Missouri Accident Lawyer Blog

Four people were injured to varying degrees in a double head-on car accident in Jefferson County, Missouri on Missouri Route 185. The accident occurred January 30, 2012 at 11:35am when a vehicle crossed the centerline of the roadway and crashed head-on into two separate vehicles.

Walter G. Cates of Washington, Missouri and John W. Woodcock of Ballwin, Missouri were driving their vehicles on southbound Missouri Route 185, south of the Meramec River. Russell B. Mercer drove a 2002 Nissan Xterra across the centerline into oncoming traffic. First, the Xterra crashed into the 2006 Ford Taurus driven by Cates. Then, the Xterra crashed into the 2008 Dodge Ram driven by Woodcock.

Four people were ultimately injured in the collisions. Mercer suffered serious injuries. Cates and Woodcock suffered moderate injuries. Paula J. Woodcock, an occupant in Woodcock’s vehicle, suffered minor injuries. All of the injured parties were taken to Missouri Baptist Hospital in Sullivan, Missouri. The sole exception was Mercer, who was taken to Mercy Hospital in Creve Coeur Missouri.

When multiple accident victims suffer moderate to serious personal injury in a Jefferson County Missouri accident, there is a significant chance that at least one of them suffered a brain injury. Car accidents are a major cause of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the United States. Car crashes are a cause of 40% of brain injuries in Missouri. In all, over 2 million people suffer from some sort of brain injury in the United States.

TBI can dramatically alter the course of an accident victim’s life. The brain is the control center of the human body. When the brain of an accident victim is injured, the accident victim may suffer from issues that affect their ability to function in some capacity. Even mild TBI can require hospitalization and long term medical treatment. Anyone who suffers TBI as a result of a truck accident should contact an experienced St. Louis brain injury lawyer or have a loved one contact the attorney.

A woman from Imperial, Missouri and a woman from Hillsboro, Missouri were hurt in a Jefferson County Missouri injury car accident on January 19, 2012 at 2:40pm. The Thursday afternoon accident occurred when one of them failed to stop at a red light at the intersection of MO-141 and Romaine Creek Road.

Judith A. Fletcher of Hillsboro was traveling westbound on Romaine Creek Road through the intersection. Chastity M. Duncan of Imperial failed to stop at a red light, crashing into the front of Fletcher’s 2008 Chevrolet Impala. The Impala was totaled in the crash.

Both Fletcher and Duncan suffered moderate personal injury in the accident. Rock Township ambulance transported them to St. Anthony’s Hospital for medical treatment.

Red-light running is a major cause of injury crashes in the United States. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were more than 2.3 million intersection-related crashes in a single year. Those intersection-related crashes resulted in over 7,500 fatalities. The NHTSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System indicates that more than 700 deaths were caused by running a red light in particular. The problem is so widespread that one in three people say that they personally know at least one person who has been involved in a red-light running crash.

The increased implementation of red light cameras may help accident victims prove liability in a red light intersection accident. Many cities have installed cameras to monitor intersections for red light violations. Some cameras are equipped with sensors. When a car runs a red light, it triggers the sensor, which in turn causes the camera to take a photograph of the intersection. Other red light cameras take a photograph of the intersection at every red light. Either type of red light camera may provide helpful evidence for victims of red light intersection accident.

The process of obtaining evidence for trial is called “discovery.” Obtaining government records like red light camera photographs for trial may be complex, especially for accident victims unfamiliar with the process. Some cities have a very easy process for obtaining documents. Other cities have complicated, bureaucratic systems with strict deadlines. Accident victims should contact a Missouri red light intersection accident attorney as soon as possible for a free legal consultation.

Three people from Pacific, Missouri were injured in a Jefferson County Missouri distracted driver accident on January 18, 2012. The accident occurred on Missouri Route F, south of McNamee School Road.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, driver John W. Reed was inattentive while driving a 2002 Hyundai Accent. The Hyundai drove off the left side of the roadway. After leaving the road, the Hyundai overturned.

