Whiplash & Whiplash Injury St. Louis

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Most Dangerous Trucks on Missouri Roads – St. Louis Auto Accident Attorney

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Sharing the road with heavy trucks has many potential dangers. Let’s discuss five of the most dangerous trucks on Missouri roads and how you can stay safe.

In 2019 alone, approximately 538,000 large trucks were involved in police-reported traffic crashes. These accidents claimed over 5,000 lives and left 159,000 people injured.

These statistics demonstrate the dangers of sharing the road with heavy trucks. Let’s discuss the five most dangerous trucks on Missouri roads to help you keep safe.

missouri cement truck on the road
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Extra Duty Trucks

These trucks are known to carry extremely heavy and oversized loads. Unfortunately, their sheer size and weight make them a tad difficult to control, especially in wet conditions. As such, the driver can be forced to make a sudden maneuver or slam on their brake, leading to catastrophic accidents. Even worse, the weighty loads may shift and fall, leading to severe injuries and damages.

Dump Trucks

Another type of dangerous truck is the dump truck. These trucks have a high center of gravity, making them prone to rolling over when traveling at high speed. In addition, these trucks have to back up and make numerous turns when making their trips. This results in significant increases in the risk of accidents and injuries.

Cement Trucks

It’s not uncommon for cement trucks to roll over. Unfortunately, the spinning drum and its higher gravity expose them to rollover accidents when making turns at high speed.

Also, like other large trucks, cement trucks have several blind spots, making it extremely dangerous to drive near them.

Tanker Trucks

Tanker trucks transport valuable liquids and gasses across the country. However, they also pose significant dangers to drivers driving near them. In an accident, these liquids may spill and cause life-threatening skin injuries and damages to other road users.

Garbage Trucks

Yes, you read that right. The garbage trucks that you come across in your neighborhood are dangerous.  Here’s why:

  • Most garbage trucks have large tank-like bodies that present several blind spots. Therefore, if you’re driving near a garbage truck, be aware that the driver may not see you, and you may be involved in a fatal blind spot accident.
  • Garbage truck drivers make a lot of stops and turns during their operation. Therefore, driving near them might turn you into a rear-end or improper turn accident victim.
  • Garbage trucks carry heavy and unsteady loads, which may compromise their stability. Sadly, an overloaded or unstable load may fall onto your car and cause tragic injuries.

Were You Hurt in a Truck Accident? Contact The Hoffmann Law Firm

Have you been hurt in an auto accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence? Speak with an experienced St. Louis auto accident attorney at The Hoffmann Law Firm 24/7. Our attorneys can evaluate your claim free of charge and help you determine what you are legally entitled to after a car accident.

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Speak with an experienced attorney 24/7

Click to Call: (314) 361-4242

4 Common Blind Spots to Be Aware of to Prevent Auto Accidents

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Let’s take a look at some of the most common blind spots in commercial trucks and what you can do to avoid them and prevent accidents.

Every time you drive in a truck’s blind spot, you put yourself in harm’s way. This makes it worthwhile to know the different truck’s blind spot areas and how you can avoid them.

Let’s take a look at some of the most common blind spots in commercial trucks and what you can do to avoid them and prevent accidents.

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semi truck mirrors

What Is a Blind Spot?

A blind spot refers to that area of a vehicle that is not visible in the mirrors or by turning your head. While every vehicle has a blind spot, a driver of a smaller car generally has an easier time checking their blind spot than a truck driver. This is because:

  • A truck’s length gives it a large space of no visibility.
  • Commercial trucks are taller than passenger vehicles, making it difficult for truck drivers to see low-riding cars in front or beside them.
  • Big rigs don’t have rearview mirrors.

Common Blind Spots in Commercial Trucks

There are four main truck “no-zones,” namely:

1. Front Blind Spot

A driver operating an 18- wheeler truck without a cab-over design may have trouble seeing the area in front of their truck. What’s more, this blind spot can extend up to 20 feet in front of the truck. You don’t want to overstay in this hot spot, or else you may get in a disastrous rear-end accident.

2. Right Side Blind Spot

The right-side blind spot starts at the edge of the right side of the cab and can run as far as three lanes of traffic.

Please note: when you are at the right side of a big rig, you may not be able to tell where the blind spot starts and ends. So, your best move is to keep away from this extremely dangerous zone.

3. Left Side Blind Spot

This blind spot begins from the left side of a truck’s cab and can run back at an angle as far as three traffic lanes. While the left-side blind spot is smaller than the right-side blind spot, staying in it for long increases your risk of underside, rollover, or side-impact accidents. Therefore, it’s generally best to avoid driving on the left side of any big truck. However, if you have to, always stay in an area where you can see the truck’s mirrors.

4. Rear Blind Spot

As large trucks have no rearview mirrors, their drivers generally can’t see behind the truck. In addition, rear no-zones can run as far as 30 feet from the back of the truck.

Speak With an Experienced St. Louis Car Accident Attorney

Have you been injured because a negligent truck driver failed to check their blind spot? Our experienced St. Louis car accident attorneys can help you understand your legal rights. Give us a call 24/7 for a free consultation.

