Truck accident

Truck Accident Attorneys in St. Louis, Missouri

Missouri 5 firms 7 min read

The firms in this guide

  1. The Law Offices of Gretchen Myers, P.C. Call The Law Offices of Gretchen Myers, P.C.: (314) 621-5454
  2. Brown and Crouppen Law Firm Call Brown and Crouppen Law Firm: (314) 501-9510
  3. Gray Ritter Graham Call Gray Ritter Graham: (314) 241-5620
  4. Miller and Hine Call Miller and Hine: (314) 413-2053
  5. Schultz and Myers Personal Injury Lawyers Call Schultz and Myers Personal Injury Lawyers: (314) 444-4444

1. The Law Offices of Gretchen Myers, P.C.

Practice Focus: Truck accidents, 18-wheeler collisions, semi-tractor trailer crashes, commercial vehicle accidents, wrongful death from trucking collisions, catastrophic injuries from truck accidents, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries

Case Types Handled: Semi-tractor trailer crashes, 18-wheeler accidents, rear-end truck collisions, fatigued driver accidents, truck brake failure accidents, speeding truck accidents, overloaded truck accidents, unsecured cargo accidents, mechanical failure accidents, defective truck equipment accidents

Legal Services: Federal trucking regulation violation investigation, hours of service log analysis, truck company negligence investigation, trucking regulation compliance review, driver qualification file examination, pre-trip inspection record analysis, insurance claim negotiation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, wrongful death claims, catastrophic injury claims

Background: Over 35 years of experience handling trucking accident cases. First Woman President of the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys. First Woman President-Elect of The Association of Plaintiff Interstate Trucking Lawyers of America. First Woman selected for the 5 Star Truck Accident Attorney Preferred list in Missouri. Member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum (fewer than 1% of U.S. lawyers). Selected as one of The Best Lawyers in America. Super Lawyers selection (top 5% in Missouri and Kansas). AV Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell (highest possible rating). Appointed by Missouri Supreme Court to serve on the Missouri Approved Instruction Committee (Civil). University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law graduate.

Location: 1001 Highlands Plaza Dr #300, St. Louis, MO 63110

Contact: (314) 621-5454 | https://www.gmyerslawoffice.net/

Consultation: Free initial consultation. Cases accepted on contingency fee basis. Home and hospital visits available.


2. Brown and Crouppen Law Firm

Practice Focus: Truck accidents, semi-truck collisions, 18-wheeler accidents, tractor-trailer crashes, box truck accidents, commercial vehicle accidents, wrongful death from truck accidents, catastrophic injury claims

Case Types Handled: Rear-end truck collisions, multi-vehicle truck accidents, truck driver negligence accidents, manufacturing and maintenance error accidents, cargo spill and shift accidents, driver fatigue accidents, impaired driving accidents, work zone truck accidents

Legal Services: Forensic accident investigation, accident reconstruction analysis, trucking company liability investigation, driver negligence investigation, FMCSA regulation violation investigation, hours of service analysis, vehicle inspection record review, maintenance record analysis, insurance claim negotiation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, wrongful death claims

Background: Established in 1979 with over 40 years of experience. More than $1 billion recovered for injury and accident victims. Over 250 legal professionals on staff. Recent truck accident results include $6 million settlement for box truck accident victim, $700,000 multi-vehicle truck accident settlement, $333,000 rear-end tractor-trailer settlement, $250,000 tractor-trailer collision settlement. Average truck accident settlement of $103,000 reported. Multiple office locations throughout Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, and Minnesota.

Location: 4900 Daggett Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110

Contact: (314) 501-9510 | https://www.brownandcrouppen.com/st-louis/truck-accidents/

Consultation: Free consultation available 24/7. Contingency fee basis with no upfront costs.


3. Gray Ritter Graham

Practice Focus: Truck accidents, commercial truck crashes, tractor-trailer accidents, 18-wheeler collisions, catastrophic truck wreck cases, wrongful death from truck accidents, personal injury from commercial vehicle collisions

Case Types Handled: Driver fatigue accidents, distracted driving truck accidents, speeding truck accidents, improper loading accidents, overloaded truck accidents, falling debris accidents, truck maintenance failure accidents, brake failure accidents, tire blowout accidents, impaired truck driver accidents, hours of service violation accidents

Legal Services: Comprehensive truck accident investigation, FMCSA regulation compliance review, trucking company negligence claims, driver qualification investigation, vehicle maintenance record analysis, cargo loading investigation, black box data retrieval, accident reconstruction coordination, insurance claim negotiation, trial representation, punitive damage claims, wrongful death claims

Background: Over 75 years of combined firm experience. Decades of combined experience handling complex truck accident cases. Substantial settlements and verdicts secured for truck accident survivors in St. Louis and throughout Missouri. U.S. News Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” recognition. Multiple Super Lawyers selections among firm attorneys. Extensive published articles on trucking safety issues including commercial truck underride crashes, dangerous truck driving behaviors, and sleep disorder truck crashes. Reported results include $2 million settlement for driver hit by tractor-trailer, trucking fatality and negligent brokering case, and confidential multi-million settlement in fatal dump truck crash.

Location: 701 Market St., Ste. 800, St. Louis, MO 63101

Contact: (314) 241-5620 | Toll Free: (800) 451-2950 | https://www.grgpc.com/practices/truck-accidents

Consultation: Free, no-obligation consultation. Contingency fee basis with no upfront costs and no attorney fees unless compensation is recovered.


