Missouri Unsecured Truck Load Accident Attorney

Countless tractor-trailers traverse Missouri highways everyday, as they carry cargo across the country. Usually, these trucks pass through the state without incident. But sometimes they cause serious and fatal crashes, due to shifting and unsecured loads.
If you’ve suffered an injury in a crash with a tractor-trailer, talk to the experienced personal injury attorneys at Bley & Evans. We offer free consultations, so you’re under no pressure to use our services when you call us at 844-443-8385.

Crash Causes and Types

In October, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration released preliminary findings on fatal commercial truck crashes that occurred in 2015. Of the 3,598 fatal crashes that occurred, “cargo equipment loss or shift” was the primary cause in only two crashes. Most often, some other factor is the primary cause of a crash involving cargo equipment loss or shift.

When equipment shifts in a trailer, or in a cargo tank, a rollover crash may occur. According to the FMCSA, driver error, vehicle condition, and load size are the three primary causes of rollover crashes in tanker trucks. The FMCSA publication, “Keep the Load on the Road – A Driver’s Guide to Cargo Tank Truck Rollover Prevention,” offers more explanation of how rollover crashes occur:

  • Driver error – About 78 percent of rollover crashes involve driver error, and in 90 percent of those cases, some other dangerous event preceded the crash. Those preliminary causes may include drowsiness, inattention, and overcorrecting, when a truck veers out of its lane.
  • Vehicle condition – A poorly maintained vehicle may be more likely to roll over. One study found that 54 percent of trucks in rollover crashes had faulty brakes.
  • Load size – Drivers who are accustomed to carrying full loads may need to change how they drive when their cargo tanks aren’t full. About 63 percent of cargo tanker rollovers involved partial liquid loads, which the FMCSA says results in a “slosh and surge” effect.

Missouri Load-Related Crashes

In 2011, a tractor-trailer driver lost control of his truck on Interstate 44, near Springfield, and crashed, spilling his cargo of 40,000 pounds of mayonnaise on the highway.

Near St. Joseph, a truck carrying cattle veered off U.S. Highway 36 and hit a ditch, resulting in a rollover crash in October 2016. Cattle roaming the highway were the cause of two subsequent crashes, when drivers struck the animals in the road.

Both of these crashes illustrate how driver error can quickly cause a crash. When a driver loses control of a tractor-trailer, regaining control may be impossible, and trying to regain control too quickly can cause cargo to shift and force the truck onto its side.

Vehicle Maintenance Problems

Each year, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance conducts a commercial truck and bus inspection, called Roadcheck. The three-day effort involves inspections of thousands of vehicles and their drivers, and the “Level 1” inspection category is the most thorough. In October, the CVSA released results of its June inspection, which found:

  • In Level 1 vehicle inspections, 21.5 percent of trucks were placed out of service (OOS) for violations.
  • The top OOS violations included brake systems (27.4 percent), tires/wheels (18.5 percent), and brake adjustment (18.3 percent).
  • Of trucks carrying hazardous materials, 13 percent were placed OOS for violations.
  • The top OOS violation category for hazardous material trucks was shipping papers (27.6 percent), followed by loading & securement (26.2 percent).

Most drivers were found to have no violations, but of the roughly 4 percent placed OOS, almost half had violated federal hours of service rules that limit driving time for safety reasons.

Company and Driver Negligence

Trucking companies that don’t maintain their fleets as they should, or that force drivers to violate federal drive time rules are putting all drivers in danger. The odds of a crash increase with each known risk factor. For example, an inattentive truck driver may not necessarily cause a crash, but if that driver is also sleep-deprived and driving a rig with poor brakes and worn tires, a crash is more likely.

Help for the Injured

When the occupant of a passenger vehicle collides with a tractor-trailer, the results are often serious. Severe and disabling injuries may occur in such a crash, leaving victims with substantial and ongoing medical costs. And some insurance companies will do whatever they can to avoid paying crash victims for their medical costs, loss of income and associated expenses.

If you’ve been injured in a crash with a tractor-trailer and need help getting the insurance settlement you are due, call us today at 844-443-8385, or fill out our online contact form, to request your free, no-obligation consultation.

Recent posts

Guide to Missouri Wrongful Death Actions / In Missouri, a civil suit for wrongful death is a statutory action authorized by R.S.Mo. § 537.080, 537.085, and 537.090. The statutes created a new cause of action where none existed at common law. In other words, a wr...

Early Winter Weather

Early Winter Weather / Early winter weather struck mid-Missouri late last month. While temperatures remained near 20 degrees with wind chills in the single digits, snow moved into the region. The City of Columbia preemptively deployed a 16 man...

