Missouri Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

A 21-year-old MoDOT, Missouri Department of Transportation, worker was killed in Springfield, Missouri when his dump truck collided with a tractor-trailer. The decedent was on duty when a rainstorm moved into the area; he was driving traveling through several locations to check on flooded roads and set up signs to close the roads. In the course of driving between locations, his dump truck struck the tractor-trailer nearly head-on. The cause of the tractor trailer crash has not been determined, but the rainstorm undoubtedly caused compromising driving conditions.

MoDOT statistics note that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death in the United States for those ages two through 33. It is suggested that most adults spend about two months behind the wheel each year, and it is suspected that as driving becomes a habit, basic driving rules are often neglected. Of all the traffic accidents that take place, only 13% of these accidents are caused by environmental factors, meaning that the majority of accidents are simply caused by human error and various other human factors.

MoDOT has produced a comprehensive guide in hopes of reducing fatal and serious Missouri Truck Crash roadway injuries; the following items have been suggested:

•Follow the speed limit. Chapter 304 of the Missouri Revised Statutes makes it a crime to travel faster than the posted speed limit. Get caught and you're looking at a fine, points off your license and higher insurance rates. Get caught enough times and you could lose your license.
•Buckle up. Safety belts are the single most effective safety device available for occupants in motor vehicles. The Graduated Driver's License Law requires all drivers holding a permit or an intermediate license – and all passengers – to wear a safety belt at all times when operating a motor vehicle.
*Chapter 307 of the Missouri Revised Statutes requires all adults riding in the front seat of a car, truck, SUV or van to wear safety belts.
*Children ages four through 15 must always wear their safety belts whether they're in the front or the back seat.
*Children under four must be properly secured in an approved child safety seat.
•Don't drink and drive. Chapters 302 and 577 of the Missouri Revised Statutes make it a criminal offense to operate a motor vehicle at or above .08 percent BAC. But you can also be convicted of DWI with BAC levels of less than .08 if an officer determines your driving was impaired by illegal drugs, alcohol or medication.

In relation to the unfavorable driving conditions in the accident above, FMCSA requires extreme caution while driving tractor-trailers in such conditions under §392.14. It states:

Continue reading " Guidelines Hope To Reduce Missouri Motor Vehicle Accidents " »

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In Muskogee, Oklahoma seven barges broke free allegedly due to equipment failure. The barges drifted into the US. 62 bridge over the Arkansas River after the rope holding the barges unraveled, and the lines between the barges gave way. Each barge was connected to another, which started a chain reaction in that the wire cables in between each barge that were supposed to hold them all together, allowed all seven barges to break lose.

Officials say the cables were new and should have held the weight of the barges, which led some to suspect that there may have been human error in connecting and securing the barges together with the cables. A Coast Guard spokesman said the cause of the Barge Accident is unknown and is still pending investigation. There was no significant damage to the bridge.

The United States Coast Guard has implemented a program in order to prevent or at least reduce human error in the course of employment. The Prevention Through People (PTP) program addresses operating safely in the maritime, focusing on human and organizational influences on maritime safety and system performances.

PTP requires constant and balanced interaction between the management, the work environment, the behavior of people, and the appropriate technology. PTP specifically addresses the human errors of inattention, failure to follow procedure, improper maintenance, inadequate training, and fatigue.

Such programs addressing risk management and awareness, along with the implementation of new training policies are frequently in response to deadly barge accidents that not only cause injury and monetary damages, but also create liability issues. Often, accidents occurring in the course of employment require legal assistance because the question of liability is difficult to discern.

Continue reading " 7 Barges Break Free in Arkansas River " »

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As the weather is getting warmer, there are some important things to keep in mind before riding your motorcycle. After the winter months, it's always a good idea to check your motorcycle and make sure everything is running properly. In the event that something is wrong, it is extremely important to find out before you get on the road and get in a potentially fatal motorcycle accident. The Motorcycle Safety Federation (MSF) suggests you check the following before you ride:

• Tires — Check the air pressure, general wear and tread. You should also keep a low-pressure tire gauge, 0psi-80psi, in your bike tool bag at all times. Also, if tread depth is 1-2mm, it is probably time to replace your tires.
•Fluids — Check both oil and fluid levels. You should also check hydraulic fluids and coolants weekly. Further, look for leaks. With the battery, check the fluid levels on each chamber; if any chamber is low, top it but only use distilled or deionized water. Tap water has minerals that are not good for your battery. Also, in regard to fuel, you should check the fuel filter on a regular basis and aim to replace it every 2 years.
•Headlights and Taillight — Check both and make sure both high and low beams are working.
•Turn Signals — Turn on both right and left turn signals, checking to see that the lights are working correctly.
•Brake Light — Try both brake controls, checking that both turn on the brake light.

