Truck Accidents Lawyers in Jefferson City

Enduring a truck accident is a profoundly distressing experience for all parties involved. When confronted with the arduous task of recovering from injuries sustained in such incidents, securing the services of a seasoned personal injury attorney becomes imperative. While they don’t happen as often as crashes involving passenger vehicles, collisions involving semi-tractor-trailers or commercial trucks are more likely to result in fatality.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), about 4,000 people are killed every year in collisions involving large trucks. In 2024, truck crashes caused 5,340 deaths nationwide. Of those, 62 percent were people in another vehicle, and 19 percent were pedestrians or those on motorcycles and bicycles.

Have you been the victim of a truck accident? If so, you need to act quickly to preserve your legal rights. The experienced truck accident lawyers at Brydon, Swearengen & England P.C. can help.

Brydon, Swearengen & England P.C. is a law firm with nearly 50 years of dedicated service. Our team of qualified attorneys has built a strong track record representing clients who have been catastrophically injured in truck accidents. We work tirelessly to investigate each case, prove liability, and pursue the compensation our clients deserve. When everything is on the line, we stand by your side.

Clients We Represent

Truck accident cases are rarely straightforward. They often involve multiple parties, complex regulations, and time-sensitive evidence. We represent clients across a wide range of truck accident scenarios.

Whether your situation matches one of the descriptions below or falls somewhere in between, our team is ready to evaluate your case:

• Serious Crash Types or Dangerous Truck Maneuvers: You were injured in a jackknife, rollover, underride, rear-end, head-on, T-bone, sideswipe, or work-zone crash where the truck driver turned wide, changed lanes unsafely, merged recklessly, backed up without warning, missed a blind spot, or lost control.
• Unsafe or Negligent Truck Drivers: You believe the driver was speeding, distracted, impaired, fatigued, or pressured to meet unrealistic deadlines, and you need help determining whether driver behavior, work hours, training, or company practices contributed to the crash.
• Cargo Issues, Truck Defects, or Maintenance Failures: You were injured after cargo fell, shifted, or spilled, or after a truck suffered a brake failure, tire blowout, or other mechanical issue. These cases require a close look at loading practices, maintenance records, and equipment defects.
• Multiple Responsible Parties: Your crash may involve more than the truck driver. The trucking company, cargo loader, broker, maintenance provider, manufacturer, or another business may share responsibility for the accident.
• Preserving Critical Evidence: You need help securing truck-specific evidence before it disappears, including black-box data, driver logs, dispatch communications, inspection reports, maintenance records, cargo documents, dash-camera footage, and company safety files.

No matter which of these applies to you, our attorneys are prepared to act quickly and decisively on your behalf.

Common Causes of Truck Accidents

Many factors can cause or contribute to truck accidents. Some of the most common include:

• Truck driver fatigue
• Distracted driving
• Speeding
• Poor road conditions
• Objects on the roadway
• Lane drifting
• Cargo issues
• Vehicle failure
• Improper maneuvering by truck driver

According to a study by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 60 percent of truck accidents are not caused by driver error. However, in cases where the truck driver was the primary cause of the crash, 87 percent involved truck driver fatigue. While this only accounts for a small percentage of all accidents involving trucks, it is an important consideration, as the risk of a crash doubles for drivers who have been on the road for longer than eight hours.

How the Legal Process Works

Truck accident claims operate under both state law and federal trucking regulations set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). These rules govern everything from driver hours of service to vehicle inspection requirements. Violations of these regulations can serve as powerful evidence of negligence in your case.

Our process begins with a free, no-obligation consultation. From there, we investigate the accident thoroughly, gather and preserve evidence, identify all responsible parties, and build a case designed to maximize your recovery. We handle negotiations with insurance companies directly, shielding you from pressure tactics while you focus on your health. When a fair settlement cannot be reached, we are fully prepared to take your case to trial.

Truck Accident Investigation

The costs involved with a truck accident can be great, which is why a thorough investigation is critical. The increased size and weight of semi-trucks compared to passenger vehicles often result in injuries that are more severe or even death.

In a typical car accident, fault is usually relatively easy to determine. But in a truck accident, things are often more complicated. Multiple parties could be held liable following a truck accident, including the truck driver, trucking company, cargo loading company, or truck manufacturer. Plus, semi-trucks are governed by federal laws, such as limitations on the number of hours a truck driver can drive each day, so it’s possible that a law was broken when the crash occurred.

To find the cause of the accident and ensure that the appropriate parties are held liable, the police or an independent investigator will investigate and may even reconstruct the crash. This is done particularly if the crash resulted in serious injuries or death. The investigator will look to see if any crimes were committed and determine who should pay the victim for their damages.

Why Choose Our Legal Team

Truck accident cases require a level of skill and preparation that sets them apart from standard personal injury claims. Here is what makes our firm the right choice:

• Nearly 50 years of experience representing injured clients 
• A history of results built on diligent investigation and aggressive advocacy
• Direct access to your attorney throughout the entire process, not just at the start
• Deep knowledge of insurance company tactics, so we can counter them effectively
• Collaboration with medical professionals such as orthopedists and neurologists to support your case and your recovery
• No fees unless we win, so you can pursue justice without financial risk

Contact an Experienced Truck Accident Lawyer

Any type of motor vehicle accident can lead to injuries, but the impact of a truck accident can lead to fatality due to the size of the truck and the load. If you suffered serious injuries or other damages, you could be eligible for compensation.

Recovering compensation from a truck crash can be challenging without the right legal help. The knowledgeable truck accident lawyers at Brydon, Swearengen & England P.C. can help you recover the compensation you need for injuries and other damages. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.

FAQs About Truck Accidents in Missouri