POPLAR BLUFF, Missouri—Eddie Hewitt, 53, was severely injured on August 19, 2022, after a semi-truck rear-ended his vehicle just after 11:00 a.m. on Highway 67, south of Poplar Bluff, Missouri.
Police reports indicate that emergency crews responded to a crash site involving a Chevrolet pickup truck and a 2016 International semi-truck. Hewitt, the driver of the Chevrolet, was stopped to make a left turn on US Highway 67 when, for reasons unknown, the semi-truck struck the rear of his vehicle.
Hewitt’s pickup was severely damaged, and Hewitt suffered injuries in the crash. Hewitt had to be transported to Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center for more extensive treatment. Whether the truck driver was injured remains unknown.
Investigation into the cause of this accident is still ongoing. No further details were immediately available.
Thoughts on the semi-truck crash that injured one in Missouri
Despite not being privy to all the facts, this seems like a clear case involving negligence on the part of the truck driver, his employer, or both. However, investigators must be careful not to jump to conclusions about the potential causation of these sorts of accidents. Although many accidents are caused solely by the negligence of the semi-truck driver, other incidents may involve the negligence of the trucking company when the company fails to educate its drivers adequately.
Here, the truck driver could have been distracted while driving by a cell phone or the radio. In that scenario, the truck driver’s negligence is simply unacceptable because drivers are supposed to obey all traffic laws and be particularly aware of the vehicles immediately in front of them. If the truck driver here failed to leave enough room to stop completely or if the semi-truck driver simply did not see Hewitt’s vehicle because of an unnecessary distraction, then the semi-truck driver and his insurance company will need to provide compensation to Hewitt for his injuries
Sometimes, however, truck drivers are unaware of certain safety protocols because trucking companies do not provide the necessary education for truck drivers to be able to drive and react safely. For instance, if the truck driver involved in Hewitt’s crash did not know to leave extra stopping room based on certain factors like the weight of his cargo, the trucking company would then have to answer to Hewitt and provide an explanation as to why drivers are behind the wheel of large, potentially dangerous semi-trucks without proper training.
If either of these scenarios (or others involving driver/company negligence) are true in this crash, Hewitt may benefit from the expertise offered by attorneys with a proven track record in truck-related accidents. In fact, a legal strategy open to alternative explanations of causation may provide Hewitt with additional recovery for his injuries. Should Hewitt or anyone else involved in this accident need to hire experienced representation, our firm offers free comprehensive legal consultations to identify all wrongdoers and ensure the injured parties are appropriately compensated for the harm they must endure due to this accident.