Once you are on the motorcycle, you should check the following:

•Clutch and Throttle — Make sure they work smoothly. The throttle should snap back when you let go. The clutch should feel tight and smooth.
•Mirrors— Clean and adjust both mirrors before starting. Make sure you can see the road behind and to the side.
•Brakes — Try the front and rear brakes, checking that each one feels firm and actually holds the motorcycle when the brake is fully applied. You should also replace your brake fluid every one or two years so your brakes perform the best because brake fluid absorbs moisture, which makes brakes less effective over time and could result in a dangerous motorcycle wreck.
•Horn — Just make sure it works.

Continue reading " Motorcycle Maintenance Checklist " »

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A 24-year-old man sustained major injuries after he drove a motorcycle into a parked pickup truck in San Francisco. The major injury motorcycle collision occurred after 4 a.m. when the man allegedly took his friend's motorcycle for a test drive after leaving a party.

The man was not wearing a helmet, and broke his arm and leg in the motorcycle accident. He was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.

In Missouri, when an individual is stopped by the police while driving and the influence of drugs or alcohol is suspected, the officer will generally ask that the person take field sobriety tests. Such tests as walking in line and standing on one leg, help an officer decide if the individual should be arrested or take a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) test.

If an individual's BAC level is .08% or more, the officer will likely arrest the person, take their license and give them a Notice of Suspension/Revocation if not a citation for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI). The notice tells the individual that they will not be able to legally drive after 15 days.

The notice also includes a form that allows one to request a hearing. The following details the process of a hearing:

1. The individual must indicate on the hearing request whether they want to have the hearing in-person or by telephone. If a request is not made, a telephone hearing will be scheduled.

2. If a hearing is granted, a permit to drive will be mailed to him/her if they have surrendered their driver license and are eligible to drive in Missouri. The permit will allow one to drive until 15 days after the decision from the hearing.

3. If a hearing isn't requested within 15 days from the date the Notice of Suspension/Revocation was issued, a hearing will be denied and no further appeal is possible.

4. The hearing date and time are mailed to the individual.

Continue reading " Motorcyclist Crashes Into Parked Car - Accused Of Drunk Driving " »

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A fatal railroad collision between a car and a train near the U.S. 71-B in Arkansas has investigators wondering why active warning signs were not at the railroad crossing. The crossing, lacking flashing lights and hinged road-blocking arms, is a dangerous intersection that is, according to the department of transportation, unlikely to have warning signals installed in the near future.

According to the department of transportation, of the 2, 700 railroad crossings in Arkansas, 70 percent do not have active warnings. At such railroad crossings, the only warning may be the sound of the conductor blowing the train's whistle about 15-20 seconds before an intersection, which is a state law requirement.

Several aspects of an intersection are examined before a decision is made to install active warnings; the following are often considered:

1. Train Accident history
2. Site distance in relation to vegetation or new construction blocking visibility of the track.
3. Number of railroad crossings on the road
4. Number of trains that use the track daily
5. Speed of those trains
6. Amount of traffic that crosses those tracks
7. Type of vehicles that cross the tracks regularly
8. If the intersections is often crossed by school buses
9. If hazardous materials are usually transported
10. If it is a more frequently used ambulance route

Continue reading " Fatal Train Accident at Railroad Crossing Raises Questions " »

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A truck driver was injured after his semi hit a tire and wheel in the roadway near Hiawatha, Missouri. The truck driver was eastbound on US-36 highway when his truck hit the object in the road. Allegedly the driver tried to brake, but the truck did not slow down enough in time to avoid the Missouri truck accident, which blew out a front tire and broke an oil line. The driver was wearing his seatbelt.

According to the FMCSA, there are certain guidelines implemented for semi truck brakes to ensure that such situations are prevented. The following items are necessary:

1. Antilock brake system. Each single-unit vehicle should be equipped with an antilock brake system that directly controls the wheels of at least one front axle and the wheels of at least one rear axle of the vehicle. Wheels on other axles of the vehicle may be indirectly controlled by the antilock brake system.

2. Antilock malfunction signal and circuit.

(a) Each truck should be equipped with an indicator lamp, mounted in front of and in clear view of the driver, which is activated whenever there is a malfunction that affects the generation or transmission of response or control signals in the vehicle's antilock brake system.

