SEMI SLAMS INTO BACK OF BUS IN ANDREW COUNTY, MISSOURI
Post Date: January 6th, 2010
On New Year’s Eve, a semi tractor trailer truck was involved in a three-car accident. The accident happened on Interstate 29. The reported details are scant but it appears that the wreck occurred when the northbound vehicle was slowing down to make a left-hand turn into an emergency crossover. At that same location there was a semi truck being driven by Steven Frost. Apparently the eighteen-wheeler tried to avoid the car when it was struck in the rear end by a bus driven by Randy Swinford. A passenger on the bus, Melanie Spinnato suffered minor injuries but refused medical treatment at the scene. The same was true for the bus driver, Randy Swinford.
The reported story itself was a little confusing itself as to how the accident occurred. It is not clear what an “emergency crossover” is. Additionally, we’re unsure what role the tractor trailer played in causing the collision. We do know that the bus was on the one to strike the semi truck in the rear. In Missouri, the law recognizes what is known as the Rear-End Collision doctrine which holds the driver who strikes another in the rear as being liable. However, it also may be the case that the truck driver reacted slowly because he was not paying attention.
The backbone of any case involving a semi tractor trailer is to use the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. These regulations are promulgated by the federal government and cover numerous aspects of the trucking business. As a Missouri semi truck accident lawyer, I know that these types of cases are vastly different than a typical car wreck. You have to have a very detailed knowledge of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. What we often find is that for one reason or other, the truck company itself was negligent in hiring or retaining a particular truck driver. Although many people mistakenly believe that these regulations apply solely to semi trucks, they also apply to commercial buses. However, it is not known in this case the size of the bus involved but it is possible that the safety regulations could easily apply to it as well.
Joshua P. Myers is a Missouri tractor trailer wreck injury lawyer. Based in St. Louis, Missouri, he focuses his practice on semi truck accidents all across the nation. He can be reached toll free at 877.783.8757. It is always free to discuss your case and all fees are based on a percentage of what he recovers on your behalf.
Posted in Andrew County Truck Accident, Missouri Truck Accidents, Semi-Truck Accident Injuries | No Comments »
