A semi-truck crash can have life-altering consequences for you and your family. You may suffer devastating injuries, leaving you unable to work while facing unexpected medical bills. You do not have to suffer alone. An experienced truck accident lawyer at Sumner Law Group, LLC, can help you navigate the Missouri legal process to seek the truck accident compensation you deserve.
Contact us now to set up a free consultation with an Affton truck accident attorney at our law firm.
Why You Need Our Truck Accident Lawyers in Affton
At Sumner Law Group, LLC, we help commercial truck accident victims and their families move forward with their lives after a crash. We know how intimidating pursuing commercial vehicle accident claims can be, and we want to help you every step of the way as we seek truck accident compensation for you.
We are a Missouri personal injury law firm with more than 50 years of caombined experience helping Affton residents after truck accidents. While past success does not guarantee future outcomes, we have built a track record of success in securing significant compensation for people hurt in commercial vehicle accidents.
For example, we secured a $2,375,000 settlement in a tractor-trailer accident in which our client sustained significant injuries, including a mild TBI, punctured lung, fractured scapula, fractured ribs, and neck and shoulder injuries. We also secured a positive result for a client whose husband, a tractor-trailer driver, was injured in an accident that other firms were uninterested in handling for the family.
We encourage you to read some of the positive testimonials past clients have left for us, such as this example:
“Brent represented my case against a trucking company for a rear-end auto collision in January of 2017. We were recently able to settle the case outside of trial, and I can finally put a close to this 2+year ordeal. I am incredibly grateful for Brent’s empathy, guidance, and professionalism throughout the course of this case. What sets Brent and his office apart (I also worked with Andrew and Marie) is their commitment to clients as people and willingness to be a voice for the injured. I kept in consistent contact with Brent and his paralegal by e-mail, phone, and text and would hands-down recommend them to anyone in a personal injury case. If you’re looking for someone to help, listen, and fight- they are it. Thanks for getting my life back.” – Laura B.
Reasons Truck Accident Cases Can Be More Complex
Truck accident cases are often more complex than other motor vehicle crashes because of the nature of the vehicle involved in the collision. The sheer size and weight of the truck can cause devastating and sometimes fatal injuries. Commercial trucks typically carry liability insurance coverage with much higher limits – often $1 million or more. Severe injuries and high insurance limits mean a lot is at stake, and insurance companies are sure to put up a fight.
The number of parties that may share in the liability of the accident is also greater than in most other accidents, which can make the case evaluation more complicated. Truck accident cases also require a deep understanding of the many state and federal regulations that govern the trucking industry.
Who Can Be Held Liable in an Affton Truck Accident Case?
Determining liability in truck accidents can be challenging due to the number of potentially responsible parties, which might include:
- Truck driver – The trucker might be partially responsible for the accident if they were speeding, intoxicated, or violating other traffic laws, such as failing to obey a traffic sign or signal.
- Trucking company – The driver may not own the truck involved in the accident. Instead, a trucking company may own the vehicle and lease it to the driver or employ the driver. As such, the company could be liable if it did not properly screen and train its drivers or failed to adequately maintain its truck fleet. If the trucker was an employee, the employer trucking company would be vicariously liable for the driver’s negligence.
- Truck maintenance company – Sometimes, trucking companies use separate maintenance companies to inspect and maintain their fleet. If they fail to do so, the maintenance company could be held responsible for the accident if insufficient or poor maintenance contributed to the collision.
- Truck manufacturer – If a truck component malfunctions, causing an accident, the truck manufacturer could be named in a lawsuit.
What Compensation Can You Recover After a Truck Crash?
Every case is different, so the compensation you can receive in a truck accident claim also varies. The amount of money our attorneys may advise you to pursue after an accident largely depends on the nature and severity of your injuries and the extent of your financial losses.
You can trust our attorneys to help you seek maximum compensation for the following losses related to your semi-truck accident injuries:
- Past and future medical bills
- Lost wages
- Reduced future earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Mental trauma
- Reduced enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium for your spouse
- Wrongful death benefits after fatal accidents
Trucking Laws and Regulations and How They Affect Truck Crash Cases
Missouri trucking companies are held to standards imposed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), including:
- Drivers must be at least 21 for interstate commerce and 18 for intrastate commerce.
- Drivers must be able to safely load and secure cargo and have only one valid commercial motor vehicle operator’s license.
- Drivers must comply with hours of service rules (HOS) that limit the time they can spend at the wheel without taking breaks.
- Drivers must keep detailed logs about the hours they spend driving and resting.
- Drivers must keep a schedule of all inspections to be performed, including the type of inspection and its due date.
- Every commercial carrier must inspect, repair, and maintain the commercial vehicles under their control.
- Trucking companies must keep detailed records for vehicles they control with such identifying information as company number, make, year, serial number, and tire size.
Failure to comply with these and other trucking laws and regulations can mean unsafe drivers and vehicles are on the road, posing a risk to other motor vehicle drivers on Missouri roadways. Discrepancies in compliance could serve as evidence of the truck driver or trucking company’s negligence in your case.
How to Prove Negligence in a Truck Accident Case
Proving trucking company negligence requires the legal skills and knowledge of an experienced truck accident attorney. In truck accident cases, our personal injury lawyers often immediately initiate an investigation, sometimes arriving at the crash scene. We may consult accident reconstructionists to determine precisely how the crash occurred. Our attorneys will work hard to gather all the necessary evidence to demonstrate who is liable for the accident.
For example, if the truck driver is at fault, our truck accident injury attorneys could obtain traffic camera videos and black box data to show the driver was speeding. If a trucking company owned the truck involved in the accident, our attorneys might request and review the maintenance records for the vehicle and the personnel records showing how the drivers were selected and trained.
Common Causes and Types of Truck Accidents in Affton
Truck driver error is typically the cause of truck crashes in Affton, MO. For example, the following are common causes of truck accidents related to the driver’s actions behind the wheel:
- Speeding
- Distracted driving
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Truck driver fatigue
- Following too closely
- Failing to yield the right-of-way
- Improper lane changes without signaling or checking blind spots
- Shifting or unsecured cargo
These and other actions can result in many types of crashes, such as:
- Head-on collisions – A truck driver could lose control of their vehicle and cross the centerline into the path of oncoming traffic, causing a head-on crash.
- T-bone accidents – A T-bone accident can occur if a truck runs a red light and hits the side of another motor vehicle, often resulting in devastating injuries.
- Rollover accidents – A truck rollover accident typically occurs when the driver turns too sharply or drives too fast for the conditions. Improper cargo loading can also be a factor. The truck can roll over onto another vehicle or create a hazard on the road that other drivers cannot avoid.
- Rear-end collisions – A truck driver can cause a rear-end collision if they speed, drive while distracted, or follow too closely. If traffic stops without warning, they may not be able to stop in time to avoid an accident.
Contact an Experienced Affton Truck Accident Attorney Today
If you suffered injuries in a serious truck accident in Affton, you need a Sumner Law Group, LLC, on your side. With a personal injury attorney from our firm, you can expect vigorous legal representation delivered compassionately.
Contact us today to get started with your case by speaking to one of our Affton truck accident lawyers in a free consultation.
