Semi-truck accidents create devastating fallout that can destroy lives within a matter of seconds. Victims are left with serious injuries or dealing with a wrongful death. The sensitive nature of serious truck wrecks requires quick action from all parties. Trucking companies and insurance companies know this; they send representatives to the scene of an accident within minutes of it happening.
Over the last 27 years, Craig, Kelley & Faultless has observed and gained firsthand experience with the disruption serious truck accidents cause in the lives of victims and their families. This highlighted the disparities in resources and support available to victims and their families compared to semi-truck companies, insurance companies, and truck drivers. They can start building their case and gathering evidence immediately, while victims and their families are navigating the instant effects of semi-truck accidents. Our firm established a Rapid Response Team (RRT) to help bridge the gap in resources. This allows our clients to have access to the same protection and support as large trucking companies.
Who’s On Our RRT, and What Do They Do?
The foundation of our RRT is a mix of legal and working professionals to address the broad demands of semi-truck wrecks. The core members of the team include an investigator, paralegal, and team coordinator. As support, the team works with trucking professionals on truck cases. By having the base of the team in-house, the firm can start investigating and collecting evidence immediately. Keeping semi-truck professionals involved enables the firm to give each case tailored support based on specific needs. The experts include heavy truck mechanics, accident reconstructionist, and electronics and digital download experts.
Furthermore, the variation in expertise allows all RRT members to efficiently conduct investigations and inspections. The first step of an investigation is to immediately locate the vehicles involved in the wreck. Once they’re located, the paralegal can send out preservation of evidence letters. For context, a preservation of evidence letter is a formal notice instructing a company to keep all relevant evidence. It guarantees the firm has an opportunity to conduct independent and thorough inspections of evidence, such as vehicles, without evidence being tampered with or destroyed.
As the letters are distributed, the investigator begins to visit and document the scene of an accident. The investigator captures documentation through video and photos. While at the scene, other evidence like surveillance camera footage is also collected. As the team gathers more information about a case, they can also begin collecting digital evidence. To cover all the initial bases of a case, various kinds of electronic and digital evidence are retrieved. Common types of evidence are background checks and company websites. The purpose of evidence can vary depending on the specifics of a case. For example, background checks could reveal that a truck company hired a driver without a valid Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). In this instance, this would show that there was negligence involved in the cause of an accident.
Another prominent type of electronic and digital evidence is the data from the vehicles and the vehicles themselves. As investigations are underway, the team coordinator reaches out to the truck professionals to determine a time to go out and conduct an inspection of the vehicles involved in a wreck. At the inspection, semi-truck professionals are able to download the electronic data available on the vehicles. The data can reveal the speed of a vehicle, brake history, distance of drives, and more. At the inspection, the team also may take photographs and perform 3D scans of vehicles. This step is usually the last of the initial investigation and collection of evidence. The team is then able to preserve all the evidence that was gathered for the firm to use throughout the case.
Regardless of the type or purpose of the evidence, being thorough in initial investigations and the collection of evidence allows attorneys to fully understand how an accident happened and who should be held liable for each aspect. After inspections are complete and evidence is preserved, the team works with the firm to assign file managers and attorneys to a case. They can then begin the next step: discovery.
Why a Truck Accident Attorney Should Have an RRT
Time is imperative for anyone involved in a semi-truck accident. This is especially true for drivers involved in truck wrecks in Missouri because it is a comparative fault state. This means fault for an accident doesn’t have to fall on one party. For example, if a jury values an accident at $200,000 and finds the injured driver 30 percent at fault for following too closely, the driver could still recover $140,000. This is important to note as it allows drivers to still recover after disastrous accidents, even if they were found somewhat at fault. For comparison, some states have a threshold for the amount of fault a driver can be held liable for before they can no longer receive recovery. The comparative fault law in Missouri only further intensifies the complexity of truck cases. Consequently, the law increases the potential liability risk for everyone.
For trucking companies and their truck drivers, accidents are a major liability for their business and livelihood. Trucking companies could be subjected to thousands of dollars in fines and risk the possibility of being closed, while drivers are at risk of losing their CDL without possibility of reinstatement. The insurance companies of drivers and semi-truck companies also face huge liability after an accident. Semi-truck companies and drivers are required to have a minimum of $750,000 worth of coverage. With high claim amounts, insurance companies may attempt to pay out the lowest dollar amount possible. The possibility of liability continues to expand as our investigators collect more evidence and uncover possible negligence from shippers, brokers, and manufacturers. The shared liability risk acts as an incentive for the investigations these companies conduct to be done with the intention of protecting their best interests, rather than being fair and objective.
This has the potential to put personal injury firms and their clients at a disadvantage if they can’t act quickly. If law firms don’t have the tools, capacity, and specialized knowledge of the trucking industry to investigate the scene of an accident and gather evidence, they may struggle to match the pace that trucking companies and insurance companies move at. This can lead to clients being assigned an unfair amount of fault, missing out on time-sensitive evidence, and losing the ability to identify all responsible parties for an accident. Most importantly, it can lead to increased pressure on victims and their families while they are navigating life after a serious injury or wrongful death.
Our RRT doesn’t only set Craig, Kelley and Faultless apart from other Missouri personal injury law firms. It also allows the firm to keep our commitment to protecting our clients from day one. We have the resources and support to match the pace that trucking companies move at and effectively close the gap they create. By tailoring our experts and resources to the specific needs of a case, our clients can be confident they have someone in their corner dedicated to protecting their rights and ensuring they get the best recovery possible.
Injured After a Truck Wreck? Craig, Kelley & Faultless Is Ready to Help
Craig, Kelley & Faultless is a personal injury law firm handling semi and other truck accident cases in St. Louis, Missouri, and throughout the nation. The firm has lawyers licensed in Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and Tennessee. These experienced lawyers have dedicated their careers to helping victims and their loved ones involved in commercial vehicle wrecks through every aspect of their case. The firm also has a rapid response team that works with investigators, reconstructionist and mechanics who immediately collect evidence as soon as the firm is hired.
Our Missouri attorney Christopher M. Barry was included in the 2027 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®, reflecting his professional reputation and results. He is a member of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (ATAA), the premier truck personal injury lawyer’s group. Chris believes that the civil justice system, particularly the right to a jury trial, plays a critical role in holding negligent parties accountable. He represents injured individuals exclusively and is committed to helping clients navigate difficult circumstances with clear guidance, responsiveness, and strong advocacy. He is also licensed in Illinois and Indiana.
The Craig, Kelley & Faultless St. Louis office is located at 5585 Pershing Ave Suite 110, St. Louis, MO 63112, available by appointment only. Reach out for a free case consultation at (314) 367-2661or visit https://www.ckflaw.com/st-louis/.
David W. Craig and Scott A. Faultless sit on the Board of Regents of the ATAA, which requires Board Certification in Truck Accident Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. David is the managing partner and one of the founding partners of Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC. He is the author of Semitruck Wreck, A Guide for Victims and Their Families and It’s Never Been Easier to Hire the Wrong Attorney, both written to help people navigate what comes next after a tragic wreck. He also hosts the podcast After the Crash, where you can gain valuable information about the dangers involving semis and large trucks that do not follow safety protocol regarding speed, weather conditions, maintenance upkeep, etc. David is licensed to practice law in Indiana and has been admitted to handle trucking cases pro hac vice in many states, including Missouri.
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