St. Louis Truck Driver Fatigue Accident Lawyer
The Midwest's Most Effective Injury Law Firm
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Founding Partner, Terry Crouppen who has more than 40 years of legal experience as a personal injury attorney. Our last modified date shows when this page was last reviewed.
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Founding Partner, Terry Crouppen who has more than 40 years of legal experience as a personal injury attorney. Our last modified date shows when this page was last reviewed.
- Last Modified:
- January 7, 2026
Truck drivers generally travel long distances and drive for several hours daily to transport goods and materials across the country. However, all that time spent behind the wheel can cause driver fatigue and compromise decision-making. When truck drivers suffer from fatigue, their response time to hazards on the road is slower, and they can potentially make crucial mistakes that lead to serious accidents.
Truck accidents are often catastrophic or even fatal. Surviving victims may suffer from debilitating physical injuries, financial hardships, and emotional distress resulting from a devastating big rig or 18-wheeler semi-truck crash. If you suffered injuries in an accident caused by a fatigued truck driver, you are not alone. The St. Louis truck driver fatigue accident lawyers at Brown & Crouppen can help you get the support and compensation you deserve. Schedule a consultation for a free case evaluation today.
- How Brown & Crouppen Can Help You After a Truck Accident
- Why Hire a Truck Driver Fatigue Accident Attorney in St. Louis, MO?
- Available Damages in a Fatigue-Related Truck Accident Case
- Who Is Responsible for Tired Trucking Accidents?
- What Laws Are in Place to Prevent Truck Driver Fatigue?
- Frequently Asked Questions By Truck Driver Fatigue Accident Victims
- Get Help With Your Drowsy Truck Driver Accident Claim Today
- Meet Our St. Louis Attorneys
How Brown & Crouppen Can Help You After a Truck Accident
At Brown & Crouppen, we know how a truck accident can impact your life, causing painful injuries, mounting medical bills, missed work, and emotional trauma. Since 1979, we have dedicated our practice to helping injured individuals like you seek compensation for these losses and providing compassionate support during an incredibly difficult time.
When it comes to your future after a trucking accident, results matter. Our attorneys have helped our clients recover over $1 billion in compensation while guiding them through the complex claims process. We always work towards the maximum truck accident settlement for your losses and stand strong in trial when insurers refuse to pay what you’re entitled to.
Whether at home, in the hospital, or virtually through text, chat, or video call, we make it easy to connect with our St. Louis truck driver fatigue lawyers. It costs nothing to get started, and there are no fees unless we win your case.
Award-Winning Team of Missouri Trucking Attorneys
Several attorneys at the Brown & Crouppen Law Firm have been recognized for their outstanding service to clients and dedication to their practice. Their accolades include the following:
- Super Lawyers
- Super Lawyers Rising Stars
- The National Trial Lawyers “Top 100 Personal Injury Lawyers”
- The National Trial Lawyers “Top 10 Trucking Lawyers”
- The National Trial Lawyers “Top 40 Under 40”
- Missouri Lawyers Media “Law Firm Leader”
- Missouri Lawyers Media Women’s Justice Awards “Litigation Practitioner Award”
FREE CASE EVALUATION
Why Hire a Truck Driver Fatigue Accident Attorney in St. Louis, MO?
If you don’t have experience in the legal field, filing a truck accident claim on your own can be overwhelming—especially while recovering from your injuries. Hiring a skilled truck accident lawyer with experience in driver fatigue crashes means you have a professional to advocate and fight on your behalf throughout the legal process. A truck driver fatigue accident lawyer will:
- Conduct a full investigation of what happened
- Collect and document crucial evidence for your case
- Counsel you throughout the process to help you make informed decisions
- Communicate with aggressive insurance companies
- Negotiate the maximum settlement for your damages
- Take your case to trial if the insurance companies deny a fair settlement amount
Truck accident injuries are often severe and affect victims in more ways than one. Hiring an experienced St. Louis truck accident attorney will help you get the compensation you’re entitled to while you focus on your recovery.
Use our legal checklist to learn what to do after an accident and understand key legal considerations for recovering financial compensation.
Available Damages in a Fatigue-Related Truck Accident Case
Victims injured in accidents caused by truck driver fatigue may be entitled to compensation for their economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages are your monetary expenses and financial losses caused by the crash, which may include:
- Medical bills
- Cost of future medical care
- Property damage
- Lost wages
- Loss of future earnings capacity
- Other out-of-pocket expenses
Non-economic damages are the intangible ways you’ve suffered. Our driver fatigue truck accident lawyers will carefully calculate the value of these losses, including:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Mental anguish
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Disfigurement
- Loss of consortium
In rare cases, the court may order punitive damages when the accident was caused by malicious or intentional conduct. Rather than compensating you for specific losses, punitive damages are meant to punish the at-fault party and deter similar behavior in the future. Our St. Louis truck driver fatigue attorneys identify all available damages and include the full value in your claim.
Get started with a free consultation with one of our skilled Personal Injury Lawyers today.
