Three Killed in Head-on Collision with Semi Truck in Billings Montana
According to the Montana Highway Patrol report, a distracted semi truck driver crashed head-on into two passenger cars on Highway 87 Wednesday night near Billings Motor Speedway. The semi crossed the center line and hit a car and then a jeep.
Three people were killed and two others were injured. The injured woman was taken by ambulance to St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings and an infant was taken by help flight to St. Vincent. The infant has since been flown to Denver.
“Federal regulations require commercial truck drivers to use extra care when driving,” stated Attorney Fred Pritzker. “When innocent people are killed in a head-on collision with a commercial truck, the trucking company and the truck driver need to be held accountable.”
The Montana Highway Patrol do not suspect alcohol to be a factor in the crash. The accident continues to be investigated.
Pritzker Olsen attorneys represent people who have had a head-on collision with a semi truck and the families of people who did not survive a head-on accident. We have won millions for injury and wrongful death clients, including $2,700,000 for a man who was seriously injured. Call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) for a free consultation with a semi truck accident attorney.
News Source: ktvq.com/news/update-distracted-semi-truck-driver-causes-fatal-crash-infant-flown-to-denver/#!prettyPhoto/0/
Three Injured When Semi Truck Failed to Yield Right-of-Way Williston, ND
Three vehicles were involved in an injury accident on U.S. Highway 2 north of Williston, North Dakota. A North Dakota Highway Patrol press release reported that a northbound 2011 Peterbilt semi truck failed to yield the right-of-way to a southbound 2005 Ford Expedition at U.S. Highway 85.
After the semi was struck by the Expedition, the semi truck was pushed into a GMC stopped at the stop sign waiting to go east. All three vehicles ended up in the middle of Hwy 85.
The driver of the Expedition and his two passengers, including his 6-year-old daughter, were injured and transported to Mercy Medical Center. The driver of the GMC was not injured, nor was the driver of the semi that failed to yield to the Expedition.
Failure to Yield Right of Way
If you have been injured in an accident with a semi and the semi driver did not yield the right-of-way, you may have a claim against the driver, the trucking company, the owner of the truck and others for the following:
- Medical expenses (including anticipated future expenses)
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering (includes physical pain, disfigurement, disability and emotional distress)
- Cost of care
- Other damages
PritzkerOlsen, P.A. is a national law firm with a record of success in personal injury and wrongful death litigation. We will meet you at any location that is convenient to you. Call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) for a free consultation with a semi truck accident attorney.
News Source: willistonherald.com/articles/2011/08/02/news/doc4e3820eaf26a8538450172.txt
Recall on 2010-2011 Great Dane Flatbed Trailers
Great Dane recalled one-hundred-nineteen 2010-2011 GPA aluminum flatbed trailers. The lock nuts and bolts attaching the air ride suspension hangers to the trailer are defective. This may result in loss of fastener torque allowing the suspension hangers to become loose. The suspension components could detach from the trailer, resulting in loss of control and increase the risk of a crash.
The recall was expected to begin in July 2011. Great Dane will replace all defective suspension nuts and bolts at no charge to the customer. For more information on this and other trailer recalls, visit safercar.gov.
Semi-Truck Accident Product Liability Lawyer
When we investigate a semi-truck accident, we look for evidence of a defective part that may have contributed or caused the semi-truck to hit your car, motorcycle, van or other vehicle. Depending on the results of our investigation, the victims of the accident and their families may have a product liability lawsuit for money damages against one or more of the following:
- the trucking company
- the manufacturer of the commercial semi-truck
- the manufacturer of the truck part found to be defective
PritzkerOlsen, P.A. is a national semi-truck accident law firm representing people who have been injured in a collision with a semi-truck or other commercial vehicle and the families of people who did not survive a truck crash. We have won millions for personal injury and wrongful death clients, including $2,850,000 for a man who was killed in a truck accident. Call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or submit our free consultation form.
FMCSA Raising the Safety Bar
The FMCSA has drafted a 2011-2016 Strategic Plan — a road map that will direct how they focus their resources and those who work to ensure the safest possible commercial motor vehicle (CMV) industry. The plan’s framework is shaped by the following three basic principles:
- raise the bar to enter the motor carrier industry
- maintain high safety standards to remain in the industry
- remove high-risk carriers, drivers and service providers from operation
FMCSA envisions, through implementation of this Strategic Plan, a new comprehensive direction to achieve a greater reduction in commercial motor vehicle related crashes, injuries and fatalities. They see the greatest potential for creating the safest CMV industry lies in focusing outreach, oversight and enforcement resources on the entire CMV transportation life-cycle (all the entities that control or influence the operation of CMVs), and focuses on the specific responsibilities that all parties involved in the transport and logistics supply chain have for making improvements in safety factors.
