Missouri Truck Accident Blog

Judge Issues Warrant for Truck Driver Accused of Negligent Homicide

A judge in Oklahoma has issued a warrant for a truck driver who was charged with negligent homicide in connection with the deaths of four family members, all from Joplin, Missouri. The fatal truck accident occurred on March 9, 2008, when the truck driver rear-ended the family’s car. He told police officials that he might have fallen asleep at the wheel. He was scheduled to go to trial, but did not show up in court.

St. Louis tractor trailer accident lawyers are concerned about the continued presence of fatigued truck drivers on our roadways. Federal law allows 10 hours of driving within a 15-hour on-duty period after eight hours of off-duty time. The law also prohibits drivers from driving after their 15th hour on-duty in a workday or after 60 hours on-duty in seven consecutive days or 70 hours on-duty in eight consecutive days. The increased pressure to deliver loads within a certain amount of time causes truck drivers to continue driving when they are tired or overworked. In a recent survey, 20 percent of long-haul truck drivers admitted to falling asleep at the wheel.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a truck accident caused by a fatigued driver, please contact an experienced Missouri truck accident lawyer at Page Law for a free and comprehensive consultation. Our skilled legal team will jump on your case right away and begin taking the same action as the truck company and their insurance company. There are time limits in the state of Missouri to file personal injury claims. Please contact our office today by calling 866-620-5757 so we can evaluate your truck accident claim.

Source:http://www.koamtv.com/global/story.asp?s=7995367

How Important is Early Investigation in a Truck Accident Case?

Truck accidents can result in serious injuries such as brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken bones and other physical trauma. If you have been involved in a Missouri truck accident and if you have been injured, the first thing you need to do is receive medical attention. Once you receive medical attention, it is critical that you get an experienced Missouri big rig collision lawyer on your side so he or she can begin collecting important evidence before it disappears or becomes unavailable.

In order to determine liability in any truck accident case, evidence is important. It is vital to preserve all evidence at the scene. And to do that, you need the help of a qualified truck accident law firm that has the resources and immediate access to an accident reconstruction expert.

While investigating a truck accident, one of the first steps attorneys should take is to send a notice to the trucking company with a list of items that need to be preserved, such as the vehicle and driver logs which show how long the driver has been on the road. Another important item to obtain is the electronic control module, which contains critical information such as idle time and speed. Without this notice, trucking companies can and will get rid of the evidence.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident in St. Louis, please contact an experienced and knowledgeable MO injury lawyer at Page Law as soon as possible. Our lawyers have years of experience investigating large truck accident cases. We have the resources to retain the most talented truck accident experts to get working on our cases right away. In these cases, beginning investigations in a timely manner is crucial. Call Page Law today at 866-620-5757 to discuss your truck accident case with an experienced lawyer and to obtain a free case evaluation.

Fatal Missouri Truck Accident

A 50-year-old woman was killed in a Jasper County, Missouri truck accident after she crashed with a semi-truck at the intersection of highways 43 and 96 north of Joplin. A KOAM-TV news report states that the woman was traveling west when she failed to yield to a northbound tractor-trailer. Missouri Highway Patrol officials say that this is the second fatal accident at this intersection within the last three months. On October, 26, 2009, in an identical crash, a Kansas woman going west on 96 also got into a crash while crossing Highway 43 and died.

Right-of-way issues play an important role in any auto accident investigation, including truck accidents, and especially if the accident occurs at an intersection. In this case, obviously, the accident occurred because one of the drivers failed to yield right-of-way at the intersection. Officials’ preliminary investigations suggest that it was the woman who failed to yield right-of-way to the oncoming truck. But if a complete investigation determines that the truck driver was at fault, then the truck driver and trucking company can also be held liable for the woman’s wrongful death.

