Missouri Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

This article which appeared recently in the Joplin Globe describes a car accident in Missouri which occurred near Carterville in August 2008 around a mile east of Carterville on Highway 171. The Joplin man was allegedly the driver of a Porsche that was racing a Ford Mustang and was traveling at a high rate of speed when he lost control of the Porsche which struck the rear of a Dodge Durango driven by a 33-year-old Carthage man. The accident report submitted by the Missouri State Highway Patrol claims that the collision caused the Durango to leave the roadway and overturn.

Other passengers in the Durango included the driver’s 28-year-old wife, an 8-year-old son, and 7-year-old daughter who all sustained injuries and were transported to a nearby hospital. The 8-year-old sustained serious injuries, the mother’s injuries were described as moderate, and the 7-year-old daughter’s injuries were reportedly minor. An hour after the accident occurred, the Joplin man was given a breath test which indicted that his blood-alcohol content was 0.158 percent. In Missouri and every other state in the country, the legal limit for intoxication is 0.08 percent.

Racing on state highways at excessive speed could be considered reckless driving and operating a vehicle in a negligent manner. In addition, driving under the influence of alcohol can exacerbate charges of negligence and reckless driving. With three family members hurt and hospitalized due to the Missouri auto accident, the family in the Durango probably faces steep bills for their medical care.

Continue reading " Missouri Car Accident Caused by Drunk Driver Injures Woman and Children " »

According to a report, two people suffered serious injuries in a Missouri boating accident on Lake Taneycomo recently. The driver claims that the boating accident occurred when he was distracted by a dog that was with the men on the boat. The Missouri Water Patrol said that three men and the dog were aboard the boat when the boat hit a log in the water. After hitting the log, the boat became airborne and struck a tree on the lake’s shore, ejecting the occupants from the boat.

The people injured in the Missouri boating accident were the boat’s driver, a 58-year-old Rockaway beach man, and a 59-year-old man from West Covina, California. The impact threw the 59-year-old man from the boat and a third passenger—age and address unknown—reported no injuries from the boating accident.

Missouri’s splendid lakes and other waterways make it a popular destination for boating enthusiasts from all over the country. However, some boat owners and operators overlook their responsibilities to exercise the highest degree of care to ensure that their passengers and the passengers of other boats are not injured in collisions with other boats or objects in the water.

If you or someone you care for has been killed or injured in a boating accident, the Missouri's experienced boating accident attorneys at St. Louis personal injury law firm Page Cagle may be able to help. With their legal counsel and assistance, the victims of boating accidents can receive the compensation they deserve to help with the costs of hospitalization, recuperation and other expenses. Call them today at 866-620-5757 to schedule a free consultation with their experienced Missouri boating accident lawyers. More information can be found at www.injuredclient.com.

According to this report in the Hannibal Courier-Post, the driver of a tractor-trailer faces involuntary manslaughter charges in connection with a St. Louis truck wrongful death accident that claimed the lives of two northeast Missouri residents last summer. The driver, a 49-year-old man from Muscle Shoals, Ala., allegedly plowed his truck into stopped traffic on Interstate 64/40 in July 2008. The resulting impact killed an 88-year-old Kahoka man and 55-year-old woman from Canton. The truck driver is currently being held in the St. Louis County Detention Center in Clayton on a $250,000 cash-only bond.

Accidents involving tractor-trailers are especially deadly as these large trucks often haul up to 80,000 pounds of freight. Smaller passenger vehicles simply cannot withstand the impact of this much weight traveling at any rate of speed, and the rates of death and catastrophic injury are much higher when a semitrailer truck is involved. The survivors of truck accidents in Missouri often face a steep and very expensive uphill climb to recovery with lengthy hospital stays, grueling physical rehabilitation regimens, and medical bills that quickly climb into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

If you or someone you care for has been injured or killed in a truck accident, the St. Louis truck accident lawyers at Page Cagle may be able to help. This St. Louis personal injury law firm has helped countless clients injured or killed in St. Louis auto accidents receive the compensation they deserve to offset steep medical expenses, and hold those responsible for the accident accountable for their actions. To speak with their experienced St. Louis truck accident attorneys, call them today at 866-620-5757. More detailed information can be found at www.truckaccidentlawgropup.com.

