Missouri Accident Lawyer Blog

A third victim of Tuesday’s Highway 40 tractor-trailer crash has died as more details emerge from the investigation.

According to authorities, Alvin Mast, 88, died Thursday at St. John’s Mercy Hospital. Two others, Lydia Miller, 55, and Charles Cason, 55, were killed instantly in the Missouri crash.

The St. Louis Post Dispatch reports that prosecutors have not yet filed criminal charges on the truck driver, Jeffrey Knight, 49, and will wait for the results of the crash investigation, which could take another week to complete.

According to the Missouri Highway Patrol, Knight plowed his tractor-trailer through traffic waiting at the ramp from Highway 40 to I-270. No evidence of drugs or alcohol was found, but authorities say Knight did take his eyes off the road just before the collision. The highway patrol has not released any more information as to what may have distracted Knight or what speed he was traveling.

We will continue to post updates as more details emerge.

If you have any questions about tractor-trailer law or personal injury law in general, visit our website or contact one of our attorneys for a free consultation.

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Posted In: Missouri Trucking Accidents , Personal Injury News

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In doing some research on some of the recent Missouri tractor trailer accidents, we came across an interesting article from the New York Times.

In the article, which was published in December of 2006, the reporter discusses the merits of adjusting trucking regulations, which was the debate at that time.

Some government officials wanted the regulations to be less strict, saying that being too hard on trucking companies and their drivers would unfairly hinder business. They wanted to increase the amount of time drivers could be behind the wheel, among other regulatory changes.

The Times reporter then uncovers some pretty startling facts about the trucking industry. He talks about how some drivers have no respect for their logbooks, which are documents that must be filled out accurately to make sure regulations are not broken. Truckers often refer to theses logs as “comic books” and will falsely record the number of hours they’ve worked. The fines for these infractions are small and many drivers get away with this practice simply because the Federal Motor Carrier Agency can’t monitor all the logs.

Many drivers also complained that they often felt pressure from their company to drive longer hours on little rest, when accidents are most common.

The report also says that statistically, the actual number of tractor-trailer crashes each year is equivalent to what would happen if the aviation industry had 25 major airline crashes annually.

If you would like to read the full article, you can find it here.

Knowing that trucking regulations are so routinely ignored, it is easy to see why there are so many Missouri truck accidents each year. If you have been involved in an accident with a tractor-trailer, the most important thing to do after exchanging information is contacting an experienced personal injury attorney.

The Bradley Law Firm has handled Missouri and Illinois trucking accidents for over 30 years. We know the laws of the trucking industry and how to uncover any negligence. Contact us today for a free consultation. Our lawyers will consult with you about your case and you’ll never receive a bill. We only get paid if we are successful on your case.

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Posted In: Missouri Personal Injury Lawyer News , Missouri Trucking Accidents , Personal Injury News

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Photo from STLtoday.com

Two people are dead and at least 16 others were injured in a horrific Missouri tractor-trailer crash involving 11 vehicles on Highway 40 this afternoon.

According to the highway patrol, a line of ten cars was stopped on the ramp from Highway 40 to I-270 because of congestion. A tractor-trailer, driven by Jeffrey Knight, 49, plowed through the line of stopped vehicles as it traveled eastbound on the highway.

Lydia Miller, 55, of Canton, Mo., and Charles Cason, 55, of Caseyville, Ill. were the two fatalities in this accident.

Of the other injuries, at least 8 were reported as serious by the officials on the scene. Among the more seriously injured were Susan and Levi Borntreger, 52 and 56, of Canton, Mo.; Gaylen Lovelady, 60, of Hunnewell, Mo.; David Jayne, 49, of Kirkwood, Mo.; and Mark Tiburzi, 52, of St. Peters, Mo. All of the injured were taken to St. John’s Hospital or Missouri Baptist.

An investigation into the accident, including an accident reconstruction, was being conducted at the scene, according to a St. Louis Post Dispatch report.

The report also says that authorities “have a very good idea” of what took place before the accident, but won’t yet disclose that information. One official says that he doesn’t believe alcohol was involved and that the incident was witnessed, though not recorded, by MoDOT officials monitoring a traffic camera

Knight was being questioned by the highway patrol and will be subjected to routine drug and alcohol tests. According to a KSDK report, he is a driver for Holmes Transportation, which is a general freight shipping company based out of Alabama. They employ 27 drivers and ship all across the county. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration says that Holmes drivers have received a satisfactory safety rating, though they have been involved in 3 non-fatal accidents in the last two years.

