Our Missouri tractor-trailer accident lawyers are following a serious crash that took place Tuesday afternoon on US136 in Bethany, Missouri.  The crash occurred as a 65,000 pound semi-truck pulled directly into the path of Lisa Hamilton.  40 year-old Lisa Hamilton sustained serious injuries and was rushed to Harrison County Memorial Hospital to be treated by trauma staff. Hamilton is a longtime resident of Albany, MO.  47 year-old Stanley Bridger was driving the Peterbilt tractor-trailer that reportedly caused the collision between the truck and Hamilton's Dodge minivan.  The Bethany Police Department and Troop H of the Missouri Highway Patrol worked on the investigation of the crash.  It has not been determined whether Bridger will be issued citations from the crash.

One of the first things our Missouri truck accident lawyers do when investigating a serious crash such as this is file an order of protection with the court to provide access to the semi-truck's electronic control module (ECM).  This is critical because the ECM will provide a wide range of valuable data that will be useful down the line when the injured party presents a claim for compensation from the insurance company that insured the tractor-trailer and truck driver, which in this case is Nebraska Motor Vehicle Insurance Company.  Our accident injury attorneys also immediately serve "spoliation" letters to the trucking company, truck driver, and insurance company.  A spoliation letter is legal jargon for a demand for preservation.  The items necessary for preservation in any serious truck accident includes, but is not limited to:

• Truck driver log books
• Trip receipts
• Fuel receipts
• Scale receipts
• QUALCOMM data reports
• Pre-trip inspection reports
• Post-trip inspection reports
• Driver qualification file
• Employment file
• Bills of laiding
• Post-crash drug testing results
• Accident reconstruction reports
• DOT medical cards

One of the common problems in any Missouri semi-truck accident claim is the destruction or manipulation of evidence.  Trucking companies and their liability insurance carriers will do everything to keep our Missouri injury lawyers from obtaining the evidence listed in our spoliation letters.  Why?  Because it means our clients will obtain fair compensation for any injury claim or wrongful death claim that is filed following a serious crash.

If you are injured in an accident with a large tractor-trailer, the recovery can be slow, expensive, and painful.  As slow is it may be, it is important to retain an experienced injury lawyer to handle preservation of evidence and negotiations with the insurance company.  Without a lawyer, you are significantly reducing your chances of obtaining fair compensation for your claim.  Call the Missouri truck accident lawyers at Schultz & Myers Law Firm for more information at (855) 365-HURT (4878), by email, or visit our comprehensive Missouri semi-truck accident victim website. 

 

As a partner at one of the most successful St. Louis personal injury law firms, I get calls each day from innocent victims of accidents.  Good people with significant injuries.  After speaking with the victim for a few minutes, I always get the question of what a personal injury claim is worth.  What is the settlement value of my case?  To first understand how to properly value a claim, each of us must understand that it is nearly impossible to gauge the settlement value of a claim until a person has concluded medical treatment.  This medical treatment must be inclusive of opinion reports from treating doctors as to any future medical care that may be necessary for the patients good medical care.

There are no two injury claims that are handled the same or valued the same.  Factors such as insurance company, venue, employment, family dynamic, and the defendant rarely are taken into consideration by most lawyers.  However, if you are looking for an opinion from a lawyer, it is important to make sure that he/she takes ALL of these factors into consideration, and more!   If you break your arm in a car accident, it will probably heal with little future concerns.  But if you injure your spine and are diagnosed with a bulging disc or herniated disc, then future complications, such as early onset arthritis, become a real concern that must come into play when demanding a settlement from the at-fault party.

If you are looking for advice from a lawyer when it comes to settlements, also consider that the value of any claim is much different when you talk about "jury value."  Obtaining justice from a jury is the only real way to determine what is fair for an accident injury claim.  In submitting your case to a jury, you enlist the help of your community to determine how much is fair in resolving your case.  Understand that settlement value and verdict value are two completely different things.  While a settlement can be a wise choice when liability and damages are in dispute, obtaining a verdict from a jury is always advisable in cases where the insurance company is unreasonable and the community must be called upon to properly judge the case.

To discuss the value of your particular case, contact St. Louis personal injury lawyer Stephen Schultz by calling (314) 448-0934.