After an accident involving a tractor-trailer, 18-wheeler, semi, or another large commercial truck in Columbia, Missouri, contact Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers. If you got hurt because someone else was careless, you may have the right to demand compensation for your injuries and suffering. Our experienced Columbia truck accident lawyers are here to help you fight for the accountability you deserve.
Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers is a fierce advocate for truck accident victims and devastated families in Columbia, MO. As recognized leaders in truck accident litigation, our award-winning Missouri trial attorneys have helped clients win over $100 million in damages.
Benefit from a team of top-rated litigators with more than 100 years of combined experience. Contact our law office in Columbia to schedule a free consultation now at (314) 444-4444.
How Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After an 18-Wheeler Accident in Columbia, MO
After a truck accident, it can be tough to know what to do or where to turn for help. You certainly can’t trust the trucking service or its insurance company to put your interests first. That’s why you shouldn’t hesitate to call our Columbia personal injury lawyers for help.
When you choose Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers, you put a team with more than a century of combined experience. We’re recognized as top trial attorneys in Missouri by Best Lawyers, The National Trial Lawyers, St. Louis Magazine, and Super Lawyers because of our client-driven practice and winning reputation.
Count on us to:
- Handle your truck accident case from start to finish, giving you the opportunity to focus exclusively on your recovery
- Conduct an extensive independent investigation into your truck accident
- Assess reports from investigations conducted by government agencies
- Evaluate black box recordings, cell phone data, dash cam footage, driver logs, inspection and maintenance reports, photographs, property damage, and other evidence we get during discovery
- Depose the truck driver, trucking company, witnesses, and other parties
- Consult experts in the trucking industry, medicine, and other specialties as we build your case
- Seek a top-dollar recovery during settlement negotiations with the trucking company and/or its insurer
- Bring your truck accident lawsuit to a Boone County jury if the trucking company refuses to accept liability for your accident
Our Columbia truck accident attorneys represent clients on a contingency fee basis. Truck accidents are expensive enough, so we’ll front the costs of pursuing your claim. You only pay if we win compensation for your truck accident case.
Contact our law office in Columbia, MO, today to get started. Your initial case assessment is free.
Missouri Truck Accident Statistics
Missouri sits at the heart of the nation. Seven interstates run through the state in total. Tractor-trailers, big rigs, semi-trucks, and other commercial vehicles log millions of miles on these and other roads every day. Not surprisingly, truck accidents are a common occurrence.
According to data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the were 5,586 truck accidents in Missouri in 2022.
That’s roughly 15 truck accidents every single day.
For many, these truck accidents are devastating. In 2022, at least 2,308 injuries and 144 fatalities were reported.
Can I Sue a Trucking Company After a Tractor-Trailer Accident?
Yes, you may have a legitimate claim against a trucking company after a car accident involving one of its trucks.
Trucking companies can be liable if their own negligence contributes to the wreck, such as negligent hiring, negligent training, violations of FMCSA trucking regulations, or negligent truck maintenance.
Alternatively, a trucking company might be vicariously liable for the negligence of its drivers. If a truck driver is negligent and causes a truck accident, the trucking company can share responsibility for the resulting damages.
Liability for a truck accident isn’t always limited to truck drivers or trucking companies. Anyone whose carelessness or intentionally harmful conduct contributes to a truck accident can be liable, too.
This might include a/an:
- Driver of a passenger vehicle
- Vehicle passenger
- Freight broker
- Cargo owner
- Cargo loader
- Property owner
- Government agency
- Employer of a negligent party
Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers will dig into the details of your case, determine who’s at fault, and work to hold them fully accountable for the harm they’ve caused you. Call our Columbia law office to discuss the details of your truck accident case today.
What Causes Most Truck Accidents?
Trucking operations are subject to strict regulations established by the State of Missouri and the FMCSA. These regulations impose licensing and testing requirements on drivers, limit the amount of time a driver can log behind the wheel, mandate vehicle inspections and maintenance, and other safety requirements. However, they’re only effective if they’re followed.
All too often, truck accidents happen because truckers and trucking companies cut corners and/or make mistakes.