4. Miller and Hine

Practice Focus: Truck accidents, 18-wheeler accidents, semi-truck collisions, commercial vehicle crashes, tractor-trailer accidents, garbage truck accidents, tow truck accidents, UPS truck accidents, Amazon delivery vehicle accidents, fuel tanker accidents, logging truck accidents

Case Types Handled: Jackknife accidents, tire blowout accidents, underride crashes, override accidents, hit and run semi-truck accidents, blind spot accidents, rollover accidents, runaway truck accidents, truck driver fatigue accidents, negligent hiring accidents, negligent maintenance accidents, unsecured load accidents

Legal Services: FMCSA regulation violation investigation, hours of service analysis, driver log examination, maintenance log review, vehicle black box data analysis, shipping manifest review, trucking company negligence investigation, negligent hiring claims, negligent maintenance claims, accident reconstruction coordination, insurance claim negotiation, trial representation, wrongful death claims

Background: Over 50 years of combined experience. Jason Hine licensed in both Missouri State and Federal Court with extensive trial experience. Top 25 St. Louis Car Accident Law Firm by Motor Vehicle Trial Lawyers. The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 selection. AVVO membership. Super Lawyers selection. Martindale-Hubbell Preeminent Peer Rated. Reported result of $610,000 settlement for client rear-ended by semi-truck on Interstate 55. Three office locations in Missouri including St. Louis, Cape Girardeau, and Kansas City.

Location: 8764 Manchester Rd., Suite 204, St. Louis, MO 63144

Contact: (314) 413-2053 | https://www.millerandhinelaw.com/practice-areas/personal-injury/truck-accidents/

Consultation: Free consultation available 24/7. Contingency fee basis.


5. Schultz and Myers Personal Injury Lawyers

Practice Focus: Truck accidents, 18-wheeler crashes, semi-truck collisions, tractor-trailer accidents, commercial truck accidents, recreational vehicle accidents, bus accidents, catastrophic injury from truck crashes, wrongful death from truck accidents

Case Types Handled: Jackknife accidents, fatigued driving accidents, drunk driving truck accidents, drug-impaired truck driver accidents, speeding truck accidents, distracted driving accidents, failure to yield accidents, improper passing accidents, unbalanced cargo accidents, vehicle defect accidents, brake failure accidents

Legal Services: Truck accident investigation, vehicle maintenance log analysis, black box data retrieval, FMCSA hours of service violation investigation, negligent hiring investigation, freight broker liability claims, government agency claims, insurance claim negotiation, trial representation, punitive damage claims, wrongful death claims

Background: Over 100 years of combined experience among firm attorneys. AV-rated trial attorneys. More than $50 million recovered for clients in personal injury cases. Four office locations in Missouri including St. Louis (Downtown), Ladue, Creve Coeur, and Columbia. Published resources on state and federal trucking regulations, types of commercial driver’s licenses in Missouri, and MCS-90 insurance requirements.

Location: 319 N. 4th Street, Suite 835, St. Louis, MO 63102

Contact: (314) 444-4444 | https://schultzmyers.com/st-louis-truck-accident-lawyer/

Consultation: Free consultation available 24 hours. Contingency fee basis.


Federal Truck Coverage, Driving Limits and Punitive Damages in St. Louis Truck Crash Claims

For a St. Louis truck crash, the federal commercial vehicle definition, the carrier’s required coverage and the driver’s daily limits and post-crash testing frame the claim against the carrier. Missouri law then caps punitive damages, with an exception for a felony conviction arising from the same conduct.

Which Trucks the Federal Rules Reach and Their Coverage

Under 49 CFR 390.5, a commercial motor vehicle includes a vehicle used on a highway in interstate commerce with a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating, or actual gross weight, of 10,001 pounds or more, whichever is greater. Under 49 CFR 387.9, a for-hire carrier hauling nonhazardous property in interstate or foreign commerce in a vehicle rated 10,001 pounds or more must carry at least $750,000, and under 387.7 it may not operate until that coverage is in effect.

The Daily Driving Window and Post-Crash Testing

Except as otherwise provided in 49 CFR 395.1, 49 CFR 395.3(a) requires a property-carrying driver to have 10 consecutive hours off duty before driving, limits driving to 11 hours, bars driving after the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty, and bars driving once more than 8 hours of driving time have passed without a consecutive 30-minute interruption. Under 382.303, a fatal crash requires alcohol and drug testing of the surviving driver, and an injury or tow-away crash requires it when the commercial driver is cited for a moving violation arising from the crash within 8 hours (alcohol) or 32 hours (drugs).

The Punitive Damages Cap

Under RSMo 510.265(1), punitive damages against a defendant may not exceed the greater of $500,000 or five times the net judgment against that defendant. The limit does not apply if the state is the plaintiff or the defendant pleads guilty to or is convicted of a felony arising out of the acts or omissions pleaded.

Wrongful Death Damages

Under RSMo 537.090, wrongful death damages include pecuniary losses, funeral expenses, and the reasonable value of the services, consortium, companionship, comfort, instruction, guidance, counsel, training and support lost, plus the decedent’s own damages between injury and death, and they may reflect aggravating or mitigating circumstances; grief and bereavement are not recoverable.


St. Louis Truck Accident Questions

How long do I have to sue after a St. Louis truck crash?

Five years under RSMo 516.120(4) for an injury claim, and three years after the cause of action accrues under 537.100 for a wrongful death action. Against a public entity’s truck, RSMo 537.600(1) waives immunity for negligent driving by public employees, and 537.610 caps the recovery.

Who pays if the truck driver and another motorist share the fault?

It depends on their shares. For example, imagine a $500,000 judgment with 70 percent of the fault on the trucking defendant and 30 percent on another motorist: under RSMo 537.067, the trucking defendant can be held for the full $500,000 and the other motorist only for $150,000.

Does uninsured motorist coverage apply to a hit-and-run truck?

Yes. Under RSMo 379.203(1), uninsured motorist coverage applies when the at-fault owner or operator left the scene before being identified, and whether or not there was physical contact with the insured or the insured’s vehicle.