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 Cagle 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

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 Cagle. 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 Cagle 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 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

Missouri Authorities Slap Trucker with Citations for Reckless Driving

Many Missouri semi truck accidents take place because truck drivers make unsafe movements and maneuvers. A large-sized truck weighing close to 80,000 pounds, when out of control, can cause significant damage. That’s exactly why truck drivers should take additional care to be watchful on the highway and follow all traffic rules.

A recent news report on KWQC illustrates that truck drivers don’t always pay attention to what’s going around them on the roadway. Investigators in Scott County, Missouri, are looking into a bizarre accident on the Interstate 80 that sent a semi tractor trailer onto a road below the highway. Officials say the semi tractor-trailer was going west on Interstate 80 when it passed a minivan.

As the big rig tried to move back into the right lane, the driver realized he did not have enough clearance. It was too late. The truck hit the van. The van veered into a ditch and the semi went flying off the highway and down onto a road under the overpass. Miraculously, neither the truck driver nor the van driver was hurt. However, officials say that the semi driver is facing several citations for driving recklessly.

It is extremely fortunate that no one got hurt in this Missouri truck accident. However, that’s not always the case. Recent data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) shows just how deadly truck accidents can be. Although trucks make up less than 4 percent of all passenger vehicles on U.S. roads, they are involved in 12 percent of all motor vehicle fatalities. More than 4,000 people die every year in truck accidents and more than 80,000 are seriously injured, according to the federal safety agency that monitors trucking companies.

If you have been seriously injured in a Missouri truck accident, please contact an experienced St. Louis personal injury lawyer at Page Cagle today. Trucking companies will usually get their insurance carrier and attorneys on a case right away. As a victim, you need a skilled truck accident attorney on your side, fighting for your rights and protecting your best interests as soon as possible. Contact John Page at Page Cagle today by calling (866) 620-5757 for a free and comprehensive consultation.

Source:http://www.kwqc.com/global/story.asp?s=11539959