Missouri truck drivers have a responsibility to follow the basic rules of the road.
You mostly hear about a truck accident when it either causes catastrophic fatalities or commits an act so erroneous that you are left wondering how the driver got his license in the first place. Yet there are instances when a truck accident is nothing more than the driver failing to follow a simple law or rule of the road. When an automobile driver runs a stop sign and causes an accident, the injuries are going to be nowhere near the injuries caused if a truck driver were to commit the same traffic violation. If you were recently hurt in an accident with a big rig, contact a St. Louis car accident lawyer today. With the amount of money backing the trucking industry, you can be sure they will have the resources to fight any claim you may have for compensation.
Following Basic Rules
After years of driving you learn certain rules of the road that, and while you may not have learned all of them in your drivers ed course, common sense dictates that you follow them. Turning down your high beams when another car is approaching for example. These are basic courtesies or safety measures that we take to ensure our safety on the road as well as that of other drivers. Drivers of big rigs also have a responsibility to follow these rules, even more so when you consider the amount of damage an 80,000 pound truck can do to a smaller passenger car.
One of the many rules to be followed pertain to passing vehicles on small highways. Even when there is no center line present to indicate whether it is legal or not, experienced drivers know never to pass a moving vehicle as you are approaching an intersection. The reasons are simple, and rely only on common sense. For one, you cannot know whether or not another car may enter the roadway from the side street. Being in the wrong lane as you come upon an intersection can lead to a collision with another vehicle that is trying to enter it. You are also unable to tell what the car you are trying to pass is doing. If they are planning on a left turn, they really have no reason to check for traffic behind them. Your presence will be unknown as they turn and a crash would be likely.
Contact a St. Louis Car Accident Lawyer
This was the scenario for a Missouri truck accident that resulted in a $355,000 settlement for the three plaintiffs injured by a tractor trailer that was attempting to pass them. The driver of the trailer admitted to noting that the passenger car had slowed down, but wrongfully assumed it was getting ready to turn right. The three inhabitants suffered a myriad of serious injuries as a result. In this case, there were no FMSCA violations, no missing logbooks, the truck driver simply failed to follow a basic rule of the road, causing grave injury.
In some cases, your attorney will not need to look deep in order to find cause for a truck accident lawsuit. If you, or someone in your family, has been injured by an accident with an 18 wheeler speak with an attorney at The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C. today to find the best way to claim your rightful compensation.