Missouri Accident Lawyer Blog

Caryn N. Hill, a 21 year old from Florissant, was injured in a St. Charles County personal injury accident. The accident occurred on I-70 on the Blanchette bridge.

Hill stopped a 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit behind a stranded motorist on the westbound portion of the interstate highway. A 2008 Honda Civic driven by Kyle P. Kenyon of Lake St. Louis swerved to avoid Hill’s Rabbit. The Honda still crashed into the Volkswagen before changing lanes. When the Honda changed lanes, it crashed into a 2006 Kia Spectra driven by Laron S. Taylor of St. Charles.

The three vehicles involved in the accident sustained damage. There were no reported injuries for any drivers or occupants, with the sole exception of Hill. Hill was taken to St. Joseph East Hospital by St. Charles County Ambulance.

Multi-vehicle accident attorneys understand that the injuries caused by a Missouri multi-vehicle accident can be devastating. Accident victims may be in a vehicle that endures more than one collision. Multi-vehicle accidents may so many cars that accident victims become trapped for long periods of time. Rescue crews have a more difficult time getting to accident victims, so injuries that need quick attention worsen.

Multi-vehicle accidents are even more dangerous on high-traffic, high-speed roadways like interstate highways. Drivers operate their vehicles at such high speeds, often above the posted speed limit, that they cannot stop or avoid the pile-up before making it worse.

Pile-up accident victims often wonder: who is liable in a Missouri multi-vehicle accident? Determining which driver is at fault when multiple vehicles are involved. The complexity of determining fault is detrimental to an accident victim without an attorney. Multiple drivers mean multiple insurance companies and multiple attorneys attempting to take advantage of unrepresented accident victims. Accident victims who are injured in pile-ups should contact an accident attorney as soon as possible.

A St. Charles Missouri multivehicle accident occurred on westbound Interstate 70, just .4 miles east of Missouri Route W. The St. Charles County Missouri car accident involved five vehicles, and resulted in a great deal of property damage and physical injury.

The Missouri multivehicle accident began when Laura A. Jager of Columbia, Missouri stopped her 1997 Nissan Altima on the highway because of a previous accident. A 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix driven by Nicole J. Ayala of St. Louis, Missouri slammed into the rear of the Altima. The Altima travelled off the left side of the roadway and struck the cable median barrier of the highway.

The impact spun the Grand Prix counterclockwise, and the Grand Prix struck two additional vehicles: a 1999 Pontiac Grand Am driven by Laura J. Hollman of Foristell, Missouri and a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox driven by Elizabeth J. Flesch of Warrenton, Missouri. Ivis N. Martinez of Honduras, South America attempted to avoid the accident and travelled off the right side of the roadway in a 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer. While off the roadway, the Trailblazer crashed into the Grand Prix.

Missouri multivehicle accidents occur when more than two vehicles are involved in a single collision. Multivehicle accidents typically happen on large, high capacity roadways like interstate highways. When a standard, two-vehicle accident occurs on a highway, other drivers may fail to stop before striking the wreck themselves, creating a pile-up. Other drivers may swerve or initiate quick lane changes in an attempt to avoid the wreck. An attempt to avoid a Missouri pile-up car accident may result in an overturned vehicle or another collision.

Multivehicle accidents often result in a large number of injured parties. Each vehicle may be been struck more than once in a pile-up. A car may crash into an existing wreck, only to be struck by another vehicle from behind. If an accident victim suffered injuries in the initial collision, the later strikes may exacerbate them. Several drivers are involved in Missouri multi-vehicle car accidents, and they may have been carrying several occupants each. A large number of people in vehicles struck multiple times are a recipe for disaster.

The injuries of an accident victim in a Missouri multivehicle car accident are at risk of remaining untreated for a longer length of time, compared to injuries in single- or two-vehicle accidents. Rescue personnel may have a more difficult time freeing the accident victims from the wreckage because of the number of vehicles involved. When an accident victim is gravely injured, every moment counts. Multivehicle accidents create serious risks for accident victims.

A St. Charles County Missouri three vehicle accident occurred when a driver failed to notice stopped traffic on Highway 94, west of Kisker. The St. Charles County Missouri multi-vehicle accident occurred on December 19, 2011 at 11:18pm.

