MATTHEWS, Missouri—Jennifer Diamond, 36, was severely injured in a crash with a 2020 Freightliner semi-truck on August 17, 2022. The accident occurred on US Highway 61 around 11:20 a.m., just three miles south of Matthews, Missouri.
According to initial police reports, Diamond was driving a 2012 Ford Escape when her car collided with the semi-truck. The accident totaled Diamond’s car. Diamond was transported via ambulance to St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, for emergency care. No information was released about the semi-truck driver.
The investigation into the crash is still ongoing. No further information is currently available.
Thoughts on the truck accident on US Highway 61
Although many may assume that Diamond was distracted while driving or otherwise at fault for this accident, that may not be the case. Often, drivers of passenger cars are not to blame for crashes involving semi-trucks. In fact, many semi-truck accidents are a result of the semi-truck driver’s own negligence. Therefore, investigators and attorneys involved in determining fault in this accident should remain open-minded to all possible causes of this accident.
First, the truck driver may not have been paying attention to his/her surroundings in the moments leading up to the crash with Diamond. This kind of negligence is inexcusable and should not be tolerated. All drivers, including semi-truck drivers, are required to follow the law and remain vigilant as to their surroundings. However, the semi-truck driver may not have been trained to properly account for all surroundings while driving, leading to the unfortunate outcome of this accident.
Trucking companies are responsible for ensuring their truck drivers get the education they need to travel safely. To that end, truck drivers must receive education on precautions to take while on the road, especially awareness training regarding where to look for smaller vehicles. Without such training, truck drivers are often unaware of their inability to see small cars directly in front of them or in what is commonly referred to as “blind spots.” If this truck driver was employed by a company that did not provide training to its drivers about the consequences of failing to see a smaller vehicle on the road, then the trucking company may share in the liability for Diamond’s injuries.
Although I am not saying the driver of the semi-truck or the driver’s employer is entirely responsible for the outcome of this crash, many accidents involving semi-trucks are a direct result of negligence. In this instance, the crash may have been avoided had the semi-truck driver taken more precautionary measures to avoid a wreck.
It is likely Diamond will need a skilled attorney experienced in crashes involving semi-trucks to get to the bottom of what really happened in the moments leading up to the crash. Our firm’s comprehensive legal strategy would aim to explore all options of remedy for those impacted by this accident. Should any wrongdoing be revealed, we will do what is needed to hold the appropriate parties responsible for their actions.
As this investigation continues, our thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by this crash.