Beware of Deer on Missouri Roads / The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is warning Missouri motorists of deer on roads during the peak months of October and November. MoDOT reported car and deer collisions result in almost 200 deaths and $1.1...

Back to School Road Safety / According to the United States Department of Transportation, 50 millions students will be attending America’s public elementary and secondary schools this fall. Included in that figure is 35 million kids who will be at...

Tips to Prepare for Summer Travel

Tips to Prepare for Summer Travel / The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently released its list of Cool Tips for a Safe Summer Trip. Following these tips could help avoid a breakdown or even a highway collision. First, before you embark o...

Work Zone Safety: Buckle up Phone Down

Work Zone Safety: Buckle up Phone Down / The Missouri Department of Transportation wants to remind motorists to buckle up and put phones down. As warmer weather arrives in the region, work zones will become more common on the state’s highway system. While wor...

Missouri Motorist Insurance

Missouri Motorist Insurance / According to the Missouri Department of Revenue, the Show Me State requires that all motorists keep liability insurance coverage. Liability insurance is designed to indemnify the policyholder when his or her actions caus...

Aviation Consumer Protection

Aviation Consumer Protection / The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) released a new website of the Aviation Consumer Protection Division (ACPD). The ACPD receives and reviews consumer complaints directed at airlines. The website contains a wealt...

4 Reasons a Personal Injury Attorney Helps Your Case / One of the most well-known sentiments in the legal field is that someone who represents themselves in court has a fool for a client. One of the central ideas behind this axiom is that even attorneys typically have the go...

Traffic Incident Response Awareness Week

Traffic Incident Response Awareness Week / The Federal Highway Administration’s second annual Traffic Incident Response Awareness Week runs from November 13 – November 19. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported a 7.2% increase in ...

Seatbelt Usage on the Rise as MoDOT Reminds Motorists to Drive Safely Around Big Trucks

Seatbelt Usage on the Rise as MoDOT Reminds Motorists to Drive Safely Around Big Trucks / The Missouri Safety Center and the University of Central Missouri recently released the results of the 2017 Missouri Seat Belt Usage Survey. The results showed that more Missourians are making the smart choice to buckle ...

Annual Fatal Traffic Crash Data

Annual Fatal Traffic Crash Data / Last week the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released its annual report of fatal traffic crashes for calendar year 2016. The NHTSA collected information from ...

Pavement Blow-ups

Pavement Blow-ups / Columbia has had its first pavement blow-up of the year, according to Barry Dalton, a public information officer for the Columbia Public Works Department. Eastbound Bernadette Drive was closed down for over 24 hours earl...

Takata Airbag Recall / The deaths of eleven people have spurred the expansion of the Takata airbag recall. The recall now includes some 28 million airbag inflators in the United States alone. However, only 8 million bags have been replaced, ac...

Bill in Missouri Legislature May Limit Consumer Protections for Plaintiffs / A bill currently in the Missouri Legislature threatens to limit consumer protections in Missouri.  The proposal, Senate Bill 5, specifically changes current laws relating to unlawful merchandising practices, class actio...

Laptop Battery Pack Recall Expanded / Toshiba has recently expanded a recall of Panasonic lithium-ion battery packs that were installed on over 40 models of Toshiba Satellite laptops. The original recall was announced in March 2016, but was expanded in Janu...

Five Injured after Multiple Vehicles Collide on I-70

Five Injured after Multiple Vehicles Collide on I-70 / Snow and ice once again contributed a number of accidents in early January in the Mid-Missouri area. The Columbia Daily Tribune reported that five people were injured in a four-vehicle crash on I-70 near Columbia on Janu...

Snow and Ice Create Dangerous Road Conditions in Mid-Missouri

Snow and Ice Create Dangerous Road Conditions in Mid-Missouri / Snow and ice over the last week has caused dangerous road conditions in Columbia and surrounding areas. Since Friday morning, nearly 400 accidents have been reportedly caused by icy conditions. Additionally, first respon...

MoDOT to Missouri Motorists: Move Over for First Responders

MoDOT to Missouri Motorists: Move Over for First Responders / On average, emergency crews working for the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) respond to 5,500 traffic accidents per month. Every year, hundreds of these emergency responders, including fire fighters, law enf...

Semi-Truck Accidents Increasingly Common in Missouri

Semi-Truck Accidents Increasingly Common in Missouri / How new and proposed rules may decrease accidents. According to a study conducted by the Missouri Department of Transportation in 2011, accidents involving commercial motor vehicles made up 9.2% off all traffic crashe...

