Missouri Accident Lawyer Blog

A man from Florissant and a man from St. Louis City were injured in a Lincoln County Missouri rear end collision on November 6, 2011 at 5:05pm. The accident occurred on U.S. Highway 61 south of Wilson Rd.

The accident began as Gary J. Bruckner of St. Louis, Missouri slowed his 1995 Chevrolet truck to make a left turn. Iowa driver Zachariah T. Rhodes failed to stop as Bruckner slowed. Rhodes crashed a 2003 Ford F150 into the rear of Bruckner’s vehicle. Two people were injured in the Lincoln County Missouri rear end accident. Bruckner and occupant Kenneth A. Bruckner of Florissant were transported to St. Joseph West by Lincoln County Ambulance.

Missouri rear end car accidents are unfortunately common. Statistics indicate that there are as many as 1.8 million rear end accidents a year. Rear end accidents account for more than 20% of injury causing traffic accidents. Clearly, rear end accidents are a serious threat to the safety of our public highways.

Missouri rear end car accidents vary in the degree of injury. Some rear end car accidents are nicknamed “fender benders.” In a fender bender rear end accident, the vehicles were traveling at a slow speed when they collided. Fender bender may result in minor to moderate vehicle damage, but the risk of injury is lower. A fender bender may occur if a following driver slows in response to a stopped vehicle, but does not slow down enough to avoid tapping the vehicle in front.

High speed rear end car accidents carry a heightened risk of serious physical injury. The collision causes the vehicles to abruptly stop. Accident victims may be suddenly thrown forward in their seats, causing serious injury. A deploying airbag may break an accident victim’s nose. The seat belt may break the accident victim’s collarbone. The sudden change in velocity may cause “whiplash” neck injuries or spinal cord injuries. Victims of high speed rear end car accidents may face serious hospitalization and medical expenses.

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Kimberlee A. Harper, 41, of Moscow Mills, Missouri was killed in a Lincoln County Missouri car accident on October 12, 2011 at 1:15pm. The deadly Missouri single car accident occurred when she crashed head-on into the concrete entrance of the Mallard Point subdivision. The 2001 Ford van that Harper drove overturned and caught fire.

Harper was pronounced dead at the scene of the Missouri van accident by Lincoln County Medical Examiner Robert Shramek. Harper’s van was totaled as well. No one else was injured according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The crash report did not indicate how or why Harper crashed into the subdivision entrance.

Some people instinctively blame the driver in a Missouri single vehicle traffic accident. However, a single vehicle accident may actually be caused by Missouri defective roads. Missouri’s public roadways must be designed and maintained safely, in accordance with standards released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA).

Proper road design is crucial for preventing car accidents. A single Missouri defective street may cause multiple accidents. If a road lacks a shoulder, malfunctioning vehicles may not be able to pull off the roadway entirely and become vulnerable to collisions. If an intersection lacks a traffic control device (e.g. a stoplight, a yield sign, etc.) but has a great deal of traffic, drivers may collide in their confusion.

Inadequate lighting is another dangerous defect. Drivers may not be able to see traffic control devices, road obstructions, or pedestrians in poorly lit areas. Defective lighting may cause an accident by making it difficult for drivers to see where they would like to turn. Drivers may not see their desired street or driveway until they are very close. If the drivers slow to take the turn, they may take a following vehicle by surprise. If the drivers attempt the turn without slowing, they may not be able to control their turn.

Obtaining compensation after a Missouri defective road car accident may be complex. Municipal, state, and federal government agencies may be liable for the defective road. The doctrine of sovereign immunity means that government entities are immune from lawsuits unless they specifically waived that immunity. Many government entities allow lawsuits against them, but require administrative proceedings beforehand. Each agency may have its own administrative requirements and deadlines. Accident victims should consult with a Missouri car accident attorney to make sure their options are not limited.

Six people were sent to local area hospitals after a Lincoln County Missouri car accident on August 27, 2011 at 7:40 pm. The injured parties included two adults, three young teenagers, and a child. The injuries resulting from the Lincoln County Missouri car collision ranged from serious to minor.

