A car driver in St. Louis, Missouri is suing a trucking company for alleged negligence in the operation of a tractor-trailer.

The woman filed the complaint in St. Louis on Oct. 17, alleging that the defendant did not use the highest degree of care required for operating and maintaining a tractor trailer. The suit alleges that in February 2014, the K&B Transportation truck crashed into her vehicle at the Ninth Street intersection with Salisbury Street in St. Louis.

As a result of the truck crash, the woman driver claimed that she suffered physical injuries and medical costs that total nearly $49,000. The lawsuit states that the plaintiff is holding the trucking company and the driver responsible because both allegedly failed to maintain an understanding and knowledge of state and federal motor carrier safety regulations.

Virginia Tractor Trailer Accident Attorney View

Our tractor trailer attorneys are licensed in Virginia, and we often see serious and sometimes fatal tractor-trailer accidents caused by truckers who simply are not taking their driving duties seriously.

Every truck driver with a CDL has a higher duty than regular drivers to drive with care and caution. Our personal injury attorneys have seen many truck crash cases caused by distracted driving. Distracted driving can take on many different forms. But there is no doubt today that cell phones are leading to more tractor-trailer crashes than ever.

The FMCSA has taken note of the higher number of deadly and serious truck crashes in recent years. The agency has banned commercial truck drivers from texting while driving or using a cell phone while driving, unless it is a hands-free device.

If a truck driver is caught using a cell phone while driving a tractor-trailer, there can be a fine as high as $2750, and the driver also can lose his or her license if there are several offenses.

Our personal injury attorneys in Virginia think that some truckers simply do not take the risk seriously that comes with using a cell phone while driving a huge truck. But FMCSA data shows that chances of a crash are 23 times greater for tractor-trailer drivers who are using a cell phone. Remember – at 55 MPH, taking your eyes off the road for just 5 seconds means you are driving a huge rig the entire distance of a football field without looking.

Tractor trailer crashes often cause terrible injuries and massive personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits. We would like to remind truckers to always keep their attention where it belongs when driving: on the road.