$750,000 Trucking Case
Bautista LeRoy LLC., are rated one of the best truck accident attorneys in Kansas City. A trucking collision can cause very serious injuries, if you have been injured you need expert auto injury lawyers on your side. Give us a call at 816-221-0382. Whether you were injured in a truck accident in Kansas or Missouri, Bautista LeRoy LLC is Kansas City's truck accident law firm.
Semi-trucks (a.k.a. tractor trailers, 18-wheelers, semi-trailers) and other large commercial vehicles operate throughout our nation's interstates, highways and city streets. While motor vehicle accidents happen every day, motor vehicle crashes involving large semi-trucks are particularly dangerous. The most recent statistics on semi-truck crashes are staggering.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported that there were 115 fatal crashes involving 18-wheelers which resulted in a total of 122 untimely deaths. There were 2,652 crashes involving automobiles and tractor-trailers that resulted in injuries.
The consequences of a large 18-wheeler hitting a smaller vehicle are catastrophic, but preventable. According to the USDOT, human error is the most common cause of a crash involving a semi-truck: “Drivers of large trucks and other vehicles involved in truck crashes are ten times more likely to be cause of the crash than other factors, such as weather, road conditions, and vehicle performance.” Some of the most common causes or trucking accidents and reasons why truck drivers cause crashes include:
- Dangerous Driving. When semi-trucks are going too fast for conditions or speeding, they are slow to brake and maneuver out of the way of smaller vehicles. An aggressive driver may easily cause a truck accident if the truck driver does not have time to respond.
- Alcohol and drug use. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is extremely dangerous for any driver. Alcohol and drug impair response time and for truck drivers this an even deadlier combination. Driving under the influence may also make the semi-truck driver fall asleep.
- Aggressive driving. Motor vehicle drives should ensure that they are changing lanes with proper clearance and use their turn signals.
- Distracted Driving. All drivers on the road may be distracted by using their cell phones, using their computers, changing the radio, or attempting to grab something and taking their eyes off the road. Distracted driving lasts longer than what it feels and will lead to accidents.
- Negligent Maintenance. Truck companies must ensure that their fleet of vehicles are receiving the proper care and maintenance that the vehicles need to be safely on the road. Failure to perform require maintenance could lead to a failure and be the cause of an accident.
Unfortunately, in pushing profits over safety, trucking and shipping companies are not providing operators of semi-trucks and commercial vehicles proper training. Large tractor trailers can be difficult to operate due to their size, and operating a semi-truck is very different than operating a normal car. For instance, it takes longer to stop and slow down a semi-truck, and operators of semi-trucks must be more alert and attentive of motorists and pedestrians in the vicinity of a tractor-trailer. In addition, the way in which the truck operators are paid, which is usually on a per-mile basis, gives them incentive to overdrive or drive while fatigued. Due to these reasons, a special agency, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), oversees and regulates the operation of semi-trucks and large commercial motor vehicles. The regulations promulgated by the FMCSA in this area include hours of service limitations, minimum insurance requirements, inspection requirements, etc., and are complicated. The big insurance companies that defend semi-truck operators know these regulations very well. People injured in semi-truck crashes also need help from legal specialists in semi-truck crashes.
Kansas City Trucking Accident Law Firm
At Bautista LeRoy LLC, we think it's unfair that trucking accident insurance companies have unlimited resources in fighting victims and deny legitimate claims hoping the victims will not be able to afford a lawyer. When you hire our firm, we will advance all costs associated with representing the client. If we do not win your case, the firm takes on the losses of the litigation costs. In fact, we only get compensated when we win the case. Simple as that. Give us a call at 816-221-0382 or contact us online.