That’s why these are some of the most common causes of truck accidents:
- Speeding
- Distracted driving
- Fatigued driving
- Illegal turns
- Unsafe passing
- Braking errors
- Unsecured cargo
- Cargo loading errors
- Wide turns
- Drunk driving
- Following too closely
- Failure to yield
- Negligent vehicle maintenance
In some cases, vehicle defects, road defects, and bad weather conditions can also contribute to motor vehicle accidents involving large trucks.
Our truck accident attorneys in Columbia will work to uncover precisely why and how your wreck happened. Then, we will actively work to recover maximum compensation on your behalf.
How Much Is My Columbia Truck Accident Case Worth?
Many factors will influence the potential value of your truck accident case.
- Are you disabled?
- What injuries did you suffer?
- Can you continue working?
- Have your income or earning capacity changed?
- Will you need medical care or nursing assistance for an extended period of time?
- How old are you?
- Do you share fault for the truck accident?
- Has the truck accident aggravated any pre-existing conditions?
- How has your overall quality of life changed?
- What insurance benefits are available?
It’s important to know what your truck accident case is worth so that you’re prepared when you get a settlement offer. When you know the value, you won’t have to wonder if you’re being lowballed or if an offer is fair.
Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers has helped accident victims win over $100 million in life-changing monetary awards. Trust us to help you advocate for every cent you deserve, too.
Common Truck Accident Injuries
Several things can affect the types of injuries you might suffer in a truck accident. What type of truck accident was it? How fast were you and/or the truck going at the time of the wreck? Where in the vehicle were you sitting? Did your airbags deploy? Were you wearing a seatbelt?
At Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers, we’ll be here to help you seek compensation for all of your truck accident injuries, including:
- Broken bones and fractures
- Crushing injury
- Chest injury
- Concussion injury
- Eye injury
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Neck injury
- Whiplash injury
- Paralysis
- Back injury
- Leg injury
- Burn injury
- Amputation injury
- Degloving injury
- Nerve damage
- Soft tissue injury
- Catastrophic injury
- Wrongful death of someone you love
Report your accident to the local police immediately. Then make your way to the closest emergency room in Columbia. These steps can help to ensure that your crash and injuries are formally documented, which will be critical if you file a personal injury claim in the future.
What Damages Are Available to Columbia Truck Accident Victims?
When you file an insurance claim or truck accident lawsuit in Columbia, you can generally seek compensatory damages.
Compensatory damages include economic and non-economic awards for:
- Current medical expenses
- Future medical bills
- Rehabilitation
- Lost wages and benefits
- Diminished earning capacity
- Disability
- Property damage
- The cost of a rental car and other out-of-pocket expenses
- Funeral expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Chronic physical pain
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Disfigurement
- Mental anguish
- Inconvenience
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Punitive damages may also be awarded if your truck accident lawsuit makes it to trial. In these scenarios, a jury would have to find by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant in your case acted intentionally or displayed a conscious disregard for your safety.
Can Shared Fault Hurt My Missouri Truck Accident Settlement?
Yes, sharing responsibility for your truck accident can affect your ability to recover compensation. Under Missouri’s pure comparative negligence law, your damages will be reduced proportionately to fault. The more responsibility you share for the truck accident, the less money you’ll be able to recover through a settlement or jury award.
Our Columbia truck accident attorneys will anticipate attempts to shift liability and hurt your ability to get the compensation you deserve. We’ll fight back to protect your rights and limit how much, if any, fault you share.
What’s the Time Limit for Filing a Truck Accident Lawsuit in Missouri?
In Missouri, a five-year statute of limitations applies to most truck accident cases.
If you’ve lost a close family member in a fatal truck accident in Columbia, you’ll have three years from their death to file a wrongful death action.
You must file your claim before the applicable statute of limitations runs out. Once time expires, you’ll lose the right to hold the trucking company, the negligent driver, or anyone else responsible for your crash.
Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced Columbia Truck Accident Lawyer
After you’re injured in a truck accident, you’ll want an experienced legal advocate by your side.
At Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers, we have extensive experience helping victims after jackknife truck accidents, underride accidents, squeeze play accidents, and other types of wrecks. Put our 100+ years of experience to work for you.
Contact our Columbia truck accident lawyers today to schedule a free consultation. We’re here to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