As more details emerge about the cause of this crash and the condition of the survivors, we will post them here.

KMOV has posted helicopter footage of the crash on KMOV.com.

For more information about the law surrounding trucking incidents, visit our website.

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Posted In: Missouri Trucking Accidents

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Robert Lord, 27, of Chaffee, Missouri was injured Wednesday night when his 1993 Toyota was rear ended by a tractor trailer on Interstate 55, according the Missouri Highway Patrol.

The investigating officer said the driver of the 2005 Freightliner Truck, Jamal Suleiman, 39, was attempting to change lanes when he struck the back of Lord’s vehicle. Lord’s Toyota was forced of the roadway and into the median.

Lord received treatment for his injuries at St. Francis Hospital in Cape Girardeau where he was listed in moderate condition. Suleiman was uninjured, according to the crash report.

This case, like other Missouri truck accidents we have covered on this site, should be investigated to determine if any trucking regulations were violated. Highly competitive trucking companies and overly ambitious drivers will often cheat the regulations by driving their big rigs longer or faster than is safe. This haste can lead to serious crashes and regulation violations are often grounds for punitive damages against a trucking company in these instances.

Dedicated truck accident lawyers have the industry knowledge and know how to handle a trucking violation case. A personal injury attorney should be contacted as soon as possible, though, because evidence of negligence on the part of the trucking company can be lost. Drivers are supposed to keep meticulous records of their driving hours, but the law only requires these records to be kept for a limited time.

Under most circumstances, Missouri law says that the at-fault driver’s negligence is presumed in rear impact car accidents. This is commonly called the “rear end collision doctrine,” and it is based on the reasoning that all drivers are required to be in control of their vehicles at all times.

If the driver in Wednesday’s crash is found to be negligent, a personal injury lawsuit could follow. At that time, discovery of pertinent documents will shed light on whether there were violations committed by this driver.

The Bradley Law Firm has recovered millions of dollars in trucking accidents for numerous clients over the last thirty years. Feel free to contact us with any questions related to your personal injury case. Consultations are always free.

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Photo by David Hoover, Carthage Press

Enoc Castanon, 5, was killed and several other children were injured Monday afternoon when the car they were riding in was struck by a tractor trailer on Missouri 96 near Carthage, according to the Missouri Highway Patrol.

The investigating officer said the crash occurred when a 1996 Pontiac, driven by Silvia Castanon, 37, slowed to make a left turn onto Route BB. The tractor-trailer, driven by Betty Ray, 59, was attempting to pass the Pontiac and struck it on the side.

Other passengers in the Pontiac suffering minor injuries were identified as Adelfi Castanon, 3; Edwin Vasquez, 12; Keila Vasquez, 7; Leslie Vasquez, 9; and Samuel Vasquez, 13. Silvia Castanon suffered moderate injuries. All injuries were treated at McCune Brooks Hospital in Carthage, according to the patrol report.

Enoc Castanon was not wearing a seat belt.

Since there was a fatality, Missouri Highway Patrol will perform an accident reconstruction to determine the specifics of the crash.

Truck accidents are often caused by drivers not following Federal trucking regulations. These regulations are designed to keep truck operators and other motorists safe. One of these regulations, Part 395, is the Hours of Service guideline. It limits when truck drivers can operate their rigs, based upon on-duty driving time, on-duty not driving and off duty time. Drivers routinely cheat this limitation by classifying time as off duty when they are really on duty, not driving. This cheating is caused by highly competitive trucking companies putting high pressure on their drivers to get loads to the destination quickly. Dedicated truck accident lawyers know the industry and know how to discover regulation violations. Regulation violations routinely are fertile grounds for the imposition of punitive damages against a truck company.

Drivers are responsible for keeping records of their driving hours, though trucking companies are only legally responsible for these documents for a short period of time. A Missouri personal injury attorney needs to be consulted as soon as possible to ensure evidence is not lost.

It is not yet known if any regulations were broken in the Carthage crash. If the driver is found to be negligent, a personal injury lawsuit could follow. At that time, discovery of pertinent documents will shed light on whether there were violations committed by this driver.