The strategic planning process has provided the FMCSA with the opportunity to reach out to a range of DOT safety agencies and FMCSA employees and the plan was developed to coordinate with DOT’s six roadway safety planning principles. Those principles are:
- Collaboration for Roadway Safety
- Safer Behaviors
- Safer Vehicles
- Safer Roadways
- Empower Communities
- Accountability and Managing for Results
The FMCSA understands the importance of and the need for accountability. By measuring performance, managing for results and transparency, FMCSA plans to demonstrate its responsibility for achieving the goals within this Strategic Plan. The American public is invited to comment on this strategic plan draft at regulations.gov.
Pritzker Olsen is a national personal injury and wrongful death law firm with more than 30 years of semi-truck accident experience, winning cases involving a semi-truck hitting an auto, motorcycle, bicycle, pedestrian. For a free consultation with a semi truck accident lawyer, please call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or submit our free consultation form.
2012 International Workstar Recalled
Navistar is recalling certain model year 2012 International Workstar commercial trucks. The trucks were manufactured from February 7, 2011 through June 7, 2011 and built with dual steering gear feature codes 05PRB, 05PTE, 05PUA, 05PUB, 05PUC, 05PUD, 05PUE or 05PUH. The fastener that attaches the Pitman arm to the right side steering gear may not have been tightened to its specified torque, or the associated locking feature may not have been properly installed. Either of these conditions could lead to a loose connection and possibly allow the Pitman arm to separate from the steering gear resulting in loss of steering control and increase the risk of a crash.
The recall affects 188 units and is expected to begin on or before August 19, 2011. At that time, dealers will inspect the Pitman arm / steering gear connection, and either the connecting fastener will be tightened to the correct assembly torque or the arm will be replace free of charge. Safercar.gov has more information on this and other truck recalls.
International Truck Recall: Personal Injury Lawyer
In order to effectively pursue a lawsuit against a trucking company or truck manufacture, all liable parties need to be identified. A truck accident investigation will usually reveal multiple parties that share responsibility. Those responsible may include:
- the truck manufacturer (in a case related to this recall, Navistar, Inc.)
- the trucking company (if they deliberately put a recalled truck in service)
- the truck driver
- the owner of the truck
- the owner of the trailer
- the owner of the freight (in some cases)
The semi truck accident attorneys at Pritzker Olsen have years of experience handling complex truck accident cases involving personal injury and truck accident wrongful death. They have won many multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts for our clients. Call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) to talk to an attorney or submit our free consultation form.
Recall on Mack MRU Trucks 2009-2012
Mack Trucks recalled certain model year 2009-2012 MRU heavy trucks manufactured from November 26, 2008 through April 26, 2011. The bolts used to mount the steering gear were not tightened to specification. The bolts may loosen which may cause the steering gear to disconnect from its mounting bracket. If this were to occur, there would be a complete loss of steering and increase the risk of a crash.
Anticipated date for the recall to begin is on or before September 5, 2011. The recall affects 2,294 trucks and dealers will replace the bolts, which will then be tightened to the correct specification, at no charge. The safercar.gov website provides more information on truck recalls.
Product Liability Claim
A product liability claim involves injury caused by a defective product. A defective product is one that is not reasonably safe for its intended use. An intended use of a product includes all those uses a reasonably sensible person might make of the product, bearing in mind its characteristics, warnings and labels.
Companies sued in product liability cases include the manufacturer of the defective product, the wholesaler or distributor of the product and often the retailer of the product. The three kinds of product liability cases are design defect, manufacturing defect and failure to warn or adequately instruct.
If you have been injured by a defective product, lawyers at PritzkerOlsen, P.A. are available for a free consultation. You may contact us 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or by submitting our online consultation form.
Truck Accident Lawyer
- Can U-Haul be sued when a U-Haul truck causes an accident involving personal injury or wrongful death?
- Can a child bring a claim for damages (or a lawsuit) if he or she was injured in an accident caused by the child’s parent?
- If a semi truck accident happens at work, can an injured victim sue for more money than is recoverable under workers’ compensation?