If you or a loved one is the victim of an intoxicated truck driver accident in St. Louis, you are likely dealing with catastrophic consequences. At the very least, you’ve suffered significant property damage or property loss and may have suffered life-altering injuries that jeopardize your future. You may even be facing the loss of a loved one because of the accident.

You are entitled to compensation for the losses you’ve suffered from an impaired truck driver accident. As you focus on recovering from such a devastating accident, you need an experienced truck crash attorney to handle the legal aspects of pursuing fair monetary compensation to make you whole. Call OnderLaw now to schedule a free and confidential consultation about your case.

The Dangers of Impaired Truck Drivers

America’s roads are more and more crowded with drivers each year. Because of this, the odds of being in a traffic accident are high, even under the best of circumstances. However, when people are driving while they are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the severity of traffic accidents is often much greater than if the drivers were not impaired by these substances.

However, commercial truck accidents caused by impaired truck drivers are often cataclysmic for everyone involved.

Commercial trucks are the largest vehicles on the road. Commercial trucks weigh, on average, 20-30 times as much as the average passenger vehicle. This makes their destructive power in an accident unimaginable. In all accidents involving commercial trucks and passenger vehicles, almost all the fatalities are people in passenger vehicles.

If you’ve been involved in an impaired truck driver accident, you know firsthand how horrific the consequences are. You may have lost a loved one in the accident. You are likely trying to recover from debilitating injuries. You have a long road ahead. You need to focus on your recovery, but you also need legal help to hold the negligent truck driver who caused your suffering accountable.

That’s why you need the knowledgeable team at OnderLaw. We have over 30 years of experience successfully representing personal injury victims just like you. Our intoxicated truck driver accident attorneys in St. Louis are committed to seeing that you get the justice you deserve and the compensation you are entitled to.

Contact us today to set up an appointment for a no-cost consultation about your impaired truck driver accident.

Do I Need an Attorney for My Accident Caused by a Truck Driver Using Alcohol or Drugs?

You have likely sustained serious injuries from the accident with an impaired truck driver. In fact, one of your loved ones may have died in the accident. Your vehicle, if it’s not totaled, needs thousands of dollars and weeks for the body shop to repair it.

But because you haven’t been able to work and your medical treatment is ongoing, the financial picture is getting more dire for you and your family each day. Not only are you struggling to provide shelter, food, and utilities for your loved ones, but now the medical bills are growing as surgeries and other medical interventions for your injuries continue.

With everything on your shoulders, you are probably under tremendous stress. You’re not an attorney, so while you may be familiar with some aspects of the legal system, you don’t have the background to embark on the legal process required to bring the negligent truck driver and all responsible parties to justice to get the compensation you deserve.

That’s why hiring a St. Louis lawyer at OnderLaw as soon as possible after your accident with an impaired truck driver is critical. Our personal injury team has the knowledge and experience to handle every aspect of the legal process to ensure a successful outcome for you and your family.

Why Hire OnderLaw?

OnderLaw has over 30 years of experience handling personal injury claims for clients like you. With a successful record of recovering over $3.5 billion in damages for our clients, we have demonstrated our commitment to taking care of the citizens of our community in St. Louis.

We understand how overwhelming it is to be the victim of an accident caused by a truck driver who was under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Our compassionate and competent team is here to help you get through every legal step of holding the truck driver accountable for their negligence so that you can focus on your recovery.

OnderLaw has a vast network of resources that enable us to thoroughly investigate every detail of your accident. We have the knowledge and experience to build a solid claim to negotiate a fair settlement for you. We are prepared to take your case to court if the insurance company is unwilling to offer an acceptable settlement.

OnderLaw is on your side. We know what needs to be done to ensure you and your family are made whole through financial compensation. Contact our office today to make an appointment for a free consultation about your accident.

What Constitutes Impaired Driving?

Impaired driving is an ever-increasing danger on the highways and byways in the United States. Both passenger vehicle drivers and truck drivers are more likely to be driving impaired now than in the past.

