Drivers are required to slow down in construction zones for a reason: People at work in those areas are on foot and can be badly hurt even by a small car. Truckers who don’t pay close enough attention to traffic and road conditions can be especially dangerous when they enter construction zones. A recent semi truck crash in Saint Robert, Mo., is one of the latest in a string of deadly construction zone accidents in Illinois and Missouri. Two people were injured and the highway’s eastbound lanes were shut down for hours, but thankfully no one was killed. As a Missouri semi truck crash attorney, I know how dangerous these accidents can be, and I wish those who were injured a speedy recovery.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported that William A. Pratt, 72, of Anderson, suffered minor injuries in a rollover accident that totaled his 2007 International semi truck. He attempted to change lanes near a construction zone and hit the impact attenuator attached to a piece of construction equipment. On impact, the semi skidded, crossed the center line into westbound traffic, and flipped over. The front of his truck landed on the trailer of a parked 1993 International tractor, and his towed unit flipped over and slid into the construction equipment, knocking it into a pedestrian. That pedestrian, Dennis T. Berger, 55, of St. Louis, suffered moderate injuries. Both Berger and Pratt were taken by ambulance to Phelps County Regional Medical Center in Rolla. The 1993 International tractor was damaged and towed away.
As a St. Louis tractor trailer crash lawyer, I am always dismayed to read about preventable accidents that cause so many injuries, deaths and other damage. Amazingly, the construction equipment that Pratt’s truck initially ran into was unharmed, but Berger, who was injured, and the owner of the tractor-trailer and its destroyed cargo will now have to pay bills related to an accident that they didn’t cause. They just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, but now Berger will bear the expenses of medical care to heal from his injuries, and the owner of the truck will have to replace or repair it, and probably will lose money while the truck is out of commission. There is very little room for error in construction zones, when workers are attempting to repair or construct roads just a few feet from fast-moving traffic. Unfortunately, not all truck drivers take these situations as seriously as they should.
People who have been victims of truck drivers’ negligence can require those who hurt them to pay all of their costs associated with the crash. That includes medical bills related to injuries that the accident caused, and replacement or repair of property that the accident damaged or destroyed. It also can include lost past and future wages, pain and suffering, and other costs like damage to relationships. Unfortunately, truckers’ insurance companies know the best ways to convince victims to sign away their rights to sue for full compensation in exchange for small sums. It’s important for victims to realize that once they accept money from an insurance company, they won’t be able to get more money in the future, even if they discover that their injuries are much worse more than they realized. For these reasons, victims should consult a southern Illinois big rig crash lawyer, like the tractor trailer crash attorneys at Carey, Danis & Lowe, as soon as possible after an accident.
If you or a loved one were hurt by a negligent trucker, please contact Carey, Danis & Lowe for a free consultation about your situation. Speaking with an attorney as soon as possible after an accident can help ensure that all relevant evidence from the crash is preserved. To set up a free consultation, please contact us online or call toll-free at 1-877-678-3400.