The Bradley Law Firm has recovered millions of dollars in trucking accidents for numerous clients over the last thirty years. Feel free to contact us with any questions related to your personal injury case. Consultations are always free.

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Posted In: Missouri Trucking Accidents

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Michael York, 51, a long time Missouri Department of Transportation worker, was struck and killed by a tractor trailer around 9:30 a.m., officials said.

York had worked for MoDOT for over 25 years, according to coworkers.

A tractor trailer with Phoenix Truck Line logos left skid marks across multiple lanes of the I-70 and came to rest near the exit for Highway 71. Police shut down eastbound I-70 and eastbound I-670 to investigate the accident.

According to MoDOT, the workers were maintaining lights along the highway and had set out cones and flashing warning lights. York was wearing an orange safety vest.

Accident investigators are working with MoDOT officials to determine the cause of the crash. Initial witness reports say the worker was crossing the highway when he was hit, but no official word has been released.

If it turns out that the truck driver was negligent in operating his vehicle, the family of the worker can sue for damages under personal injury law. More details about the incident will need to be examined by a personal injury attorney along with reports from the accident investigators. Family members of workers killed or injured by roadside accidents need to seek legal consultation as soon as possible in order to ensure that vital evidence is not lost or discarded.

If you or a loved one has been involved in such an incident, contact The Bradley Law Firm for a free consultation today.

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Posted In: Missouri Car Accidents , Missouri Trucking Accidents , Personal Injury News

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On Monday, April 21, 2008, the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a Missouri truck accident involving a Mack Concrete pumping truck on Eastbound highway 54 at Lake Road 54-85. According to the investigating officer, Eric Branch, 31 of Eldon, Missouri, was driving the concrete truck when he made a left turn into the path of a 1992 Chevrolet S10 Pickup driven by twenty-three year old Kevin Huckabee. Mr. Huckabee had two passengers in his vehicle, Devin Clark, 21 and Dustin Vaughn, 23. Each of these young men resided in Macks Creek, Missouri.

Huckabee was flown to St. John's hospital in Springfield, Missouri where he was listed with serious personal injuries. Mr. Clark and Mr. Vaughn were pronounced dead at the scene by Camden County coroner Dr. James Jungles. Mr. Branch escaped from the crash unhurt.

Police have not stated what circumstances contributed to cause this horrific incident. Since this accident involved two deaths, the Missouri Highway Patrol will conduct a full accident reconstruction to determine exactly how this tragic incident occurred. Once completed, the police will have an understanding of each vehicle's speed immediately before impact.

As more information becomes available, we will update this blog. The Bradley Law Firm regularly posts up to date information on most traffic accidents involving serious personal injury and wrongful death on Missouri roadways and offer legal commentary on probable issues that will arise in these contexts. Our personal injury attorneys have helped hundreds of families and individuals dealing with catastrophic injury and loss. If you have any questions regarding Missouri personal injury law or wrongful death, contact us for free and talk to an experienced and dedicated trial lawyer today.

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On Tuesday, April 15, 2008, the Highway Patrol reported a serious Missouri truck accident involving a Freightliner semi on Route F. According to the investigating trooper, Sarah Yager, 18, of Higginsville, Missouri was driving a 1993 Oldsmobile Southbound on Route F. A 1998 Freightliner truck operated by Wilbern Manning of Corder, Missouri was traveling Northbound. Yager attempted a left turn in front of the Freightliner, and the two vehicles collided head on.

Yager was transported by Lifeflight to Centerpoint Hospital, where she was listed with serious personal injuries. No citations were issued as a result of this Missouri truck crash.

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On Wednesday April 9, 2008 the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a serious Missouri truck accident involving a Freightliner semi at the intersection of US 50 at Missouri highway 131. According to the investigating officer who worked this Missouri truck accident, Mitchell Holder, 44 of Odessa, Missouri was driving a 2007 Freightliner when he failed to yield at a crossover and pulled into the path of a 1998 Chevrolet driven by Robert Schlender, 49 of Sedalia, Missouri. Schiender's vehicle struck the the tanker unit of Holder's truck.

Schlender was transported to Centerpoint Medical Center by Lifelight Air Ambulance where he is listed in serious condition. No further information is available regarding his injuries.

Holder was issued a traffic citation for failure to yield to oncoming traffic.

