Truck Accident Lawyer in Edwardsville, IL

If you or someone you love were seriously injured in a truck accident in Edwardsville, IL caused by a driver or trucking company who decided not to follow the rules of the road, time is of the essence. Call Burger Law right away at (618) 500-HURT or fill out our online contact form.

At Burger Law, we steadfastly represent Edwardsville, IL residents who sustained injuries in truck accidents due to someone else’s negligence. Collisions involving trucks and passenger vehicles, as well as pedestrians and other people on the roadway, lead to catastrophic injuries even at low speeds because of the sheer weight and size of trucks. Truck drivers and their companies must follow federal and state trucking regulations, and any failure to follow these laws presents a risk of harm to others in Edwardsville, IL. If you or a loved one were seriously injured or your family member was killed in a truck crash, our Edwardsville, IL truck accident lawyers can assist you in seeking maximum compensation from the responsible parties. Give us a call immediately at (618) 500-HURT or reach out to us online for a no-cost, no-obligation consultation.

What Are the Common Types of Truck Accidents in Edwardsville, IL?

As knowledgeable truck accident lawyers serving all of Illinois, we have seen truck crash cases resulting from many different negligent behaviors and leading to a wide variety of serious and life-threatening injuries. We are dedicated to helping truck accident victims like you navigate the intricacies of your claim and holding the trucking company, the truck driver, insurance company and any other negligent parties accountable for the damages they have caused and we have the experience to do just that. Some of the types of truck accident cases we have seen in the Edwardsville, IL area include:

• Hit-and-Run Truck Accidents
• Overloaded and Overweight Truck Accidents
• Rollover Truck Accidents
• Commercial Truck Accidents
• Big Rig Truck Accidents
• 18-Wheeler Truck Accidents
• Tractor Trailer Crash
• Night Time Truck Accidents
• Jackknife Truck Accidents

Burger Law’s Edwardsville, IL truck attorneys have the experience and knowledge to help you receive the full recovery you deserve after any truck crash leaves you injured. Learn more about our firm and fields of expertise in Edwardsville cases below.

• Personal injury
• Car accident
• Truck accident
• Motorcycle accident
• Wrongful death

What Can Cause a Truck Accident in Edwardsville, IL?

Distracted driving is a leading contributor to trucking accidents, as 71 percent of truck crashes happened when the truck driver was doing something besides driving the truck. Other common contributors to Edwardsville, IL truck accidents are:

1. Faulty Truck or Equipment

The Code of Federal Regulations §396 stipulates that every “motor carrier, its officers, drivers, agents, representatives and employees” routinely inspect, repair and maintain their trucks, as well as keep detailed records.

They must inspect:

• Time and frame assemblies
• Suspension systems
• Axles
• Wheels and rims
• Steering systems
• Brakes

If you were injured by a truck driver in Edwardsville, IL or anywhere in Illinois, it is imperative you contact the Edwardsville, IL truck accident lawyers at Burger Law as soon as possible. As part of our accident investigation, we will acquire any and all reports. We will find any and all parties who carry fault in your accident and hold them accountable to the full extent of the law.

2. Fatigued Driving

One of the most dangerous things a driver can do behind the wheel is operate a truck while fatigued. Being awake for 18 consecutive hours is equivalent to having a blood alcohol content of .05 percent. While Arkansas and New Jersey are the only states to have regulations against drowsy driving, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has enacted stringent hours-of-service regulations to make sure that truck drivers get sufficient rest when they have to log long hours:

Property-Carrying Drivers

• A max of 11 hours of driving following 10 consecutive off-duty hours
• A maximum of 14 hours on-duty, meaning that the trucker may not drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty after 10 consecutive off-duty hours
• Fewer than 60 hours on duty over seven consecutive days
• Fewer than 70 hours on duty over eight consecutive days
• Any driver using a sleeper berth must take eight consecutive hours in it, plus a separate two hours in the sleeper berth or off duty, or any combination of the two.

Passenger-Carrying Drivers

• A maximum of 10 hours driving after eight consecutive hours off duty
• A max of 15 hours on-duty, meaning that the commercial driver may not drive beyond the 15th consecutive hour after eight consecutive off-duty hours
• Fewer than 60 hours on duty over seven consecutive days
• No more than 70 hours on duty over eight consecutive days
• Drivers who utilize a sleeper berth must take at least eight hours in it with the option of splitting the time into two periods, provided that neither is less than two hours

Truck drivers should pull over when they are feeling fatigued or drowsy. Pressure from employers to meet tight schedules was a leading reason that truck drivers drove fatigued, according to the groundbreaking Large Truck Crash Causation Study. If you or a loved one in Edwardsville, IL was injured because a trucking company obligated their drivers to drive longer than they should under law, Burger Law’s Illinois truck accident lawyers serving Edwardsville will show they were liable and make sure you get maximum compensation.

