Wet roads sent four people to the hospital and closed Interstate 70 for hours April 20, the Columbia Daily Tribune reported that day. Luckily, no one was killed in the three-vehicle accident, which began when one eastbound car hydroplaned and slammed into another. The impact sent the second car through the median cables and into oncoming traffic, where it hit a semi truck almost head-on. The truck rolled off the road and down an embankment, where it caught fire. The two people inside the truck escaped and were taken to the hospital, along with the two people in the second car. The driver of the first car was unharmed.
As the fire chief quoted in the article said, it is surprising and very fortunate that the people in the second car survived their accident with the truck. Statistically speaking, they are in the minority. According to research from the federal Department of Transportation, head-on collisions accounted for 22% of all accidents with large trucks in 2007, but 45% of all trucking accident deaths. Head-on collisions also accounted for 37% of accidents that caused injuries. The severity of injuries is not reported in these statistics, but in general, trucking accidents leave their victims with serious or even catastrophic injuries, including brain damage, spinal injuries, severe burns and multiple fractures. That’s why it’s so important for victims and their loved ones to speak with a Missouri semi truck crash attorney as soon as possible after the accident.
The fire in this case also interested me, as a Missouri trucking accident lawyer, because the truck’s trailer was carrying household cleaning supplies. Not all household cleaners are flammable, but if these were, improper insulation may have contributed to the length and strength of the fire. In general, trucking companies are legally responsible for any damage caused by trucking accidents, if they caused or contributed to the accident. That includes improperly loading or securing loads as well as failure to provide or maintain safe equipment. In fact, both the trucker and the trucking company often end up as defendants in Missouri tractor-trailer accident lawsuits.
If you or someone you love has been in a serious trucking accident in Missouri or southern Illinois, you should call Carey, Danis & Lowe as soon as possible. Based in St. Louis and Belleville, Ill., our firm represents people throughout Missouri and southern Illinois who have been seriously hurt by the carelessness of a truck driver or trucking company. We can help you win the money you need to pay medical bills or funeral costs; replace income lost while you cannot work; and compensate you for a permanent disability or the loss of a loved one. To learn more at a free, confidential consultation, please contact Carey, Danis & Lowe online today or call toll-free at 1-877-678-3400.
