Missouri Accident Lawyer Blog

Daniel Coleman, 57, was seriously injured Sunday afternoon when his 2004 Harley Davidson motorcycle collided with another vehicle on Route Y.

According to the Missouri Highway Patrol, a Ford F150, driven by Daniel Cameron, 37, made a left turn into the path of Coleman’s motorcycle. Coleman crashed into the rear of the truck and was thrown from his motorcycle, which slid off the road. Cameron initially left the scene of the accident, but later returned.

Coleman was airlifted to Research Medical Center in Kansas City.

A summons was issued to Cameron for driving with a revoked license, failing to yield, and driving without insurance.

Even though Coleman was injured in an accident with an uninsured driver, he may be able to recover damages from his own insurance plan. Under Missouri law, all insurance plans, including liability only plans, come with uninsured motorist coverage that must provide at least $25,000 of coverage per person. This coverage allows drivers to file a claim against their own insurance company to pay compensation for bodily injury or death resulting from an accident caused by an uninsured or hit-and-run driver. Often insurance plans will not state that uninsured motorist coverage (UM) is included, hoping a claim will never be made. This is a sneaky tactic used by insurance companies more concerned with their bottom line than the health and financial stability of their clients. UM coverage is typically written for the same amount of liability coverage carried by the insured.

There is a Statute of Limitations that applies when filing uninsured motorist claims so it is important for anybody involved in such a crash to contact a personal injury attorney as soon as possible.

The Bradley Law Firm has over 30 years of experience in handling insurance claims. If you have questions regarding your insurance coverage, Contact Us today for free consultation.

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Posted In: Missouri Motorcycle Accidents

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Glen Hartless, 25, was seriously injured Thursday after a crashing his motorcycle into another vehicle in Park Hills, Missouri.

According to the highway patrol, Hartless was traveling westbound on Highway 32 when a 2003 Chrysler Sebring, driven by Helen Wakefield, 80, turned into his path. Hartless struck the vehicle and was thrown from his motorcycle.

Hartless was taken to Mineral Area Hospital. Wakefield was treated for minor injuries at Parkland Hospital.

Most Missouri motorcycle accidents occur when drivers in other vehicles fail to notice the person on the motorcycle. Often the driver will turn into the path of the motorcycle or merge into it when changing lanes.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a Missouri or Illinois motorcycle accident, one of the most important things to do is contact an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible. Cases like these are time sensitive and any delay could prevent you from recovering the cost of any medical expenses.

The Bradley Law Firm has over thirty years experience handling personal injury and motorcycle accident claims. If you have any questions or need legal advice, contact us for a free consultation.

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Two Missouri motorcycle accidents in the past two days have sent four riders to the hospital, two of them with serious injuries.

On Monday, Matthew McMullin, 40, was riding his 2004 Suzuki on Missouri 79 north of Elsberry when he hit a 2003 Ford Sport Trac, driven by Edwin Fattmann, 49. According to the highway patrol, Fattmann was attempting to make a left turn and cut in front of the motorcycle causing McMullin to hit the side of the Sport Trac.

McMullin suffered serious injuries and was taken by helicopter to St. John’s Hospital in Creve Coeur. Kimberly McMullin, 40, was also riding on the motorcycle and was taken by ambulance to St. John’s with only moderate injuries.

Today, on the other side of Missouri, a very similar accident occurred when James Mealman, 38, and Keith Mealman, 20, crashed their motorcycles on Missouri 291 south of Lee’s Summit.

James and Keith were riding on separate motorcycles and were attempting to pass a line of cars when they hit the side of a 1989 Ford F250 pickup, driven by Wilbur Strange, 53. According to the highway patrol, Strange was attempting to make a left turn and crossed into the path of the two motorcycles.

James Mealman suffered serious injuries and was taken to Research Main Medical Facility in Kansas City. Keith Mealman suffered only minor injuries, but was also taken to Research Main for treatment.

All four riders involved in the two incidents were wearing helmets.

These two incidents show the importance of both wearing the proper safety devices and being attentive on the roadways. Missouri motorcycle accidents often occur because other motorists don’t see the person on the motorcycle. Many drivers don’t look out for bike riders and will change lanes or turn into the motorcyclist. A simple negligent act can lead to serious injury and death as motorcyclists are so vulnerable on the roadways.

The Bradley Law Firm has thirty years of experience in handling personal injury claims and wrongful death claims arising from Missouri motorcycle accidents. If you have any questions about your legal rights in these cases, contact us today and one of our experienced attorneys will provide you with a free consultation. In addition, you will never be sent a legal bill from us. We only take a fee if we are successful on your case.

