Whiplash & Whiplash Injury St. Louis

truck accident

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!

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Speak with an experienced attorney 24/7

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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.

How a Truck Drivers Health Can Lead to a St. Louis Truck Accident

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Even with federal laws in place, you may still find a driver with poor health behind the wheel of a truck.

st. louis truck driver

Trucks drivers often need to exert more caution on the road than drivers of passenger vehicles. Tt all has to do with the size of the truck.

Because a truck so large, it’s also a lot more difficult to handle – a truck needs a lot of extra space to perform certain actions like turning, and it has about 4 blind spots passenger car driver should always avoid. However, truck accidents do happen, and when they involve a truck, the impact often leaves extreme consequences.

It’s not an exaggeration to say then that if a truck driver isn’t 100% focused when they are behind the wheel, then everyone on the road is in danger. One instance where a truck driver wouldn’t be totally focused on the road would be if their health wouldn’t allow for it.

How a Driver’s Health Is Relevant

Because they are operating such heavy vehicles, federal law imposes certain regulations on how the truck driver must behave on the road. Drivers are also required to be examined by a physician who will determine if the driver is fit for this activity or not.

Some health issues should automatically stop the truck driver from getting cleared to operate the truck:

  • Hearing issues – it’s vital to be completely aware of your surroundings when driving a truck, and even partial loss of hearing affects that;
  • Vision issues – because trucks are harder to manipulate, the driver must have good eyesight;
  • High blood pressure – high blood pressure typically means a person is at a higher risk of having a heart attack. If the heart attack happens while behind the wheel, the driver would likely lose control of the truck;
  • Diabetes – some people suffering from diabetes are more likely to have seizures or faint;
  • Epilepsy – during an epileptic fit, the person is no longer in control or their body. 

These health restrictions are made to keep everyone safe on the roads. Drivers with poor health can potentially lose control of the truck, and end up in a very big collision.

Even with federal laws in place, you may still find a driver with poor health behind the wheel of a truck.

What You Should Do

If you were in a car accident involving a truck, and the driver was suffering from some health condition that should have prevented them from getting behind the wheel, then you may be entitled to compensation.

The most likely at-fault party in this scenario is the trucking company who knowingly allowed the driver to continue their duty in spite of their condition. It’s unlikely that the company was unaware of the driver’s condition, but if the driver did indeed hide their condition from their employer, then you may be able to recover damages directly from the driver.

Get in touch with a St. Louis car accident lawyer to understand your next move. Give us a call 24/7 at (314) 361-4242 for a FREE case evaluation.

How to Avoid St. Louis Blind Spot Auto Accidents

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One of the best ways to make sure everyone is safe is to steer clear of these four blind spots.

When driving on the road along with large trucks, most people assume it’s the truck driver who needs to show higher caution in order to avoid any accidents.

While it’s true truck driver have their fair share of responsibility when on the road, passenger vehicles also have a great role to play. Often, it is the caution of the passenger car that prevents an unfortunate collision in these cases.

One of the best ways to make sure everyone is safe is to steer clear of the four blind spots of a truck.

a truck's blind spot

What Are the Blind Spots?

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, there are 4 major blind spots passenger cars should never drive near:

1. Directly in Front – because the truck driver is higher, they won’t be able to see any vehicle that is driving too close in front of them. Because of that, it’s safer to keep your distance.

2. Directly Behind – the same principle goes for driving too closely behind the truck.

3. Along the Left Side – if you are driving alongside the truck on their left side, the driver won’t be able to see you until you get in front of it, or unless you remain far behind.

4. Along the Right side – this is often the most dangerous blind spot area out of all. It’s best to avoid driving on the right side of the truck altogether.

A good way to keep safe when driving on the same road of the truck is to assume that if you don’t see the truck in your vehicle side mirror, then the truck driver can’t see you either.

What to Do If You Enter a Blind Spot

If you somehow enter a truck’s blind spot, it’s important not to keep driving in it. Using good judgment, slow down or move ahead to come into the truck driver’s line of sight.

Always make sure you see the truck driver in your vehicle mirrors before signaling to switch lanes. Unless you do, it’s possible the truck driver won’t even see your vehicle signal, and that can increase the chances of an auto accident.

You also need to be even more cautious than you’d normally be with other passenger cars when taking any actions on the road – switching lanes, moving forward, trying to pull over, etc. These practices can make sure you and the passengers of your vehicle stay safe.

What If Something Goes Wrong?

Regardless of how cautious you are, car accidents still happen. If you’ve been in an accident with a truck driver, please reach out to a St. Louis car accident lawyer as soon as possible to see what your legal options are. Give us a call 24/7 at (314) 361-4242 for a FREE case evaluation.