St. Louis Truck Accident Attorney

Injured by a Fatigued Truck Driver in Missouri? Call 866.840.3636 for help

Driver fatigue is a safety issue of special concern to the commercial trucking industry, as most mileage is compiled during long trips, including nights and weekends. Without sufficient sleep, most aspects of human performance deteriorate, including: decision-making, thinking and information processing, memory, reaction time and concentration. As truck driver and trucking company income is based upon speed of delivery and miles accumulated, drivers often operate their big-rigs when tired and beyond the point of good judgment and awareness. When on the streets and highways of Missouri, one does not think that truckers all around them could be fatigued behind the wheel of one of these "land locomotives." The truck driver is responsible for the accident, and the insurance company for the trucking company is going to have to pay for the damages you have suffered. When dealing with such a case, it is crucial that you contact a St. Louis truck accident attorney without delay. At the Schultz Legal Group, the personal injury attorneys are experienced and aggressive in making claims for damages suffered in such accidents.

For detailed information on how fatigue is a major problem in the commercial truck industry, read "Driver Fatigue: The Road to Danger." Essentially this area of concern must be addressed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration before more lives are lost to a preventable incident.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and Missouri state law have new guidelines regarding how long truck drivers can stay on the road without taking a break. However, truck driver fatigue is not simply driving “over the hours of service.” In fact, just because a truck driver observes and obeys the Federal hours of service rules does not guarantee a safe and alert driver. Just like an engine without oil, the human body comes to a halt without adequate sleep. Our Missouri truck accident injury lawyers find that more often than not, a fatigued truck driver was the cause of the truck crash that seriously injured our client.

To make a case for liability based upon an injury caused by a fatigued truck driver, your injury lawyer must provide:

The circumstances of the crash are consistent with driver fatigue;
The driver was in violation of the Hours of Service (HOS) set forth in 49 C.F.R. §395;
Witnesses observed the truck driver being inattentive (i.e. failure to stop, poor lane discipline);
Physical evidence indicative of fatigue and/or sleep deprivation (i.e. absence of skid marks, crossing the center line of traffic); and
Road conditions would have permitted an alert truck driver to avoid the accident.

Truck Accident Lawyer in St. Louis - Fatigued Truck Driver Accident Claim

St. Louis is such a large urban area, and in order to get various commercial goods into the city, a constant stream of trucks are on the road. Many of these huge vehicles come from long distances, as far as from the east or west coast. When truck drivers are making a delivery over long distances, their intention is often to make the delivery as quickly as possible, as the speed of delivery has a huge impact on their personal income and the bottom line of their employer. This means that they may drive around the clock with very little rest in order to keep their pay coming in. This unfortunate situation endangers Missouri motorists in passenger vehicles.

No matter how carefully one is driving, unexpected accidents with fatigued truck drivers occur all the time. If the driver is operating at "too fast for road conditions" in the hope of finally making it to their destination, you can quickly become the victim of a preventable truck crash. The injuries sustained in such accidents can be life-threatening or physically devastating. You now will have to deal with fighting for your claim with the insurance company, and this is a problem that many people have trouble with. Take advantage of the negotiating skill of a personal injury lawyer from the Schultz Legal Group to fight for maximum compensation for your injuries.

Contact a St. Louis Truck Accident Attorney from the Schultz Legal Group if you have been injured in an accident caused by a fatigued truck driver.