In the latest report from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), there were 4,600 truck drivers involved in fatal accidents during 2017. Of these, 3.6 percent of the truck drivers had blood alcohol content (BAC) levels above 0.01 percent. Additionally, 2.5 percent of these truck drivers had BAC levels of 0.08 percent or higher. While 0.08 BAC is the legal limit of intoxication allowed in most states for passenger vehicle drivers, 0.04 BAC is the legal limit of intoxication for commercial truck drivers, per FMCSA regulations.

However, while alcohol was once the primary source of impairment for passenger vehicles and commercial truck drivers, drugs – legal or illegal – are now more likely to be why a driver is impaired.

A recent study released by the Governors Highway Safety Association found that 44 percent of drivers killed in passenger vehicle accidents in 2016 tested positive for drugs, while 37.9 percent of drivers killed in passenger vehicle accidents in 2016 tested positive for alcohol.

It’s important to note that the data above for both truck drivers and passenger vehicle drivers is limited to accidents with fatalities, which means that the percentages are even higher for accidents where severe injuries and property damage occurred without any fatalities.

Truck drivers are often forced to drive more hours than are mandated by the FMSCA to meet their delivery deadlines. With the COVID-19 virus sweeping the United States right now and store shelves being emptied almost as soon as they’re filled, the demands on truck drivers to deliver their products are greater.

One type of drug that has been a hidden mainstay in the truck driving industry – to allow truck drivers to drive for long stretches of time – is stimulants. Some of these are available over the counter (energy drinks, energy shots, or alertness aid pills like No Doz, among others), but others are either prescription-only (amphetamines or “speed”) or illegal (cocaine).

Marijuana, which has been legalized in many states, and opioids are the two other types of drugs that are prevalently used by truck drivers.

The problem is well-known throughout the trucking industry, but trucking companies often don’t use the full range of drug tests available to them to identify truck drivers who are using these drugs.

Whether the impairment is caused by alcohol, marijuana, stimulants, or some other chemical substance, impaired truck drivers are a threat to other drivers. Impairment results in slower reaction times, loss of muscle coordination, and clarity of vision. Any or all of these can lead to unimaginable accidents, injuries, and deaths.

Types of Compensation That May Be Awarded in an Impaired Truck Driver Accident

Compensation is a monetary award that is intended to cover the losses you have suffered in an accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence. Although there are some losses, such as the death of a loved one, that no amount of money can fully cover, compensation is a legal way to help mitigate the severity of the losses suffered in an accident caused by negligence.

There are three types of compensation that can be awarded in an accident caused by a truck driver who was under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Economic compensation is one. It can include, but is not limited to:

  • Present and future medical bills related to the accident
  • Lost income
  • Lost potential income (if you are unable to return to your previous employment or you are unable to return to work at all)
  • Household expenses
  • Reimbursement for expenses for trips that had to be canceled because of the accident

Non-economic compensation is another. It can include, but is not limited to:

  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional trauma
  • Loss of companionship

Wrongful death compensation is a third type of compensation that is available. If your loved one was killed in an accident caused by a truck driver who was driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, then compensation can include:

  • Funeral and burial costs
  • Medical pre-death costs
  • Survivor emotional stress
  • Financial support and services loss
  • Financial contribution loss
  • Companionship loss

Our attorneys will work closely with you to explore all possible avenues of compensation to ensure you’re receiving the full compensation you’re owed as a result of your accident with an intoxicated truck driver in St. Louis.

Contact a St. Louis Intoxicated Trucker Accident Attorney

OnderLaw understands that intoxicated truck driver accidents in St. Louis can take a tremendous toll on you and your family. We know that the stress can seem overwhelming.

We can help. Let us carry the burden of the legal process that can help you get the financial compensation you need. We are committed to seeing that you get justice and that you get the help you need to heal and start the journey of moving forward with your life.

Your first consultation with us is free. Call the truck accident attorneys at OnderLaw today to get started.