3. Alcohol Impairment

It is federal law that no one can operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .08 percent or higher. Because large trucks pose a greater risk to those on the Edwardsville, IL and Illinois roads, the United States Department of Transportation’s FMCA and its Code of Federal Regulations §392.82 places even higher restrictions on truck drivers:

• No truck driver may drive with a blood alcohol content of .04 percent or higher
• Having a blood alcohol content over .02 may make a truck driver subject to disciplinary action, and they will not be permitted to operate a truck for 24 hours

Burger Law’s truck accident injury lawyers will hold any truck driver making the terrible decision to drive drunk or impaired by drugs accountable. We seek punitive damages when we sue drunk drivers on your behalf, so they know never to get behind the wheel intoxicated again.

4. Drug Impairment

The Code of Federal Regulations §392.82 also requires commercial truck drivers to be tested for these controlled substances:

• Marijuana
• Cocaine
• Opiates, including opium itself and derivative drugs such as heroin
• Amphetamines and methamphetamine
• Phencyclidine (a.k.a. PCP)

Unfortunately, drug use among truck drivers is high and frequently linked to poor working conditions. Many drivers traveling through Edwardsville, IL use amphetamines and cocaine so that they keep themselves awake when driving long hours.

Strict adherence to any FMCSA regulation is necessary to keep our Edwardsville, IL and Illinois roadways safe. If anyone who drives, manages or owns a truck is negligent in satisfying any state or federal regulations and injures you or your loved one, you need to be compensated for your damages and they need to pay. If you or someone you love has sustained injuries in a truck accident in Edwardsville, IL it is important to allow the lawyers at Burger Law to investigate your case, build a strong personal injury claim and successfully fight for maximum compensation. Call us as soon as possible at (618) 500-HURT or reach out to us online.

Resources to Educate Yourself on Your Truck Accident Case

Learn more about your rights in an Illinois personal injury case, get this free book on how to win your truck crash case, find hundreds of videos on truck accident claims on our YouTube channel @BurgerLaw or go ahead and get a free consultation from our trial attorneys at (618) 500-HURT or online.

What Are Common Injuries Sustained in a Truck Accident in Edwardsville, IL?

Commercial trucks can weigh in the range between 30,000 and 80,000 pounds. The average passenger vehicle weighs 4,100lbs. This definitive variation in weight is precisely why truck drivers must carefully and closely adhere to the rules of the road. When a commercial truck that is loaded with cargo smashes into a smaller vehicle, the injuries that result from that car crash are often devastating and life-threatening. Here are a few types of injuries our truck accident lawyers have worked with in Edwardsville, IL truck accident cases:

• Internal Bleeding – Internal bleeding can be hazardous anywhere in the body and one of the typical causes of internal bleeding is trauma from truck and car collisions, including pentrating and impact injuries as well as deceleration injuries, when the sudden stop of a vehicle causes internal vessels or organs to break or rupture. Internal bleeding can lead to fatal organ failure when untreated. The issue with internal bleeding is that it is sometimes hard to spot, and you may not recognize the seriousness of your condition following a Edwardsville, IL truck accident.
• Broken Bones – Trauma from truck accidents and other vehicular accidents is the most common cause of broken bones. Extreme breaks such as comminuted fractures or displaced fractures when the bone is splintered into several pieces can be particularly dangerous.
• Spinal Cord Injuries – Spinal injuries are serious injuries that can affect your mobility and the motor function of your limbs. The spinal cord is the main avenue that your brain uses to send commands throughout your body. Research from the World Health Organization states that 90 percent of spinal cord injury cases are caused by trauma, and motor vehicle accidents are the leading source. Any damage to your spine can often end in serious injuries throughout other areas of the body.

How Does a Truck Accident Lawyer Prove My Case in Edwardsville, IL?

To successfully prove and argue your case and, ultimately, get you just compensation after being injured in a serious truck wreck, your lawyer’s first task is to come up with a detailed understanding of the circumstances of your accident. Your Edwardsville, Illinois-based truck accident lawyer from Burger Law will investigate your case and carefully gather all evidence and documentation surrounding the accident and your ensuing damages. We then use that evidence to discover who is a fault and demonstrate how their behavior have negatively affected your life and health.

Our Edwardsville truck accident lawyers are experts at building impenetrable cases for injury victims. We are even ready to go to trial if that is what it takes to get you full compensation. Whether we are able to settle the case quickly out of court or have to go through a contentious trial process, your Edwardsville, IL truck accident lawyer can obtain and implement the following valuable sources of evidence to show beyond doubt that the defendant is without question responsible for injuring you.