The accident occurred as 19-year-old Angela S. Linhorst of Elsberry, Missouri drove through a stop sign on Highway 47 at Gravens. Linhorst drove a 1999 Ford Taurus into the intersection. In the intersection, the front of Linhorst’s vehicle slammed into the front end of a 2003 Ford F150 driven by James E. Koeneman of Winfield, Missouri. The Lincoln County Missouri front impact car accident totaled Linhorst’s Taurus and resulted in moderate damage to Koeneman’s F150.

Six people sustained physical injuries in the accident. Minor injuries were sustained by Linhorst and three of her occupants – Nichole Lindhorst, 13, Alex Schnieder, 10, Heather Schnieder, 15. Douglas J. Koeneman, a 30-year-old occupant in Koeneman’s F150, suffered moderate injuries. Abigail Schnieder, 13, suffered serious injuries and was sent to Children’s Hospital by Air Evac. The other injured parties were taken to St. Joseph West Hospital by Lincoln County Ambulance.

Running a stop sign involves a heightened risk of a Missouri stop sign car accident. Drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians reasonably assume that a vehicle nearing an intersection will stop at a traffic control device (e.g. stop sign, yield sign, etc.) if a traffic control device is present. If those drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians enter the intersection relying on that assumption and the vehicle disobeys the traffic control device, a serious Missouri car accident may result. The accident victims may be seriously injured.

Running a stop sign is a violation of Missouri traffic law. Missouri statute 304.271 requires that Missouri drivers obey traffic control devices: “The driver of any vehicle shall obey the instructions of any official traffic-control device applicable thereto placed in accordance with the provisions of the law.” If a driver violates this statute while causing a Missouri car accident, the statute violation may be used to prove negligence in a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit.

There are a few exemptions to Missouri’s traffic control device laws, but they do not apply to most Missouri stop sign car accidents. Drivers may disobey posted traffic control devices while they are being “directed by a traffic or police officer.” Traffic and police officers may direct traffic when a traffic light malfunctions. Traffic and police officers occasionally direct traffic against the traffic control devices when a special event creates an atypical amount of traffic. Another exemption only applies to drivers of “authorized emergency vehicle[s].”

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Two people were injured, including a 13-year-old student, after a Missouri school bus accident on Highway 47 in Lincoln County.

This wreck is the latest in a string of crashes in the past couple months. Earlier this month, a school bus was hit by a tractor-trailer and 19 people were injured. In August, two people were killed in an accident on I-44 involving two school buses, as well as a couple other vehicles.

Thankfully, the two injuries in the Lincoln County car crash were not described as life-threatening.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, this latest accident occurred at the intersection of Highway 47 and Ridge Road around 12:40 p.m. The school bus, which was being driven by Jean Thomasson, 56, was heading eastbound on the highway and attempted to turn left onto Ridge Road. As it did so, it pulled into the path of a 1993 Chevrolet 1500, driven by Kurtis Colbert, 30. Colbert tried to avoid a collision, but skidded out of control into the school bus.

A passenger in Colbert's vehicle, Steffan Pogue, 23, was injured and taken to St. Joseph Hospital West for treatment. Pogue was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the wreck, according to the investigating officer.

Jonathan Halbert, 13, who was a student on the bus, was also injured, but his injuries were described as relatively minor. Halbert also received treatment at St. Joseph Hospital West.

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Sandra Moore, 46, was killed Tuesday afternoon when her 2003 Chevrolet Pickup collided with another truck on Highway 61 in Lincoln County, Missouri.

The accident occurred around 1:30 p.m. at the intersection of Highway 61 and Cannonball Road, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The second truck, a 1997 Ford F150 driven by Linda Grummel, 51, was heading eastbound on Cannonball Road and attempted to cross Highway 61. As Grummel crossed the highway, she drove her truck into the path of Moore’s truck and stuck the driver’s side. Moore’s truck overturned and she was ejected from the vehicle.

Moore was pronounced dead at the scene. Grummel suffered only minor injuries and sought treatment at St. Joseph’s Hospital West.

Moore was not wearing a seatbelt, according to the initial crash report.

The initial crash report is only considered hearsay when it comes to finding fault in an accident. In fatality accidents, an accident reconstruction will be performed to detail the events of the crash. From the way the initial report is written, it would appear that Grummel may be at fault, but there are some inconsistencies in the report about the direction of the vehicles. Regardless of what the initial report says, further investigation by a Missouri car accident attorney and local authorities will be needed to get a clearer picture of how exactly this fatal Missouri crash occurred.

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