If and when a civil lawsuit is filed against Mr. Schlender, there will likely be a claim for negligence per se. In Missouri, negligence per se is a cause of action that can be asserted when someone violates a law and as a result, one is injured. Under this theory of recovery, the injured party need not prove negligence (that someone failed to use the highest degree of care). Instead, proof of the violation alone is sufficient to prove negligence. All the victim must do is then prove causation and damages as a result of the violation.

For more information on Missouri negligence per se causes of action, contact us for a free case review.

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Posted In: Missouri Trucking Accidents

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The Missouri Highway Patrol reported March 18, 2008 marked the 25th fatality within Missouri's Trood D this year. The newest victim was identified as Joshua Slatten, 21 of Springfield, Missouri. Investigators reported Mr. Slatten, 21, was driving a 2004 Ford F550 MODOT Dump Truck Northbound on US 65, near Springfield, Missouri when his vehicle collided with a 2007 Kenworth Tractor Trailer driven by Robert Christian, 32 of Desoto, Missouri. Police indicate the two trucks hit nearly head-on. Slatten had been setting up barriers along the flooded area of US 65.

Mr. Slatten was pronounced dead at the scene; Mr. Christian was taken to St. John's hospital in Springfield, Missouri, were he was treated for moderate injuries.

Investigation of this Missouri truck accident is ongoing. It is still unclear how the wreck occurred. As soon as more facts become available, we will post an update.

The Bradley Law Firm handles serious personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Missouri and Illinois. Contacting out law firm is free. We work on a contingency fee bases, which means you never receive any bills from us. In every case we handle, our law firm strives for complete justice for our clients to the full extent of the law. It is our job as Missouri personal injury lawyers to ensure you and your family obtain a fair and just result. If you or someone you know has any question regarding Illinois or Missouri personal injury or wrongful death law, please contact us.

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Posted In: Missouri Trucking Accidents

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A St. Louis car - truck accident has claimed one life early this morning. The Bradley Law Firm has learned Amy L. Argent, 27 of Granite City, Illinois and her passenger, John R. Beans, 26 of Saint Louis, Missouri were traveling eastbound on Highway 270 at approximately 3:45 a.m. today when the Ms. Argent lost control of her 2004 Chrysler Seabring.

According to Trooper Lusk of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Argent's vehicle traveled off the roadway, striking a bridge parapet and overturned several times. Both occupants were ejected from the vehicle, resulting in Argent's body being thrown into the roadway. Afterwards, a 2002 Freightliner operated by Edward Carter, 60 of Grayson, Kentucky struck Argent's body.

Mr. Beans was transported to Christian Hospital Northeast by ambulance, where is listed as having sustained moderate personal injury.

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Posted In: Missouri Trucking Accidents

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At approximately 6:30 a.m. on February 19, 2008, crews were called to a Missouri tractor trailer accident on Northbound I-55 at the intersection of I-70 near the Poplar Street Bridge in St. Louis, Missouri. According to the officers who investigated this St. Louis truck accident, the trailer detached from the tractor and spilled grain on the highway.

The driver of the truck was taken by ambulance to a nearby St. Louis Missouri hospital for personal injuries sustained in the crash. The name of the driver has not been released, nor has his medical condition.

Fortunately, no other personal injury was reported and the accident scene was cleared without further incident.

The Bradley Law Firm handles serious personal injuries in connection with large tractor trailer accidents. If you have questions regarding Missouri personal injury or truck crashes, please contact us for a free consultation. We have been litigating Missouri injury lawsuits for 30 years and have the highest rating from Martindale Hubbell, an independent lawyer rating service.

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Posted In: Missouri Trucking Accidents

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Richard Baker of Warrenton, Missouri and his son, Rikki, were injured Saturday in a two vehicle Missouri car accident on the south I-70 service road. According to the Missouri Highway Patrol, a 2007 Freightliner tractor operated by James Byers from Davis, Oklahoma failed to yield to Mr. Baker, pulling into Mr. Baker's path. The driver of the tractor trailer was issued a citation for failure to yield.

Mr. Baker and his son were taken to St. Joseph West Hospital by the Warren County Ambulance district. Both of them were wearing their seat belt.

The tractor trailer operator had liability insurance through Bergkamp Insurance Center, Inc., a company out of Kansas. All commercial motor vehicles such as tractor trailers and other motor vehicles with a ground weight over 36,000 pounds are required to carry at least $750,000 of personal injury liability coverage in the event they cause a car accident were someone is injured. Most commercial carriers carry at least one million dollars of coverage.

