Causes of Trucking Accidents

Missouri Truck Accident Lawyers

"Jeff Burns has forced safety management changes to many of the trucking companies and that has translated, in my opinion, to making it safer for everyone to drive on our highways." Jeff Becker, surviving spouse and father. His wife and son were killled when struck by a combination vehicle.

Determining the cause of a truck accident is vitally important to identifying the party or parties at fault and proving liability. Only once we know what caused the accident, can we start building a case to hold the negligent party accountable and collect the compensation an injured truck accident victim deserves.

At the law offices of Dollar, Burns & Becker, L.C., our Missouri truck accident lawyers have extensive experience representing accident victims in Kansas City, Missouri, and nationwide. Our firm is known for our ability to discover the cause of the accident and pursue maximum compensation. We settle for nothing less than full justice for trucking accident victims.

Trucking Accidents and Federal Regulations

Semi tractor trailers and 18-wheelers are dangerous due to the large size and weight of the commercial vehicle and its cargo, poor maintenance issues and driver fatigue. Trucking regulations were put in place in order to reduce the number of accidents, and the resulting catastrophic injuries or wrongful death. These regulations monitor everything from hiring practices, to the number of hours a truck driver can be on the road, to routine maintenance checks. Unfortunately, these regulations are not enough and too often ignored. If violations of trucking regulations contributed to your truck accident, both the driver and the truck company should be held accountable.

Other causes of truck accidents include:

Aggressive driving
Driver fatigue
Faulty maintenance
Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
Defective part
Improper loading/overloading
Equipment violations
Inexperienced truckers

Contact Our Firm Today

It is important to contact our firm as soon as possible after a semi-truck wreck. Our truck accident lawyers will begin an investigation into the accident. We will interview witnesses, investigate the driving background and history of the driver and truck company, and gather any other evidence that can identify the cause of the accident. Evidence can be damaged or lost, and witnesses' memories can fade so it is beneficial to get us involved early on.

