When a fully loaded semi tractor-trailer collides with a passenger car, the truck’s sheer size and weight can cause devastating damage in an instant. The dangers are well documented: in 2022, the most recent year of national data, large trucks and buses were involved in 6,050 fatal crashes and roughly 124,000 injury crashes, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in a collision with a large truck, the Law Offices of Bryan Musgrave can help. From our offices in Springfield and Joplin, we represent injured people and grieving families throughout southwest Missouri. Our experienced truck accident lawyers can help you pursue full and fair compensation.
What to Do After a Truck Accident
The steps you take in the hours and days after a truck accident can protect both your health and your right to compensation. Once you’re safe, focus on the following:
- Seek medical care right away. Some serious injuries, including internal bleeding and traumatic brain injuries, may not cause obvious symptoms at first. Prompt treatment protects your health and creates a record connecting your injuries to the crash.
- Call the police and document the scene. Take photos of the vehicles, the roadway, and your injuries, and note the trucking company’s name and the truck’s markings if you can do so safely.
- Gather contact information. Collect names and phone numbers for the truck driver, any witnesses, and the responding officers.
- Avoid giving a recorded statement. The trucking company’s insurer may contact you quickly. Politely decline to give a recorded statement or accept a settlement until you’ve spoken with a lawyer.
- Contact a truck accident lawyer. An attorney can preserve critical evidence, such as the truck’s black-box and driver-log data, before it disappears.
The sooner you act, the stronger your claim is likely to be.
Common Causes of Semi-Truck Accidents
No matter how carefully you drive, things can go wrong in a split second, and when a large truck is involved, the results are often far more severe. Semi-truck accident cases tend to be more complex than typical car crashes because so many factors can contribute to them. Common causes of truck accidents include the following:
- Driver fatigue and unrealistic delivery schedules that push drivers to skip breaks or exceed safe hours
- Defective or poorly maintained equipment
- Improperly loaded or overloaded trailers
- Inadequate driver training or experience
- Driver intoxication, distraction, or other negligence
- Speeding
- Hazardous weather that reduces visibility or leaves roads slick
- Defective or poorly designed roadways
Trucking companies and their drivers are required to follow strict federal rules covering hours behind the wheel, load limits, and equipment maintenance. These regulations exist to keep everyone safer, yet some companies bend or break them to protect their bottom line. When that happens and someone gets hurt, holding the responsible parties accountable often takes a thorough investigation into how the crash really happened.
Common Truck Accident Injuries
A collision with an 18-wheeler can leave victims with life-altering harm. Common injuries from truck accidents include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Amputations
- Broken bones
- Internal injuries
- Neuropsychological damage
- Wounds requiring surgery
When another party’s negligence or reckless conduct caused your injuries, you have the right to demand compensation for your medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering. Our firm regularly handles these serious injury and wrongful death claims.
How a Truck Accident Attorney Builds Your Case
Truck wreck claims often involve more than one at-fault party, which makes proving liability challenging. Convincingly determining who is responsible and building a legal case for compensation takes considerable skill, resources, and experience, and our team has exactly that.
You may be tempted to accept the first settlement an insurance company offers, but remember that the insurer’s goal is to pay as little as possible, not to protect your interests. Before you agree to anything, talk with a lawyer who can explain your options and what your claim may reasonably be worth so you can make an informed decision.
Your legal team will investigate the trucking company from every angle: reviewing maintenance and inspection records, examining insurance coverage, checking the accuracy of driver logs, studying past police reports involving the fleet, and looking into whether the company has hired unlicensed or undertrained drivers. We may also scrutinize how the truck was loaded and whether the driver was truly qualified and fit for duty.
Why Choose the Law Offices of Bryan Musgrave
We pride ourselves on continually striving to secure the maximum compensation possible for the deserving victims we represent. Our attorneys have earned national recognition for their work, and we handle all truck accident cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing unless we recover for you. With offices in both Springfield and Joplin, dedicated help is always close by. You can meet our team and review our case results to see how we put our experience to work for injured Missourians. We also assist clients with related car accident and motorcycle accident claims.
Frequently Asked Questions
Liability can extend well beyond the driver to the trucking company, the vehicle’s owner, a maintenance provider, or the party responsible for loading the trailer. Because several parties may share fault, a thorough investigation is essential to identify everyone who should be held accountable.
Every case is different. The value depends on the severity of your injuries, your medical costs, lost wages, and the long-term impact on your life. A truck accident lawyer can review the facts and give you a realistic picture of what to reasonably expect.
We work on a contingency fee basis, so there are no upfront costs. You only pay if we win compensation for you.
In most cases, Missouri gives you five years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit (RSMo § 516.120). Wrongful death claims have a shorter three-year deadline, and other exceptions can apply, especially if a government vehicle or entity was involved. Because missing the deadline can permanently bar your claim, it’s best to speak with a lawyer well before it approaches.
It depends on the complexity of your case. Straightforward claims may settle in a matter of months, while cases involving serious injuries, disputed liability, or multiple at-fault parties can take a year or more, particularly if a fair settlement can’t be reached and the case proceeds toward litigation. Your lawyer can give you a clearer timeline once the facts of your accident have been reviewed.