Three people suffered moderate personal injury in the accident. Reed, who was not wearing seatbelt during the accident, was transported to Mercy Medical Center for treatment. Two occupants were taken to Mercy as well: Teresa J. Knipe and Lynnette K. Moore. Knitpe and Moore wore their seat belts during the accident.

Distracted driving is becoming an epidemic. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 5,000 people were killed in distracted driver crashes in a single year. 20% of all injury-causing crashes involved reports of distracted driving.

A driving distraction is any activity that takes the driver’s attention away from operating a motor vehicle. Driving distractions endanger drivers, passengers, and pedestrians because the distracted driving is less capable of safely operating a vehicle. Avoiding accidents takes more than following the rules of the road. Drivers must respond to constantly changing road conditions. If the driver fails to notice the road conditions, the driver cannot respond appropriately. Driving distractions decrease the driver’s ability to notice changing road conditions.

Text messaging is the ultimate driver distraction. Text messaging involves a number of types of attention– cognitive, visual, and manual. A texting driver will use manual attention to direct the finger movements to complete the text message. A texting driver will use visual attention to look away from the road to the phone. A texting driver will use cognitive attention to read a received message and construct a response. Text messaging uses vital types of attention that are necessary to safe driving.

Text messaging is not the only driving distraction, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Other culprits include using a cell phone or smartphone, grooming, adjusting a radio or mp3 player, using a navigation system, eating, and talking to passengers. If you are injured in a motor vehicle accident and suspect that distracted driving played a role, contact Missouri personal injury attorneys to understand how that will affect a settlement or lawsuit.

Two women were injured in a Jefferson County Missouri accident on January 2, 2012 at 3:45pm. The accident occurred on southbound U.S. Highway 67 at Meyer Road. One vehicle was totaled in the crash.

Gina L. Warhover of Desoto, Missouri slowed her 2000 Ford Ranger to avoid hitting another vehicle. The Ford swerved left directly into the path of a 2010 Hyundai Sonata driven by Kimberly M. Schnitz of Bonne Terre, Missouri. The left of the Ford crashed into the right rear of the Hyundai. The Hyundai travelled off the right side of the roadway. Off the roadway, the Hyundai struck a guardwire and a traffic signal post. The Hyundai then overturned.

Warhover and Schnitz suffered personal injury in the accident. Warhover suffered moderate injuries and Schnitz sustained minor injuries. They were transported to Jefferson Regional Medical Center by Joachim Plattin Ambulance.

Even people who consider themselves safe drivers may need the help of a St. Louis auto accident attorney or a defensive driving course. Safe drivers rarely think about how they would deal with a car accident. Safe drivers drive at the speed limit, adjust their choice to weather and road conditions, and check their blind spots before initiating a lane change. However, those driving techniques may not be enough to avoid a Missouri car accident.

Safe drivers may still be harmed in car accidents because of the behavior of negligent drivers. Drivers who carefully obey safety regulations may still be struck by other drivers. A safe driver may be driving prudently in the correct lane, but still be hit by a negligent driver too concerned with a text message to avoid an accident. Learning how to deal with negligent drivers is an important skill.

Defensive driving courses can teach safe drivers how to deal with the behavior of negligent or aggressive drivers. Accident prevention is typically a key focus of defensive driving courses. Students may learn how to identify inappropriate driving behaviors and respond. Defensive driving course students may also learn about automobile safety outside of driving. For examples, the courses may teach student show to change tires or charge motor vehicle batteries.

Often, experienced drivers feel that defensive driving courses are unnecessary. However, even experienced drivers are involved in accidents. Outside of young adults between the ages of 16 and 20, experienced drivers between the ages of 45-54 suffer the highest number of fatalities in car accidents. Experienced drivers should consider taking defensive driving courses.

