drive more than 14 total hours in a day and he is required a 10 hour rest before being allowed to drive again. In an attempt to meet a deadline, a driver may exceed those limits and put the lives of other motorists in jeopardy. Sleep deprivation and overtiredness is a leading cause of accidents involving large commercial vehicles. A Missouri truck accident attorney will carefully review an offending drivers’ time log to see that he met the federal guidelines and challenge any noticed discrepancies.

In Missouri a truck driver was found liable for the permanent disabilities of a 53-year-old man. Travel logs showed that he had surpassed the maximum amount of hours allowed in a given week. The judge in this bench trial awarded the man and his wife over $18 million for the drivers’ negligent and reckless driving behavior. The family of another Missouri man was awarded a $7 million judgment by a federal jury. Once again fatigue was found to be the underlying cause of the accident as the offending driver had also exceeded the amount of hours allowed to drive consecutively.

The weight of a commercial vehicle is massive and can cause injuries that are particularly severe and require months of hospitalization, multiple surgeries and years of on-going therapy and hospice care. Paralysis and brain injury are common injuries as well as loss of limbs and organ traumas. Death of a driver or passenger in a car hit by a truck is seen more often than those hit by another vehicle. The family of these victims may also be entitled to compensation from the offending truck.

Federal guidelines for the trucking industry also dictate procedures for maintaining a commercial vehicle. Routine inspections are mandatory and logs of these must be kept much like the required time logs. Failure of a Missouri garbage truck company to properly maintain the brakes on one of its vehicles resulted in a tragic accident that killed a passenger and left the driver and another passenger with brain injuries and multi system trauma. That case was settled for $3.2 million.

Truck Accident Lawyers

Most commercial trucks are owned by large corporations who will try and settle your claim for compensation quickly. Their interest lies in protecting their company and driver, not in what may be best for you. It is imperative that you ignore any such offer until you are able to confer with a qualified Missouri truck accident lawyer. They will want to review all of your medical records and investigate the collision before entertaining any such offers from the trucking company.

To speak with a truck accident lawyer at the Law Office of James M. Hoffmann, call us at (314) 361-4300 or fill out our online contact form.

photo credit: Jesse 1974

No Logs Equals Big Losses for Truck Drivers

October 31, 2013 By James Hoffmann Leave a Comment

This past July new Federal laws went into effect specifically designed to combat fatigue in truck drivers.

Almost 100,000 auto accidents can be attributed to sleep deprivation each year and of those approximately 1,550 will be fatal. There is special concern for drivers of big rig trucks as they often must drive long distances in a short period of time and may compromise sleep in order to reach their destination within schedule.

This past July new Federal laws went into effect specifically designed to combat fatigue in truck drivers. Studies over the years have proved that long daily, and weekly, work schedules contribute to chronic fatigue. Truck drivers in particular are at a higher risk of collision and a number of health conditions.

New Trucking Regulations

The new regulations reduces the number of allowed weekly work hours from 82 to 70. If a truck driver reaches that limit they are now required to rest for at least 34 hours before returning to work. This rest must include at least 2 nights, when a persons body clock requires the most sleep. Drivers are now also required to take at least one 30 minute break during the first 8 hours of work. The 14 hour limit on a workday and 11 hour driving limit remain the same. As does the law requiring that a log is kept by all drivers outlining their route and rest periods. Failure to provide such a log can be used by your Missouri truck accident attorney as evidence of sleep deprivation if you are involved in an accident with a large truck.

In a Kansas City case a farmer was awarded $375,000 by a jury as compensation for damages as a result of a collision with a tractor trailer. Even though there was evidence that the driver had stopped to sleep the night before, he had failed to note it in his log. The trucking company is also obligated by Federal law to ensure that their drivers keep updated, accurate time logs.

Truck Accident Lawyers in St. Louis

At the Law Office of James M. Hoffmann we will fight to make sure that the trucking company is held responsible for their failure. If a truckers reckless driving has resulted in the death of your loved one, trust our firm to help. We are experienced Truck Accident Lawyers who know how to win against trucking companies. Call us today at (314) 361-4300 for a free and private consultation.

