Missouri Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

In a press release issued today, text messaging and driving may soon be banned in all states. It will be mandated that all states ban texting while driving if they want to receive highway funding. If they do not comply with the requirement to ban texting while driving, their funding will be withheld. So far 19 states have banned texting and driving. Texting has been linked to many serious Missouri car and truck accident cases. Experienced personal injury lawyers always explore the possibility of an at fault driver texting before a crash.

Illinois is the most recent state to prohibit texting while driving. The law was signed into effect on August 6 bringing the total of states that have banned text messaging while driving to 19. It is expected that Missouri will soon follow the lead of its neighboring state.

In St. Louis, Missouri a tractor trailer accident causing multiple fatalities on Highway 40 was allegedly caused because the semi truck driver was texting while he was driving and caused a chain reaction accident. Entire families were killed during this horrendous truck accident.

According to the Automobile Club of America, the risk of having a car accident increases by 50% for those who text message and drive at the same time. With 46% of new drivers surveyed saying they text and drive, teens are the largest group texting and driving, increasing the risk of cell phone auto accidents in Missouri and throughout the nation.

Continue reading "Texting and Driving Can Be a Deadly Combination" »

Posted by John J. Page | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Accidents , Cell Phone/Texting Accident , Personal Injury , Tractor Trailer Accident , Train Accidents , Truck Accidents , Wrongful Death

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A recent tractor trailer accident in Missouri on Interstate 70 shut down the highway for about six hours. In the early morning hours, the tractor trailer jackknifed and dumped debris across the eastbound lanes of the highway.

The accident happened east of Kingdom City which is between St. Louis and Columbia, Missouri. One lane of eastbound I-70 traffic was blocked and the other lane was backed up as the debris was cleaned up.

Emergency crews were not able to confirm the identification of the debris other than it was not hazardous material that was thrown from the jackknifed tractor trailer truck.

Continue reading "Missouri Tractor Trailer Accident on Interstate 70" »

Posted by John J. Page | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Tractor Trailer Accident

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A recent Missouri tractor trailer accident killed one person and has led to a personal injury lawsuit. Specifically, the family of the young man killed in this big rig crash has filed a wrongful death lawsuit. The crash occurred while the decedent was driving on east on Martin Luther King Bridge, from Missouri into Illinois.

As the decedent was driving eastbound, the tractor trailer and another vehicle, rented from Enterprise Leasing Company, were driving west on the bridge. The driver of the Enterprise vehicle wanted to pass the tractor trailer, despite being in a no-passing zone. When the car tried to pass the tractor trailer, he allegedly pulled into the decedent’s eastbound lane and caused the collision with the vehicles.

The family of the decedent seeks compensation for deprivation of the decedent’s love, affection, society and support in addition to costs associated with the death itself. This Missouri wrongful death suit was filed against the driver of the vehicle for negligence and also against Enterprise Leasing Company because the family alleged negligent entrustment of the vehicle being leased to the allegedly reckless driver. The family claims that the actions of Enterprise combined with the negligent driver were the proximate causes of the injuries and death suffered.

The family seeks in excess of $200,000 in this Missouri personal injury action. If you or a loved one is injured in a car accident, call Page Cagle for a free consultation with a skilled St. Louis trucking accident attorney. We are happy to assess your legal rights and discuss your legal options with you.

Call 314.322.8515 or toll free at 1.800.500.INJURY (4658). You can also email me at john@pagecagle.com or visit my website, www.injuredclient.com for more information. You pay nothing until you recover.

Posted by John J. Page | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Accidents , Personal Injury , Tractor Trailer Accident , Truck Accidents , Wrongful Death

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News reports releasing recent statistics about traffic accidents that are caused by “driving while texting” compare texting to being drunk while driving. Although most of the statistics were related to teenage drivers, who were inexperienced on the road, teenagers aren’t the only ones causing traffic accidents because they are negligent in failing to keep a proper lookout while driving.

In fact, a 30-year-old tractor trailer driver has recently been charged with vehicular homicide and reckless driving with serious bodily injury after his 18-wheeler caused a crash with a school bus. The truck crash, which occurred in Florida, has gained increased media attention, as it was caused by a negligent tractor trailer driver, who admits he was text messaging minutes before he rear-ended a school bus that was stopped on the road. The school bus burst into flames. This crash ultimately injured 11 children and killed a 13-year-old girl, who could not be pulled out from the flaming bus.

