Commercial truck drivers perform an essential service transporting consumer products and raw materials to businesses across the United States. Trucks travel tens of thousands of miles a year to deliver the items you need to growing cities like Columbia, Missouri. Unfortunately, these necessary tools of the U.S. economy also pose a unique threat to other drivers.
If you or a loved one were injured by a negligent or reckless truck driver in Columbia, you might be entitled to significant financial damages for your injury. You have the right to demand fair compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Commercial trucks are larger than almost all other vehicles on the road. When fully loaded, tractor-trailers can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, significantly more than the average car. That makes them more difficult to maneuver and much more dangerous.
If commercial trucking companies or their employees fail to properly train their drivers, implement appropriate safety measures, or follow the rules of the road, they risk causing a devastating truck accident. Despite safety measures, truck crashes continue to occur in large numbers. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports that commercial trucks were involved in 13,685 accidents in 2017. Two thousand five hundred sixty-two of them resulted in injuries, and 115 were fatal.
When a truck driver engages in negligent or reckless behavior, they can contribute to the life-changing consequences of an accident. You should never have to pay for the harm that an irresponsible trucker causes. They may owe you damages for the costs of your injuries.
The reliable personal injury attorneys at OnderLaw are prepared to fight for the financial support you need. We will build a strong legal claim on your behalf so that you stand the best chance of getting the maximum compensation you deserve. Start your case today by calling OnderLaw to schedule a free consultation with a Columbia truck accident lawyer.
If you’ve been injured in a truck accident, you may face mounting bills for medical treatment and property damage repairs. If your injuries are serious, you may continue to lose wages from missing work. When someone else causes your injuries, you don’t have to face the financial strain alone.
Hiring a skilled truck accident attorney can help you make a strong injury claim against the at-fault party. With the help of one ours at OnderLaw, you can force the party or parties to pay for the full extent of your economic and non-economic damages.
First, your attorney will explain your rights after an accident and help you understand how much financial support you could demand. Next, they’ll begin your claim in earnest. They’ll gather all necessary evidence, like driver hours-of-service records, police reports, and medical evaluations.
When they’re fully informed, they’ll make a strong argument that proves how the person who hurt you is liable for your injuries. Then, they’ll demand that the liable party and their insurance company compensate you fully and fairly.
Experienced attorneys understand the complexities of the legal system, so they will use their knowledge to help you avoid any errors that could jeopardize your claim. Your lawyer will negotiate with the parties involved in your accident to earn you a favorable settlement. If the at-fault parties don’t agree to the money you’re owed, they may fight for a fair settlement in court.
Hiring an OnderLaw truck accident attorney in Columbia will help you rest assured that someone is on your side throughout the injury claim process.
OnderLaw is dedicated to being a positive force in our community, and we are proud to represent our clients in Columbia, Missouri. We believe that our community involvement allows us to better understand your life so that we can offer you the high-quality support and advice you need.
OnderLaw offers personalized service to each of our clients, ensuring that we meet your specific needs. We’ll always take the time to get to know you and your case. With that knowledge, we can make informed decisions about the legal tactics we implement. Our attorneys pay attention to the details, so our legal support is effective no matter how complex your claim.
OnderLaw has a track record of success throughout the state of Missouri. Our effective negotiation and extensive legal experience have recovered our clients over $100 million in settlements. If a truck accident injures you or a loved one, OnderLaw is prepared to help you reach a positive outcome.
The term commercial truck describes a wide variety of vehicles used for business purposes. They come in different models and shapes designed to transport different types of cargo.
Some of the commercial vehicles you may encounter on the Missouri road include:
According to the Missouri Commercial Vehicle Regulations, commercial trucks may carry weight up to 80,00 pounds and can be as long as 65 feet. That’s already huge and quite dangerous in the event of an accident. Some trucks may have specific permits allowing them to exceed these weight and length restrictions.
Such a large vehicle takes significant training and experience to secure cargo properly and operate safely. For this reason, truckers must earn a commercial driving license (CDL) to drive any vehicle weighing more than 26,000 pounds. Unfortunately, even an appropriately licensed truck driver can shirk their responsibilities on the road and cause a serious accident.
The commercial trucking industry requires fast and reliable deliveries to satisfy customers and keep the economy moving. Unfortunately, employers apply immense pressure on drivers in order to maintain tight delivery schedules. Despite federal regulations that enforce safer commercial driving practices, truckers may drive for more time or distance than is legally permitted in order to meet their deadlines.
Unsafe commercial truck driving practices often include reckless driving, including but not limited to:
When drivers engage in these behaviors, they endanger every other vehicle on the road and, in many cases, break the law. That means that your dedicated Columbia truck wreck attorney can argue persuasively that they violated their duty of care and owe you compensation for any injuries they caused.
The reckless actions of individual drivers are not the only cause of serious truck accidents. Trucking companies have a responsibility to implement strict safety guidelines and properly train their drivers to operate their fleets. Inexperienced or undertrained truck drivers and cargo loaders are more likely to make dangerous mistakes, such as:
If either the truck driver or the trucking company engages in reckless or negligent behavior, they put you and your loved ones at risk of a devastating truck accident. When they lose control and cause injuries, the at-fault parties must pay the price for the harm they caused you.
Any motor vehicle accident can be extremely dangerous, but truck collisions are especially so. When a heavy vehicle is moving at high speeds, the impact of a collision has significantly greater force than passenger vehicles. The increased force also increases your chance of suffering life-altering injuries.
Some common truck accident injuries include:
These injuries may require you to seek emergency medical treatment after your accident. You may also need continued medical care and rehabilitation services long after the accident occurs in order to effectively manage your injuries.
With the help of a truck crash attorney in Columbia, you won’t have to pay for these expensive services on your own. You can seek compensation to protect yourself and your financial future after an accident.
Truck drivers have a duty to do everything in their power to keep you safe. If they engage in negligent or reckless behavior on the road, they demonstrate an unacceptable disregard for your well-being. If their irresponsible choices cause you serious harm, they owe you fair compensation.
Financial compensation can never take away the pain and loss you have experienced during a truck accident. However, the money can ensure that you don’t face financial ruin because of another driver’s bad decisions.
A Columbia truck accident lawyer at OnderLaw is ready to help you seek the compensation you deserve. Start working on your injury claim right now by calling or filling out our online contact form.