A recent report claims that two St. Louis men suffered serious injuries when their boat ran aground at Lake of the Ozarks. The Missouri Water Patrol said that a 45-year-old St. Charles man and a 45-year-old Smithton man were taken to Lake Regional Hospital with serious injuries after the Missouri boating accident at Twin Islands near Laurie. A 58-year-old Belleville man who was involved in the accident was also taken to the hospital to treat what were described as moderate injuries.

The investigation is still underway but early reports claim that the three men were aboard a runabout that left Horny Toad Cove and ran aground at Twin Islands. They called 911 and were met by emergency personnel when they returned to Horny Toad Cove.

Lake of the Ozarks and other waterways are marvelous places to relax, have fun and enjoy the outdoors. But sometimes the operators of boats and other watercraft forget their responsibilities or operate their craft in a negligent manner, and boating accidents injure over 8,000 and claim the lives of over 800 people in this country every year. Boat owners and boat operators have a duty to exercise the highest degree of care to prevent injuries to their passengers and the passengers of other watercrafts.

If you or someone you care for has been injured or killed in a Missouri boating accident on Lake of the Ozarks or another waterway, the experienced St. Louis boating accident attorneys at Page Cagle may be able to help. The boating accident lawyers at St. Louis personal injury law firm, Page Cagle, have helped many victims of accidents involving boats, jet skis and other watercraft receive the compensation they deserve. To schedule a free consultation with experienced Missouri boating accident lawyers, call them today at 866-620-5757. More information can be found at www.injuredclient.com.

In the case of a motorcyclist riding at night (in addition to the fact that racing and speeding are prohibited), the Department of Motor Vehicles has listed several tips to riding a motorcycle at night because it is harder for motorcyclists to see and be seen. The following are some safety tips to help prevent motorcycle accidents in St. Louis:

• Reduce Your Speed — Ride even slower than you would during the day — particularly on roads you don't know well. This will increase your chances of avoiding a hazard.


• Increase Distance — Distances are harder to judge at night than during the day. Your eyes rely upon shadows and light contrasts to determine how far away an object is and how fast it is coming. These contrasts are missing or distorted under artificial lights at night. Open up a three-second following distance or more. And allow more distance to pass and be passed.


• Use the Car Ahead — The headlights of the car ahead can give you a better view of the road than even your high beam can. Taillights bouncing up and down can alert you to bumps or rough pavement.


• Use Your High Beam — Get all the light you can. Use your high beam whenever you are not following or meeting a car. Be visible; wear reflective materials when riding at night.


• Be flexible about lane position -- Change to whatever portion of the lane is best able to help you see, be seen, and keep an adequate space cushion.

If you or a loved one has suffered injuries due to a motorcycle accident, as an experienced Missouri motorcycle accident lawyer and personal injury attorney at Page Cagle, I am happy to discuss your case with you and answer any questions you may have. If requested, I will immediately alert our accident investigation team and begin taking the same action as the truck company and their insurance company.

The call and consultation are free. I can be reached 24 hours a day at 314.322.8515 or toll free at 1.800.500.INJURY (4658). Call me personally and I will answer all the questions and concerns you may have. There is no fee unless we recover for you.

If you don't want to call or you can't call, you can email me at john@pagecagle.com. I look forward to speaking with you and helping you through these trying times. You can also visit my website, www.MotorcycleInjuryLawGroup.com for more information.

Many Prempro pharmaceutical liability lawsuits have been filed against the makers of the defective drug, Wyeth, allegedly because the drug maker not only failed to adequately warn patients of severe side effects, but also heavily promoted the drug for conditions that weren’t approved by the FDA. A woman in Little Rock, Arkansas, who was diagnosed with breast cancer after taking Prempro for eight years, filed the first of many Prempro lawsuits. The woman was prescribed Prempro for the prevention of osteoporosis, however, this prescription medication ultimately led to her mastectomy.

Prempro, which is primarily prescribed to menopausal women hoping to ease symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats, contains a combination of conjugated estrogens and progesterone. These female hormones are important for regulating menstruation and ovulation and are also shown to prevent osteoporosis. However, Prempro has caused several cases of personal injury to those using the drug, increasing the risk of cancer, heart disease and dementia to name a few.

