Missouri Accident Lawyer Blog

On April 18, 2008, three Missourians sustained serious personal injuries and one killed in a two car accident in Clay County, Missouri around 3:35 p.m.. According to the investigating officer, Cpl. E. Hurst, three seventeen year old teenagers, Andrew Asmus, Benjamin Gray and Cory Roush were traveling Southbound on Route JJ when the driver, Andrew Asmus, of Excelsior Springs, failed to stop to stop at the intersection of Missouri 210 and Route JJ. Asmus's vehicle crossed into the path of an eastbound vehicle, driven by Daniel Shute, 49, of Bramer, Missouri. Both vehicles traveled off the Southeast corner of the intersection. Asmus's vehicle came to rest in a field and Shute's vehicle in a nearby ditch.

Asmus and Roush were transported by Liberty Emergency Medical Services to the North Kansas City Hospital, where they were treated for very serious personal injuries. Benjamin, who was a passenger in Asmus's vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene and taken to the Jackson County Medical Examiner's office in Kansas City, Missouri. Shute was transported by Excelsior Springs Emergency Medical Services to Liberty Hospital in Liberty, Missouri and was treated for injuries.

At this time, investigators are trying to determine what caused Mr. Asmus' vehicle to run the stop sign. If and when authorities release this information, we will post it here.

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On April 25, 2008, an Arkansas man sustained serious injuries in a head-on collision at Missouri 13 approximately one mile South of Lampe in Stone County, Missouri.

According to Corporal Green of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Ashlei Blanchette, 16, of Shell Knob, Missouri was driving her 1999 Chevrolet Malibu Southbound when she crossed the center line colliding head on with a Northbound 1990 Ford Ranger operated by Jimmy Bennett, 48, of Diamond City, Arkansas. After the collision, Bennett's vehicle traveled off the side of the roadway. Mr. Bennett was transported to St. John's Hospital in Springfield, Missouri where he was treated for his injuries.

It is unknown what caused Ms. Blanchette's vehicle to cross the center line into the path of Mr. Bennett.

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Early in the morning on April 21, 2008, seventeen year old Kaitlin Hammerschmidt of Gerald, Missouri was driving on US 50 West of the Gasconade/Franklin County line when her 1998 Ford Mustang crossed the center line and collided with the driver's side of a 2001 Chevrolet S-10 driven by Laurence Mentz, 64, of Owensville, Missouri.

After the impact, Hammerschmidt's vehicle traveled off the South side of the road and struck a pole and gate. Mentz's vehicle overturned, ejecting him and then coming to rest on its top.
Mentz was flown to St. John's Hospital by Arch helicopter and was treated for serious personal injuries. Hammerschmidt was not reported to have sustained any personal injury. Both vehicles were removed from the crash scene by Triple L Towing.

Ms. Hammerschmidt's insurance company is American Standard. The amount of liability coverage that will apply in this case is unknown. Whenever someone is injured by another's negligence, the liability coverage of the at-fault driver is supposed to pay for that person's medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering and any resulting disability.

The Bradley Law Firm, a Missouri personal injury law firm, with over thirty years of personal injury experience, helps those injured in Missouri car accidents by meeting with them for free, regardless of whether that person employs their services. If you have been involved in a Missouri car accident and need to ask an experienced personal injury lawyer a question, feel free to contact us.

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On April 24, 2008, three people sustained serious personal injuries in a two car accident in Christian County, Missouri around 10:15 a.m. on US 65, just four miles South of Ozark, Missouri. According to the investigating officer, William Harp, 82, of Nixa, Missouri was driving a 2001 Chevrolet S-10 when he attempted to cross US 65 from Route A. Harp's vehicle pulled into the path of a Northbound 2008 Dodge Charger driven by Brandi Correll, 35. She had one passenger in the vehicle, Carroll Foster, 47. Both of them were from Floral, Arkansas. According to evidence at the scene, the two vehicles collided in the northbound passing lane.

Correll and Foster were transported by ambulance to Skaggs Hospital in Branson, Missouri where they were treated for very serious personal injuries. Harp was transported by ambulance to St. John's Hospital in Springfield, Missouri.

