Operators of motor vehicles on the busy Missouri roads can be held accountable if their passengers suffer injuries due to driver negligence. This responsibility belongs to all drivers, including those operating big rigs. Injuries suffered in truck accidents can be serious and could have long-term consequences.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported that a semi-truck driver recently lost control of his vehicle and wrecked it. The crash report indicates that the incident occurred on a recent Monday afternoon on Highway 65. The 49-year-old driver of the truck was heading north when he veered off the roadway.

The big rig rolled over after striking the center median. Reportedly, the driver suffered moderate injuries, and he was transported to a Springfield hospital by ambulance. However, the injuries suffered by his 35-year-old passenger were severe enough to justify a flight by air ambulance. Authorities said the driver was not buckled into his safety belt, and it was not known whether the passenger wore his safety belt.

When passengers are injured in truck accidents, the potential routes by which to pursue financial relief may vary. An injured victim may benefit from consulting with an experienced Missouri personal injury attorney because the status of the passenger will determine the manner by which compensation can be sought. He or she can be an employee of the same company as the worker, in which case a claim for workers’ compensation benefits will be the appropriate way to go. However, the passenger may have been an acquaintance who went along for the ride, or a hitchhiker that the truck driver met along the way. In these cases, the injured man may pursue a personal injury claim against the driver and the owner of the truck.

Source: lakenewsonline.com, “Versailles, Tipton men injured in semi truck wreck on Highway 65“, July 19, 2016