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Speak with an experienced attorney 24/7

Click to Call: (314) 361-4242

How Car Accidents Claims Involving Trucks Are Different

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Here are three of the most significant differences between car accident claims and truck accident claims.

What are the differences between a car accident and a truck accident claim? Ask motorists this question, and many of them will tell you the same thing: there’s no difference because an auto accident is an auto accident. In reality, however, car and truck claims are different.  Here are three of the most significant differences between these two claims.

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semi truck on the road

The Causes

We start with the most significant and most obvious difference: the causes of the accidents. Generally, truck wrecks often occur due to equipment failure or the sheer size of the trucks. On the other hand, car wrecks often happen due to human error (speeding, performing illegal maneuvers, misjudging the distance between cars, etc.). While human error if often responsible for truck accidents as well, these cases are often more complicated.

Evidence

Another big difference between a truck and a car injury claim is the type of evidence you’ll include in your claim. When preparing a car accident claim, you need to have evidence like witness statements, photographs, police reports, and more. However, when filing a truck wreck claim, your attorney will use a different set of evidence to prove liability. This may include the driver’s qualifications file, the driver inspection records, delivery documents, maintenance history documentation, weight tickets, trip envelopes, and more.

Also, evidence collection in truck accident cases generally takes a tad longer than in car accident cases. 

Federal and State Trucking Laws

Truckers are typically held to higher legal standards and are governed by more stringent federal and state trucking laws. For instance, Missouri truckers are required to know how to load and properly secure the cargo safely. There are also rules that stipulate the number of hours a trucker can drive each day and shift. 

Experienced truck accident attorneys generally understand the ins and outs of car and trucking laws and regulations and can help you develop a strategy that will help you prove the driver who caused your accident was negligent. 

Speak With an Experienced Attorney

Whether you’ve been injured in a truck or car accident, one thing remains true: You may be entitled to financial compensation. That said, it’s worth noting that you may end up settling for less than you deserve without the help of an experienced car accident attorney. Your attorney can help you file your claim on time, collect strong evidence, and help you understand the full extent of your injury-related losses. They’ll also help you convince the insurer or judge your claim has merit.

The Hoffmann Law Firm Is Here to Help!

Have you been injured in a St. Louis auto accident and would like to speak with an attorney about filing an injury claim? The Hoffmann Law Firm can help. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation!

FREE Consultation

Speak with an experienced attorney 24/7

Click to Call: (314) 361-4242

5 Things Victims Should Do After a St. Louis Semi-Truck Accident

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Accidents in the trucking industry often result in much damage, and even loss of life.

When you are involved in a car accident with a semi-truck that wasn’t your fault, you likely have many questions regarding what you should do next. The actions you take in the moments following the accident are crucial to ensuring you get properly compensated for all the damages you’ve suffered.

Here are 5 things any car accident victim should do after a semi-truck accident:

st. louis semi truck

1. Call the Police

By calling the police, you are creating a 3rd party recollection of the events that took place. The police will come to the scene, document it, and create their own report, which you can use later on in your car accident claim. When you and the insurance company can have different views over a particular detail of the case, the answer may be found in the police report.

2. Document the Scene Yourself

Then, if you are able to, you should document the scene as best as you can, by taking a lot of photos on your smartphone. Consider taking pictures of:

  • Your vehicle
  • The semi-truck
  • Any witnesses present
  • Your own injuries (if they are visible)
  • Marks on the road
  • Damaged property

A lot of the evidence is time-sensitive, such as tire marks on the road. They may not be there a few weeks or days later when you want to document the scene. By taking these photos, you are already building a case.

3. Exchange Insurance Information

The police report will also have the name of the semi-truck driver, though you should still exchange insurance information with them. This will make it easier for you when you want to file the car accident claim since you’ll already have the company’s contact information on hand.

4. Go to the Hospital – Even If You Feel Fine

Car accident victims don’t always feel the full repercussions of a car accident right after the event. Some injuries, such as whiplash, may only start to show symptoms the next or a few days after the car accident.

Apart from the fact that this can hurt your claim, it’s also dangerous. As a rule of thumb, always go to the doctor right after a car accident, even mild ones.

5. Contact a Lawyer

It’s likely that in these cases to go up against the insurance company of the trucking company, and not the driver. This can create certain difficulties for the victim, especially if they want to sue the company for damages, as opposed to going the insurance route.

To make things easier for you, you should speak with an experienced car accident attorney for help. They can advise the best course of action based on the specifics of your case.

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Speak with an experienced attorney 24/7

Click to Call: (314) 361-4242

What We Can Learn From the New Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts Report

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The latest Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts report was released earlier this year and contains data from 2017.

truck accident

The Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts is an annual report released by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) that describes the situation of car accidents involving large vehicles from a certain period of time, on US territory. FMCSA compiles data taken from various statistics and provides a comprehensive analysis of that data, in a wider context.

The latest Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts report was released earlier this year and contains data from 2017, which is put into context by comparing results from previous years with the latest statistics.

Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts for 2017

The LTBCF report is organized into four sections:

  • Trends – presenting current data in historical context to illustrate trends and possible causes
  • Crashes – counts of crashes, three-years statistics where relevant
  • Vehicles – counts of vehicles involved in crashes
  • People – counts of people involved in crashes, whether they were drivers, occupants or pedestrians.

In these sections, counts are presented by themselves and by comparisons with other data, taking into account the following:

  • Crashes: counts of crashes
  • Vehicles in crashes: types of vehicles involved in the crash
  • People in crashes: all the people who were involved in the crashes, demographics, victims, where they were at the time of the cars
  • Drivers in crashes: counts of vehicle drivers involved in crashes

Here we will detail some of the most interesting findings in the Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts report 2017. We will present them as they are organized in the report, by chapter.

Trends

From 2016 to 2017, there was a 9% increase in the number of accidents involving large trucks and buses, with the number of fatal crashes increasing by 8%.

In the case of bus crashes, a historical low was registered in 2017, since the first LTBCF report in 1975. Only 73 school buses and 13 intercity buses were involved in fatal crashes in 2017.

At the same time, the number of large trucks involved in fatal crashes increased, as did their involvement rate. Over the past year (at the time of the data collection,) the number of large vehicles in car crashes raised from 4,251 to 4,657.

Crashes

23% of the police-reported crashes that involved large trucks were injury crashes, with 1% being fatal. The total number of police-reported crashes in 2017 was about 450,000.

Of all large vehicle fatal crashes, 63% involved two vehicles and 20% a single-vehicle.

Large trucks were often involved in crashes when crossing rural areas (57% of fatal crashes), Interstate Highways (27% of fatal crashes), or both (13% of fatal crashes).

Vehicles

Critical precrash event: in 73% of the cases, it was another vehicle, a person, an animal or an object on the large truck’s lane; in 23% of the cases, it was the large vehicle’s own movement.

People

Safety issues: 9% of the large truck drivers involved in fatal accidents were not wearing a seatbelt. 45% of them were killed in the crash.

Driving under influence: 5% of large vehicle drivers in fatal crashes consumed drugs (with 59% of the total not even tested). When compared to the number of drivers of all vehicles involved in crashes, you can see a decrease (15% of the total tested positive for at least one drug).

This data is only a fraction of all the information provided by the LTBCF report of 2017. These numbers not only give us an insight into how trends change over the decades, but it also gives us practical information when it comes to road safety and dangers.

If you have been involved in a St. Louis car accident, get in touch with an experienced attorney to ensure your legal right to compensation is protected right from the start of your claim. Give us a call 24/7 at (314) 361-4242 for a FREE case evaluation.

Semi-Truck Accidents – St. Louis Injury Attorney

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Each car accident is unique. When you add a semi-truck into the equation things get increasingly complicated.

st. louis semi truck

Although large trucks are responsible for just a small fraction of car accidents, the damage and harm they cause are often extensive.

If you’ve been involved in a crash with a semi-truck and got injured, then you will need the help of a good St. Louis auto accident attorney. The process of filing a claim may be different than in a regular car wreck and you need someone who can guide your steps.

The Insurance Company Will Do Anything to Get out of Paying

Because the damage a large truck can inflict is so extensive, most trucking companies carry insurance that can be worth 50 times more than the policy on a passenger vehicle. Such a claim can be worth millions of dollars, which is why the company will do anything to avoid paying it. If they can prove that you share at least part of the blame, then they will significantly lower the amount or deny the claim altogether. Another common strategy is offering a seemingly high settlement to distract the victim from the real value of their claim. An experienced St. Louis car accident lawyer can educate you on all these tactics and teach how to avoid making any costly mistakes.

The Amount of Information You Need to Gather Is Extensive

One of the first things you need to do after a car crash is gather as much information as possible. That includes the at-fault party’s driving license and contact details, the name and phone numbers of witnesses, a copy of the police report, and so on. The same stays true in the case of a collision with a semi-truck accident, the only difference being that the amount of information you need to collect is significantly higher. For instance, you may also need to get copies of their GPS data, electronic logbook, driving history, and any record of safety and maintenance violations. All these details will help you build a strong case and combat any dirty tactics that the insurance company may try using.

They Cause Serious Injuries That Require Extensive Medical Care

A fully loaded commercial truck can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds. And, when a vehicle this size goes up against a 3,000-pound car, it’s easy to understand how the damage it causes can be devastating.

Because the injuries resulting from a semi-truck accident are more serious than the ones sustained in a regular car crash, the medical treatment will also be more extensive. That often means in-depth tests, longer hospital stays, more days missed from work, more time needed to recover, and so on. All that can turn into a financial burden if you’ve lost your job and don’t have the means to pay for the piling medical bills.

An auto accident lawyer can help you estimate the cost of present and future damages and ensure that you will receive the compensation you are legally entitled to.

St. Louis Injury Lawyer

Semi-truck accidents are often complex. However, with an experienced lawyer on your side, you maximize your chances of receiving the compensation you deserve.  Give us a call 24/7 at (314) 361-4242 for a FREE case evaluation.