Accidents between trucks and cars can be devastating, but because truck drivers have the protection of the strong cabs, they often escape serious injury. However, when two or more commercial trucks collide, the sheer size and impact can cause serious injuries and even fatalities. One passerby recently described a Missouri wreck on Interstate 44 as one of the worst truck accidents he had ever seen.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol recently responded to an alert about an accident in which four semi trucks were involved. A preliminary report indicates that a flat-bed truck crossed the median after rear-ending a box truck that was moving at a slow speed. When the big rig entered the opposite lanes, it smashed head-on into another one. To avoid the mayhem on the road, another truck tried to pass on the shoulder. Instead, it left the road and rolled over, landing in a ditch.

The two trucks that collided head on burst into flames, and emergency workers rushed to rescue the occupants. Reportedly, two of the five people that were involved in this wreck were rushed to hospitals by air. It is not known which vehicles they occupied, nor was it reported whether the other three people suffered any injuries. Cars had to be re-routed because cleaning-up operations continued for several hours.

An official investigation will seek to unravel exactly what happened in this accident. Missouri residents who suffer serious injuries in truck accidents typically have to face high medical costs and related monetary losses. Fortunately, they may pursue financial relief by litigating a personal injury claim in a civil court. Evidence of negligence along with documented details of financial losses will be required before the court considers the entry of a judgment for monetary damages allowed under applicable laws.

Source: ky3.com, “Lanes re-open on I-44 after multiple tractor-trailer crash in Phelps County”, Kate Allt, Robin Foster, Sept. 10, 2015