Wisconsin Truck Accident Law : Wisconsin Truck Accident Lawyer & Attorney : Rozek Law Offices : Milwaukee, Madison, Kenosha, La Crosse

I recently attended a conference in Chicago focusing on representing victims of semi-truck accidents. I was pleased to be the only Wisconsin truck accident lawyer at the seminar. The seminar was put on by the Interstate Trucking Litigation Group of the American Association for Justice. Attendance was limited to attorneys devoted to representing those that have been injured by semi-trucks and commercial carriers.

Day One of the seminar consisted of an intensive educational program including the following topics:

• Finding and Utilizing the Proper Experts in Trucking Accident Cases
• Determining All Available Insurance in Interstate Trucking Accident Cases
• Preserving Critical Black Box Data and Electronic Data Devices
• Proper Braking and Warning Signals for Semi-Truck Drivers
• Investigating and Discovery Truck Driver Fatigue
• Accident Reconstruction in Semi-Truck Accident Cases
• Discovery in Semi-Truck Accident Cases and Obstructionist Tactics Utilized by Trucking Companies
• On Board Computers Used by Trucking Companies
• Admissibility of the Failure of Trucking Companies to Comply with Drug and Alcohol Testing of Their Drivers Following Semi-Truck Crashes
• The Critical Issues Involved in Semi-Truck Rollover Accidents
• Conspicuity Issues Involved in Semi-Truck Accidents
• Negligent Hiring of Semi-Truck Drivers
• Overcoming the Strategic Destruction of Evidence by Trucking Companies

The majority of speakers were truck accident attorneys that have devoted their practice to representing those injured in by truck and bus accidents. Also, many expert witnesses spoke about the investigating and reconstruction of truck accidents.

Day Two of the seminar was devoted to establishing the Rules of the Road for trucking companies and truck drivers.

This was indeed one of the most informative trucking accident seminars that I have ever attended. I’m truly honored to be a member of an organization devoted to the representation of people that have had their lives severely impacted by negligent trucking companies and their semi-truck drivers. The overriding mission of the group is to make the roadways more safe by holding negligent trucking companies and their drivers accountable.

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In the early morning hours of November 12, 2008, an accident involving two semi-trucks leaves one driver dead. The accident occurred on I-94 just West of Moreland Road, in a construction zone.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the accident was in part caused by a passenger vehicle that lost control. This vehicle, which was traveling westbound on I-94 in the construction zone, apparently lost control, hit the divider wall and then cut in front of two tanker semi-trucks. One of the semi-trucks also lost control and overturned, dumping tens of thousands of gallons of hot tar onto the roadway. One of the drivers suffered fatal injuries. Early reports do not indicate which vehicle the deceased victim was driving at the time of the wreck.

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On October 30, 2008, a Semi-Truck crashed into an SUV, pushing it into the rear of another semi-truck. The accident occurred near Highway 11, west of Highway DD, in Spring Prairie Township, in Walworth County. As the photograph of the SUV illustrates, the collision essentially pinned the SUV between the two semi-trucks.

The driver of the SUV, George O. Smith Jr., 50, was taken to a Milwaukee-area hospital via a Flight for Life helicopter. Tragically, his father, George O. Smith Sr., 78, of Burlington, who was the front-seat passenger in the SUV, did not survive the crash.

Preliminary investigations have shown the lead semi-truck, a truck being operated by J.B. Hunt, had slowed or stopped for utility work that was being done by WE Energies in the area. It appears as though the SUV had also slowed or stopped, prior to being slammed from behind by the second semi-truck.

The driver of the second semi-truck, Darin Pleines, of Clofax, Illinois, admitted to authorities that immediately before the crash, he had taken his eyes off the road while reaching down for a soda. His trucking company also had citations as recent as July of 2008, for failing to adequately maintain the brakes in some of their tractor-trailers. However, it is unknown if brake failure played a role in the crash.

At this time, many questions remain unanswered, some of which include the following:

• Was the driver of the second semi-truck in compliance with the hours of service requirements, and if not, did fatigue play a role in causing the crash?
• Did the J.B. Hunt semi-truck engage it’s emergency flashers when stopping or reducing it's speed and if so, did this play a role in causing the crash?
• Did WE Energies provide adequate warnings in the area and if not, did this play a role in causing the crash?
• Did the J.B. Hunt semi-truck have proper underride equipment and if not, did that play a role in the extent of the injuries?

Meanwhile, the investigation continues. Click for more information about Wisconsin Truck Accidents and here for more information about Truck Driver Fatigue.

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