Oakville, MO Truck Accident Lawyer

Oakville, MO Truck Accident Attorney

Truck accidents are often devastating, causing immense damages, catastrophic injuries, and fatalities. Financially recovering from these accidents as an injured party or a grieving family member is overwhelming difficult. If you or a loved one was in a truck accident, an Oakville, MO, truck accident lawyer has the experience needed to determine how you can recover much needed fair compensation and hold the at-fault party responsible. Due to the size of large trucks, the entire industry is regulated through state and Federal regulations. Because of the catastrophic damage that can occur when an 80,000 lb. vehicle crashes into others, they are required to follow many regulations put in place to promote safety and reduce fatalities.

Representation for Truck Accident Victims by The Cagle Law Firm

Large trucks provide the transportation of many of the goods we need and use daily.  Interstate transportation is a multi-billion-dollar industry. With great privilege, transportation companies have great responsibility for the safety of their drivers and other motorists. Transportation companies are responsible to keep all of the vehicles in safety operating order, conduct multiple required safety checks, hire and retain drivers responsibly and not make unreasonable demands of drivers in order to meet unreasonable deadlines. When a commercial vehicle is involved in a crash with another vehicle, it is important to determine the cause or causes.  If you are seriously injured, this may be difficult for you to personally determine.

The Cagle Law Firm can investigate the accident and determine what party was at fault, allowing you to hold them accountable in an insurance or civil claim. Our attorneys can help you get the compensation you deserve and need after a traumatic accident.

Finding the right attorney after a truck accident is essential. You want an attorney that understands all of the state and federal regulations as well as the resources and experience to know exactly what investigations need to occur in the hours and days after the collision. While the incident from law enforcement is collected, experts often need to retain to completed EMC downloads and engage in accident reconstruction.  If a commercial driver made a driving error, your attorney may need to investigate the cause of that error. Was the driver operating the vehicle during the hours of service? Were they driving fatigued due to the transportation companies’ unreasonable timelines? Further investigation into the transportation hiring and training practices as well as all maintenance records may be needed.  Each crash is unique and if injured, you need an experienced expert on it immediately. At The Cagle Law Firm, we c do just that.

Why Truck Accidents Are Different from Other Collisions

A truck accident is more complicated than a typical car accident for multiple reasons. These include:

Damage Severity

Commercial vehicles are larger and heavier than passenger cars, especially when fully loaded or overloaded. This means that collisions are more likely to cause catastrophic damage to the occupants of other vehicles in the crash  Truck accidents can result in catastrophic, disabling, and even fatal injuries to those in passenger cars. The damages that result from these accidents are much more serious and life-altering.

Due to the severity of the physical injuries, victims of commercial crashes require more compensation for their injuries as they tend to be permanent in nature. Generally, victims of such severe crashes have no other option but to seek fair compensation to avoid financial ruin. Any time someone is dealing with permanent injuries, compensation is simply a must.

Regulations

Because commercial trucking companies are regulated under federal and state law, these regulations make it harder for an individual to file a successful case on their own. Other than transportation companies, government safety experts and lawyers that represent injured folks, most people do not know all of the regulations—understandably.  It is even more alarming when we encounter transportation carriers who either do not know the regulations or feign ignorance. Governmental regulations outline how long truck drivers can operate their vehicles, the maintenance of the truck, the company’s hiring practices, the loading of the trailer, and many other elements. If the driver, employer, or other party violated those regulations, resulting in the injury of another, it can be an essential part of a negligence claim.  As an injured party, knowing the regulations and knowing how to secure evidence of these violations is almost impossible without an attorney.

Liable Parties

In truck accidents, determining liability can be more complex as there may be multiple parties that are fully or partially liable. The truck driver may be at fault, and their employer could also be at fault depending on the crash. The trucking company or employer may also be liable if it fails to vet its drivers or train them. Other parties, such as a shipping company, maintenance company, or owner of the truck, could be liable for negligent actions. It takes careful investigation to determine the at-fault parties.

Large Trucks and Common Carriers

If you are seriously injured in a commercial trucking incident in Oakville, Missouri, recovering for your injuries can be physically challenging. Recovering through legal options can be even more challenging. When an injury claim is filed with the insurance company of the transportation company or common carrier, it can be very stressful. Corporate insurance adjusters have a lot of resources or behalf of their clients Their primary goal is to avoid or reduce liability and reduce damage awards. This may even mean denying good faith claims. Working with an attorney engages significant resources in investigation, expert knowledge and the power to subpoena appropriate entities.  Hiring an attorney helps you develop a long-term plan so that you are not forced into low ball settlements that impact the remainder of your life.

Common Causes of Trucking Accidents

There are many potential causes of trucking accidents, including:

• Distracted driving
• Incentives or pressure to speed up truck deliveries
• Improperly trained truck drivers
• Fatigued drivers
• Driving under the influence
• Overloaded or improperly loaded trailer cargo
• Improper maintenance
• Failing to ensure truck repairs and maintenance
• Manufacturing defects and unreasonably dangerous car or truck components
• Failing to check blind spots
• Speeding or moving at an improper speed for the road conditions

The cause or causes of the accident will help determine what party was at fault. Improper maintenance, for example, may be the fault of the trucking company, the owner of the trailer or cab, or the fault of a third-party maintenance company.  Improper maintenance, improper loading and securing of the cargo and/or driver error can all involve several entities. An investigation may be needed to determine who should have maintained the vehicle and if they were negligent in doing so.

FAQs

Q: How Much Are Most Truck Accident Settlements?

A: The value of a truck accident settlement relies entirely on the unique damages that an injured party has suffered, along with other factors. These include:

• The severity of your physical injuries.
• The skill and abilities of their attorney
• The amount of evidence in support of the injury claim
• The party that was at fault for the accident
• The level of negligence present in the accident

Q: How Long After a Truck Accident Can You File a Police Report in Missouri?

A: You absolutely must report any motor vehicle crash in the first few moments after it occurs for law enforcement to come to the site and make an official report.  After an accident in Missouri, you have 30 days to file a police report. We cannot stress enough how absurd it is to wait to file a report.  When you as an individual submit a report on your own, it is just that—your statement without evidence. These self-proclaimed reports are not terribly helpful if you are injured and need to make a claim with an insurance carrier.  If you are seriously injured and transported via ambulance, then law enforcement does report to the scene even if you are not able to speak.

Skilled Oakville Truck Accident Attorneys

If you are in need of an experienced attorney after a trucking accident, contact The Cagle Law Firm today.