Missouri Accident Lawyer Blog

Two Missourians were killed in a powerboat accident on Wednesday, November 9, 2011. The fatal Missouri boat accident occurred during the opening of the Key West World Championship boat races in Key West, Florida. The fatal accident did not stop the planned three days of racing, but may have placed a dark cloud over the festivities.

Robert M. Morgan of Sunrise Beach, Missouri and Jeffrey Tillman of Kaiser, Missouri were killed in the Missouri boat accident resulting in wrongful death. Morgan was the boat’s throttleman and Tillman was the driver. The Missourians were in a boat called Big Thunder Marine, a boat that competes in the Superboat Unlimited Class.

According to a witness, the boat caught air during operation and the front of the boat went straight in the air. The boat came down on its right front. The witness described the force of the boat’s collision with the water as “powerful” and “crushing.” The Missouri boat crash occurred next to the spectator area of the harbor.

Both accident victims were transported from the scene of the accident for medical treatment. Reports indicate that Morgan passed away in an air trauma ambulance. Tillman passed away near arrival at an area hospital. The races continued after the accident victims were taken from the scene of the accident. A non-fatal accident occurred during the same race; the organizations then stopped the race.

The nature of Missouri boating accidents creates multiple occasions for serious injury or death. When a high speed boat crashes occurs, the force of the accident may jerk the accident victim’s body in unnatural ways. Shards of glass or other sharp pieces of the boat may strike the accident victims during the collision. The boat’s occupants may be violently thrown from the vehicle. Crashing into the water may create a “crushing force.” Moreover, seriously injured accident victims are at a high risk of drowning. If emergency services fail to respond quickly, a seriously injured accident victim may not be able to stay afloat.

The injuries that accident victims suffer as a result of Missouri boat accidents are often fatal. Determining liability may be difficult because of the complexity of the factors involved. Courts may ask questions such as: What were the weather and water conditions during the accident? Are the accident victims partially at fault for the accident? Did the accident victims sign any waivers with the defendant before the accident occurred? If so, were the waivers a valid contract? An experienced Missouri accident attorney will understand how to navigate the court system and interactions with insurance companies. Contact a Missouri accident attorney as soon as possible after your Missouri boat accident.

A Missouri boat accident on the Current River over the weekend killed two, including a young boy, and injured three others. The accident took place on the river near Doniphan in Ripley County, Missouri.

According to the Missouri State Water Patrol, who are investigating the crash, the accident occurred as a 2005 Blazer Utility boat, driven by Radeena Proffer, 27, was traveling downstream. At the same time, a 2003 Blazer Utility boat, driven by Chad Mikel, 26, was traveling upstream. Both drivers tried to avoid a collision, but Proffer’s boat still crashed into Mikel’s on the port side.

Jerry Mote, 11, was thrown overboard and killed. His body would later be recovered by divers a half mile down from the accident scene. Josh Burson, 25, was also killed in the accident.

Neither of the deceased was wearing a life jacket at the time of the crash.

Proffer suffered moderate injures and was taken to Ripley County Memorial Hospital for treatment. Two other passengers, Michelle Lafferty, 32, and Michael Preslar, 35, were injured and taken to local hospitals. Lafferty’s injuries were listed as serious while Preslar’s were listed as minor.

The Missouri State Water Patrol is still investigating the exact cause of the crash. If one of the drivers is found to be negligent and caused the crash, the families of the deceased and injured may be able to recover damages by contacting a Missouri boat accident lawyer.

Often, Missouri boating accidents and resulting in a wrongful death are caused by inexperienced drivers who don’t know how to react in the face of an imminent crash. No details were released as to how experienced either driver was. Neither driver owned the boat he was driving and the boats’ owners were not onboard. The first boat was owned by Drew Proffer and the second was owned by Rachel Mikel.

Missouri is fortunate to have many beautiful lakes and iconic rivers that are often filled with recreational and industrial vehicles. Unfortunately, accidents can and do happen on Missouri’s waterways.

In recent years, Missouri has seen hundreds of boating accidents with up to 23 fatalities annually. These accidents can have many causes ranging from drunken boat drivers at the Lake of the Ozarks to industrial barge accidents on the Mississippi. Many of these accidents leave people injured and families struggling to cope with medical expenses.

For this reason, laws have been passed to protect Missouri boaters. Missouri recently lowered the legal blood alcohol content levels for boaters to .08, which matches the standards for Missouri drivers.

If you work on a barge and are injured on board, the federal Jones Act allows you to sue your employer if their negligence led to the accident. Your employer may be responsible for your medical bills and a pay allowance while you are injured.

Jones Act cases are more complicated than worker’s compensation cases as there is more of a burden to prove negligence on the part of the employer. Because of this, barge and boat accidents must be investigated by an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible. These cases are time sensitive and evidence can be lost if not gathered quickly.

In response to a rash of Missouri boating accidents, Governor Matt Blunt signed legislation that lowers the legal blood alcohol level to .08.

The law, which goes into effect on August 28th, will make the legal limit for boaters equal to that of Missouri drivers. Previously, the limit for Missouri boaters was .10.

The law comes on the heels of numerous alcohol related accidents on Missouri waterways. The Missouri Water Patrol says alcohol was involved in all the fatal accidents on the Lake of the Ozarks in the past year.

Anyone who causes a death while boating under the influence will be charged with involuntary manslaughter, which could result in up to seven years in prison. This will also affect personal injury lawsuits as negligence in alcohol related accidents can be proved by citing blood alcohol regulation violations.

If you have been injured in a Missouri boating accident and would like a free legal consultation, contact us at The Bradley Law Firm. We have handled Missouri and Illinois boating accidents for over 30 years.

Yorgan Yorganov, 33, was charged with operating a motorboat while intoxicated after he crashed his Seadoo into another jet ski driven by Tracy Sellmeyer, 45.

According to the Missouri Water Patrol, the accident occurred Sunday afternoon on the Grand Glaize arm of the lake. Witnesses said Yorganov “came out of nowhere” to hit Sellmeyer after making a sharp right turn.

Sellmeyer was taken to Lake Regional Hospital in Osage Beach and later flown to University Hospital in Columbia with serious injuries. Yorganov suffered minor injuries but refused medical treatment, according to the patrol report.

In addition to boating while intoxicated, Yorganov was also charged with operating a personal watercraft within 50 feet of another vessel.

Operating his vehicle under the influence of alcohol is a negligent act on the part of Yorganov. Should a personal injury lawsuit follow, a lawyer would need only to prove that violation of drinking regulations contributed to the cause of the accident.

A follow up investigation may be needed to gather more details about this crash. Boating accident cases are different than car accidents and a Missouri personal injury attorney with the appropriate experience should be contacted as soon as possible in the event of a boat or jet ski crash.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Missouri boating accident, contact The Bradley Law Firm for a free consultation. We have over 30 years of experience in personal injury law and we will be able to advise you on your case with no obligations.

Missouri boat accidents and Missouri boating injuries at the Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri are at an all time high. There have been a record number of Missouri personal injury lawsuits filed as a result of boat crashes and injuries sustained.

If you have been injured in a Missouri boat crash and have sustained personal injury from that accident, please contact us to discuss your case for free.