• The truck’s black box: The black box holds valuable information about the operation of the truck ,such as speed, braking activity and other behavior.
• Truck cameras: Some commercial trucks have cameras recording the inside of the cab, the road ahead or both. Cameras may have captured the traffic events or the driver’s actions leading up to the accident.
• Witness statements: Witnesses may have important perspective on how the truck accident unfolded. They can help your case by confirming facts or offering a new observation about the wreck.
• Police reports and citations: Police file their report after arriving at an accident site and gathering information. If they find that a driver did something wrong or broke a law, they may issue a formal citation or written violation.
• Surveillance footage: Your Edwardsville, IL truck accident injury lawyer can obtain relevant surveillance footage if a traffic camera or a building’s outdoor camera recorded any images pertinent to the accident.
• The scene of the accident: Road conditions, visibility, skid marks and the position of vehicles and vehicle parts immediately following the accident can show us a lot about what took place, and why.
• Employer files: Commercial truck drivers, trucking companies and other involved parties must comply with regulations when they operate. When a driver makes an error, the trucking company can be liable also if they neglected to adequately train the driver, did not issue drug tests as often as called for, hired a driver with a history of traffic citations or have incomplete or missing records to such effect.
• Maintenance records: Commercial trucks must be frequently inspected and maintained. As your truck accident injury lawyer, we will acquire maintenance records to verify that they complied with regulations and that the truck was accepted for road use when the accident happened.

Call Our Edwardsville, IL Truck Accident Lawyers Now

When you work with our Edwardsville, IL truck accident attorney, you can rest easy knowing that you are working with a knowledgeable and skilled professional who is familiar with your case, is familiar with the ins and outs of the law and has your best interests in mind. Burger Law has recovered millions of dollars in settlements for our clients by successfully handling truck accident cases in Edwardsville, IL.

To get the recovery you deserve, call Burger Law today at (618) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free, confidential consultation. Our Edwardsville, IL truck accident lawyers work on a contingency-fee basis, meaning we do not charge any fees until we win your case. When you hire our firm, we finance your case and get to work right away, agreeing to work for a percentage of your settlement if we win your case. Quality legal counsel means no out-of-pocket expenses for you, so don’t wait a moment longer. Hire Burger Law today.

Client Reviews

What our clients are saying about us

Juanita Matthews

Year of 2023

This law firm is absolutely amazing. They took on my case, when nobody else would! They fought hard for me when it seemed there was no hope. They kept me informed and always asked for my input before making decisions on my case. Gary puts himself into every case unlike most law firm owners. Gary and his team really care about every one of their clients, and fights hard to get you a fair settlement. They actually won my case out of court, and then reduced my fees to make sure I could get my car fixed and be able to get back to some normality. I would recommend Burger Law over and above any other firm! If you go somewhere else you aren’t getting the best!

Shaunda S.

7 months ago

I am very happy with the staff at Burger Law. I mostly worked with Michael Sheldon, and he did an amazing job. I trusted him completely with my case, and he did not disappoint. I would definitely recommend this team if your ever in need of good attorneys.

Emelia M.

3 months ago

Burger Law Firm is fantastic. Laura and Genevieve were so amazing and helpful throughout the entire process. They helped me with my personal injury case every step of the way and succeeded at getting me the results I desired.

Helen L.

a year ago

We had a great experience with Burger Law for representing us after a serious car accident. Truly impressed by how professional and supportive the entire team is. And, many thanks to Genavieve and Laura – you are amazing!

Judy M.

a year ago

They did an amazing job on my case! Communication with them was great!!! Kept me informed and in the loop with everything that was going on!!! Will definitely be the 1st ones I’ll call if ever I’m in another accident!!! Thank you very much!!!

Chelsea C.

5 months ago

Let me tell you something about Burger Law.. they are so attentive and kind. Jennifer is my savior!! I love the whole team!!! They are truly a miracle team!! I appreciate their business and would recommend it to others.

David D.

2 months ago

Absolutely the best law firm in the St. Louis area. No matter the size of your case you are treated as if you are the only client on the roster. Will explain anything thoroughly and they work around your availability. Very impressed and appreciative of the service.

Lisa B.

11 months ago

Gary and Casey took great care of me for 2.5 years as my lawsuit was finally settled. I feel he helped me achieve justice for me and my 4 children after their father died from medical malpractice and neglect. Thanks to Gary, my kids now have a great start to their college and adult lives. Thank you Gary and Casey, for fighting for us so hard at our most trying and difficult time in our lives thus far. Love and God bless from my family to yours!

View More Reviews on Google Maps and Yelp