(b) Each truck tractor that is equipped to tow another air-braked vehicle, should be equipped with an electrical circuit that is capable of transmitting a malfunction signal from the antilock brake systems on one or more towed vehicles. Each such truck tractor and single unit vehicle shall also be equipped with an indicator lamp, which is activated whenever the malfunction signal circuit described above receives a signal indicating an ABS malfunction on one or more towed vehicles.

(c) Antilock power circuit for towed vehicles. Each truck tractor that is equipped to tow another air-braked vehicle shall be equipped with one or more electrical circuits that provide continuous power to the antilock system on the towed vehicle. Such circuit should be adequate to enable the antilock system on each towed vehicle to be fully operable.

3. Service brake stop lamp switch; this is a switch that lights the stop lamps when the service brake control is statically depressed to a point that produces a pressure of 6 psi or less in the service brake chambers.

Continue reading " Brake Guidelines In Place To Prevent Missouri Truck Accidents " »

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Four people were bitten by dogs after two separate dog attacks on the same day in South Bend, Indiana. Three people were sent to the hospital, including a young boy. Both of the dogs were killed after the attack: police were forced to shoot one dog at the scene, and the other was euthanized after the city Animal Control Center took it in.

The incident with the young boy occurred while the boy was playing in his front yard with a friend. The family's German shepherd mix escaped through the back fence and bit the boy. The dog bit the boy in the face and bit the owner on the arm.

Not long after, the same police who were called to the previous dog bite attack were called to another home after a dog attacked two adults. The dog was inside a fence but busted through as well. The pit-bull mix attacked two men. Police first tried to taze the dog, but when that didn't work, police were forced to shoot it to death.

In both situations, no one knows why the dogs turned violent, and nobody provoked either dog. The injured parties have not filed any legal claims thus far; however, police arrested the owner of the dog for disorderly conduct after the police killed his dog.

In terms of the arrested owner and his dog, state law generally governs whether or not a lawsuit can be filed for shooting a pet, which usually depends on the state's view of an animal as personal property. However, when dealing with liability for shooting a harmful or dangerous dog, gravity and imminence of the harm resulting from the pet are considered, as well as the circumstances for shooting, such as self-defense.

Continue reading " Three Injured in Pair of Dog Attacks " »

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The engine of a slow moving, 10-car freight train derailed in East Hartford, Connecticut. Allegedly a piece of track snapped causing the train accident when the engine derailed.

There were no reports of injuries in the Railroad Accident that happened at the rear of an auto glass repair business. However, the state Department of Environmental Protection was called because the engine contained diesel fuel that had to be siphoned out of the engine as a precaution against a possible spill.

Under the Corpus Juris Secundum, in certain circumstances, a railroad car or other equipment, such as the broken piece of track above, constitutes a "product" for strict liability purposes and can be the basis for a manufacturing defect claim; however such claims are strictly monitored or may be preempted by federal law.

A defect in the design of railroad equipment may give rise to liability for injuries or damage resulting from that defect, especially where safer alternatives to the design used are readily available. While alterations of a piece of equipment by the user do not relieve the manufacturer of liability, if the alterations are foreseeable the plaintiff bears the burden of showing that the equipment was defective and was not altered after leaving the control of the defendant.

So, in the situation above, it would have to be proven by a plaintiff against the railroad manufacturer that the piece of track was defective and that the defect, which could have been foreseen to cause problems and could easily have been altered, was directly responsible for the railway accident.

However, the manufacturer of railroad equipment is not an insurer responsible in damages whenever one of its products fails. In addition, defects in specially ordered equipment, not launched into the stream of commerce by the manufacturer, do not give rise to strict liability.

Continue reading " Rail Defect May Have Caused Train Derailment " »

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A recent Supreme Court ruling could limit patient safety when it comes to medical devices and pharmaceuticals. The Supreme Court ruled in late February that patients injured by certain defective medical devices, which have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, cannot sue the product's manufacturer.

This is because federal regulations preempt state-based product liability claims when challenging the design or labeling of medical devices that clear the FDA's approval process. Preemption basically refers to the way that courts deal with conflicting regulations between federal and state governments on the same issue; meaning, when both court systems rule on the same subject matter in a different way, federal law will displace the state regulation.

In this case, the plaintiff alleged that her husband was injured by a faulty balloon catheter that burst during heart surgery. The man died. Medtronic, the manufacturer, said the FDA-approved product had been used improperly.