Five Missourians from Fenton, Dittmer, and House Springs were injured in a Jefferson County Missouri car accident on December 4, 2011. The Jefferson County multi-vehicle crash occurred on Missouri Route 30 at Old Sugar Creek Road.

The three vehicles involved in the accident were: 1) a 2008 Ford Expedition driven by Sheila L. Klash of Arnold, Missouri, 2) a 1996 Dodge Caravan driven by Nichole M. Santander of Fenton, Missouri, and 3) a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu driven by Cherlyn A. Land of House Springs, Missouri.

Land lost control of the Chevrolet and turned clockwise. The front of the Chevrolet crashed into the front of the Dodge. Then the Chevrolet crashed into the rear of the Ford. Most of the drivers and occupants in the three vehicles wore seat belts, but five people were still injured in the Jefferson County Missouri multi-vehicle car accident.

Three people who rode in the Dodge were injured in the accident. Santander, 36, Willima R. Thomas, 43, and Samantha L. Gray, 15, suffered moderate to minor injuries. Two people who rode in the Chevrolet suffered moderate to minor injuries: Land, 45, and Marilyn V. Dismukes, 74. All of the injured parties were transported to St. Anthony’s by the Mehlville Fire Protection District, except for Gray. Teenaged Gray was transported to Child Care Pediatric for medical treatment.

Missouri multivehicle accidents are likely to result in injury for at least one of the vehicle occupants. Multivehicle accidents often occur on interstate highways, where the rate of speed is much higher than on other roadways. If a vehicle moves out of its lane or a driver loses control on a major highway, other vehicles may be involved very quickly.

Determining the cause of a multi-vehicle accident becomes complex. Each vehicle may have multiple points of contact in the crash. The order of the crashes is difficult to reconstruct over the fact as well. Plus, if multiple drivers are involved there may be multiple attorneys involved. An accident victim without an attorney who faces multiple attorneys at the negotiation table or in the courtroom is at a distinct disadvantage. Accident victims who suffer injuries in Missouri multivehicle car accidents should obtain experienced legal counsel to protect their legal rights.

Three Missourians – including a pedestrian – were moderately to seriously injured in a Jefferson County Missouri car accident on October 15, 2011 at 9:11pm. The Jefferson County Missouri pedestrian car crash occurred on Route MM, just east of Route 30.

Another Missouri car accident had already occurred on Route MM. The previous accident involved a 2001 Buick LeSabre driven by Timothy S. Maenner of Imperial, Missouri. Pedestrian Derrick W. Voisey of Lemay, Missouri was checking in with Maenner in referenced to the accident that had already occurred. Meanwhile, Thomas A. Lewis failed to notice the previous accident while driving a 1997 Pontiac Grand Am. Lewis crashed into the rear of Maenner’s vehicle. The collision forced the door of Maenner’s vehicle close, injuring Voisey.

Lewis, Maenner, and Voisey were all injured in the Jefferson County Missouri car accident. Maenner suffered the most severe injuries and was transported to St. Anthony’s Medical Center. Lewis was taken to St. Anthony’s Medical Center with moderate injuries. Voisey was taken to St. Clare Health Center with moderate injuries. Both the Buick and the Pontiac were totaled in the accident.

This Jefferson County Missouri car accident highlights the importance of exercising care while driving near a car accident. If drivers fail to notice and accommodate previous accidents, another Missouri car accident may occur. When approaching a car accident, drivers should prudently watch out for accident victims who may exit one of the damage vehicles. When possible, changing lanes to avoid the previous accident may be advised.

If you are involved in a Missouri car accident on a public roadway, you should exercise care to avoid another accident. Turn on your hazard lights as soon as the accident occurs to alert other drivers. Carefully monitor traffic on the roadway before exiting your vehicle to check on the occupants of the other vehicle involved in the accident. If you need to discuss the accident or exchange insurance information with other people involved the accident, do so on the shoulder of the roadway instead of in traffic lanes.

