Truck Driver Settles with Insurance Company
On the early morning of April 29th, 2007, Jacob Hargrove’s life changed forever. A tow truck driver for Eddie’s Towing Co., Hargrove had pulled his tow truck over to help a car stalled in the gap between the inside lane and the concrete rail on Highway 40. With no warning, an SUV driven by St. Louis Cardinal relief pitcher Josh Hancock plowed into the back of Hargrove’s parked tow truck, instantly killing Hancock. An autopsy later revealed that Hancock’s blood alcohol-level was twice the legal limit at the time of the Missouri Truck Accident.
Hargrove’s attorney confirmed on Thursday May 1st that his client had settled with the ballplayer’s insurance company, State Farm Insurance. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed.
“Everyone is pleased that this is done, that it did not have to go to court,” Robert Pedroli, Hargove’s attorney said Thursday morning. “Jacob still remembers the events of that evening and he is still recognized in public because of the coverage of it… A year after the accident this helps bring a certain amount of closure.”
Truck accidents on Missouri roadways are a serious threat to the traveling public. Truck Accidents are the leading cause of death for those under the age of thirty-four (34) and over 40,000 people are killed annually in approximately five million motor vehicle accidents. In 2002 alone, nearly 43,000 people died in highway accidents nationwide. That is over 115 fatalities per day from accidents. The economic cost of these accidents is staggering and exceeds $150 billion per year. During your lifetime you are likely to be involved in at least one accident. You should know what to do in order to protect yourself and your legal rights.
The most common cause of St. Louis truck accidents is driver error. This can range from gross negligence to simple accidents. Lack of training or experience can lead to poor decision-making that causes sudden lane shifts, wide turns and dangerous interactions with bridges and roads. Alcohol or drug abuse can impair a driver’s ability to navigate Missouri highways and significantly impact reaction time. In fact, nearly 35 percent of all fatally injured truck drivers test positive for some kind of alcohol or drug use.
Stories like this one illustrate the need for having an experienced Missouri truck accident attorney on your side. Even in instances where the fault and liability of a case may seem obvious, there are many pitfalls that an inexperienced attorney can fall into. You can rest assured that large insurance companies like State Farm have their client’s best interest in mind. There objective in cases like these is simple, settle the case for as little money as possible. Whenever they can, insurance companies will try to deal with the accident victim directly, in hopes that they can prey on their inexperience and trick them into settling for figures much lower then what they are owed. You need an experienced truck accident lawyer to begin protecting you and your family during this trying time. The truck company and the insurance company have experienced truck accident lawyers working on their side. SO SHOULD YOU! I can be reached toll free, 24 hours a day, 1-800-500-INJURY (4658). Call me personally and I will immediately alert our truck accident team and begin taking the same actions as the truck company and the insurance company. The call and consultation are free. There is no fee unless we recover for you.
If you don't want to call or you can't call, you can email me at john@pagecagle.com. I look forward to speaking with you and helping you through these trying times. You can also visit my website, www.TruckAccidentLawGroup.com for more information.