Increasing Number of Missouri Big Rig Accidents

October 7, 2013 By James Hoffmann Leave a Comment

From 2010 to 2011 the number of deaths from big rig accidents on Missouri roads has been increasing.

While 2010 saw 105 deaths from commercial truck accidents, in 2011 the number was increased to 120. The trucking industry in the U.S. is huge and Missouri sees a lot of those semis and big rigs passing through. These vehicles can be extremely dangerous when not driven with an appropriate amount of care and caution due to their immense size and weight.

Drivers of passenger vehicles who find themselves sharing the road with these big rigs should always exercise caution, but truck drivers have an even bigger responsibility to stay safe and protect other drivers. Trucking is a heavily regulated industry that dictates protocols that trucking companies and their drivers must follow. Regulations regarding the number of hours drivers could be behind the wheel were recently amended in order to decrease the likelihood that drivers were operating their big rigs while fatigued, which is a significant cause of accidents.

Even though the overall number of accidents decreased in 2011, according to the Missouri Highway Patrol, the number of commercial truck accidents increased. Captain Tim Hull of the Missouri Highway Patrol said that this increase could be attributed to the fact that multiple people can die in accidents involving trucks that weigh 80,000 pounds or more.

While this is very scary, it is better to take note of how to avoid an accident, than to hear that the majority of the accidents that happen are unavoidable.

Missouri is in the direct center of the country and is considered a “bridge state” by transportation companies. This is because highways and subsequently truck routes criss-cross and intersect in Missouri as the trucks make their way to their ultimate destinations.

Data from the Missouri Department of Transportation shows that Missouri has the 11th biggest interstate highway grid. In addition, there are more than 32,000 miles of state roads. Trucks make connections along the eastern state border where they can pick up freight from the rail lines that intersect with the roads. Interstate 70 links both Kansas City and St. Louis on opposite ends of the state, and is extremely busy.

Over a trillion dollars worth of freight passed through the state in 2001, according to a study done by the Department of Transportation. Since then, the industry has continued to grow. The majority of this freight was transported via truck. Farm and food products are some of the most commonly transported commodities hauled by trucks.

A study done several years later, in 2006, the NHTSA found that truck accidents are most likely to be fatal when there are three or more vehicles involved. Three-fourths of truck accidents occur during the day. Many crashes are caused by tractor trailers that are either speeding or traveling at speeds that exceed safe levels due to the given conditions. Vehicles crossing over into trucks’ lanes are another common accident cause, as well as trucks that drift off the right side of the road.

St. Louis Truck Accident Lawyer

If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident in Missouri, contact an experienced St. Louis truck accident attorney as soon as possible. It is important that you act quickly and discuss your case with an experienced attorney who has successfully handled truck accident cases. These accidents include many unique circumstances, require investigations, and evidence must be uncovered quickly in order to ensure that you will get the compensation you deserve. To speak with an experienced truck accident lawyer, call the Law Office of James M. Hoffmann at (314) 361-4300 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.

photo credit: Dougtone

School Bus Crashes With Log Truck Driving The Wrong Way

September 18, 2013 By James Hoffmann Leave a Comment

A school bus in Virginia carrying three students got into a crash that involved an 18-wheel log truck on Tuesday, September 10. None of the three students were injured but the bus driver did need to be taken to the hospital via ambulance, though the injury was to his arm and it was not life-threatening.

The accident happened in the 1100 block of Buckthorn Drive, near the Holland road intersection at 7:56 a.m. The bus was in the process of picking up Southwestern Elementary School students. The driver of the log truck was apparently driving on the wrong side of the road. The two vehicles, the log truck and the school bus, were each approaching from opposite directions and at a sharp curve in the road, the back end of the log truck crossed over the center line. The bus went into a ditch and needed to be towed.

The Suffolk Police Department and Suffolk Fire and Rescue both responded to the accident and assessed the scene.

Thankfully there were only three students on the bus at the time of the crash. All of the parents of the three students were contacted after another bus came to take the children to school. A spokeswoman for the school district, said that one parent did decide to take their child to the emergency room to get checked. She also says the bus appears to be a total loss.