Trailer Accidents

At Stueve Siegel Hanson, in Kansas City, Missouri, we represent people who have been injured or killed as a result of trailer accidents. We know that the consequences of any trailer accident can be life changing. Tow-behind trailers that are hitched to the back of trucks, sport utility vehicles (“SUVs”) and even passenger vehicles pose extremely hazardous risks when not operated in a safe manner and when not properly secured and connected to their tow vehicles.

The government simply does not keep track and does not supply statistics about runaway trailer crashes and/or trailer accidents. Recently, however, the Los Angeles Times has reported that there were about 540 runaway trailer accidents in the last 7 years nationwide. These accidents reportedly resulted in hundred of injuries and at least 164 deaths. It is a fact, however, that many of these incidents go wholly unreported by news sources.

A study conducted by Master Lock® found that most owners of trailers lacked the basic handling knowledge and safety skills required for towing. Moreover, in the same study, the report indicated that nearly half of those owners failed to even attach safety chains to the trailer and/or tow vehicles.

While some states do require the use of safety chains, the safety requirements and regulations governing proper towing are not uniform throughout the states. Similarly, there is no rule in any of the states that requires a person towing a tow-behind trailer to have any special training, instruction or license. In 1960, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration proposed federal safety standards and regulations governing the proper trailer hookup and safety instructions for tow-behind trailers. To no surprise, however, manufacturers and rental companies in the industry lobbied to fight implementation of the proposal and it was dropped in 1972.

The lawyers at Stueve Siegel Hanson handle these complicated and tragic trailer accident cases. One such example was the death of a 59 year old postal worker who was killed in a trailer accident. In that case, a trailer traveling in the opposite direction broke free from a truck and shot across the median smashing into the SUV being driven by our client. The workman towing the unlicensed utility trailer had never been trained to hook it up safely and never had any experience towing that or any other trailer before. Rather, his boss had instructed him to hitch the trailer to a certain work vehicle – a prescription for disaster because the coupler on the trailer required a 2 5/16 inch ball while the truck had a mis-matched 2 inch ball. Moreover, the workman did not use a lock to secure the connection. Moreover, our investigation and prosecution discovered that the safety chains were improperly secured to the trailer and improperly secured to the truck. Finally, our investigation revealed that the break-away braking device was wholly inoperable because no one had ever bothered to charge the battery.

Because of the serious nature of injuries related to trailer accidents, our lawyers handle each case with utmost attention to detail. We start by doing a thorough investigation of the facts, the vehicles, the scene of the accident and the laws. We often consult with accident reconstruction experts and utilize our contacts with the nation’s leading trailer experts in order to properly evaluate and prosecute your case.

Our law firm's use of technology helps us effectively manage this large volume of complex information, giving our clients an advantage in court. We have been a paperless office from day one. We research electronically and use online document management and litigation software.

Contact Stueve Siegel Hanson

To talk with us about your trailer accident injury or the injury of a loved one, contact Stueve Siegel Hanson by calling 1-866-668-9241. We offer free initial consultations about trailer accidents and accept cases on a contingency basis, meaning that there are no fees unless you win.