The Growing Menace Of Truck Accidents In St. Louis: What Are Your Options?

Most of the nation’s freight and cargo flow through St. Louis. This, in turn, has made the streets and highways heavily congested with trucks, triggering an increase in the number of truck accidents. 

Owing to their size and weight, the impact of a collision with trucks has devastating consequences. Another important aspect of truck collision accidents is that multiple parties may be liable. Liability can rest with the driver, the truck owner, the company that employs the driver, or the company that loads the cargo. 

Let us see what factors play a major role in the truck delivering a devastating blow in the event of an accident. 

Size Of The Truck

The legal weight of a semi-truck can be around 80,000 pounds as compared to that of a car which is around 5000 pounds. Added to this is the sheer size of the trucks as compared to the cars or other automobiles

Stopping Time

A truck roughly takes 40% more time to come to a stop when compared with other smaller automobiles. 

Bobtailing

A truck is bobtailing when it is being driven with no trailer attached to it. According to the findings, bobtailing trucks pose a bigger risk to nearby traffic. 

According to a report by The Missouri Trucking Association, 89 fatal trucking accidents occurred in the past year, accounting for 8% of all fatal accidents in Missouri.

Let us look at a few common causes of fatal truck accidents:

The Major Causes Of Truck Accidents

Even though the overall average of trucking accidents is less than that of other auto accidents, they pose a more serious threat to life and property.

The primary causes are:

Driver Fatigue

Truck drivers generally work in time-locked environments. Even though the law sets aside a fixed number of hours for them to rest, many drivers do not take adequate breaks. A groggy driver poses a grave threat to their own safety and to the safety of other vehicles. 

Jackknifing

A truck jackknifes when the attached trailer does not stop when the front vehicle skids or changes motion. The resulting motion resembles the movement of a pocket knife opening and is one of the primary causes of accidents. 

Weather Conditions

Ice, rain, and fog are potential hazards to the safety of the truck as they reduce tire traction. A truck skidding over may result in it jackknifing. Moreover, reduced visibility poses a grave threat to the movement of traffic in general. The impact of unfavorable climate can have fatal consequences. 

Poor Vehicle Maintenance

Large tractor-trailers and delivery trucks are menacing due to their size and weight. It is imperative that they are kept in good condition. It is illegal if a truck gets on the road with it being in an improper functioning state. Drivers should be absolutely sure that the mechanical and technical issues are all fixed before the truck hits the road. 

Damages That Can Be Compensated

If you are hurt in a truck collision, you may have severe injuries, high medical bills, and significant property damage. Fortunately, you might be able to file a lawsuit to recover your financial compensation for your truck accident-related losses in St. Louis County.

The damages that can be covered in the lawsuit are:

1. Injury and medical costs.
2. Property Damage.
3. Non-economic damages like pain and suffering.
4. Future medical expenses
5. Punitive Damages.
   

Law firms like the Tor Hoerman Law, LLC can provide victims with a St. Louis trucking accident lawyer. Such a lawyer can help you mitigate legal waters with the utmost care and professionalism. 

The lawyer can help you seek optimum compensation for the losses incurred by you while you take your time recovering. The team of personal injury lawyers at TorHoerman Law has fought more than 10,000 cases and served in 50 states across the United States. 

The damages cannot be claimed after 2 years from the date of the accident. The statute of limitations varies by state and the type of accident. Hence, it is advisable to go by the recommendations of an experienced truck accident attorney. 

Conclusion

Accidents are not commonplace in today’s world. With fast medical and response teams on your call, injuries are generally taken care of in the nick of time. But the dangers of such severe accidents can not be ignored. 

Safety on the road is of prime importance. Taking simple safety measures like always wearing a belt, never taking calls while driving, never overtaking, and following the local rules can go a long way in safeguarding your safety.