Investigating officers have not released any further information regarding the probable contributing circumstances. Every police report contains a section where an officer may indicate what he or she believes caused the accident. However, under Missouri evidence law, these opinions are considered hearsay unless the officer actually witnessed the event or has been trained in accident reconstruction. Most highway patrol officers are not accident reconstructionists. In cases where legal causation as to liability is in dispute, it is important to hire an accident reconstruction expert to fill in the missing pieces of the puzzle.

Our Missouri personal injury lawyers can answer any questions you may have about Missouri law or your legal rights in other types of cases. Or, visit our website and click on "Common Questions." As always, personal injury consultations are free. Contact us for your free personal injury consultation today.

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On April 23, 2008 at approximately 12:50 p.m., the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a three vehicle car accident on US 160, just east of Doniphan, Missouri. Harry Friske 73, of Oxly, Missouri was driving eastbound when he rear-ended a 2000 Buick operated by Steven Bohannan 51, of Doniphan, Missouri. The force of this rear impact caused Bohannan's vehicle to cross the center line and strike another vehicle head-on. That car, a 2006 Chevrolet, was driven by Rhonda Elliott, 47 of Fairdealing, Missouri. She had a toddler in her vehicle, one year old Briar Boyd also of Doniphan, Missouri.

Bohannan was transported by ambulance to Ripley County Memorial Hospital where he was treated for moderate injuries. Elliott and Boyd were transported by private vehicle to the hospital and treated for minor injuries.

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On Monday, April 21, 2008, the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a Missouri truck accident involving a Mack Concrete pumping truck on Eastbound highway 54 at Lake Road 54-85. According to the investigating officer, Eric Branch, 31 of Eldon, Missouri, was driving the concrete truck when he made a left turn into the path of a 1992 Chevrolet S10 Pickup driven by twenty-three year old Kevin Huckabee. Mr. Huckabee had two passengers in his vehicle, Devin Clark, 21 and Dustin Vaughn, 23. Each of these young men resided in Macks Creek, Missouri.

Huckabee was flown to St. John's hospital in Springfield, Missouri where he was listed with serious personal injuries. Mr. Clark and Mr. Vaughn were pronounced dead at the scene by Camden County coroner Dr. James Jungles. Mr. Branch escaped from the crash unhurt.

Police have not stated what circumstances contributed to cause this horrific incident. Since this accident involved two deaths, the Missouri Highway Patrol will conduct a full accident reconstruction to determine exactly how this tragic incident occurred. Once completed, the police will have an understanding of each vehicle's speed immediately before impact.

As more information becomes available, we will update this blog. The Bradley Law Firm regularly posts up to date information on most traffic accidents involving serious personal injury and wrongful death on Missouri roadways and offer legal commentary on probable issues that will arise in these contexts. Our personal injury attorneys have helped hundreds of families and individuals dealing with catastrophic injury and loss. If you have any questions regarding Missouri personal injury law or wrongful death, contact us for free and talk to an experienced and dedicated trial lawyer today.

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A Missouri car accident resulted in the wrongful death of a Missouri man and woman on the afternoon of April 20, 2008. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a fatality incident on Route 32 at Davis Crossing Road in St. Francois County. The investigating officer indicated Carl Womack, 75 and his passenger Evelyn Womack, 79, both of Ironton, Missouri were traveling in a 2001 GMC Sierra, heading eastbound on Route 32 when he attempted to pass multiple vehicles. As a result of this reckless maneuver, Womack's vehicle struck the left side of a vehicle occupied by Harry Propst, 60 and passenger Eleanor Hunt, 66 both of Farmington, Missouri.

Harry Propst and Elanor Hunt were both pronounced dead at the scene by the coroner. Harry Womack and Evelyn Womack were both transported to Parkland South in Farmington, Missouri, where Carl was treated for moderate injuries and his wife, Evelyn was treated for minor injuries.

At this time it is unknown whether there were other witnesses to this horrible Missouri car wreck. When passing vehicles on a two lane road, you must only do so when it is safe. Ordinarily, you should only attempt to pass one or two cars at a time, unless there is an extremely long straight section of roadway and there are no cars within sight.

This is an accident that could have clearly been avoided. Reckless driving is crime and often it kills. The Bradley Law Firm handles cases against reckless Missouri and Illinois drivers who cause serious personal injury and cause the wrongful death of others. We only earn an attorneys' fee if we are successful in your case. Also, unlike many other personal injury law firms, our firm will pay for all the costs and expenses of litigation. We only get paid back for these expenses if we are successful. Also, we offer free initial consultations without any obligation to hire our firm. Contact us today if you or someone you know has a personal injury or a potential wrongful death claim.

