When a commercial truck hits a passenger vehicle, the people in the smaller vehicle almost always suffer worse injuries. A fully loaded tractor-trailer can weigh 40 tons, and a collision at any real speed can mean months of recovery, permanent injury, or the loss of a family member. The legal case that follows is more complicated than a normal car accident claim in O’Fallon, with more potential defendants and more evidence to secure.
Meyerkord & Kurth represents people in O’Fallon who were injured in truck accidents, and we handle these cases with the seriousness they require. Call today to schedule your free case consultation.
What Meyerkord & Kurth Offers Injured Truck Accident Victims
Truck accident cases are resource-intensive, and the law firm handling yours needs the experience, resources, and track record to see it through.
- We’ve obtained over $450 million for our clients
- We work with respected medical professionals and other experts when needed to build strong truck accident cases.
- You can always reach an O’Fallon truck accident attorney, and you’ll even be given private cell phone numbers in case you need something right away
The combination we provide – of proven results, experience, and dedicated attorneys – is what a truck case demands, and it’s what every client who hires us gets.
Why Truck Accident Claims in O’Fallon Require a Lawyer
A truck accident claim in O’Fallon involves evidence, defendants, and rules that never appear in an ordinary car crash case, and the trucking company knows it from day one. Here’s why you need a lawyer for help with your case:
- The most important evidence belongs to the trucking company, like driver logs, electronic logging data, inspection records, and dispatch communications, and it can be lost or overwritten unless a lawyer formally demands its preservation quickly.
- Federal regulations govern how long truckers can drive, how trucks are maintained, and how cargo is loaded. Violations of those rules are powerful proof of negligence, but finding them requires knowing where to look.
- Liability often extends past the driver to the carrier, a shipper, or a maintenance contractor, each with its own insurer and its own lawyers working to shift blame.
Trucking companies send response teams to serious crash scenes within hours. Your side deserves the same urgency.
What to Do After a Truck Accident in O’Fallon
Knowing what to do after a truck accident in O’Fallon can make a major difference in your recovery, both physically and financially. Here’s how to best protect yourself and your case:
- Get medical care right away: Even if you think your injuries are minor, some conditions aren’t obvious to you right away, but a doctor can identify them. Quick care also makes it clear to insurance companies that you took your injuries seriously from the start.
- Report the crash to the police: Having an official report helps build your case, so this step is crucial even for crashes that seem straightforward.
- Take photos and collect evidence if you can: Pictures of vehicle positions, road conditions, injuries, and the truck’s company markings are especially useful. If possible, collect witness names and contact details as well.
- Avoid speaking to the trucking company’s insurance alone: Do not provide a recorded statement or accept a fast settlement offer; they are almost always trying to limit what you recover.
- Contact an attorney as soon as possible: Important evidence from the trucking company, like driver logs or electronic records, can be erased or lost if action isn’t taken quickly. A lawyer can send a preservation letter requiring the trucking company to preserve important evidence before it is lost or destroyed.
Taking these steps helps document what really happened and keeps your case strong while you prioritize your health.
Who Can Be Held Responsible for a Truck Accident?
Truck cases usually involve more than one responsible party, and finding all of them matters because each one may carry separate insurance. Depending on what caused the crash, responsibility can fall on the truck driver, the trucking company that hired and supervised them, the company that loaded the cargo, a contractor that maintained the truck, or the manufacturer of a part that failed.
The trucking company is often liable even when the driver made the mistake, sometimes for pushing unrealistic delivery schedules, skipping required inspections, or hiring a driver it shouldn’t have.
Part of our investigation is figuring out exactly who failed and how, because that determines who pays and how much coverage is available for your claim.
Talk to an O’Fallon Truck Accident Lawyer About Your Crash
The weeks after a truck accident are when the trucking company builds its defense, and when your case can be built, too. If you or a family member was injured in a truck crash in O’Fallon, contact Meyerkord & Kurth for a free consultation.
We’ll explain what your claim involves, what evidence needs to be preserved, and how we can help, and you won’t pay us anything unless we win your case.