A crash with a concrete mixer truck changes your life instantly. You’re likely dealing with painful injuries, and the emotional and financial tolls are also devastating.
At Sumner Law Group, LLC, we want to help you seek the money you need after a cement mixer truck accident in St. Louis. With over 50 years of combined experience, our personal injury attorneys know what it takes to beat the big construction and insurance companies and win substantial compensation for our clients. Our law firm is a proud member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an honor held by fewer than 1 percent of lawyers nationwide. Let us put our experience and resources to work for you.
We’re available to meet with you anywhere, anytime, to support you. Call now or complete our contact form for a free consultation with our St. Louis truck accident lawyers.
Why Concrete Mixer Truck Accidents Are So Dangerous
Concrete mixer truck accidents are especially dangerous because of the vehicles’ size, weight, and design. Cement trucks can weigh over 60,000 pounds when fully loaded, which makes them much harder to stop or maneuver than ordinary passenger vehicles. The truck’s mixing drum also raises the vehicle’s center of gravity, increasing the risk of rollovers, especially on turns or uneven roads.
The impact force that cement mixer trucks cause is often enough to result in catastrophic injuries or deaths. Additionally, loose concrete or debris from the truck can create secondary hazards like slippery surfaces or obstructed lanes. Concrete mixer truck accidents often involve multiple vehicles and complicated crash scenes, making them more difficult to investigate without experienced legal help.
Who Is Liable in a Concrete Truck Accident?
Multiple parties in the construction industry could be liable for a cement mixer accident. Who is liable depends on whose negligent actions caused the collision. Some examples of potentially liable parties include:
- The cement truck driver – A truck driver may be liable if they were speeding, distracted, driving under the influence, failed to yield, made unsafe turns, or engaged in other negligent conduct that caused the crash. Driver fatigue and aggressive driving are also common issues in these cases.
- The trucking company – The company that owns or operates the cement truck may be responsible for poor hiring practices, not training drivers properly, or forcing drivers to meet unrealistic schedules. It may also be liable for failing to inspect or maintain the truck. If the driver was an employee, the employer trucking company would be vicariously liable for the trucker’s negligence.
- The concrete supplier or contractor – Overloading makes cement mixer trucks unstable and more likely to roll over. If a third-party company loaded the truck improperly or failed to secure the concrete drum, they could be responsible for a resulting collision.
- The truck manufacturer or maintenance provider – If a mechanical failure contributed to the crash, the manufacturer or maintenance company could be liable. Common issues include faulty brakes, steering problems, and tire blowouts.
- Other drivers – Many multi-vehicle accidents involving cement trucks happen because another driver was careless and collided with the truck. The driver who caused the initial collision is often liable in such cases.
Compensation You May Be Entitled to After a Concrete Truck Accident
Your compensation for a St. Louis concrete truck accident depends on your injuries, their long-term effects, your financial losses, and other factors specific to your case. With support from our capable legal team, your construction truck accident claim could include compensation for:
- Current and future medical expenses
- Lost income
- Reduced future earnings
- Pain and suffering
- Damage to your car or other personal property
Proving Negligence in a Commercial Truck Crash
Most construction truck accident claims are based on negligence, a legal term for someone’s failure to behave in an appropriately careful way given the circumstances. Our concrete truck accident attorneys can collect and preserve evidence of another party’s negligence, such as:
- Police reports – Police crash reports often include the officer’s observations, witness statements, and any citations the officer issued at the scene. For example, the officer may have cited the cement truck driver or another driver for speeding or following too closely, which can make a crash more likely.
- Witness statements – Testimony from people who saw the crash unfold can speak to what happened from a neutral, disinterested standpoint. Someone may have seen the cement truck driver make an unsafe lane change or run a stop sign, for instance.
- Dashcam or surveillance footage – Video from traffic cameras, nearby businesses, or vehicle dashcams can capture the crash in real time and show the behavior of the cement truck driver and others involved in the crash. The footage might show that the truck driver ran a red light or took a turn too quickly, for example.
- Truck driver logs – These records can reveal if the driver was on the road too long without rest, which may point to driver fatigue or rule violations as factors in the collision.
- Vehicle maintenance records – Evidence of poor upkeep, like worn brakes or bald tires, can help prove the trucking company failed to maintain the vehicle appropriately.
Filing a Personal Injury Claim After a Concrete Mixer Truck Accident
The first step in pursuing a personal injury claim after a concrete mixer accident is to hire an attorney. Our personal injury lawyers can step in to handle the legal process so you can focus on healing.
First, we can investigate the accident to determine who is at fault and how much they’ve cost you, both financially and personally. Next, we can send a demand letter to the liable party or their insurance company. The letter explains your concrete truck accident injuries, outlines your losses, and informs the recipient about how much you’re seeking in compensation.
From there, our attorneys can negotiate a settlement with the liable parties, pushing back against low offers and using the evidence to support your claim. If a fair settlement is not possible, our lawyers can file a lawsuit and take your case to court.
Note that while you have five years after a collision to file a personal injury lawsuit in Missouri, you should speak to our personal injury attorneys immediately so we can preserve critical evidence and eyewitness testimony.
Common Causes of Cement Mixer Truck Accidents in St. Louis
Some common causes of cement mixer crashes include these examples:
- Speeding or reckless driving
- Driver fatigue or distraction
- Overloaded or unbalanced mixing drum
- Mechanical failure or poor maintenance
- Inadequate driver training
- Tight turns causing rollovers
- Poor road or weather conditions
How Our St. Louis Concrete Truck Accident Lawyers Can Help
At Sumner Law Group, LLC, our job after a concrete truck accident is to assert your rights and simplify your life. We can investigate the crash, collect evidence, document your losses, and submit a demand letter to start settlement negotiations. We’ll push back against any attempts to blame you for the crash or reduce your compensation. As we negotiate, we’ll prepare for a possible trial if one becomes necessary to pursue the full amount you’re owed.
Don’t risk your future by not hiring a lawyer after a cement truck accident in St. Louis. Call Sumner Law Group, LLC, today or complete our contact form for a free consultation.