The late night accident occurred on eastbound on Highway 94. Alisa E. Siegel, 41, of Troy, Missouri failed to notice vehicles stopped ahead. Siegel crashed a 1993 Geo Storm into the rear of a 2003 Honda Accord driven by Kenneth R. Rubach, 18, of St. Peters, Missouri. The impact forced Rubach’s Honda into the rear of another vehicle: a 1999 Toyota Corolla driven by David Q. Hoang, 29, of Normandy, Missouri.

Three people were injured in the Saint Charles County Missouri chain reaction car accident. Siegel and Hoang sustained injuries. Elizabeth N. Forbes, 22, of St. Louis sustained physical injuries as well. Forbes was an occupant in Hoang’s vehicle. Hoang and Forbes were transported to Mercy Medical Center in Creve Coeur. Siegel was transported to St. Joseph Health Center East in St. Charles.

Drivers must pay careful attention to the environment in order to drive safely and prudently. Cars enter and exit the highway, change lanes, swerve to avoid road obstructions, and slow down unexpectedly. Drivers must be able to respond to these changing road conditions and more. When a driver fails to pay attention, the results may be dangerous.

Distracted driving is becoming a major public safety problem. Drivers are texting, reading their email, talking on the phone, and even applying makeup while operating their vehicles. Engaging in distracting activities while driving is negligent and may be the direct cause of an accident.

Federal, state, and local authorities are cracking down on distracted driving because of the enormous toll its taking on highway safety in this country. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recently banned texting while driving for truck and bus drivers. Missouri prohibits texting in “novice” driver. All drivers are legally obligated to drive prudently. Driving while distracted is not driving prudently.

Missourians from Troy and Dittmer were injured in a St. Charles County Missouri three car accident on November 26, 2011 at 8:25am. The morning accident involved both eastbound and westbound traffic on I-70, west of Wentzville Parkway.

The St. Charles County Missouri rear end car accident occurred as a 2001 Infiniti I30 crashed into the rear of a 2007 Lexus ES350 driven by Gregory D. Noe of Chesterfield, Missouri while driving on westbound I-70. Both the Infiniti and the Lexus travelled off the left side of the interstate highway. The vehicles smashed through the median cables and drove on the other side of the interstate. The Lexus came to stop on the inside shoulder, avoiding oncoming traffic. Noe, the driver of the Lexus, had no reported injuries in the accident.

The Infiniti drove into eastbound traffic into the path of a 2007 Jeep Liberty. The Jeep and the Infiniti collided. The Infiniti did not come to rest until it reached the south side of the interstate. Four Missourians were injured in the St. Charles County Missouri multi-vehicle accident. Jeep driver Ashley S. Lehman and two child occupants – 3 year old Braden L. Lehman and 5 year old Wyatt A. Lehman – sustained injuries in the accident. They avoided serious injuries by wearing safety devices appropriate for their age and size. Infiniti driver Cortney B. Miller of Dittmer, Missouri sustained injuries as well. Miller did not wear a safety device during the accident. St. Charles County Ambulance transported all the injured parties to Mercy Medical Center for treatment.

The cable median on I-70 failed to stop two passenger vehicles from crossing onto the other side of the highway in the above accident. Multiple styles of highway barriers are available to states and which style they choose may have a great impact on the rate of injurious Missouri car accidents. Cable barrier medians have exploded in popularity in the past decade, in part because they are inexpensive to build. Cable barrier medians cost 50% less than traditional concrete highway medians or steel medians. Missouri was one of the first states to adopt cable median barriers, along with North Carolina, Texas, Washington, and California. Now the majority of states use cable barriers.

Continue reading "St. Charles County Missouri Three-Vehicle Accident Injures Four" »

Two people were sent to Christian Northeast Hospital for medical treatment after a St. Charles County Missouri car accident. The Saint Charles Missouri car accident occurred at the intersection of northbound Highway 67 and Red School Road.

Denise M. Newberry of Florissant, Missouri was driving on northbound 67 in a 2009 Nissan Quest as the accident began. Matthew A. Gearing of Bethalto, Illinois was driving a 2003 Dodge Stratus on eastbound Red School Road. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Gearing failed to yield to Newberry’s vehicle. Gearing drove his Dodge into the path of Newberry’s Nissan. The Nissan crashed into the passenger side of the Dodge. Both drivers were injured during the Missouri car accident. Both vehicles sustained extensive damage.