Especially with long-term treatment, this medication can increase the risk of heart attacks, blood clots, strokes and being diagnosed with breast, ovarian and endometrial cancers. Smokers and overweight individuals are at increasingly higher risks for developing these medical conditions from taking Prempro.

Despite all of these risks, Prempro is still one of the most commonly prescribed drugs for hormone replacement therapy. Thousands of women are prescribed Prempro every year, many of whom are not aware of the serious and debilitating risks that come along with taking this drug. If you or a loved one has experienced side effects from taking Prempro, or any other prescription drug, call Page Cagle, A Personal Injury Firm for a free consultation with a skilled St. Louis Prempro side effects attorney to learn about your legal options.

Call 314.322.8515 or toll free at 1.800.500.INJURY (4658). You can also email me at john@pagecagle.com or visit www.injuredclient.com for more information. You pay nothing unless you recover.

A three-vehicle auto accident in Missouri killed a 76-year-old woman from Camdenton and critically injured a 45-year-old woman from Richland. Both women were wearing their seatbelts. According to the Missouri Highway Patrol, the decedent, who was driving a 1990 Honda, stopped her car on Highway 5 to make a left turn onto Christopher Drive. A young man from Lebanon, MO, slammed into the rear of the decedent’s car, pushing the Honda into oncoming traffic.

A third person sustained severe injuries in the car accident. She was driving the opposite direction of the decedent on Highway 5 and struck the decedent’s vehicle head-on. The decedent was killed on impact and pronounced dead at the scene. The young man was alleged to have caused this Missouri car crash and was not wearing his seatbelt.

Allegedly the young driver failed to keep a proper lookout because he did not stop behind the decedent’s car while she was attempting to make a left turn. This could create liability on his behalf for the car accident and resulting damages. Car crashes occur every day and often result in multiple injuries and wrongful death in Missouri. Chain reactions usually occur when one car hits another and so on down the line, especially when cars are traveling at high speeds in high traffic areas.

Cautious driving is always advised, but a car accident caused by another driver’s negligence can’t always be avoided. If you or a loved one is injured in a car accident, it is important that you immediately seek a car crash lawyer to make sure your legal needs are represented. As a founding partner of Page Cagle, A Missouri Personal Injury Law Firm, and as an experienced St. Louis auto accident lawyer, I zealously represent my clients to make sure they are rightfully compensated for injuries. Call me for a free consultation at 314.322.8515 or toll free at 1.800.500.INJURY (4658). You can also email me at john@pagecagle.com or visit www.missouricaraccident.com for more information.

In Texas, a high school golf coach was badly injured after his motorcycle collided with a pickup truck. He has been listed in critical condition, suffering from head injury, broken arms, legs, ribs, and a severe foot injury. The motorcycle accident allegedly occurred because the pickup driver failed to yield while merging onto the highway and did not see the motorcyclist. The motorcycle ran head-on into the driver’s side of the truck, causing significant external and internal injuries. The motorcyclist was not wearing his helmet, the pickup truck driver was not injured, and neither was speeding.

Helmet safety in relation to Missouri motorcycle injuries is always an issue of debate, as some states require helmet use where others do not, and some motorcyclists claim that helmets hinder their vision and hearing capabilities. The NHTSA sponsored a study of fifty motorcyclists of various ages and riding experiences to assess the abilities of motorcyclists wearing helmets. The study tests motorcyclists’ abilities:

1. To visually detect the presence of vehicles in adjacent lanes before changing lanes; and


2. To detect traffic sounds when operating at normal highway speeds.

The vision results showed that most riders recover the lateral field of view that may be lost by wearing a helmet, simply by turning their heads a little farther. Helmet use did not hamper the ability of riders to see traffic or increase the time needed to visually check for nearby traffic.

The hearing results showed there were no significant difference in riders’ ability to hear the auditory signals regardless of whether they were wearing a helmet or not. At higher speeds, wind noise obviously makes hearing more difficult in general, but the helmets did not affect hearing abilities. Overall, any possible drawbacks of helmet use are severely negated by the benefits in terms of the protection offered in the event of an accident.