You may also visit our website’s section on Missouri motorcycle accidents for more information.

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John Hirner, 33, and James Tennimon, 14, were injured Sunday in an unusual incident as they rode a motorcycle north on Missouri 79 near Hannibal.

According to the Missouri Highway Patrol, a 1996 Chevrolet, driven by Ryan Tatman, 16, was traveling south on Missouri 79 when it lost its left rear tire. The tire crossed the center line and struck the motorcycle ridden by Hirner and Tennimon causing it to flip and land in the roadway. Tatman pulled his vehicle to the side of the road.

Both Hirner and Tennimon were taken to Hannibal Regional Hospital were they were treated for moderate injuries.

Both riders were wearing helmets.

If Hirner and Tennimon were to seek damages for their medical expenses, an investigation into the Chevrolet’s tire maintenance would need to take place. Forensic engineers would be consulted to determine whether the tire separated as a result of improper maintenance or road conditions. A personal injury attorney would need to determine who last serviced the tire and if they neglected to properly tighten the lugs and secure the tire.

If improper maintenance does turn out to have caused this accident, the last person to service the tires could be held negligent and responsible for paying the damages. In addition, a claim could be asserted against Mr. Tatman because all drivers are required to keep their vehicles in roadworthy condition. If it is discovered that Mr. Tatman knew or should have known the tire was loose or susceptible to falling off, he could be found guilty of negligence.

The Bradley Law Firm has handled Missouri personal injury cases for over 30 years. If you have been injured as a result of improper vehicle maintenance or some other mechanical failure, contact us today for a free consultation.

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Kelly Glover, 53, was thrown from his 2004 Yamaha motorcycle when he was rear ended Tuesday night in Callaway County.

According to the highway patrol, the Missouri motorcycle accident occurred when Glover stopped on Route F to allow the vehicle ahead of him to make a left turn. Glover was then rear ended by a 1993 Chevrolet, driven by Laura Williams, 45, and thrown from his motorcycle.

Glover was taken by ambulance to University Hospital in Columbia where he was listed in moderate condition. Williams was not injured.

Fortunately, Glover was wearing a helmet. In motorcycle crashes, riders have almost no protection to prevent injury and, as a result, are more at risk on Missouri roadways. Statistics indicate motorcycle riders are four times more likely to sustain injury and twenty-one times as likely to die compared to those in other vehicles.

Missouri motorcycle accidents often occur because other motorists don’t see the person on the motorcycle. Many drivers don’t look out for bike riders and will change lanes or turn into the motorcyclist.

This Callaway County crash was also a rear end collision. From a Missouri personal injury lawyer’s perspective, this means the “rear end doctrine” would likely apply. This rule of evidence says when one vehicle hits another motorist from behind, negligence is presumed against the person who rear ended the car in front without having to identify how the crash happened. Many other factors can apply to rear end collisions, however, so it is important that a personal injury lawyer with extensive experience is contacted to prove this doctrine should apply.

The Bradley Law Firm has over thirty years of experience handling personal injury and wrongful death claims arising from Missouri motorcycle accidents. Contact the Bradley Law Firm today and speak to an experienced motorcycle personal injury lawyer about your case for free.

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Our Missouri personal injury lawyer blog routinely reports on statewide car, truck and motorcycle accidents in an effort to bring awareness to how accidents happen and the factors that contribute in causing them. In addition, our Missouri lawyers provide commentary from a legal perspective in an effort to help people become aware of the legal issues involved in these types of cases. Knowledge is power. All too often good people are taken advantage of by large insurance companies. Hopefully by reading our posts, you have learned something about Missouri car accident law, what claims can be made and the underlying insurance issues.

With these principals in mind, we now report a new incident involving a motorcycle and a car. On March 20, 2008, the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a very serious accident occurred between a vehicle and a motorcycle in Green County, Missouri.

William Schroeder, 77 of Springfield, Missouri was driving a 2000 Honda Accord when he crossed the centerline and struck a 2008 Harley Davidson Motorcycle driven by Michael Davis, 40 of Springfield, Missouri. Mr. Davis was taken to Cox South Hospital in Springfield, Missouri where he was treated for serious injuries. Schroeder was reported to have no injuries.

At this time, it is unknown what caused Mr. Schroeder to cross the centerline. When these details are released, we will update this blog.

In this case, we are unable to determine what insurance coverage either party had. For more information regarding liability, under-insured motorist and uninsured motorist insurance coverage, please visit our St. Louis law firm web site for more information.

