One out of every eight Missouri car accidents involves a large truck. Because of the tremendous size and weight of tractor trailers, dump trucks and other commercial trucks, and the relatively small size and weight of passenger vehicles using Missouri’s highways and roads, accidents involving large trucks can result in very serious injuries and death.

When most people think of large trucks, they think of semis and tractor trailers, such as those manufactured by Freightliner, Kenworth, or Mack. However, large trucks can also be school buses, garbage trucks, delivery trucks, passenger and tour buses, medical transport vehicles, construction vehicles, and emergency service vehicles. In all of these cases, the little guy—even the one driving the full-size SUV—is at a distinct disadvantage.

Most large vehicles are operated for commercial purposes, such as delivery trucks and freight carriers. Because of their commercial nature, and because of the special dangers on our nation’s highways associated with the operation of these large trucks, the federal government has enacted special rules and regulations, called the Federal Motor Carrier Regulations (link to web page), that govern how these large vehicles must operate. These Regulations control the interstate operation of commercial vehicles. For intrastate operation, Missouri has adopted a number of these regulations as state law and they essentially mirror the federal regulations.

These trucking regulations are extremely detailed, and address a broad spectrum of matters that relate to safety. For example, there are regulations governing the physical aspects of the vehicles themselves, such as how they must be maintained, what sort of braking systems and back-up braking systems must be installed and maintained, the mandatory installation of rear impact guards, how loads must be tied down, and special rules related to the carriage of hazardous materials.

Additionally, there are regulations that govern the operation of large commercial vehicles, such as licensing requirements for drivers, limits on hours of operation, when operators must submit to inspection, and when drivers are not permitted to operate vehicles. The federal government is constantly revising these regulations to keep current with new safety technologies and new concerns. For example, the regulations were recently modified to prohibit all truck drivers from texting while driving.

Unfortunately, some trucking companies do not follow these rules and regulations and do not require their drivers to follow these regulations. Both trucking company employers and their trucker employees can let the economic pressure of delivering loads quickly impel them to make poor judgments about when it is safe to operate their vehicles. All too often, the unfortunate result of this bad judgment is a truck accident.

A review of Missouri personal injury lawsuits involving large commercial trucks reveals that truckers operate far too frequently when drivers are fatigued or have driven in excess of the number of hours permitted by law. Many times, truckers operate their vehicles without sufficient training or experience, have overloaded their tractor trailers with more weight than is safe, or operate their vehicles without the proper maintenance or without required safety equipment or features.

Truck accidents are not like other car accidents, and should not be treated as such. When you are involved in a trucking accident, you need a a competent Missouri truck accident attorney to assess the circumstances of your crash and determine what investigation needs to be undertaken. Truck accident investigation involves an in-depth evaluation of the regulations and the truck drivers’ violations of those regulations. Most of the time, a truck accident is caused by a violations of one or more of these laws. However, the true cause of a truck crash is not always apparent and is only revealed after a skilled truck accident lawyer demands the trucking company turn over internal documents.

Because trucking laws are so detailed, Missouri truck accident investigations require careful attention to whether the trucking company and its driver-operators have complied with all rules and regulations. For example, large truck companies are only required to preserve evidence for a short period of time. After this period has expired, this information can be lost forever. If you are involved in a large truck accident in Missouri, you need to work with an experienced Missouri truck accident attorney to ensure your case is properly handled and to make sure that immediate action is taken by someone working for your interests who has the experience to follow through.

The attorneys at The Bradley Law Firm know the trucking industry, the trucking laws, and trucking accidents inside and out. Our Missouri personal injury law firm handles complex truck accident cases and has recovered millions of dollars for truck accident victims. At the Bradley Law Firm, we hold truck drivers and their employers responsible for carelessness and willful disregard for the safety of other Missouri drivers. When Missouri truck drivers and their employers break any of the many rules and regulations designed to make Missouri’s roadways safe, our attorneys will do everything in their power to ensure victims not only recover damages related to medical costs, loss of income, and pain and suffering, but, if necessary, punitive damages as well. Once bad trucking companies and their drivers know they will be held responsible for all damages they cause, it is our hope they will finally realize it is cheaper for them to do things the right way.

The Bradley Law Firm has recovered millions of dollars in settlements and awards in trucking accident cases for numerous clients over the last thirty years. We can help you with your Missouri truck accident claim and lawsuit. Contact the Bradley Law Firm today and speak to an experienced Missouri truck accident attorney about your case. As always, The Bradley Law Firm will be happy to consult with you without a fee, and without obligation.