Edwardsville Truck Accident Lawyer
Truck accidents can happen in the blink of an eye, causing a massive catastrophe. Because trucks can weigh between 6,000 to 80,000 pounds, they can cause serious damage. The injuries you sustain after a truck accident can prevent you from working, and you may even suffer a permanent disability that forces you to find a new occupation. Worst of all, your medical expenses will be extraordinarily high because of your truck accident injuries.
When your damages heavily impact your life and cause serious injuries, you, as one of the potential truck accident victims, can speak to a knowledgeable truck accident lawyer from a firm specializing in a truck accident case. If you are seeking representation nearby, skilled St. Louis truck accident lawyers are ready to help.When you are not at fault for the truck accident, you are owed compensation to help you overcome your damages. Even if you were partially at fault for the trucking accident, you could still receive a percentage of the compensation. A semi-truck accident lawyer is knowledgeable on these matters and can help guide you. To find out how this works, call Hipskind & Mcaninch LLC today for a free consultation regarding truck accidents.
Why Truck Accident Cases in Edwardsville Are More Complicated
Truck accidents in Edwardsville, IL are far more devastating than standard vehicle collisions due to the size and weight of commercial trucks. Semi-trucks, 18-wheelers, dump trucks, and delivery trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, creating catastrophic force on impact. Because of this, truck accident victims often suffer severe injuries, long-term disabilities, and overwhelming medical bills.
Truck drivers and trucking companies must comply with federal regulations established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). These rules govern driver hours, maintenance requirements, cargo loading, inspection logs, and more. When trucking companies fail to follow these safety standards, they can be held responsible for the crash.
Unlike a typical car crash, a truck accident may involve multiple liable parties—such as the driver, the trucking company, the vehicle’s owner, cargo loaders, maintenance contractors, or manufacturers of defective truck parts. An experienced Edwardsville truck accident attorney must collect evidence quickly, including black box data, inspection reports, driver logs, dash cam videos, and witness statements. Because companies send their lawyers and adjusters immediately, having a legal advocate early makes a major difference in preserving your rights.
Common Truck Accident Hotspots in Edwardsville, IL
Edwardsville sees heavy truck traffic due to its retail areas, industrial corridors, and proximity to major interstates. Some of the most common locations for truck accidents include:
- IL-157 and IL-159, where high-speed traffic and frequent stops create risk
- I-55 and I-70, major trucking corridors running through Madison County
- Industrial and warehouse zones with frequent semi-truck activity
- Near SIU-Edwardsville, where local traffic meets commercial vehicles
- Downtown Edwardsville, where tight turns and busy intersections increase crash risks
Truck collisions often result from driver fatigue, speeding, improper lane changes, aggressive driving, faulty brakes, overloaded cargo, or distracted driving. Because these crashes frequently involve more serious harm—such as spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, fractures, amputations, or fatal injuries—it’s critical to pursue maximum compensation.
Your attorney will evaluate your injuries, determine liability, negotiate with insurers, and build a strong claim so you can focus on healing while they fight for justice.
Common Causes Of Trucking Accidents
If you’ve been involved in a truck crash, it’s important for accident victims to understand exactly how the crash happened and who was responsible. Similar to car accidents, one of the most common causes of accidents involving a large truck is driver error, which often leads to severe injuries or even more severe injuries compared to standard collisions. Some ways truck drivers can cause serious truck accidents include the following:
Distracted Driving
To prevent a truck crash, semi-truck drivers must pay attention to the road and avoid distractions when they’re behind the wheel. Distracted driving, especially in a large vehicle like a truck, can be extremely dangerous and puts people in passenger vehicles and everyone on the road at risk of injury. When truck drivers cause accidents due to distracted driving, the trucking company’s insurance companies are responsible for paying damages to personal injury victims. Proving truck accident liability and negotiating with insurance adjusters can be complex, which is why it is essential to contact experienced edwardsville truck accident lawyers for assistance.
Reckless Driving
Truckers are expected to follow speed limits and make safe passing maneuvers. Reckless drivers often operate in lanes not designated for them, speed, cut people off, and make other careless mistakes that result in truck accidents.
Improperly Loaded Vehicles
Many large trucks have an attached trailer that needs to be loaded properly to avoid shifting while in transit. When trailer loading is done improperly due to negligence on the part of the carrier or truck driver, this can result in the truck losing control or overturning. In these situations, your attorney, knowledgeable in louis truck accident claims, will work to identify who was responsible for this mistake and how it may have contributed to your injuries. It may not have been the truck driver’s fault, but the warehouse suppliers or their employees. For complex litigation like this, experienced St. louis truck accident lawyers are essential for successfully managing your truck accident case.