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On Tuesday, April 15, 2008, the Highway Patrol reported a serious Missouri truck accident involving a Freightliner semi on Route F. According to the investigating trooper, Sarah Yager, 18, of Higginsville, Missouri was driving a 1993 Oldsmobile Southbound on Route F. A 1998 Freightliner truck operated by Wilbern Manning of Corder, Missouri was traveling Northbound. Yager attempted a left turn in front of the Freightliner, and the two vehicles collided head on.

Yager was transported by Lifeflight to Centerpoint Hospital, where she was listed with serious personal injuries. No citations were issued as a result of this Missouri truck crash.

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On April 14, 2008, four Missouri teens sustained personal injury in a one car accident in Jefferson County around 8:26 p.m. on Route E. According to the investigating officer, Nicholas Parrott, 18, of Park Hills, Missouri was driving his 1995 Dodge Neon Northbound on Route E when he crossed the center line and started to drive on the wrong side of the road. Parrott swerved to the right and travelled off the right side of the road. Parrott's vehicle then crossed into a gravel driveway, then returned to the roadway. The undercarriage of the Neon struck the edge of the road, causing the vehicle to overturn and hit a tree before coming to rest on its top.

Parrott had three passengers in his vehicle, Alicia Aubuchon, 18, and Steven Jones 20, both of Park Hills, Missouri and Amber Simmons, 17, of Desloge, Missouri. Aubuchon was transported by Arch helicopter to Barnes Hospital where she was listed as having sustained serious personal injury in this Missouri car wreck. Simmons was taken to Cardinal Glennon Hospital and was listed with serious personal injuries. Jones was taken to Jefferson Memorial by Valle Ambulance and was listed as having moderate injury. Mr. Parrott was taken to St. John's Hospital by Arch Helicopter and escaped from the wreck with only minor injuries.

At this time, it is unknown what caused Mr. Parrott to cross into the opposite lane of travel. If and when more information becomes available, we will update this blog.

Our Missouri personal injury lawyers can answer any questions you may have about Missouri law or your legal rights in other types of cases. As always, personal injury consultations are free. Contact us for your free personal injury consultation today.

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On Wednesday April 9, 2008 the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a serious Missouri truck accident involving a Freightliner semi at the intersection of US 50 at Missouri highway 131. According to the investigating officer who worked this Missouri truck accident, Mitchell Holder, 44 of Odessa, Missouri was driving a 2007 Freightliner when he failed to yield at a crossover and pulled into the path of a 1998 Chevrolet driven by Robert Schlender, 49 of Sedalia, Missouri. Schiender's vehicle struck the the tanker unit of Holder's truck.

Schlender was transported to Centerpoint Medical Center by Lifelight Air Ambulance where he is listed in serious condition. No further information is available regarding his injuries.

Holder was issued a traffic citation for failure to yield to oncoming traffic.

If and when a civil lawsuit is filed against Mr. Schlender, there will likely be a claim for negligence per se. In Missouri, negligence per se is a cause of action that can be asserted when someone violates a law and as a result, one is injured. Under this theory of recovery, the injured party need not prove negligence (that someone failed to use the highest degree of care). Instead, proof of the violation alone is sufficient to prove negligence. All the victim must do is then prove causation and damages as a result of the violation.

For more information on Missouri negligence per se causes of action, contact us for a free case review.

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On April 1, 2008 at approximately 11:50 a.m., the Missouri Highway Patrol reported a three vehicle accident on U.S. 36 in Shelby County, Missouri.

Janet Leitterman, 56, of Festus, Missouri was driving a 2002 Toyota Camry eastbound when she crossed the center line and hit the left rear of a westbound 1996 International truck driven by Stephen Balestri, 30, of Riverton, Illinois. Leitterman's vehicle then hit the another westbound vehicle operated by Jamie Woodall, 20, of Monroe City, Missouri. Woodall was following the International truck. Leitterman's car then traveled off the road and stopped on the shoulder. Woodall's vehicle went off the roadway. Balestri lost control of the truck, which went off the roadway and overturned.

Leitterman was issued a traffic citation for failure to drive on the right half of the roadway.

All three people were transported to Hannibal Regional Hospital, where they were treated for moderate personal injuries and released.

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