If your loved one has been killed in a truck accident and you have questions about how or why it occurred, please contact the experienced Missouri truck accident wrongful death attorneys at Page Law for a free and comprehensive consultation. We have access to accident reconstruction experts who can collect evidence and help determine whether there was any negligence or wrongdoing in your case. Call Page Law today at 866-620-5757 to find out how we can help.

Source:http://www.koamtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=11865591

How to Drive Safely Around Large Trucks

A number of Missouri truck accidents occur each year because of negligent truck drivers. However, many accidents also occur because drivers of passenger vehicles are not careful around these large commercial trucks. Here are five safe and defensive driving tips you can use when you share the roadway with large trucks:

1. Avoid staying in blind spots – Large vehicles have blind spots on both sides. Remember, if you can’t see the driver’s face in his side-view mirror, he cannot see you either.
2. Do not tailgate – Trucks and buses have large “no-zones” directly behind them. Tailgating a large truck can be dangerous because the truck driver cannot see you behind them and you cannot see what’s going on in front. If the tractor-trailer in front of you brakes suddenly, you basically have no place to go.
3. Avoid unsafe passes – Always look for the whole front of the truck or bus in your rear-view mirror before pulling in front. Remember that truck drivers need twice the time and space to stop as smaller vehicles.
4. Yield right-of-way – Obey common rules of the road such as yielding when merging onto busy highways.
5. Be vigilant – Never cross behind a truck that is backing up. Remember that truck drivers do not have a rear-view mirror and may not see you cutting in behind them.

If you believe that you have been seriously injured as a result of a truck driver’s negligence, get in touch with an experienced Missouri truck injury lawyer at Page Law to schedule your free and comprehensive consultation. If it is determined that the accident was the truck driver’s fault, you could seek compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, cost of hospitalization, rehabilitation, physical therapy and other damages.

Federal Texting Ban Takes Effect for Truck Drivers

The federal government has issued a ban on texting while driving, especially targeted at commercial truck drivers and bus drivers. According to a news report in USA Today, the new restrictions will take effect immediately and apply to interstate truckers and operators of vehicles carrying at least eight passengers. Those who violate this new rule could face penalties of up to $2,750. So far, 19 states and the District of Columbia prohibit texting while driving for all drivers.

Distracted driving is one of the biggest traffic safety issues we have on our roadways today. It is unsafe for all drivers – whether they are driving a compact car or an 18-wheeler – to text or use a hand-held cell phone while driving. Recent studies show that those who text while driving, take their eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds. A vehicle traveling at highway speed can traverse the length of two football fields within that time.

However, when drivers of large trucks and commercial buses text, they are putting many more lives in danger than just their own. When the driver of a large big rig takes his eyes off the road, it can result in catastrophic accidents that have the potential to cause major injuries or deaths. Federal officials have themselves admitted that this is a tough law to enforce. But, it is a good first step, especially considering the devastation that distracted truckers have brought on the traveling public.

If you have been the victim of a serious truck accident – whether it is due to a distracted, reckless or negligent driver – please contact a skilled Missouri big rig accident lawyer who will analyze your case thoroughly and make sure you secure fair compensation for your injuries and losses. Call Page Law today for a free consultation and comprehensive evaluation of your claim. We can help.

Source:http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2010-01-26-texting-driving-commercial-ban_N.htm

Missouri Tanker Spill Leaves Three Hospitalized

Three people were hospitalized after a tanker truck carrying hydrochloric acid flipped, spilling some of its load and sending a cloud of hazardous gas up in the air. According to a CBS news report, the truck was carrying about 45,000 pounds of the acid on Interstate 35 when it ruptured. About 250 gallons of hydrochloric acid spilled from the tanker. The acid cloud threatened the nearby Isle of Capri casino. However, no one was evacuated. One person in the casino was transported to an area hospital with respiratory issues. The truck driver and two police officers were also taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries as well as skin and throat irritation.