The tractor trailer driver turned himself in to authorities after the tractor trailer crash, accepting that he was distracted from the road and negligent in driving. Despite his remorse, the fact of the matter is that a young girl died and eleven others were injured because of a simple negligent action on the road that could have been prevented. Recent legislation in some states ban texting while driving, although Florida is not one of them. Despite the lack in particular legislation, texting while driving can still be used to show negligence and prove liability in personal injury claims stemming from a tractor trailer accident.

Injuries stemming from big rig crashes are often life-threatening and unfortunately fatal, as the above case shows. The damages that result from St. Louis big rig accident injuries range from broken bones, head trauma, brain damage, and death. Many of these injuries require life-long medical treatment and therapy.

Injuries sustained as a result of the negligence of a truck driver are compensable. As a founding partner of Page Cagle, A Missouri Personal Injury Law Firm, I aggressively represent clients injured in tractor trailer accidents in Missouri on a daily basis. Call me for a free consultation to discuss your case at 314.322.8515 or toll free at 1.800.500.INJURY (4658). You can also visit www.truckaccidentlawgroup.com for more information.

Posted by John J. Page | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Accidents , Law & Information , Personal Injury , Tractor Trailer Accident , Truck Accidents

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A tractor trailer driver, who suffers from a medical condition that causes him to lose consciousness easily, recently caused a tractor trailer accident in Temple, Texas. Big rig crashes caused by driver medical complications, similar to this one, have led to increased demands from FMCSA regulations, requiring more rigorous routine medical checkups for CDL holders. Although FMCSA standards for medical checkups have recently been revised, statistics for accidents caused by tractor trailer drivers either taking medications while driving or experiencing medical complications while driving have still increased.

In this Texas tractor trailer accident, the 50-year-old truck driver lost consciousness and lost control of his commercial vehicle. The 18-wheeler continued traveling on I-35, hit a concrete embankment and went airborne for over 100 ft before crashing into a hotel. The big rig slammed into the Temple hotel, injuring hotel patrons and throwing hotel workers onto the ground.

Firefighters had to extricate the driver through the wreckage. The tractor trailer driver was injured and transported to the hospital. Luckily, none of the injuries suffered were life-threatening. Many tractor trailer accidents caused by medicated drivers and drivers experiencing complications from medical conditions end with more grim results.

Continue reading "Missouri Truck Accident Attorneys" »

Posted by John J. Page | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Personal Injury , Tractor Trailer Accident , Truck Accidents

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A St. Louis County tractor trailer crash injured five high school students and their bus driver. The accident occurred on eastbound Interstate 70 near Bermuda Road. According to St. Louis Post Dispatch reports, the bus carrying 12 students slowed down because of a car accident on the road ahead when the bus was hit from behind by a tractor trailer.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported the tractor trailer driver was allegedly not paying attention to the road or the car crash ahead and rear-ended the bus. The bus driver and five injured Parkway West High School students were taken to the hospital for injuries sustained in the bus accident in Missouri.

Over the past twenty years, the number of tractor trailer accidents nationwide has increased almost annually according to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reports. Reflecting the same statistics is the rise in tractor trailer accident injuries and deaths. In 2007 alone over 4,000 people were killed in tractor trailer crashes; most of these accident victims were in passenger vehicles.

If you or a loved one is involved in a tractor trailer accident you owe it to yourself to contact an experienced tractor trailer crash lawyer in Missouri to represent you. As founding partner of Page//Cagle, a St. Louis, MO Personal Injury Law Firm, I aggressively represent clients injured in tractor trailer crashes, as well as the families of those killed in big rig accidents. Call me for a free consultation at 314.322.8515 or toll free at 1.800.500.INJURY (4658). You can also email me at john@pagecagle.com or visit my website, www.truckaccidentlawgroup.com for more information.

Posted by John J. Page | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Bus Accident , Tractor Trailer Accident

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An injured driver recently filed a tractor trailer injury lawsuit against a big rig driver and the driver’s employer. The plaintiff was allegedly driving west on Interstate 44 in Franklin County, MO when a tractor trailer driver traveling in the same direction lost control of his vehicle. The big rig allegedly collided into the plaintiff’s vehicle, forcing it into a bridge wall.