Further, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motorcycle helmets reduce the likelihood of crash fatality by 37 percent. Helmets are most important in preventing brain injuries; NHTSA statistics indicate that in the event of a motorcycle accident in Missouri and throughout the nation, motorcyclists not wearing a helmet are three times more likely to suffer brain injuries. Further, 65% of fatally injured motorcycle riders were not wearing a helmet in states without all-rider helmet laws as compared with only 13% in states with such laws.

Continue reading " Motorcycle Helmet Vision and Hearing Study " »

A recent Missouri tractor trailer accident killed one person and has led to a personal injury lawsuit. Specifically, the family of the young man killed in this big rig crash has filed a wrongful death lawsuit. The crash occurred while the decedent was driving on east on Martin Luther King Bridge, from Missouri into Illinois.

As the decedent was driving eastbound, the tractor trailer and another vehicle, rented from Enterprise Leasing Company, were driving west on the bridge. The driver of the Enterprise vehicle wanted to pass the tractor trailer, despite being in a no-passing zone. When the car tried to pass the tractor trailer, he allegedly pulled into the decedent’s eastbound lane and caused the collision with the vehicles.

The family of the decedent seeks compensation for deprivation of the decedent’s love, affection, society and support in addition to costs associated with the death itself. This Missouri wrongful death suit was filed against the driver of the vehicle for negligence and also against Enterprise Leasing Company because the family alleged negligent entrustment of the vehicle being leased to the allegedly reckless driver. The family claims that the actions of Enterprise combined with the negligent driver were the proximate causes of the injuries and death suffered.

The family seeks in excess of $200,000 in this Missouri personal injury action. If you or a loved one is injured in a car accident, call Page Cagle for a free consultation with a skilled St. Louis trucking accident attorney. We are happy to assess your legal rights and discuss your legal options with you.

Call 314.322.8515 or toll free at 1.800.500.INJURY (4658). You can also email me at john@pagecagle.com or visit my website, www.injuredclient.com for more information. You pay nothing until you recover.

Fosamax is a prescription medication that is often used to treat or prevent postmenopausal osteoporosis. Fosamax changes the cycle of bone formation and breakdown by slowing down bone loss and increasing bone mass at the same time. Although the drug may prevent bone fractures, the drug also carries risks of serious Fosamax side effects.

Fosamax often causes bone loss in the jaw, which is called osteonecrosis of the jaw. Osteonecrosis of the jaw results in jaw swelling, pain, gum infection and even tooth loss. Chances of getting this condition are increased in those treated with steroids, radiation and chemotherapy. Additionally, those with low blood calcium, a vitamin D deficiency, kidney disease or an ulcer may experience additional medical risks with taking Fosamax.

As awareness of these severe musculoskeletal drug injuries increased, many injured patients filed lawsuits against the makers of Fosamax, Merck. The FDA also issued warnings of the serious side effects associated with taking Fosamax, although some patients had already been injured by taking this drug. Recently, more information about Fosamax was released, alleging the drug also doubles a woman’s chances of developing atrial fibrillation, which is a chronic irregular heartbeat.

If you have taken Fosamax and have suffered any muscle, joint, bone or heart pain, call Page Cagle, a personal injury law firm to speak with an experienced St. Louis product liability attorney for free. Call 314.322.8515 or toll free at 1.800.500.INJURY (4658). You can also email me at john@pagecagle.com or visit www.injuredclient.com for more information. I am more than happy to discuss your case, answer any questions you may have and help determine your legal options.

A northeast Missouri family narrowly escaped serious injury when their van was struck by a train at a crossing recently. This story, which appeared in the Hannibal Courier-Post, said that a 24-year-old man, his four-year-old daughter and two-year-old son, were on their way home from a fishing trip around 11:15 in the morning on Route B when they were involved in a St. Louis train accident. The driver of the van said that he was talking on his cell phone as his van approached the train crossing and normally looks both ways before crossing train tracks, but failed to do so that morning.

The flashing lights and alarms were working properly at the intersection, but this crossing has no retractable crossing gates to prevent motorists from crossing when a train is approaching. The engineer on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe train said that he saw the van and was sounding the train’s whistle as it approached the intersection but the driver of the van gave no indication that he saw the oncoming train. Law enforcement officials investigating the Missouri railroad accident found no skid marks near the train crossing and the van’s driver was cited for failure to yield, failure to register, and having no proof of insurance.