If you are involved in a Missouri truck accident, please contact us for a free consultation regarding your rights.

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Posted In: Missouri Trucking Accidents

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As a Missouri personal injury lawyer that deals with car accidents and wrongful deaths as a result of those car wrecks, it is always frustrating dealing with people who cause accidents, then flee the scene. This is especially true when that person wrongfully kills an innocent motorist. Fleeing the scene of a motor vehicle accident in Missouri is a felony if there is injury to a person. In my opinion, this is the ultimate act of cowardliness.

Yesterday, Joshua Logsdon, a 25 year old man from St. Charles, Missouri caused a multi-car accident that ended in the death of Lisa O'Bannon, a 45 year old woman from Maryland Heights, Missouri and her 12 year old daughter, Erin O'Bannon.

Witnesses told police Logsdon was merging onto I-70 from Cave Springs Road in St. Charles, Missouri when he decided to pass a tractor trailer driven by Dennis R. Bost of Hazelwood, Missouri while on the entrance ramp. In the middle of this ridiculous maneuver, his Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck went out of control, through a grassy median and onto I-70, where it hit two other cars before finally coming to a stop. One of the vehicles he hit was a 2006 Volvo Tractor Trailer operated by Timothy Burke of St. Louis, Missouri and a 1996 Lumina operated by Robin Downs of St. Louis. Ms. Downs suffered moderate personal injuries and was taken to St. John's Hospital in Creve Coeur, Missouri by St. Charles ambulance.

After this initial car accident was over and done with, other vehicles were approaching. Lisa O'Bannon, William O'Bannon and Erin O'Bannon were in their 2005 Dodge Caravan and stopped without becoming involved in this accident caused by Mr. Logsdon. At that time, a 2007 Western Star Tractor trailer operated by Michael Lair, 58 of Morrisdale, Pennsylvania, could not stop and crashed into the O'Bannon's minivan. William was taken to St. Joseph's Health Center and was listed as having serious personal injuries. Unfortunately, Lisa O'Bannon was killed along with her 12 year old daughter Erin.

It is unknown why the tractor trailer was unable to stop in this wreck.

Meanwhile, Mr. Logsdon was busy fleeing the scene of this horrific accident scene. At this time, Mr. Logsdon has not been apprehended. If anyone knows the whereabouts of this individual, please contact the Missouri Highway Patrol at Troop C Headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri at 314-340-4000.

It is my deepest hope this individual is apprehended and charged with vehicular manslaughter by the St. Charles, Missouri prosecuting attorneys office. This kind of aggressive and downright foolish road rage resulted in the death of a mother and daughter.

As soon as additional information becomes available, we will post that information.

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Posted In: Missouri Trucking Accidents

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Alexandra Douglas and her passenger Denisha Davis, were in a tractor trailer accident on the on December 5, 2007. This St. Louis tractor trailer crash happened between Missouri and Illinois on the Poplar Street Bridge. As a St. Louis Missouri personal injury lawyer, since the St. Louis police department investigated this truck crash, it seems to me the accident happened on the Missouri side of the state line. As such, any attorney that files a personal injury lawsuit will do so in the City of St. Louis.

The tractor trailer that hit Ms. Douglas and Ms. Davis was operated by Raymond Parks of Oklahoma. He was operating a Schneider 2007 Freightliner tractor trailer. According to the truck driver, Ms. Douglas stopped in front of her and he was not able to react in time to stop. Ms. Davis indicated traffic did not "suddenly stop" and simply began to slow. As she slowed her vehicle, she was hit from behind by the truck. At that time, Ms. Douglas' vehicle was slammed into the vehicle in front of her.

After this Missouri car accident, Ms. Douglas and Ms. Davis were transported to an unknown hospital by Abbott Ambulance Service. The extent of their respective injuries is unknown.

Missouri law imputes liability to the truck driver in this trucking accident. Whenever someone hits another vehicle from behind, there is a presumption of negligence. That means, the court will presume the truck driver was negligent and it will be upon him to explain why he was not negligent.

If you or someone you know has been involved in an Illinois or Missouri truck accident, please contact us for a free evaluation of your personal injury claim.

Posted by Ryan Bradley | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Missouri Trucking Accidents

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