Fatigued Driving
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has set regulations limiting how many consecutive hours semi-truck drivers can work without taking a break. Unfortunately, some truckers choose to ignore these rules. They keep driving when they’re too fatigued or drowsy to be on the road safely, which can cause semi-truck accidents. If you were in a traffic accident with a trucker who was driving while fatigued, a St. louis truck accident attorney would investigate the personal injury case, focusing on the truck driver negligence that led to your extensive medical bills.
Intoxicated Driving
Truck drivers are regularly tested for drugs to prevent motor vehicle accidents. However, they sometimes drive under the influence of illicit substances or alcohol. Truckers must follow traffic laws and avoid driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol. When they fail to do this, they are more likely to cause truck accidents that can result in the loss of lives. While many truck accident cases settle out of court, some require filing edwardsville truck accident lawsuits to resolve the edwardsville truck accident claim.
How a Truck Accident Lawyer in Edwardsville Can Help You
The truck accident lawyer’s duty is to ensure you are fairly represented and that you receive fair compensation and maximum compensation for your personal injury. Truck company insurers may be unfair and provide less than you are owed. An Edwardsville personal injury lawyer from our legal team has years of experience handling complex truck accident cases. We can help you in the following ways:
Calculation Of Damages
Truck accident lawyers can help you obtain compensation for your medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and other costs related to your injuries. Surviving family members can seek wrongful death damages that may have resulted from catastrophic injuries in an auto accident involving an average passenger vehicle. Your medical expenses can include any cost resulting from your car accident. For example, you may require expensive x-ray and imaging scans to help identify your personal injury. Surgery may even be necessary. To prove the extent of property damage and fault, skilled personal injury attorneys often consult with accident reconstruction experts.
Ongoing costs will be a part of your settlement total. Pain and suffering make up most of your settlement but are often left out by insurers. This includes any emotional turmoil you experienced due to the accident. You’ll also receive compensation for wages you missed while at home recovering. If your vehicle were damaged, the cost of repair or replacement would also be included.
Investigation Of Evidence
Edwardsville truck accident lawyers can help you find the proof necessary to prove who was at fault. They’ll use photographs, traffic surveillance footage, your police report, and eyewitness testimonies. Attorneys will also include evidence such as lab tests, subpoenas, driving records, and other information that supports your claim.
Negotiation Before Trial With Trucking Companies
Instead of immediately filing a lawsuit, your attorney will help you obtain a fair settlement outside of court, even in a complex wrongful death claim. A lawsuit can take a very long time for you to receive a settlement because both parties have to take many steps after the accident occurred. Your attorney will negotiate with the other party until they agree to a fair settlement. If the trucking company refuses to settle, then your attorney will represent you in court against the trucking company claims. The judge will decide how much you should receive and issue a judgment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can be sued in a truck accident case?
Possible defendants include the truck driver, trucking company, cargo loaders, maintenance contractors, or manufacturers of defective truck parts.
How long does a truck accident claim take?
Truck cases often take longer than car accident cases due to the number of parties involved and the complexity of evidence. Some settle in months, while others take a year or more.
What if the trucking company denies responsibility?
Your attorney can obtain black box data, maintenance logs, and driver records to prove negligence—even when the company denies fault.
Do truck accident cases usually settle?
Most settle out of court, but a lawsuit may be necessary if the insurer refuses to offer fair compensation.
How much is a truck accident case worth?
Value depends on injury severity, medical bills, lost wages, long-term disability, and pain and suffering. Catastrophic injuries often result in higher compensation.
Get Help From Experienced Edwardsville Truck Accident Attorneys
If you’ve been injured in a truck accident due to another driver’s negligence, you need a zealous and diligent experienced truck accident attorneys on your side. Our law firm has years of experience handling complex damages caused by semi-truck accidents. We can help you recover the compensation you deserve for medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, wrongful death, and more. We understand the importance of evidence from the accident scene. Whether you need an edwardsville truck accident attorney or representation from our St. louis truck accident lawyers, we work on a contingency fee basis. Contact Hipskind & McAninch LLC today for a free consultation to start working with a truck accident lawyer in Edwardsville.