Both children were properly secured in their car seats and the family was able to get out of their mangled van without serious injuries, but the occupants of vehicles involved in train accidents are seldom so lucky. In most cases, the occupants of any type of vehicle that is struck by a train are either killed or suffer very serious injuries. These injuries can result in medical expenses that quickly climb into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

If you or someone you care for has been involved in a St. Louis train accident, the experienced train accident attorneys at the St. Louis personal injury law firm Page Cagle may be able to help. After a case evaluation with their skilled St. Louis train accident lawyers, they will launch an immediate investigation into the accident and work hard to help you receive the compensation you deserve for your loss or injuries. To speak with the experienced St. Louis personal injury attorneys at Page Cagle, call them today at 866-620-5757. You can find more information by going to www.railroadaccidentlawgroup.com.

A recent report in The Record claims that a St. Clair County woman has filed a Missouri premises liability lawsuit against a grocery store and an ice company for injuries she received when she slipped on melted ice and fell. The injured woman filed the lawsuit in St. Clair County Court on May 1, 2009, in connection with the slip and fall accident which allegedly occurred on June 6, 2007. The complaint claims that ice had melted on the supermarket floor after an employee of the ice company had stocked bags of ice in a freezer, and ice cubes had dropped from one or more of the bags. The complaint also claims that the ice company employee and employees of the supermarket:

• Failed to mop up the melted ice
• Failed to display warning signs of the wet floor
• Failed to warn the woman of the presence of water on the floor
• Failed to adequately inspect the floor

The woman claims that the fall caused injuries to her neck, back, spine, arms, elbows, right shoulder, torso, knees, legs, right ankle and right foot, and strains to her right interior cruciate ligament and right posterior cruciate ligament. As a result of this slip and fall accident in Missouri, the woman claims that she incurred medical costs, the use and function of her injured body parts have been substantially impaired, and she has been unable to enjoy some of her favorite activities.

Slip and fall accidents often result in broken bones, deep bruising, back injuries, and other debilitating injuries. It is the responsibility of property owners to protect people who are lawfully on their property from injuries resulting from hazardous conditions that they knew about or should have known about.

If you or someone you care for has been injured in a St. Louis slip and fall accident, the premises liability attorneys at personal injury law firm Page Cagle may be able to help. They can help injured people hold property owners responsible for the negligence that caused the injuries and prevent others from being injured. Call the injury lawyers at Page Cagle today toll free at 866-620-5757 to schedule a free consultation with experienced St. Louis personal injury lawyers. You can find more information related to this topic at www.injuredclient.com.

It has been reported in stltoday.com story that the Missouri Legislature recently passed a bill that makes it illegal for anyone 21 years of age or younger to text while driving. The article claims that Illinois lawmakers are considering similar legislation in the very near future that will ban people of any age from composing or sending text messages, browsing the Internet, or downloading from a phone while driving a vehicle. The sponsor of the Missouri bill, Sen. Ryan McKenna, D-Crystal City, said that he has seen many people come close to Missouri car accidents because they were texting while driving.

Recent cases across the country where pedestrians and bicyclists died after being struck by drivers who were distracted by reading or composing texts spurred the legislation. "It's become so much a part of their life that they don't even think about it," said Illinois state Sen. Pam Althoff, R-Crystal Lake, a co-sponsor of the bipartisan bill in that state. “They need to understand that they're driving this 2,000-pound vehicle, and it could do significant damage as they're texting."

Personal communication devices represent another distraction for drivers, which make our roads more dangerous for other drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians. Under the new Missouri legislation, if someone is struck and injured or killed by a vehicle driven by someone under 21 years old distracted by sending or reading text messages, the driver may face additional criminal charges for that act. This new legislation will also make it easier for proving negligence in a motor vehicle accident claim brought by the victim or victim’s family.

If you or someone you care for has been injured or killed by a driver texting while operating a motor vehicle, call the Missouri personal injury law firm, Page Cagle. These skilled St. Louis auto accident attorneys can help hold those responsible for the accident and help you receive the compensation you deserve for injuries and damage you have suffered. To schedule a free consultation with experienced Missouri personal injury attorneys, call Page Cagle today at 866-620-5757. You can find more information by visiting www.injuredclient.com.