Missouri Strikes Down Red-Light Camera Ordinances

Missouri Strikes Down Red-Light Camera Ordinances / Earlier this week, the Missouri Supreme Court struck down local ordinances regarding the use of red-light cameras in St. Louis, Kansas City, and St. Peters. While the Court did not ultimately decide the legality of using...

10-Year Statute of Repose for Medical Malpractice

10-Year Statute of Repose for Medical Malpractice / Missouri Supreme Court Upholds 10-Year Statute of Repose for Medical Malpractice Claims Earlier this year, The Supreme Court of Missouri affirmed a trial court’s dismissal of a medical malpractice claim after a heal...

Flooding Roadways / Flooded Roadways Extremely Dangerous to Motorists Due to the high amount of rain in the past few weeks, many lakes, rivers, and streams across Missouri have seen an increase in water levels and flooding. Because flooded...

Takata Airbag Recall / What you should know and what owners of recalled vehicles should do As of June 12, faulty deployment mechanisms in airbags produced by the Japanese supplier Takata have caused seven fatalities, as well as over one hundr...

Best Practices to Prevent Workplace Accidents

Best Practices to Prevent Workplace Accidents / Merriam-Webster's definition of accident is, "an unfortunate event resulting especially from carelessness or ignorance." The first example of the word used in a sentence is, "He was injured in an accident at work." Why d...

Viking Gas Range Recall / Hazard: The ranges’ ovens can turn on by themselves, posing a burn hazard to consumers. If you or someone you  know has been injured by a Viking Gas Range, contact us immediately. You may be entitled to compensati...

What to Do After a Car Accident

What to Do After a Car Accident / Get your injuries treated  If you have injuries at the accident scene, do not drive yourself away. Have yourself fully evaluated and treated by a medical professional. Document your injuries It will be much eas...

Work Safety Guide

Work Safety Guide / The backbone of a safe working environment is a proper injury and accident prevention program that incorporates the aforementioned practices and encourages employees to take safety measures seriously. As an employer, it'...

Guide to Missouri Wrongful Death Actions / In Missouri, a civil suit for wrongful death is a statutory action authorized by R.S.Mo. § 537.080, 537.085, and 537.090. The statutes created a new cause of action where none existed at common law. In other words, a wr...

Early Winter Weather

Early Winter Weather / Early winter weather struck mid-Missouri late last month. While temperatures remained near 20 degrees with wind chills in the single digits, snow moved into the region. The City of Columbia preemptively deployed a 16 man...

Beware of Deer on Missouri Roads / The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is warning Missouri motorists of deer on roads during the peak months of October and November. MoDOT reported car and deer collisions result in almost 200 deaths and $1.1...

Back to School Road Safety / According to the United States Department of Transportation, 50 millions students will be attending America’s public elementary and secondary schools this fall. Included in that figure is 35 million kids who will be at...

Tips to Prepare for Summer Travel

Tips to Prepare for Summer Travel / The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently released its list of Cool Tips for a Safe Summer Trip. Following these tips could help avoid a breakdown or even a highway collision. First, before you embark o...

Work Zone Safety: Buckle up Phone Down

Work Zone Safety: Buckle up Phone Down / The Missouri Department of Transportation wants to remind motorists to buckle up and put phones down. As warmer weather arrives in the region, work zones will become more common on the state’s highway system. While wor...

Missouri Motorist Insurance

Missouri Motorist Insurance / According to the Missouri Department of Revenue, the Show Me State requires that all motorists keep liability insurance coverage. Liability insurance is designed to indemnify the policyholder when his or her actions caus...

Aviation Consumer Protection

Aviation Consumer Protection / The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) released a new website of the Aviation Consumer Protection Division (ACPD). The ACPD receives and reviews consumer complaints directed at airlines. The website contains a wealt...

4 Reasons a Personal Injury Attorney Helps Your Case / One of the most well-known sentiments in the legal field is that someone who represents themselves in court has a fool for a client. One of the central ideas behind this axiom is that even attorneys typically have the go...

Traffic Incident Response Awareness Week

Traffic Incident Response Awareness Week / The Federal Highway Administration’s second annual Traffic Incident Response Awareness Week runs from November 13 – November 19. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported a 7.2% increase in ...

Seatbelt Usage on the Rise as MoDOT Reminds Motorists to Drive Safely Around Big Trucks

Seatbelt Usage on the Rise as MoDOT Reminds Motorists to Drive Safely Around Big Trucks / The Missouri Safety Center and the University of Central Missouri recently released the results of the 2017 Missouri Seat Belt Usage Survey. The results showed that more Missourians are making the smart choice to buckle ...