The plaintiff sustained several severe injuries in this large truck crash in Missouri, ranging from his neck to his back and legs. Allegedly, medical treatment for these injuries cost over $26,000. The injury lawsuit also alleges the plaintiff lost his ability to enjoy and pursue regular daily activities.

The plaintiff claims the tractor trailer driver was negligent because he was speeding, failed to keep a proper lookout, failed to keep his vehicle under control and drove with inadequate brakes. The plaintiff also filed suit against the tractor trailer driver’s employer because the driver was working for M & D Freight, Inc. at the time of this Missouri tractor trailer crash; therefore the employer could be held liable for negligence through its employee.

Continue reading "Franklin County Tractor Trailer Crash Results in Lawsuit" »

Posted by John J. Page | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Tractor Trailer Accident

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Driving a tractor trailer is a demanding position; it requires long hours and careful attention to detail, as road conditions can change in a split-second. It is important that truck drivers are alert while behind the wheel to ensure safe driving conditions and to prevent tractor trailer accidents in Missouri.

In order to make sure that commercial vehicles are safe on roadways, the federal government created the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The FMCSA created regulations that must be followed by commercial vehicles traveling in between states. The regulations set out specific guidelines for trucks, trucking companies and truck drivers.

Truck drivers, specifically, must undergo an extensive medical examination to make sure that any possible health conditions will not affect safe driving abilities. In addition to health exams, driver medications are also evaluated to ensure that harmful side effects will not impair driving ability.

The FMCSA medical exam regulation indicates the purpose of the examination is to detect the presence of physical, mental, or organic conditions of such a character and extent as to affect the driver's ability to operate a commercial motor vehicle safely. Further, the FMCSA issues advisory warnings periodically about certain medications or conditions that can adversely affect driver ability as such information becomes known to them.

Continue reading "Chantix Drug May Adversely Affect Truck Drivers' Ability to Operate Their Vehicles" »

Posted by John J. Page | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Defective Drugs , Tractor Trailer Accident

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A St. Charles man was recently killed in a tractor trailer accident in Missouri. Allegedly, the 62-year-old man’s car ran out of gas on Interstate 55 near Benton, so he pulled over and tried to push his car up to the next exit. The man and a passenger in his vehicle pushed the car up a hill in the far-right lane of I-55, when they came to an overpass.

A tractor trailer headed southbound came up behind the two men at the overpass and was unable to stop his truck in time. One of the men, who was pushing on the right side of the car, was able to jump across the bridge rail and avoided severe injury. He was treated at a local hospital for injuries received. The driver was unable to avoid the tractor trailer and was killed instantly on impact.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, there was no shoulder or area to pullover on the overpass where the man was killed. Additional details as reported by the St. Louis Post Dispatch can be found in this account.

This Missouri tractor trailer crash shows the difficulty big rigs have stopping when traveling at high speeds. Although the truck driver allegedly did all he could to stop, the weighty commercial vehicle continued to push forward, ultimately causing death. This was the second pedestrian killed in a Missouri traffic accident in one day.

Unfortunately, traffic accidents like this occur frequently and can severely impact many lives. If you or a loved one is injured in a tractor trailer crash, call the top Missouri tractor trailer collision lawyers at the Page Cagle Personal Injury Firm for a free consultation. You can reach them 24 hours a day at 314.322.8515 or toll free at 1.800.500.INJURY (4658). You can also email John Page, a partner at Page Cagle, at john@pagecagle.com for more information.

Posted by John J. Page | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Accidents , Tractor Trailer Accident

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In addition to fatigue and drug /alcohol abuse, faulty trucking equipment, specifically brakes, plays a major role in the amount of truck accidents in Missouri per year. Today, most tractor-trailers on the road employ an air braking system, opposed to the hydraulic braking system utilized by cars and non-commercial trucks. While the latter uses hydraulic brake fluid to engage the systems stopping power, the former utilizes high pressure air (hence the hiss you often hear from these vehicles when the brakes are released).

The current problem is that most of the tractor trailer air brake systems do not automatically adjust for wear, so unless they are diligently maintained, brake performance can seriously deteriorate. The simple truth is that most of the brake systems are not diligently maintained.