Missouri failure to yield car accidents cause extensive vehicle damage and serious physical injuries. A failure to yield car accident occurs when a driver fails to adhere to right-of-way rules at an intersection or road junction. Failing to yield to other vehicles is a dangerous mistake to make on the road. Drivers reasonably expect that other drivers will observe the rules of the road. When a negligent driver fails to yield, other drivers are caught off guard and have a limited amount of time to adjust their speed and direction.

Failure to yield properly is against Missouri law. Missouri statute 304.351 governs the right of way rules for intersections and the consequences for failure to yield. If there are no traffic control devices (e.g. traffic light, stop sign, et cetera) at an intersection, a vehicle approaching the intersection must yield to traffic already in the intersection. If two vehicles approach the intersection at roughly the same time, the driver on the left must yield the right of way to the driver on the right. If a driver intends to make a left turn in the intersection, the driver attempting the left turn must yield to any incoming traffic.

Missouri statute 304.351 imposes on penalties on drivers who fail to yield in accordance in the law as a deterrent. A violation of the statute is a misdemeanor offense. If the failure to yield caused some physical injury, the violator will be fined up to $200. If the violation caused serious physical injury, the violator may be fined up to $500. If the violation caused a fatality, the violator may be fined up to $1,000. The financial penalties in the statute do not interfere with the compensation owed to the victim.

Continue reading "Failure to Yield Causes St. Charles Missouri Car Accident" »

A New Mexico woman died in a St. Charles Missouri car accident on October 23, 2011 at 2:40pm. Three other people suffered injuries St. Charles Missouri SUV accident.

The St. Charles single vehicle car accident occurred on eastbound I-70 near Wentzville Parkway as Terry Taylor of Espanola, New Mexico drove a 2001 Chevrolet Suburban. Taylor suffered a medical condition while driving. The Suburban swerved off the left side of the roadway, then swerved off the right side of the roadway. The Surburban crashed into a fence off the roadway and overturned.

53 year old occupant Rebecca Taylor died in the St. Charles rollover car accident. She was pronounced by Dr. Anthony Schultz at St. Joseph Health Center West. Driver Terry Taylor, 46, was transported to Mercy Medical Center in Creve Coeur, Missouri with serious injuries. Two other occupants – Patricia Taylor, 43, and Gary T. Jett, 29 – suffered minor injuries and were transported to St. Joseph Health Center East in St. Charles, Missouri by St. Charles County ambulance.

St. Charles County Missouri is one of the most populated counties in the State of Missouri. A number of cities are in St. Charles County ; St. Charles, O’Fallon, St. Peters, Lake St. Louis, Wentzville, and West Alton are all located in the county. St. Charles County car accident lawsuits are often heard at the Circuit Court of St. Charles County.

When car accident victims are injured outside of their home state, they may be confused about where to file a car accident lawsuit. A state court may only make binding rulings on people connected to the state in a meaningful way (e.g. state residents, businesses doing business in the state, etc). If the defendant has nothing to do with a state, the state court cannot be enforced against the defendant. For example, a New Mexico court cannot create enforceable rulings against a Missourian with no connection to the state. If a New Mexico resident wants to sue a Missouri resident after a Missouri car accident, the New Mexico resident should file the lawsuit in Missouri’s courts. The New Mexico resident would be advised to obtain legal counsel from a Missouri personal injury attorney, since a local attorney will be familiar with the laws of the state.

Continue reading "St. Charles Car Accident Kills New Mexico Woman" »

A woman from O’Fallon, Missouri was injured in a Missouri distracted driver car accident in St. Charles County. The St. Charles Missouri car accident occurred on October 1, 2011 at 5:31pm.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, driver Jeanette M. Gau of Williamsville, Missouri “failed to keep a proper lookout” while driving on northbound Highway 79. Gau drove off the right side of the roadway just as driver Robert B. Porterfield attempted a right turn onto a private driveway. Gau crashed into the right side of Porterfield’s vehicle.

Regina G. Burns of O’Fallon, Missouri suffered the only reported injuries in the accident. Burns was an occupant in Porterfield’s vehicle during the Saint Charles Missouri car accident. St. Charles County ambulance transported Burns to St. Joseph’s West for medical treatment.

Missouri distracted driving car accidents may be becoming more common. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 20 percent of injury-causing car accidents involved distracted driving in 2009. Distracted driving was related to the traffic accident deaths of 5,474 people in the United States that same year.