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$40.8 Million Dollar Recovery
47 year old Susan Slattery, wife of Ed Slattery, and mother of two minor children, Matthew, age 12, and Peter, age 15, died after an Estes Express Lines tractor pulling triple trailers collided with the Slattery vehicle in a construction zone on the Ohio Turnpike.
$24,242,813.65 Settlement
In 2009, our client was operating his vehicle in a construction zone in Missouri when he was struck by a tractor-trailer. The claims were against the trucking company, its driver, and the road construction company that set up the construction zone.
$10,000,000 Judgment
On August 21, 2005, at approximately 4:55 p.m. on westbound Interstate 80/90, Stainislaw Gil drove a 70,000 pound semi-tractor trailer owned by NET Trucking, Inc. into a construction zone on the Indiana Toll Road in Elkhart County, Indiana.
$9.5 Million Recovery
Kim Amano brought an action against ABC Trucking Company and its driver after losing her only children in a violent rear-end collision. Laura Amano and her brother, Jeff, were stopped in a construction zone.
$7.1 Million Recovery
18 year old Noah Leake, was killed when a truck driver for Gainey Transportation Services, Inc. drove too fast while traveling around a curve on an interstate highway.
$7 Million Recovery
42 year old Peter Cuezze was standing on the shoulder of the highway putting gasoline in his van when he was struck by a tractor-trailer owned by A-1 Transport Company.
$7 Million Recovery
Daniel Becker, 19, and his mother, Pamela Becker, 42, were traveling southbound on Interstate 85, near the South Carolina/Georgia state line. A tractor pulling double trailers operated by Oliver Mitchell was traveling north on Interstate 85 when he lost control of the vehicle.
Recovery $7 Million
William Henderson, who owned a window washing company, sued his liability insurance carrier claiming that he was exposed to an excess judgment when the insurance company failed to settle an underlying wrongful death case.
$6.5 Million Recovery
Michael and Deborah Munroe were traveling westbound on a U.S. Highway in Lee's Summit, Missouri when an eastbound tractor-trailer driven by a student driver taking his commercial driver's license examination crossed the median and collided with the Munroe vehicle.
Recovery $6 Million
A 6 year old little boy saw James Cassidy, D.D.S. for a dental examination. Dr. Cassidy recommended a tooth extraction and other dental work be performed under general anesthesia.
5,000,000 Verdict
The attorneys at Dollar, Burns and Becker represented four minor children in a lawsuit against their day care provider. The plaintiffs alleged that they had attended the defendant's day care but the defendant had failed to supervise them.
$5 Million Recovery
58 year old Danny Hall was traveling westbound on U.S. 36 in Macon County, Missouri, carrying a load of puppies for the canine breeding and brokerage business he and his wife owned and operated.
$4 Million Recovery
Tony Jackson was driving a tractor trailer northbound on a two lane highway in rural Kansas. The driver for H & L Transport Services, heading southbound, rear-ended a vehicle that was stopped to make a left hand turn.
$3.375 Million Recovery
Michael Hawkins sued Haas Carriage, Inc. and its driver after he was severely injured in a crash with a tractor trailer. Mr. Hawkins was stopped in traffic on an interstate highway near Asheville, North Carolina.
$3 Million Recovery
28 year old Justin Coffman, husband and father of two minor children died after a tractor-trailer crossed the median of highway K-10 in Johnson County, Kansas and struck his Toyota Camry.
$2.6 Million Recovery
Lemonte Christian, 39, was killed when the fuel tanker truck he was driving flipped after being struck by a Collins & Hermann truck in the backup of traffic caused when a wheelbarrow fell off the back of a Symmetry Landscaping truck onto Interstate 270.
$2.4 Million Recovery
Joseph and Missy Ubbes were traveling on an interstate highway in central Texas. Police were redirecting traffic around an accident that occurred ahead on the roadway.
$2.4 Million Recovery
62 year old Doriss Edwards lost her life when her Jeep Cherokee was rear-ended by a driver-trainee employed by Werner Enterprises, Inc. The accident occurred at night.
$1,725,000.00
On November 9, 2010, Miguel and Teresa Viveros had set off from their home in Dixon, Illinois and were on their bicycles heading on the 12 mile route to their church in Sterling, Illinois.&
Recovery $1.4 Million
Mr. Swenson suffered from cerebral palsy, spastic quadriplegia and a seizure disorder, requiring 24 hour care. He was placed in a bathtub of scalding water and left unattended.
$1.1 Million Recovery
Bobbi Hartgrave, 45, was driving westbound on U.S. Highway in rural Missouri. A truck driver, heading eastbound, crashed head-on into Mrs. Hartgrave's vehicle. The collision caused a fire and Mrs. Hartgrave's death.
$1 Million Recovery
Luke Hausmann a 23 year old missionary, died after the back wheels of a trailer broke free and crossed the median before striking the car which Luke was driving. Luke's three younger siblings, Anna, Ethan and Julia, were passengers who also suffered injuries.
Verdict $1 Million
Quinlock Shobe sued her automobile liability insurance carrier, Allstate Insurance for bad faith insurance practices. Shobe was involved in an automobile accident resulting in injuries to three persons.
Defendant Agrees to Implement State of the Art Safety System
On April 17, 2010, Melissa Payne and her daughters, Rachel and Alyson, were travelling east on Highway 18 near the Big Lake Bridge in Arkansas.
Confidential v. Confidential
Eastern District of Missouri
Defendant Agrees to Implement State of the Art Safety System.In early 2011, four family members passed away after being struck from behind by a tractor-trailer.
$1,550,095.00 Recovery
A young mother was driving southbound U.S. Highway 71 with her 8 year-old daughter as a passenger in the back seat. Because of congestion, traffic was slowing and the mother had come to a complete stop on the highway.
Recovery $950,000
Mr. Jamison, a 38 year old college professor, went to an oncologist for confirmation of a leukemia diagnosis. Tests confirmed the diagnosis and suggested that Mr. Jamison suffered from a rare form of the disease called APL.
$700,000 Recovery
Delmar Stone, age 85, was a resident of Hyde Park Nursing Home. While a certified nurses' assistant was turning him, his feet came into contact with an exposed radiator at the foot of his bed, causing severe burns. The burns became stage III decubitus ulcers.
$700,000 Recovery
Conan Smith, age 74, who suffered from mild dementia, was temporarily placed in an Illinois nursing home while his wife recovered from a hip fracture. Within 5 months after he entered the home, Mr. Smith could not walk. He lost 30 pounds in 30 days and developed Stage IV decubitus ulcers.
Recovery $425,000
The family of 86 year old Ruth Rushly sued the nursing home for negligence following Mrs. Rushly's fall from a bath-lift chair. Mrs. Rushly fell five feet to the ground and suffered a spiral fracture to her hip. She died one month later.
$535,000 Recovery
Geraldine Boles, age 81, fell while she was a patient at a Kansas City, Missouri hospital. She suffered a subdural hematoma and was hospitalized until her discharge to Plaza Manor Nursing Home.
$325,000 Recovery
Elderly Rachel Robinson became a resident of Saxton Woods Care Center. The nursing home's staff assessed Mrs. Robinson as a high risk for dehydration and infection, and instituted a care plan to address these risks.

- Nursing Home Injuries

- Litigation Technology
- Referring Attorneys

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Dollar, Burns & Becker, L.C | 1100 Main Street, Suite 2600 | Kansas City MO 64105 | 816-876-2600 | 877-816-2600 | Fax 816-221-8763 | Kansas City Law Office

Dollar, Burns & Becker, L.C. represents people who have been affected by trucking accidents, nursing home neglect, and wrongful death throughout the states of Missouri and Kansas including the cities of Kansas City, Springfield, St. Louis, St. Joseph, Joplin, Columbia, Independence, Blue Springs, Lee's Summit, St. Charles, St. Peters, Florissant, O'Fallon, Sedalia, Jefferson City, Topeka, Overland Park, Shawnee, Lenexa, and Olathe and throughout the Jackson County, Clay County, Ray County, Lafayette County, Johnson County, Boone County, Greene County, and Cass County. We represent people who were injured in trucking accidents on I-435, I-70, I-635, Highway 71, I-29, I 35, Highway 350, Highway 50, I-470, I-670, Highway 291, Highway 24, I-10, Highway 40, Highway 69, Highway 169, I-44, I-55, I-270, Highway 36, Highway 65, Highway 13, Highway 7, Highway 54, Highway 63, I-64, and I-170.

Causes of Trucking Accidents