If possible, accident victims may be advised to move the involved vehicles into the shoulder of the highway. If a road shoulder is not available, move the involved vehicles as far over as possible. Other drivers may not expect stopped vehicles on the roadway. If drivers do not expect an obstruction, they may take longer to adjust their speed or change lanes. Keep in mind that negligent or even reckless drivers may approach. These drivers could be operating above the speed limit or engaging in distracting activities like texting. A reckless or distracted driver may not notice your vehicles until it is too late and cause a Missouri rear end accident. While the accident victims should not take the blame for such an accident, the best accident strategy to is avoid accidents whenever possible.

Continue reading "Pedestrian Injured in Jefferson County Missouri Car Accident" »

A Jefferson County Missouri U-turn car accident resulted in serious to minor injuries for four Missourians on September 12, 2011 at 1:15pm. Brett M. Hogan of Hillsboro made a U-turn in a 1994 Saturn SL2 on Missouri Route A near Pioneer Road. Hogan’s vehicle drove into the path of a 2005 Buick Terraza driven by Adam N. Thompson of Desoto. The vehicles collided in the Missouri side impact car accident.

Hogan suffered serious injuries in the accident; she did not wear a seatbelt during the Jefferson County Missouri U-turn car accident. Hogan was transported to Mercy Hospital in Creve Coeur by Survival Flight. Three occupants in the other vehicle were injured – Tosha L. Steffens, 23, Anthony L. Thompson, 4, and Trenton N. Thompson, 2. The injured occupants were taken to the Jefferson Regional Medical Center by Valle Ambulance.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), less than one percent of fatal traffic crashes occur when a vehicle made a U-turn. Nevertheless, U-turn accidents kill more than 100 people a year. Missouri U-turn car accidents may unfortunately result in serious injuries and extensive property damage for dozens of people.

Many Missouri drivers execute U-turns at intersections without knowing whether U-turns are technically legal. Missourians who ask are U-turns legal in Missouri should look to Missouri statute 304.341, which governs turns at intersections in the state of Missouri. According to statute 304.341, U-turns are only permissible if the U-turn “can be made in safety and without interfering with other traffic.” Missouri drivers should attempt U-turns prudently, which exercising due car to avoid Missouri car accidents. Attempting a U-turn near other vehicles on the roadway may be too risky for the law’s limitations.

The statute further restricts U-turns to decrease the risk of U-turn car accidents. The statute prohibits U-turns on any curve in the roadway. U-turns are additionally prohibited “near the crest of a grade” (e.g. near the crest of a hill). Drivers cannot attempt a U-turn in any part of the roadway on which the vehicle cannot be seen by any other driver for three hundred feet in any direction. The statute further emphasizes that U-turns are not allowed where they “may create a traffic hazard.”

Continue reading "Jefferson County Missouri U-Turn Accident Injures Four Missourians" »

A Jefferson County rear impact car accident killed a teenager from Bonne Terre, Missouri. The Missouri rear end car accident injured an additional seven people from Festus, Bonne Terre, French Village, and Crystal City. The Missouri car accident occurred on May 1, 2011 at 12:10pm.

The accident occurred as two vehicles were stopped at a red light on southbound US-67 at Meyer Road: a 2005 Chevrolet Impala driven by Michael A. Rayfield from Festus, Missouri and a 1997 Ford Escort driven by Holly J. Duncan. Daniel B. Torrence, driving a 2008 Pontiac G8, failed to stop. Torrence crashed into the rear of Duncan’s Ford in the Missouri rear end collisions. The force of the accident caused Duncan’s Ford to crash into the rear of Rayfield’s Chevrolet.

Thomas A. Duncan, age 15, from Bonne Terre, Missouri suffered the only fatality in the Missouri three vehicle car accident. He was first taken to St. John’s Mercy Medical Center in Creve Coeur, then the Children’s Hospital by Survival Flight. Unfortunately, his fatality was pronounced at Children’s Hospital by Dr. David Limbrick. His next of kin has been notified.

