St. Louis Drunk Truck Driver Accident Lawyer

Night Time Truck Accident Attorney St. Louis, MO

Did you know that night driving is one of the top causes of truck accidents? Bright headlights, dim highway and street lighting, and other visual impediments all play a part in obstructing eyesight when driving at night. If you have been involved in a night time truck accident, it is important to have an experienced St. Louis injury lawyer assess and develop the best plan of action for your case. Burger Law has recovered millions of dollars for people who have sustained injuries in truck crashes, including night time truck accidents, in St. Louis and the surrounding areas.

Contact Burger Law by calling (314) 500-HURT or completing our online contact form for a no-cost, no-obligation case review.

In the event that an individual decides not to take the correct precautions while driving at night, their actions can lead to serious injuries and damages including loss of income, pain and suffering, medical care and perhaps even death. The truck accident attorneys are here to help injured individuals and their families recover from horrific truck crashes. In 2019, 35 percent of all fatal truck crashes occurred at night, between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. Driving at night is inherently more dangerous than driving during the daytime because it is dark, and it is harder to see other cars, pedestrians, bicyclists, road construction areas and other potential hazards.

What Can Cause St. Louis Night Time Truck Accidents?

Low visibility contributes to many night time truck accidents, but other commons reasons include:

• 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 much higher risk to those on the St. Louis and Missouri roads, the United States Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration 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 allowed to drive for 24 hours

If a truck driver made the terrible decision to drive drunk or impaired by drugs and caused you injuries, Burger Law’s Missouri truck accident injury lawyers in St. Louis will hold them accountable. When we sue drunk drivers on your behalf, we seek punitive damages so they know never to get behind the wheel intoxicated again.

• Drug Impairment

The Code of Federal Regulations §392.82 also requires commercial truck drivers to be tested for the following 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 often linked to poor working conditions. Many drivers traveling through St. Louis and Missouri use amphetamines and cocaine in order to stay awake when driving long hours.

• Faulty Truck or Equipment

The Code of Federal Regulations §396 stipulates that every “motor carrier, its officers, drivers, agents, representatives and employees” consistently 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 hit by a truck driver in St. Louis or anywhere in Missouri or Illinois, it is imperative you contact the night time truck accident lawyers at Burger Law right away. As part of our truck accident investigation, we will acquire any and all reports. If we find the driver or truck company was negligent, you can be sure our truck accident injury lawyers will hold them accountable.

• Fatigued Driving

Along with drunk driving and distracted driving, fatigued driving is one of the most dangerous things a driver can do. 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 laws against drowsy driving, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has enacted strict hours-of-service regulations to ensure that truck drivers get enough rest when they have to drive long hours:

Property-Carrying Drivers

• A max of 11 hours of driving after 10 consecutive off-duty hours
• A max 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
• No more than 60 hours on duty over seven consecutive days
• No more 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 max 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
• No more than 60 hours on duty over seven consecutive days
• No more than 70 hours on duty over eight consecutive days
• Drivers who use 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 drowsy or fatigued. According to the groundbreaking Large Truck Crash Causation Study, pressure from employers to meet tight schedules was a leading reason that truck drivers drove fatigued. If you or a loved one in St. Louis or anywhere in Missouri or Illinois was injured because a trucking company obligated their drivers to drive longer than they should, Burger Law’s St. Louis night time truck accident lawyers will prove that they were liable and make sure you receive maximum compensation.

Strict adherence to any Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulation is necessary to keep our St. Louis and Missouri roads safe. If anyone who owns, manages or drives a truck is negligent in satisfying any state or federal regulations and injures you or your loved one, they need to pay and you need to be compensated for your damages. If you or a loved one has been injured in a night time truck accident it’s important to allow the lawyers at Burger Law to investigate your case, build a strong claim and successfully fight for full compensation. Call us immediately at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online.

What Do I Do After a St. Louis Night Time Truck Accident?

Our St. Louis-based night time truck accident attorney recommends taking several steps immediately after being injured in a crash to ensure your safety and the best possible outcome in your case:

• Make sure you are safe
• Call the police
• Document the scene
• Get Medical Attention
• Call Burger Law at (314) 500-HURT

To guarantee that insurance companies and large St. Louis or Missouri corporations treat you fairly, and to secure a full financial recovery for your case, call a night time truck accident attorney at Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or fill out our online form.

Can a St. Louis Night Time Truck Accident Lawyer Help Me?

Trucking companies and their insurers will try to get away with only paying out a small amount to individuals who have fallen victim to injuries from night time truck crashes, often leaving them with serious injuries and not enough compensation to cover their medical and financial damages. The night time truck accident attorneys at Burger Law will take the required steps to protect you from insurance companies who will attempt to take advantage of your situation.

As your night time truck accident lawyers in St. Louis, Burger Law will:

• Investigate your night time truck accident, including identifying all witnesses, security footage or other information to identify the at-fault driver
• Ensure you get the full medical treatment you need to recover
• Pursue every legal avenue to get you the financial recovery you deserve
• Always make sure you know what is going on with your case
• Handle all documentation, negotiation and litigation
• Offer sound legal counsel based on experience and expertise, while always allowing you to make your own decisions for you and your St. Louis family
• Fight back against the truck driver’s or trucking company’s insurance company when they refuse to be fair
• Stand by your side when it seems everyone else is against you
• Take your case to trial if we cannot secure a fair settlement offer in negotiations
• Do whatever it takes to get you full compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, out-of-pocket expenses and the pain and suffering you have incurred because of your injuries

Hire Burger Law Right Away

Reach Out to the Leading Night Time Truck Accident Lawyers in St. Louis | Burger Law

If anyone who owns, manages or operates a truck does not follow the regulations and they cause you injuries in a night time truck accident, they are liable for your damages. Trust in the St. Louis-based Missouri and Illinois night time truck accident lawyers at Burger Law to hold them accountable and get you the maximum compensation you deserve.

The legal process is complicated and uncertain for the average person. The Burger Law St. Louis night time truck accident lawyers are experts in Missouri and Illinois law, and in dealing with insurance companies and large corporations that use tricks to try to deceive you and devalue your claim. Our night time truck accident attorneys are dedicated to providing those injured in night time truck crashes with expert legal advice. If you or a loved one in St. Louis or anywhere in Missouri or Illinois were injured by a reckless truck driver or trucking company, call the night time truck accident lawyers at Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online.

• Truck Driver Blind Spot Accidents
• Driver Fatigue Accidents
• Commercial Trucking Accidents
• Fatal Accidents
• Hit-and-Run Truck Accidents
• Overloaded / Overweight Trucks
• Catastrophic Injuries
• Jackknife Accidents
• Night Time Truck Accidents
• Rollover Accidents
• Liable Parties in a Truck Accident
• Public Transportation Accidents
• Bus Accidents
• RV Accidents