St. Louis Truck Accident Injury Lawyer

| Truck Accident Injury Lawyer

Truck accident injury lawyer Patrick O’Brien has served as a dedicated, driven trial lawyer for over 35 years representing personal injury cases. He has tried cases to verdict in more than 15 states and has represented clients in more than 30 states. Patrick O’Brien’s strong record of recovering full and fair compensation for personal injury victims speaks to the quality of his work. (For states in which he is not licensed to practice law, he applies to be admitted pro hac vice*.)

Americans love cars. Per capita ownership of automobiles by U.S. citizens is the highest in the world. We share the highways with over-the-road truck drivers. Most of us drive for pleasure and/or to commute. Truck drivers, on the other hand, drive for a living.

Truck drivers are most concerned with getting the freight they have from Point A to Point B as fast as possible. They tend to drive too fast under challenging weather conditions and will drive more hours in a day than is reasonably safe. Given the size of their trucks, a collision with an automobile often results in serious/catastrophic injuries of the drivers and often the passengers of the car, including death.

| Causes of Truck Accidents

Trucking accidents occur due to a variety of circumstances, including:

Driver fatigue or distraction

Violation of traffic law

Drug and/or alcohol abuse

Poor maintenance of the truck

Manufacturing defects

Violation of safety regulations and hours of service limitations

Why Do I Need an Attorney after a Truck Accident?

If you are involved in an accident with a commercial vehicle, whether you realize it or not, you are up against a multi-billion dollar insurance industry that does not have your best interests in mind. In fact, they spend countless millions each year to employ attorneys and adjusters whose only job is to get your claim out of their system by paying you as little money as possible. If you have been involved in a truck accident, you may have a right to seek damages from the driver and/or his or her employer, but don’t expect their insurance companies to help. They may sound friendly and caring on the phone, but they are simply not on your team.

In fact, insurance companies count on the fact that most people don’t know their rights, and that they are willing to settle for far less than what they deserve. If you are not represented by a truck accident attorney who understands the law and how to negotiate and fight to get you the compensation you need, you will likely be settling for less than you are owed. You need someone on your side who is just as good at negotiating and who knows the law just as well as the trained negotiators employed by insurance companies.

The Law Offices of Patrick S. O’Brien have decades of experience in fighting for our clients’ rights. We truly care about your well-being, and we will address your case with the diligence and compassion you deserve. Patrick O’Brien is a highly experienced truck accident attorney who works on a contingency basis, meaning you don’t pay us unless you win your case. Before you settle with an insurance company, visit us for a free, no-obligation consultation.

If you are involved in a collision with a truck, tractor trailer, semi, or box truck…

| Do:

  1. Stay at the scene of the collision until the police show up to do a report
  2. Get contact information from witnesses who saw the event
  3. Get a copy of the police report
  4. Take pictures of your damaged vehicle
  5. Get checked out at the ER or your family doctor if you sustain any injury, no matter how slight
  6. Take your care to a repair facility of your choice

| Don’t:

  1. Admit fault to the truck driver
  2. Move your vehicle from the scene until the police show up
  3. Give a statement to the insurance representative of the trucking company
  4. Sign a release that would allow the trucking company’s insurance carrier to obtain your medical records
  5. Have your vehicle repairs done at the facility chosen by the trucking company’s insurance company

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It is more important to hire a truck accident injury lawyer when you are involved in a collision with a truck than when it is just an auto collision. The trucking industry is very sophisticated and will make it difficult for you to recover for your property loss and any personal injuries you may have sustained.

Patrick O’Brien has handled trucking claims where the injury was caused by the driver dropping his cell phone, by speeding, by driving too fast for the weather conditions, inattention of his surroundings, and failure to keep a careful lookout.

Under federal law each truck must have liability insurance of at least $750,000, but his office has handled cases where collection was made difficult due to bankruptcy of the insurance carrier for the trucker. Do not try to take on the trucking industry by yourself. Call our offices for advice on how to handle your unique situation.

| Awards and Accreditations

5 Star Rated

He has consistently received a 5.0 out of 5, the highest possible rating for professional ethics and legal ability awarded by the organization's peer review rating system.

AV® Preeminent™

Patrick S. O’Brien has been designated an AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated attorney by Martindale-Hubbell annually since 1995.

Best Lawyer & Best Law Firm

He is also proud to have been selected a “Best Lawyer” in America for Railroad Law in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. His Law Offices of Patrick S. O’Brien, LLC has been selected as a “Best Law Firm” in America in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.

Avvo

Patrick is proud to have attained a 10.0 (superb) rating from Avvo.com.