Although the FDA has thorough processes for approving medical devices and medication warnings, the FDA's recent issues, concerning lack of funding and resources, have some wondering about their ability to monitor the industry adequately.

The main issue in controversy is in relation to whether all similarly situated product liability claims will eventually follow this precedent in being regulated by federal law. The problem with such is that states generally have retained the power to regulate these matters. The longstanding difference between state and federal government roles relate to "police powers," which are matters dealing with health, safety, and general welfare. These powers have fundamentally been retained by states under the 10th Amendment.

Continue reading " Supreme Court Rules To Limit Liability Claims Regarding FDA Approved Products " »

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Senator Bill Stoufer of Napton has asked the Missouri state legislature to pass a bill adding comprehensive day rehabilitation services to the Medicaid program now called Missouri Healthnet. Stoufer, the husband of a brain injury victim, hopes his story will help influence the legislature to look favorably on the proposed bill.

Four years ago his wife suffered a traumatic brain injury. While she was being treated, the Stouffers got to know a high school girl who was left in a near-vegetative state for several months. With the help of early intervention and extensive rehabilitative services, she was able to get back to the point where she could function as a teenager.

Depending on the injury, a person often has to be retrained to do even the most routine things such as tying shoestrings or putting groceries into cabinets. Injured people currently get limited outpatient therapy from Missouri hospitals, but that service doesn’t last long and without the extra Medicaid funding, many families can’t afford continued rehab services that could help victims lead full, normal lives.

People like Senator Bill Stoufer are doing their best to make a difference for those who have suffered through a serious personal injury like brain trauma. However, the costs associated with the care that results from accidents that cause these injuries can be exorbitant. While it is important that our government’s social services have contingencies in place to help those without the means to pay for extended medical care, it isn’t something that a victim of an accident that results in a brain injury should count on.

Continue reading " Senator Seeks Funding to Help Brain Injury Victims " »

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On the early morning of April 29th, 2007, Jacob Hargrove’s life changed forever. A tow truck driver for Eddie’s Towing Co., Hargrove had pulled his tow truck over to help a car stalled in the gap between the inside lane and the concrete rail on Highway 40. With no warning, an SUV driven by St. Louis Cardinal relief pitcher Josh Hancock plowed into the back of Hargrove’s parked tow truck, instantly killing Hancock. An autopsy later revealed that Hancock’s blood alcohol-level was twice the legal limit at the time of the Missouri Truck Accident.

Hargrove’s attorney confirmed on Thursday May 1st that his client had settled with the ballplayer’s insurance company, State Farm Insurance. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

“Everyone is pleased that this is done, that it did not have to go to court,” Robert Pedroli, Hargove’s attorney said Thursday morning. “Jacob still remembers the events of that evening and he is still recognized in public because of the coverage of it… A year after the accident this helps bring a certain amount of closure.”

Truck accidents on Missouri roadways are a serious threat to the traveling public. Truck Accidents are the leading cause of death for those under the age of thirty-four (34) and over 40,000 people are killed annually in approximately five million motor vehicle accidents. In 2002 alone, nearly 43,000 people died in highway accidents nationwide. That is over 115 fatalities per day from accidents. The economic cost of these accidents is staggering and exceeds $150 billion per year. During your lifetime you are likely to be involved in at least one accident. You should know what to do in order to protect yourself and your legal rights.

Continue reading " Truck Driver Settles with Insurance Company " »

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A lane closed for construction on Interstate 70 caused traffic congestion and, allegedly, a three-vehicle truck crash in Columbia, Missouri that killed one woman. The accident occurred when a tractor-trailer stopped due to congested traffic because construction crews were paving the road and closed a lane on the interstate. A woman, hauling a flat-bed trailer, swerved and rear-ended the trailer on the interstate; she died at the scene.

Another pickup truck swerved to avoid the Missourit Truck wreck and struck the rear of the decedent's trailer, becoming wedged between the median divider and the semi. Debris was left across all three lanes of the highway.

The Missouri Department of Transportation suggests following the three "S's" to manage work zones and road construction safely. Speed, Space and Stress.

MANAGE YOUR SPEED

-Slow Down when approaching all work zones. You will be in the work zone quicker than you think.
-Follow Posted Speed Limits, especially within construction zones, and try to maintain a consistent speed with the traffic flow. And adjust your speed for weather conditions.
-Don't Resume Normal Speed until you see roadway signs indicating it's safe to do so.

Continue reading " One Woman Dead After Missouri Truck Accident " »

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