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Stephen Buckman, 19 of Desloge, Missouri was killed in a serious motorcycle accident while on an off-road trail in the St. Joe State Park in St. Francois County, Missouri on Sunday at approximately 3:55 p.m. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported Buckman was struck head-on by an all-terrain vehicle driven by Dalton Smith, 12 of Cedar Hill. Buckman was thrown from the motorcycle and pronounced dead at the scene. Dalton was not injured.

As of late Sunday, no charges have been filed and this Missouri motorcycle crash remains under investigation. The exact cause of Mr. Buckman's death has not been released and it is unknown whether Mr. Buckman was wearing a helmet.

In Missouri wrongful death matters such as this, authorities typically gather witness statements and prepare a written report. If the crash happens on a Missouri roadway, the Missouri Highway Patrol Accident Reconstruction team is called in to perform an accident reconstruction. Since this most unfortunate incident occurred off-road, it is unlikely authorities will conduct additional investigation to determine if other factors contributed to cause this motorcycle accident. As such, it will be up to the family and their lawyer to conduct additional investigation if other contributing factors are discovered. Many times, motorcycle accidents can occur because of structural, mechanical or electrical failure of the motorcycle.

At The Bradley Law Firm, we have decades of experience in conducting thorough and complete investigations of catastrophic accidents, including motorcycle accidents. Contact us today if you have any questions regarding motorcycle, car or truck accidents.

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A St. Louis motorcycle accident resulted in the death of an unidentified man today. According to the police, a rider was operating his bike on the 900 block of Lemay Ferry Road. St. Louis county police indicated the rider lost control of his motorcycle. However, police declined to comment if any other vehicle was involved in causing this motorcycle accident. Police have not yet released the identity of the rider. No other injuries were reported.

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Jeremy Carney of Stella, Missouri was riding his motorcycle on Route 0 in Newton County, Missouri on October 4, 2007 when Ferrales Ruiz made a left turn in front of Mr. Carney causing his motorcycle to hit the front right of Mr. Ruiz's car.

Mr. Carney was Life Flighted to Freeman West Hospital in Joplin, Missouri where he sustained serious personal injuries. Mr. Fruiz was not injured in this car accident.

The Bradley Law Firm has over thirty years of experience handling personal injury and wrongful death claims arising from Missouri motorcycle accidents. Contact the Bradley Law Firm today and speak to an experienced motorcycle personal injury lawyer about your case for free.

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George Higgins, 62, was tragically killed Sunday morning in a Missouri motorcycle crash, when a vehicle driven by Michael Barnum crossed into his lane on 1st street in Barton County, Missouri. He was taken to St. John’s Hospital in Joplin, Missouri where he later passed due to serious personal injuries. We expect a Missouri wrongful death lawyer to file suit on behalf of Mr. Higgins within the next few months.

Every lawyer in a Missouri wrongful death lawsuit must get court approval for any settlement that is reached between the decedent's survivor and the tortfeasor. The Missouri wrongful death statute 537.080 provides who may sue on behalf of the wrongfully killed person.

The St. Louis injury lawyers at the Bradley Law Firm have handled numerous wrongful death cases. If you or a loved on have been seriously injured or killed in a car wreck, please call us today at 888-STL-INJURY to discuss your case for free.

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An O'Fallon, Missouri man sustained moderate personal injury operating his 2006 Harley Davidson motorcycle in St. Charles, Missouri. As 56 year old Billy Gillam was attempting to merge onto Highway 79 from eastbound Interstate 70, he lost control of his motorcycle, which caused it to travel off the roadway. According to the Missouri Highway Patrol, the motorcycle struck a sign and overturned, ejecting Mr. Gillam.

Mr. Gillam was taken to St. Joseph Hospital by St. Charles, Missouri ambulance where he was treated for serious injuries. It is undetermined at this time if some object in the roadway caused Mr. Gillam to lose control of his motorcycle. If there was a foreign object in the roadway, Mr. Gillam may be entitled to Uninsured Motorist benefits under his Missouri insurance policy.

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A St. Louis, Missouri motorcycle crash seriously injured Arnold, Missouri native Joby Coleman on August 28, 2007. According to the Missouri Highway Patrol, Mr. Coleman was riding his motorcycle when it crashed into the rear of David Stewart's 1989 Toyota Corolla. According to the investigator, the Toyota swerved to avoid hitting another stopped vehicle when the motorcycle crashed into the rear of it.

Mr. Coleman was flown by helicopter to St. Louis University Hospital and was treated for serious personal injury. No court documents have been filed for personal injury to date. As soon as Mr. Coleman seeks a motorcycle injury lawyer and documents are filed with the St. Louis County Court, we will report on what allegations of negligence are alleged.

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