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.

Four people were hospitalized Friday after a Johnson County, Missouri car accident.

According to the initial accident report on this Missouri car accident, the crash happened at the intersection of Highway 50 and Missouri Route 131. A 1997 Acura, driven by James Frisbey, 31, was heading northbound toward the intersection at the same time as a 2005 GMC pickup, driven by Henry Tiner, 59. According to the investigating trooper from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Frisbey failed to yield at the intersection and pulled into the path of Tiner's pickup. The pickup then slammed into the driver's side of Frisbey's car.

Both drivers were taken to local hospitals with Frisbey, who wasn't wearing a seatbelt, sustaining the most serious injuries. Chelsea Fink, 20, a passenger in the Acura, and Doris Tiner, 56, a passenger in the pickup, were also both injured and taken to local hospitals.

Charges are pending and an investigation into this Missouri injury crash is ongoing.

Tracy McCain, 47, was killed and two others were seriously injured Wednesday in a Johnson County, Missouri car accident on Missouri Highway 13.

The fatal Missouri car accident occurred at the intersection of Highway 13 and Russell Avenue where McCain was preparing to make a left turn in his 2008 Buick. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, a 2005 Chevrolet driven by James Trent, 42, was also approaching the intersection. Trent was traveling at a high rate of speed and crashed into McCain’s vehicle as McCain was making the left turn.

Both cars were forced off the road and into a light pole where they came to a rest.

McCain was pronounced dead at the scene. James Trent and his passenger, Brooke Trent, 16, were both seriously injured and taken to local hospitals for treatment.

The investigating officer notes that Trent was driving his car at a high rate of speed, but does not say specifically how fast in the initial crash report. Further investigation by a Missouri car accident lawyer will be needed to determine just how fast he was traveling and how quickly McCain pulled out in front of him. Before liability can be determined and damages paid, these details must be examined.

There is also a possibility of comparative fault. In comparative fault cases, both drivers are essentially given a percentage of the blame for the accident and damages are paid accordingly. This might be the case should it be discovered that both drivers in the Johnson County crash were negligent in driving toward the intersection.

Tonya Wheeler, 22, was seriously injured Saturday afternoon when the car she was riding in collided with a pickup at an uncontrolled intersection on County Road 251 in Johnson County.

According to the investigating officer, both the car and the pickup entered the intersection at the same time. Since there were no stop lights or signs, neither driver was prepared to stop which caused the crash and sent both vehicles off the south side of the roadway.

Wheeler was taken to research medical center with serious injuries. The driver of the car, Megan Edington, 23, sustained minor injuries. Joshua Hopkins, 20, did not suffer any significant injury, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The accident remains under investigation.

While the intersection was uncontrolled, there are still regulations that drivers must follow to protect themselves from accidents like these. If a driver is approaching an uncontrolled intersection, he must yield to any cars already in the intersection. If two vehicles are approaching the intersection at the same time, the driver on the left must yield to the driver on his immediate right.

If either driver in this Johnson County car crash failed to follow these guidelines, he or she may be ticketed and liable for damages sustained by the other driver.