A man is in serious condition after a semi tractor trailer slid into his lane on Missouri 38, just west of Marshfield. His passenger was moderately injured in this MIssouri automobile accident. Both Fordland men were immediately taken to Cox South Hospital for their injuries. According to the highway patrol, the semi crossed the center line which led the driver to swerve to avoid the truck. Unfortunately, the trailer then moved into the driver’s lane of travel, causing the accident. It is not yet clear why the semi driver swerved into the wrong lane in the first place.
On Friday morning, a Walnut Ridge man was killed when his 2000 Freightliner left the road and overturned on Highway N. The Missouri State Police reported the sermi truck
was headed east and passing another vehicle when the truck left the roadway on the left side. The driver then overcorrected and caused the truck to overturn and slide off the roadway on the right. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene by authorities.
There may be many explanations for these drivers’ actions but it is not uncommon for semi drivers to become overly tired and fall asleep at the wheel. As explained in this article, many trucking companies push their drivers to make many deliveries in a short amount of time. This can lead drivers speeding and/or working too many hours without sleep to meet delivery deadlines. As a Missouri automobile accident lawyer, I represent those injured by such drivers. Such irresponsible behavior frequently leads to serious accidents and serious injuries.
In 2009, I was proud to represent the family of Jemma Dant, a young woman killed in a tractor-trailer crash. Jemma was sitting, stopped in traffic in the far right lane on westbound I-44 in the City of St. Louis, Missouri. A fatiqued truck driver failed to see the stopped traffic and slammed into the back of Jemma’s car causing a horrific crash. Jemma was killed instantly as her car was shoved under a semi truck in front of her. We litigated against the truck driver and his employer. Also, I tried the case against Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDot) to a panel of three arbitrators. The family was awarded $1.3 million. Below is a video of the news story on the case.

Fordland man seriously injured in semi truck accident, News-Leader.com, October 19, 2010