Missouri Truck Accident Blog

Missouri Truck Accident Possibly Weather-Related

A 55-year-old woman sustained injuries in a Missouri truck accident on Missouri 76 two miles east of Branson West. According to a news report in the Branson Daily News, the woman was eastbound when she lost control of her vehicle on the ice-covered road and was struck by a 1998 Freightliner dump truck driven by a 31-year-old Reeds Spring man. The woman was transported to a local hospital for treatment of her injuries, Missouri Highway Patrol officials said.

We see a number of Missouri truck versus passenger vehicle accidents being caused these days as a result of icy roadways or wintry weather. When the weather gets worse, please remember that you need to be extremely vigilant on the roadway. This is especially true for truck drivers, who have a tough challenge maneuvering a large rig on an icy roadway. Very often, we see truck drivers traveling too fast given the unsafe weather conditions. In this case, it was the driver of the passenger car who lost control of her vehicle and struck the big rig. However, there are many examples of Missouri big rig accidents where the truck driver is traveling too fast or overloaded the rig, thus causing loss of vehicle control.

If you have suffered injuries in a Missouri big rig accident, you require skilled legal representation. Remember that the large trucking firms usually have their insurance company and investigators within minutes on the accident scene. Evidence can get destroyed very quickly in these cases. And very often, this can be evidence that can make or break your truck accident case. Please call the Missouri truck accident law firm of Page Cagle to find out how our knowledgeable and experienced truck accident lawyers can help you. We always offer a free consultation to truck accident victims and their families.

Source:http://www.bransondailynews.com/story.php?storyID=14682

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 Cagle 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 Cagle 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

Truck Drivers Need to Slow Down in Winter Weather

After a series of truck accidents in Northwest Missouri, authorities are telling truck drivers to go back to the basics of driving. When the weather is bad, slow down. Missouri saw the first big snowfall of the season in early December. According to an article in the St. Joseph News Press, the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported several tractor-trailer accidents that closed a stretch of Interstate 29 near Rock Port. Officials say that it is not a common occurrence to see so many truck accidents at once. However, these accidents are not surprising if you take into account the vast amount of truck drivers who forget to slow down when the weather gets rough.

Officials have said that a majority of these tractor trailer accidents in Missouri were caused by truck drivers’ failure to use their discretion with regard to speed. On heavy snow days, trucks are asked to stay off the road. Even so, there are still some trucking companies and truck drivers that allow the pressure of getting work done on time to overshadow the importance of safety. Some of these drivers put their job ahead of their own safety and the safety of others on the roadway.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Missouri truck accident, you need skilled legal advice and representation. The reputed personal injury lawyers at Page Cagle will remain at your side and make sure that your rights are protected. Our experienced Missouri tractor trailer accident lawyers may be able to help you receive compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost earnings. It is critical that you contact a knowledgeable attorney as soon as you can after your accident. Call Page Cagle today at 1-866-620-5757 for a free consultation and evaluation of your St. Louis truck accident claim.

Source:http://www.stjoenews.net/news/2009/dec/13/semi-drivers-asked-use-more-caution/

Drug Use among Truck Drivers Prevalent, Study Finds

A recent investigative report by the Associated Press showed that tractor-trailer and bus drivers who tested positive for illegal drugs continue to get hired and return to work without the required treatment or testing. According to a study performed by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), 19 out of 37 commercial drivers who had a positive drug test in the last two years were hired elsewhere less than a month later. Their previous test result was not revealed and employers, apparently, never asked them about it or even tested them before hiring them.

How did these tractor-trailer and bus drivers who tested positive for cocaine or amphetamine use get around a pre-employment drug test? The study says that they either did it by “quickly going clean” or using products such as synthetic urine to clear the test. Federal drug regulations for truck drivers require prospective employers to request drug testing records, with the driver’s consent, from previous employers. But it seems as though trucking companies are hardly investigating new employees. They are apparently just too eager to put them to work.

The findings of this study are deeply disturbing. Alcohol and drug use is one of the causes of devastating truck accidents. It’s frightening to imagine a truck driver under the influence of cocaine or methamphetamine handling an 80,000-pound tractor-trailer.

If you have been injured by a drunk or negligent truck driver, you can file a claim against the trucking company to seek compensation for your injuries, damages and loss. Trucking companies will try to protect their employees and shift the blame on innocent victims. The skilled and experienced Missouri truck accident lawyers at Page Cagle will fight for your rights and make sure you get fairly compensated for your tremendous loss. Call Page Cagle today at (866) 620-5757 for a free consultation.

Tired Truckers Rule the Road

The Obama administration is reconsidering a poor decision made by the Bush administration to extend truck drivers’ hours of service. This previous decision has placed the driving public at the mercy of fatigued truckers who are a genuine threat to public safety. According to a news report, the Bush administration, urged by the trucking industry, issued a federal rule allowing truck drivers to put in up to 11 hours a day and cut down the rest time they must get between work weeks as well. Before this rule was passed, truckers were allowed to work only 10 hours behind the wheel each day. Going over opposition by federal courts and the government’s own Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the White House passed the rule anyway in October 2008.

This situation existed until the Obama administration worked out a deal recently with several safety advocacy groups to reconsider the Bush administration’s 11th hour rule. But here’s the worrisome part. Until the government is done reconsidering this rule, public safety is still in jeopardy because of tired truckers.

Missouri truck accident lawyers know that truck driver fatigue is a significant factor in many tractor trailer versus car, motorcycle, or other auto accidents. When a truck driver falls asleep at the wheel while operating an 80,000-pound vehicle, there is no question about the damage and devastation such a situation has the potential to cause. In a recent survey, 20 percent of long-haul truck drivers admitted to falling asleep at the wheel. That statistic in itself should tell us how often these dangerous situations are created on our roadways.

If you or a loved one has been injured by a tired, sleepy or fatigued truck driver, please contact Page Cagle to get more information about your legal rights and options. Our personal injury law firm can immediately alert our truck accident team and begin taking the same action as the truck company and their insurance company. Failure to file your claim promptly may forever bar your claim. The statutes of limitations vary 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 skilled attorney John Page today at (866) 620-5757 for a free consultation and case evaluation.

Source:http://www.inthesetimes.com/working/entry/5188/driving_their_lives_away/