As a St. Louis semi truck crash attorney, I was interested to see a short item about a crash between a big rig and a car full of travelers from New York state. According to a May 10 article from the St. Joseph News-Press, a Freightliner hit a 1995 Dodge late on Monday night near Rock Port, Missouri. The crash overturned the Dodge and ejected all four of the people inside, all of whom were listed as from Cold Springs, NY. Christopher Darman, 20, had moderate injuries, while the three others in the car all sustained serious injuries and were airlifted by helicopter to a hospital in Omaha. The truck driver, David Hollenberg of Cameron, Missouri, was not injured.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s accident report suggests that Hollenberg was at fault. As both vehicles went north on Interstate 29, the report said, the tractor-trailer overtook and rear-ended the Dodge. The crash caused the Dodge to roll over onto the driver’s side and into the path of the semi, which struck the car again and pushed it off the highway. None of the four people inside were wearing seat belts, and all four were thrown from the car. Seriously injured were Joseph Darman, 54, the driver; Rebecca Darman, 18; and Amanda Playford, 24. All were taken to the same hospital as Christopher Darman, but later moved to Omaha. The 18-wheeler also overturned and landed on its passenger side.
The accident report and the article are short and leave many questions unanswered. As a Missouri tractor-trailer accident lawyer, I would like to know whether the rear-end accident was caused by anything other than ordinary negligence by the trucker. This matters because if the truck driver was at fault, these families may be able to collect financial compensation for the medical treatment they now need. And that matters because the airlifting suggests that they were seriously injured enough to require more help than a closer hospital could provide, possibly including a trauma center. Traumatic injuries like these are usually life-altering, leaving victims with at least some disability for the rest of their lives. They are also more expensive to treat than most ordinary families can afford, which is why many victims ultimately consider a lawsuit.
If you or someone you love was injured by a truck driver who was at fault, you should call Carey, Danis & Lowe right away. Based in St. Louis and Belleville, Ill., our southern Illinois big rig accident attorneys represent families seeking fair compensation from careless truck drivers and trucking companies. This is especially important because some trucking companies save money by cutting corners on safety, including sending out unsafe trucks, hiring drivers with questionable credentials and pressuring drivers to rush through unsafe conditions. When this happens, the law allows victims to pass the costs of injuries back to the people who caused them. Trucking accident victims can also claim compensation for a death in the family or a lifelong disability.
Carey, Danis & Lowe offers free, confidential case evaluations, so you can talk to us about your case and your rights at no obligation. To set up a meeting or learn more, call us toll-free at 1-877-678-3400 or send us a message online.
