Around 3:55 am on Interstate 270 in south St. Louis County, MO, there was a catastrophic accident involving a semi tractor-trailer, a pickup truck, and a garbage truck. Two people died as a result of the collision. So far, we know there had apparently been a collision between a trash truck and a pickup truck. A police officer was there after the initial wreck and stopped both vehicles in the third lane. Unfortunately, a semi came upon the accident scene and struck the pickup, knocking it into the garbage truck. The driver of the semi died instantly, and the driver of the pickup died later at the hospital. For more information about this wreck, see Semicrashmap.com.
Analysis From A Truck Accident Attorney
Over the past 40 years of representing victims of commercial motor vehicle accidents, I have seen this type of wreck far too often. A semi traveling at highway speeds comes upon slowed or stopped traffic, doesn’t react in time to avoid the collision, and strikes the stopped or slow vehicles. Unsurprisingly, when a 40-ton semi-truck strikes smaller vehicles, the impact often results in death or catastrophic injuries to the person struck. In my experience, these wrecks are usually caused by one or more of the following factors: the semi driver is fatigued, impaired, distracted, travelling too fast, or the semi tractor-trailer has mechanical issues like bad brakes. At this point, we do not know which or if any of these factors are involved in this wreck, but I would suspect that they are.
Recommendations for Victims of Semi Wrecks of This Nature or Similar Accidents
- Hire an attorney who has the experience, knowledge, and resources to take on the trucking company and its insurance company. Handling a truck, personal injury, or wrongful death case is different than handling other more routine personal injury cases. You want an attorney who understands the difference between them and has knowledge of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, the State Commercial Driver License Manual, industry standards, and state laws. You want to hire a law firm that has all or most of the following: a lawyer who regularly speaks at truck accident conferences, a lawyer who regularly writes about representing truck accident victims, and a lawyer who has received recognition as one of the best truck accident attorneys from reputable private entities (Martindale Hubbel, Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers, American Association for Justice, National Trial Lawyers etc.). The good news is that you do not typically have to pay more to hire the best attorney for your case. Whoever you hire likely will not make you pay anything until and unless they make a recovery for you. For more information, read my best-selling and award-winning book,It’s Never Been Easier to Hire the Wrong Attorney. It is available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble, or you can download a free copy from our website.
- The investigation of this type of wreck is critical, and time is of the essence. The trucking company often learns about these wrecks before the victims’ families do. They have a team of adjusters, lawyers, investigators, and reconstructionists ready to go within hours of a wreck. The trucking company only has to maintain certain information for set periods of time. Some trucking companies automatically eliminate everything they can within the quickest time frame allowed. The bad companies destroy or alter evidence as soon as they can. If the victim’s family doesn’t have an attorney looking out for them and preventing this from happening, valuable evidence can be lost forever. I have seen this happen many times over my 40 years of representing the victims of semi wrecks. That is why some truck accident law firms have their own rapid response team to protect and preserve critical evidence. More information about the rapid response team and other resources we offer can be found on our YouTube profile.
- Download the electronic control module (ECM) and any other electronic data that is available on the semi. Download the ECM from the dump truck and the airbag module from the pickup truck. Have a heavy truck mechanic inspect the semi tractor, the semi-trailer, the dump truck, and the pickup. Your truck accident attorney will know who to hire to do this.
- Hire an accident reconstructionist who has experience reconstructing commercial motor vehicle accidents. Shoot the scene with a drone and collect the police photos and their evidence. Your truck accident attorney will know who to hire.
- Get witness statements. You can often find witnesses from the 911 calls, police report, or social media searches. Have an investigator get taped statements while the information is still fresh in the witness’ minds and before the trucking companies can spin a different story. Your truck accident attorney will do this.
- Get help coping with the aftermath of the wreck. When someone has catastrophic injuries or dies as a result of a wreck, the impact affects the entire family. Help is often needed to get though these tough times. There are professionals and support groups that can help. Your attorney can help you with this. At Craig Kelley & Faultless, we have a social worker on staff who connects client with the right people or agencies.
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) 367-2661 or 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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