Personal Injury Law

Missouri Truck Driver Killed in Train Accident

By Ryan Bradley, Esq.

Photo from Fox 2 News

Missouri truck driver David Willoughby, 70, was killed Wednesday night when his truck became stuck at a railroad crossing on Route N in Pacific.

According to the highway patrol, Willoughby?s truck lost traction in some loose gravel and was blocking the railway. Willoughby exited the vehicle to inspect the situation when a train crashed into the tractor-trailer.

The Highway Patrol indicates that Willoughby suffered an unknown medical condition in the moments before the crash. It is unknown at this time exactly what medical condition he suffered and if this affected his ability to safely escape the crash. The basis for this conclusion will need to be thoroughly investigated as the conclusion will affect legal liability in this case.

The road that Willoughby?s truck became stalled on is under construction and being repaved, according to the St. Louis Post Dispatch. Local drivers were cited as saying the road is nearly impassable and has no signs or barrels to warn motorists of the dangers. Piles of loose gravel are stacked near the railroad crossing.

If the conditions of the roadway were unsafe, the people in charge with the road's maintenance and even perhaps the rail company could be found liable for damages. A full investigation will need to be conducted by the highway patrol and an experienced personal injury attorney to determine these legal issues.

We will post more details about this incident as they emerge.

In cases like this, it is important that a personal injury lawyer is contacted as soon as possible. Many elements of personal injury law are time sensitive and crucial evidence may be lost if not collected immediately.

The Bradley Law Firm has handled personal injury cases for over 30 years. If you have question about your legal rights, contact us for a free consultation. We handle railroad crossing accident cases as well as many other types of lawsuits. There is no obligation for consulting with our law firm and you will never receive a legal fee from us. We are only compensated if we are successful on your case.

Full post as published by Missouri Accident Lawyer Blog on July 31, 2008 (boomark / email).