Who Is Responsible for Tired Trucking Accidents?
Depending on the circumstances that led to the truck crash, different parties may be liable for your accident, such as:
- Truck driver: If the trucker chose to drive over their allowed hours or did not take required breaks, they may be held responsible for your injuries and damages.
- Trucking company: Negligent trucking companies may fail to monitor or limit driving hours, have inadequate driver screening or training protocols, or have unrealistic delivery schedules.
- Truck manufacturer: A manufacturer may be partially responsible if defective parts contribute to the accident.
- Medical professional: Although rare, a doctor may be liable if they knew of a condition that made driving unsafe but did not disclose that information.
Factors that can increase the risk of driver fatigue include long working hours, not getting enough sleep, and poor health. Our truck driver fatigue accident lawyers in St. Louis can identify the at-fault party and hold them accountable for their negligence.
What Laws Are in Place to Prevent Truck Driver Fatigue?
There are both state and federal laws in place to prevent truck drivers from being overworked, which can lead to fatigue, drowsiness, and increased risk of accidents.
Missouri law puts limits on the number of hours a truck driver can work, including:
- Drivers cannot exceed 11 hours of driving after 10 consecutive hours off.
- The total on-duty time, which includes inspections and loading, cannot exceed 14 hours after a 10-hour break.
- Every eight hours of cumulative driving hours, drivers must take a 30-minute break.
- Drivers are limited to 60 hours on duty within seven consecutive days or 70 hours in eight consecutive days.
Under the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), federal rules that aim to reduce truck driver fatigue include:
- The maximum time a truck driver can work per week is 70 hours.
- A mandatory rest period of 34 consecutive hours after 70 hours of driving.
Frequently Asked Questions By Truck Driver Fatigue Accident Victims
What Are the Common Types of Crashes Involving Trucker Fatigue?
Drowsy or overly tired truck drivers can easily lose control of the vehicle and cause these types of accidents:
- Head-on collisions
- Rear-end collisions
- Jackknifing accidents
- Sideswipe accidents
- Rollover accidents
- Cars being run off the road
- T-bone collisions
While any motor vehicle crash can result in serious consequences, truck accidents are particularly devastating. Due to their massive size and weight, trucks can cause severe, long-term, or fatal injuries. Our driver fatigue truck accident law firm can demand fair compensation for your injuries and damages to help you get the care you need.
What Factors Affect Truck Driver Fatigue?
Despite laws limiting driving hours for truckers, driver fatigue remains a persistent concern. Truck drivers often experience fatigue due to:
- Driving long hours on monotonous roads or highways
- Driving over the hourly limit to increase income or meet deadlines
- Skipping mandatory breaks to bypass traffic or make up time
- Negligent employers forcing truckers to drive over the legal time limit
Additionally, other factors combined with driver fatigue can increase the chance of a serious accident, such as poor road or weather conditions, reckless drivers in other vehicles, and inadequate signage.
How Long Do I Have To File My Truck Accident Claim?
The Missouri statute of limitations for motor vehicle accident claims is generally five years. If you were injured in a truck crash, this law gives you five years from the date of the accident to file a claim to recover damages. Missing this deadline means you lose your right to compensation. However, there are some exceptions to the five-year timeframe.
For example, truck accidents that result in wrongful death have a shorter deadline. Surviving family members must bring a wrongful death claim within three years of their loved one’s passing to be eligible to receive compensation for their losses. Speak with our attorneys to learn more about your rights and what timeline applies to your truck accident case.
How Common Are Fatigued Trucking Accidents?
A study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the FMCSA found that driver fatigue was a leading factor in large truck accidents in the United States. About 13% of truck drivers were fatigued at the time a serious crash occurred.
Unfortunately, truck accidents lead to hundreds of fatalities in Missouri every year. In 2024, there were 159 fatalities involving commercial motor vehicles, which was an increase from 137 deaths in 2023. The NHTSA also found that drowsy driving crashes were connected to 633 deaths in the United States in 2023.
Get Help With Your Drowsy Truck Driver Accident Claim Today
Truck accident claims can be complex because they typically involve serious injuries, multiple liable parties, and insurance companies that try to minimize the amount they pay to victims. Our truck driver negligence accident lawyers in St. Louis never back down from big insurance companies and will fight to protect you and your family’s future.
To learn more about how we can help you and what your claim may be worth, call (314) 501-9510 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation today. Our St. Louis trucking accident attorneys serve the greater metro area and surrounding regions, including:
- Brentwood
- Central West End
- Clayton
- Downtown St. Louis
- Ferguson
- Forest Park Southeast
- Frontenac
- Grand Center
- Kirkwood
- Ladue
- Lafayette Square
- Midtown
- Olivette
- Pagedale
- Richmond Heights
- Shaw
- Soulard
- The Hill
- Tower Grove
- University City
- Webster Groves
Meet Our St. Louis Attorneys
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Brown & Crouppen Law Firm
Address: 4900 Daggett Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110
Phone: (314) 501-9510
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