As a Missouri semi truck accident attorney, I was happy to read that no one was seriously injured in an early-morning crash between a school bus and a commercial truck. According to a Sept. 21 article from TV station KMBC in Kansas City, it was just 6 a.m. when the crash took place on the junction from Interstate 670 west to Interstate 35 south. The truck apparently overbalanced on the ramp, the article said, causing it to fall and slide into the bus. No children were on the school bus, and the drivers of both vehicles escaped with only minor injuries. However, the crash snarled traffic through the city’s downtown loop.
The accident also spilled the truck’s load of crushed cars intended as scrap metal. The Kansas City Fire Department’s hazardous materials team was called, but no toxic material was reported. However, as a St. Louis tanker truck accident attorney, I’m glad this crash took place so early, and the load spill is part of the reason why. A load of crushed cars may not cause a toxic spill, but it’s still a heavy load with the potential to do serious damage to anything it may land on. Furthermore, the slowdown from the crash can easily cause secondary accidents, as drivers are forced to slow and stop unexpectedly and sometimes very rapidly. And of course, school buses tend to be full of children later in the morning.
The load spill also invites the question of how the truck was originally loaded. Most trucking accidents are caused by bad choices by one or more of the drivers involved, but improper loading absolutely can play a part in crashes. In fact, an improper load can even cause accidents by causing trailers to go out of control, tipping over a truck or spilling goods into the traffic around the truck. When loads spill, experienced southern Illinois 18-wheeler accident lawyers should always check whether overloading, improper placement or improper securing of the load by the trucking company played a part. In many cases, both the trucker and his or her trucking company are ultimately found responsible for this type of accident.
Serious accidents involving large trucks are an important focus of our practice at the Lowe Law Firm. Based in St. Louis, we represent people from around Missouri and southern Illinois who were seriously injured or lost a loved one in a bad trucking accident. Trucking accidents tend to be extremely serious, leaving victims dead or with catastrophic, life-changing injuries. When these terrible injuries were caused by someone else’s careless decisions, victims can and should hold them legally responsible for the results. In a tractor-trailer accident lawsuit, they can claim all of the costs of the accident, including the cost of medical care and the loss of a lifetime of income, as well as compensation for their losses, their pain and their emotional anguish.
If you or a loved one was involved in a semi truck accident that you believe was caused by someone else’s negligence, you should call the Lowe Law Firm right away to protect your rights and explore your legal options. To set up a free, confidential consultation, please contact us online or call us toll-free at 1-877-678-3400.