Annual Fatal Traffic Crash Data

Annual Fatal Traffic Crash Data / Last week the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released its annual report of fatal traffic crashes for calendar year 2016. The NHTSA collected information from ...

Pavement Blow-ups

Pavement Blow-ups / Columbia has had its first pavement blow-up of the year, according to Barry Dalton, a public information officer for the Columbia Public Works Department. Eastbound Bernadette Drive was closed down for over 24 hours earl...

Takata Airbag Recall / The deaths of eleven people have spurred the expansion of the Takata airbag recall. The recall now includes some 28 million airbag inflators in the United States alone. However, only 8 million bags have been replaced, ac...

Bill in Missouri Legislature May Limit Consumer Protections for Plaintiffs / A bill currently in the Missouri Legislature threatens to limit consumer protections in Missouri.  The proposal, Senate Bill 5, specifically changes current laws relating to unlawful merchandising practices, class actio...

Laptop Battery Pack Recall Expanded / Toshiba has recently expanded a recall of Panasonic lithium-ion battery packs that were installed on over 40 models of Toshiba Satellite laptops. The original recall was announced in March 2016, but was expanded in Janu...

Five Injured after Multiple Vehicles Collide on I-70

Five Injured after Multiple Vehicles Collide on I-70 / Snow and ice once again contributed a number of accidents in early January in the Mid-Missouri area. The Columbia Daily Tribune reported that five people were injured in a four-vehicle crash on I-70 near Columbia on Janu...

Snow and Ice Create Dangerous Road Conditions in Mid-Missouri

Snow and Ice Create Dangerous Road Conditions in Mid-Missouri / Snow and ice over the last week has caused dangerous road conditions in Columbia and surrounding areas. Since Friday morning, nearly 400 accidents have been reportedly caused by icy conditions. Additionally, first respon...

MoDOT to Missouri Motorists: Move Over for First Responders

MoDOT to Missouri Motorists: Move Over for First Responders / On average, emergency crews working for the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) respond to 5,500 traffic accidents per month. Every year, hundreds of these emergency responders, including fire fighters, law enf...

Semi-Truck Accidents Increasingly Common in Missouri

Semi-Truck Accidents Increasingly Common in Missouri / How new and proposed rules may decrease accidents. According to a study conducted by the Missouri Department of Transportation in 2011, accidents involving commercial motor vehicles made up 9.2% off all traffic crashe...

Missouri Strikes Down Red-Light Camera Ordinances

Missouri Strikes Down Red-Light Camera Ordinances / Earlier this week, the Missouri Supreme Court struck down local ordinances regarding the use of red-light cameras in St. Louis, Kansas City, and St. Peters. While the Court did not ultimately decide the legality of using...

10-Year Statute of Repose for Medical Malpractice

10-Year Statute of Repose for Medical Malpractice / Missouri Supreme Court Upholds 10-Year Statute of Repose for Medical Malpractice Claims Earlier this year, The Supreme Court of Missouri affirmed a trial court’s dismissal of a medical malpractice claim after a heal...

Flooding Roadways / Flooded Roadways Extremely Dangerous to Motorists Due to the high amount of rain in the past few weeks, many lakes, rivers, and streams across Missouri have seen an increase in water levels and flooding. Because flooded...

Takata Airbag Recall / What you should know and what owners of recalled vehicles should do As of June 12, faulty deployment mechanisms in airbags produced by the Japanese supplier Takata have caused seven fatalities, as well as over one hundr...

Best Practices to Prevent Workplace Accidents

Best Practices to Prevent Workplace Accidents / Merriam-Webster's definition of accident is, "an unfortunate event resulting especially from carelessness or ignorance." The first example of the word used in a sentence is, "He was injured in an accident at work." Why d...

Viking Gas Range Recall / Hazard: The ranges’ ovens can turn on by themselves, posing a burn hazard to consumers. If you or someone you  know has been injured by a Viking Gas Range, contact us immediately. You may be entitled to compensati...

What to Do After a Car Accident

What to Do After a Car Accident / Get your injuries treated  If you have injuries at the accident scene, do not drive yourself away. Have yourself fully evaluated and treated by a medical professional. Document your injuries It will be much eas...

Work Safety Guide

Work Safety Guide / The backbone of a safe working environment is a proper injury and accident prevention program that incorporates the aforementioned practices and encourages employees to take safety measures seriously. As an employer, it'...

Columbia Unsecured Load Wreck Attorney | MO Truck Accident Lawyer