In a report published in 2005, by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), to determine the causes of, and contributing factors to, crashes involving commercial motor vehicles, the FMCSA concluded that brake failure and lack of adjustment had affected 41,000 trucks in the study, or approximately 30%. The study also noted that while brake problems where present for almost 30% of the trucks, only 5% of the passenger vehicles were found to have brake issues.

Continue reading "Tractor Trailer Accidents and Brake Problems…When Will They Ever STOP" »

Posted by John J. Page | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Accidents , Personal Injury , Tractor Trailer Accident , Truck Accidents

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A tractor trailer overturned on three cars in a recent Arkansas semi-truck crash. Two injured drivers were airlifted to the hospital for serious injuries; another driver and the tractor trailer driver walked away from the accident without injuries. The accident allegedly occurred because the tractor trailer driver lost control of his commercial vehicle while going downhill on U.S. 412. The tractor trailer driver swerved after going around a curve, ultimately colliding into three other vehicles.

The tractor trailer driver attempted to regain control of his weighty vehicle but was unable to manage the big rig and swerved into a Missouri truck driver; the trailer next struck another vehicle and pushed it into an engineering firm located off the road. Finally, the tractor trailer collided into one more automobile before coming to a stop. The Arkansas tractor trailer driver was cited for careless driving.

Arkansas averages around 2,000 large truck accidents per year, including tractor trailer crashes. Of these accidents, roughly 100 are fatal truck crashes and 800 result in injury. Most of these accidents are blamed on truck drivers for negligent actions, like the tractor trailer crash discussed above.

When a truck driver loses control of his/her vehicle and injures another driver, passenger or even pedestrian, a negligence claim will almost always be asserted. It is important to contact an experienced truck accident lawyer immediately. Truck drivers, like all drivers on the road, are required to practice reasonably safe driving practices to avoid injurious truck accidents. When a truck driver breaches this duty of safe driving and causes an automobile accident resulting in injury or death, he/she will likely be found at fault and will be liable to those injured as a result of such negligence.

Continue reading "Missouri Truck Driver Involved In Arkansas Tractor Trailer Accident" »

Posted by John J. Page | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Accidents , Personal Injury , Tractor Trailer Accident , Truck Accidents

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The Springfield News-Leader recently reported on a Missouri tractor trailer crash. This semi truck crash reportedly took police over 8 hours to clean up.

The accident occurred while a semi truck was traveling north on U.S. 65. The large tractor trailer crashed on a section of the highway, which crosses over Catalpa Street, and ran into a bridge. Diesel fuel leaked from the damaged big rig, although nothing caught fire. The bridge involved in the collision was damaged, and the Missouri Department of Transportation is investigating possible structural damage.

Continue reading "Missouri Tractor Trailer Crash Makes a Mess" »

Posted by John J. Page | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Accidents , Personal Injury , Tractor Trailer Accident , Truck Accidents

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A 66-year-old man was killed this week in a tractor trailer crash in Lima, Ohio. The man was driving his van when a tractor trailer driver failed to stop at a stop sign and collided into the decedent’s van. The man was killed on impact and the tractor trailer driver was arrested for vehicular homicide.

Failure to yield to traffic signals proves driver negligence, as the driver failed to use the highest degree of care when he ran the stop sign. In this case, the tractor trailer driver’s action, or inaction, was allegedly the sole cause of this collision, making him and/or his employer liable for the truck accident. Driver negligence is the leading cause of all traffic accidents. Unfortunately, many crashes are fatal, like this one.

Two weeks prior to this tractor trailer crash in Ohio, another similar tractor trailer accident occurred in Florida. In Moore Haven, Florida, a tractor trailer driver failed to stop at a stop sign and ran into a van. In this crash six people were thrown from their vehicle and instantly killed. Additionally, 50 gallons of diesel fuel were spilled on the two-lane highway. As in the Ohio case above, the tractor trailer driver was at fault. Both the driver and his employer will most likely be held liable for the damages incurred pursuant to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.

Continue reading "Ohio and Florida Tractor Trailor Accidents Kill Innocent Victims" »

Posted by John J. Page | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Accidents , Personal Injury , Tractor Trailer Accident , Truck Accidents , Wrongful Death

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