Trucks often transport hazardous materials and when the big rig crashes, the chemicals inside can spill, thus exposing hundreds or thousands of people to serious harm. In this particular case, it is not clear what caused the tanker to rupture and the acid to spill. However, if the materials were not stored properly or if proper safety measures were not taken, the trucking company and the truck driver may be held liable for the accident and injuries caused.

If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a truck accident, you would be well-advised to retain the services of an experienced St. Louis MO truck crash injury lawyer at Page Law. Our knowledgeable personal injury attorneys will make sure that important evidence or records relevant to your claim are not destroyed. We will fight for your legal rights every step of the way and make sure that you get the justice and compensation you rightfully deserve. We are always on your side. Call Page Law at 1-866-620-5757 for a free consultation and evaluation of your Missouri truck accident case.

Source:http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/30/national/main5837884.shtml

Medical Condition May Have Caused Missouri Truck Driver to Crash

Officials say that a Missouri truck driver, who recently jackknifed his semi on U.S. Highway 75 in Oklahoma and died, may have suffered a medical condition at the time of the crash. According to a news report, the 61-year-old man was driving north on the highway when his truck left the roadway, struck a culvert, and turned on its side. The driver was not wearing his seatbelt.

Although this truck driver may not have had a pre-existing medical condition, Missouri trucking accident lawyers have represented several injured victims whose accidents were caused by sick truck drivers who should not have been driving in the first place. According to a recent report by the Associated Press, hundreds of thousands of tractor trailer and bus drivers in the United States carry licenses to drive these vehicles in spite of qualifying for full federal disability. Far too many truck drivers also suffer from serious health conditions such as seizures, heart attacks, or black-outs that occur suddenly while driving.

Allowing medically unfit truckers to operate these large commercial vehicles has resulted in devastating truck accidents. According to a U.S. Department of Transportation report, 5,300 people died in accidents involving large commercial trucks or buses in 2006, and about 126,000 were injured. Thousands of these accidents each year can be avoided if trucking firms and the regulatory authorities make it tougher for truckers with serious medical conditions to be on the road.

If you or a loved one has been injured by a negligent truck driver, please contact Page Law to get more information about your legal rights and options. Our Missouri semi-truck accident lawyers can immediately alert our truck accident team and begin taking the same action as the trucking company and their insurance company. Failure to file your claim promptly may forever bar your claim. The statute of limitations varies from state to state and could limit the amount of time that a personal injury victim has to file a lawsuit. Please do not let this happen to you. Call Page Law today at 1-866-620-5757 for a free consultation and case evaluation.

Source:http://newsok.com/medical-condition-may-have-contributed-to-truckers-death-in-okmulgee-co./article/3423457

Tractor-Trailer Accident in Missouri Leaves Man Injured

A 31-year-old man was injured in a Missouri truck accident on U.S. Highway 160, the Joplin Globe reports. The man was driving east on the highway when his car collided with an eastbound tractor-trailer. The man apparently attempted to make a U-turn at Route O when the collision occurred, the news report said.
In Missouri, we do see some cases where error on the part of passenger vehicles causes serious truck accidents. However, we also often see that truck driver error causes significant injuries to occupants of passenger vehicles. The size and weight of these trucks play a significant part in the injuries that are caused.

There are many ways for drivers of passenger vehicles to effectively avoid getting into a truck accident. First, be mindful of large truck blind spots and move away from them safely and quickly. Remember, if you cannot see the truck’s side mirrors, the driver cannot see you. Always pass large trucks on the left. Especially in winter weather conditions, make sure to leave plenty of space between you and a large truck. If you witness a truck driver who is driving aggressively, recklessly or speeding, inform local law enforcement authorities at once. You may help prevent a serious accident from occurring.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident in Missouri, please contact the experienced St. Louis tractor trailer accident attorneys at Page Law for a free and comprehensive consultation. We have the knowledge and resources to conduct a thorough investigation and obtain the evidence that will help strengthen your claim and help you secure the compensation you rightfully deserve. Call Page Law today at 1-866-620-5757.

Source:http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/local_story_351005901.html