The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) initiated a campaign against distracted driving in reaction to the number of fatalities and serious injuries sustained by Americans each year. According to USDOT, there are three types of driving distractions: visual, manual, and cognitive. Visual driving distractions take the distracted driver’s eyes away from the road. Manual driving distractions take the distracted driver’s hands away from the steering wheel. Cognitive driving distractions take the distracted driver’s mind away from the road.

Many distracting driver activities involve more than one type of distraction. For example, talking on a cellphone is both a manual and cognitive distraction. Cell phone conversations are a manual distraction because drivers may use their hands to operate the phone or gesture. Cell phone conversations are a cognitive distraction because some of the driver’s attention becomes devoted to the conversation instead of driving. Using a GPS navigation system may have the same effect. Responsible drivers should avoid engaging in any activity that could be a visual, manual or cognitive distraction while driving.

Continue reading "O’Fallon Woman Injured by Distracted Driver in St. Charles County" »

A Missouri car accident on Highway 40 in St. Charles County involved three vehicles, multiple collisions, and left three people seriously injured.

The incident took place about a mile west of Route K and began when David Thiedke, 50, drove his 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt off the roadway and into the median. According to the investigating trooper from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Thiedke's car broke through the median cables and entered the oncoming traffic lanes where it struck a 2008 Chevrolet Equinox, driven by Carol Ebbesmeyer, 66. The force of the impact sent Ebbesmeyer's car off the roadway and into a guardrail. Thiedke's car remained in the roadway where it was struck by a third vehicle, a 2004 Chrysler Town and Country driven by Jill Knelange-Hummel, 42.

Thiedke, Ebbesmeyer and Knelange-Hummel all sustained serious injury and were transported to St. John's Mercy for emergency treatment.

All drivers involved were wearing a seat belt at the time of the wreck.

It is not yet known what exactly caused this St. Louis area car accident. The initial report doesn't say what caused Thiedke to lose control of his car and drive into the median.

Median cables have typically been very good at keeping cars from crossing into oncoming traffic while causing as little damage as possible to an out of control car. Further investigation into the speed and angle of impact for Thiedke's car will shed some light on how the vehicle was able to pass through the median.

Continue reading "Three drivers injured after multi-car accident" »

Area residents have called for safety improvements on Highway DD in St. Charles County in the past. Before Sunday, there had been five deaths on the rural roadway in the last five years. Tragically, after Sunday that number was raised to six.

Daniel Windler, 61, was killed Sunday evening while walking along Highway DD after his own car had slid off the road. According to the St. Louis Post Dispatch, he called for a tow truck and was walking back to where his car was stuck when a 17-year-old girl also lost control of her car on the icy road and slid into him.

Windler was pronounced dead at the scene. The girl was uninjured and will not be charged for this fatal Missouri car accident.

According to the Post Dispatch, Windler was among the residents who were calling for improvements to the road. Highway DD is extremely windy and hilly with no shoulder or guardrails in many places. It has made lists of the most dangerous roads in the state and we have even commented about it here on the blog.

The Missouri Department of Transportation already has plans to do safety upgrades on the road to prevent car and truck crashes, but residents have been spreading a petition to get MoDOT to fast track these improvements. According to the Post Dispatch, Windler had recently signed the petition.

Continue reading "Another fatal accident raises concerns over Highway DD" »

Four people were hospitalized Wednesday afternoon after a two-car accident on Highway 94 in St. Charles County, Missouri.

This Missouri injury accident occurred just east of Route DD when Jo McCall, 66, lost control of her Jeep Cherokee, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. McCall's Jeep crossed the center line into the path of a 2008 Saturn Outlook, driven by Timothy Barrett, 53. Barrett was unable to avoid the collision and the two vehicles collided head-on, totaling both the car and Jeep.

McCall and Timothy Barrett both suffered serious personal injury in the wreck. Also in the Saturn at the time were Mark Barrett, 27, and Deborah Barrett, 54, who both sustained serious injury as well. All four were transported to St. John's Hospital in Creve Coeur for emergency treatment.

As of now, we don't have an indication as to what caused McCall to lose control of her Jeep. As this accident is investigated, more details should emerge as to whether McCall was simply distracted, or if another driver contributed to the crash. Since liability and negligence are often complicated issues to prove after a car accident, a St. Louis area car crash lawyer is a vital adviser to have if you are involved in such a scenario. Crash victims often can't rely on insurance company representatives to help them after an accident as they are often more concerned with the bottom line than with the well being of crash victims.

Continue reading "Missouri car accident on Highway 94 sends four to hospital" »