Seven other Missouri residents were injured in the crash. 9-year-old Joshua Duncan and 14-year-old Caleb Reed were both seriously injured. The Arch helicopter transported both of them to Cardinal Glennon Hospital. Holly Duncan, 11-year-old Paul Duncan, Daniel Torrence, and 14-year-old Blaise Torrence sustained minor injuries. Joachim Plattin Ambulance transported them to the Jefferson Regional Medical Center. All of the injured parties were minors except for Holly Duncan, 39, and Daniel Torrence, 37.

Suing to obtain compensation for the death or serious injuries of a child can be an emotionally wrenching experience for parents. Parents and legal guardians are often caught unawares by the process; most parents do not expect to see their children suffer to that extent. Parents should rest assured that their children have an equal legal right to obtain compensation for their injuries as adult accident victims. Minors may obtain compensation for present and future medical expenses, loss of income and earning capacity, and other losses they have sustained in a Missouri car accident. Parents and legal guardians should work closely with an experienced Missouri attorney every step of the process to make sure their children’s rights are well-protected.

Continue reading "Jefferson County Crash Fatal for Teen and Injures Seven More" »

A St. Louis area car accident injured three people, two seriously, on a highway outer road in Jefferson County.

This Jefferson County, Mo car accident occurred as two oncoming vehicles clipped each other when one crossed the center line, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Nicole Isbell, 16, was driving a 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier southbound on the outer road. The second car was a 2000 Mercury Grand Marquis, driven by Denise Price, 43. As the two vehicles were about to pass each other, Isbell's car drifted across the center line and clipped the driver's side of Price's vehicle. Price's car then spun out of control off the right side of the roadway and into a rock bluff.

Price and a passenger in her car, Jeremy Price, 9, both suffered significant injury and were taken to local hospitals. Isbell's injuries were relatively minor, but she was also taken to the hospital for treatment.

Both drivers' insurance was listed as unknown in the initial crash report, but no citation for uninsured driving was noted.

After a Missouri car crash, the at-fault driver's insurance is supposed to pay for the medical bills and other expenses incurred by the injured party. Sometimes this is not so cut and dry, however, and the insurance company fights to limit the amount they pay. Other times, a driver may be driving illegally without insurance. In these more complicated cases, it is good to learn you legal rights as an accident victim by contact a St. Louis personal injury lawyer.

Three cars were involved in a Missouri injury accident on Highway 30 in Jefferson County Tuesday afternoon. At least two people sustained significant injuries in this Jefferson County, Missouri car wreck.

The accident occurred on Highway 30 just before Old Sugar Creek Road, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Two vehicles had stopped in preparation of making a left turn. The first vehicle was a large Ford Econoline van, driven by Charles Kersten, 26, and behind that was a 2005 Dodge Ram, driven by Bruce Finkes, 56. A third vehicle, a Chevy 1500 driven by Martin Gsell, 56, approached the line of cars from behind. Gsell's pickup slammed into the back of Finkes' truck causing serious damage.

Both Finkes and Gsell suffered serious injuries in this Missouri car accident and were taken to St. Anthony's Hospital for treatment. While Finkes' truck was pushed forward into Kersten's van, Kersten didn't suffer any significant injuries, according to the investigating officer.

The initial crash report didn't say what caused Gsell to crash into a line of stopped cars. Generally when this happens it means that a driver was not paying attention to the road ahead or was driving too fast to slow down in time. There may be extenuating circumstances, though, and this case may be more complicated than it first appears.

Because there are so many complications and nuances to Missouri accident law, it's important to seek the advice of a professional when handling the aftermath of a crash. Consulting an experienced St. Louis area car accident lawyer before settling with the insurance companies is the best way to ensure that your rights are protected and that you receive the chance at recovery you deserve.