Missouri Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

Tragically, a Missouri man died in a go-kart accident west of Reeds Spring, according to KansasCity.com. The 46-year-old died when his go-kart ran off the road, hit a tree and overturned.

Although accident statistics for all go-kart crashes are not readily available, statistics are available for go-kart accidents that occur at amusement parks. According to SaferParks.org, 40 percent of go-kart accidents occur with kids between the ages of 7 and 12.

Most go-kart accident injuries are caused by collisions with other carts or collisions with stationary objects. Other common types of injuries are abrasions from seatbelts, burns, individuals being hit by go-karts, and accidents while loading or unloading. In addition, some highly publicized accidents in recent years have illustrated the dangers of strangulation of go-kart riders wearing neck scarves or head coverings while riding.

How do you ride safely on a go-kart? First, a child needs training before operating a go-kart alone. Before you allow your child to drive a go-kart, make sure they understand how to operate the kart. Follow all instructions in the owner’s manual. Do not attempt to put two people into a go-kart designed for one. Always fasten your safety belt. Always wear a helmet and protective gear.

Go-karts can be a great deal of fun, but if not operated properly they can be deadly. If you have been injured in a Missouri go-kart accident that you believe was caused by another person’s negligence, contact the St. Louis personal injury attorneys at Page Law at 314-322-8515 today for a free consultation.

The recent death of a Missouri nursing home resident illustrates the importance of carefully choosing a nursing home for your loved one. Back in March, a 71-year-old resident of a Sikeston nursing home was killed when she was struck by a train outside the nursing home. Her son recently sued the nursing home for her death, according to KSPR.

Before entering the nursing home, the woman’s family warned the facility that she would try to leave. Despite the warning, between 2004 and 2010 she left the nursing home without permission 61 times.

Obviously, choosing a nursing home is a very critical decision. You should obtain recommendations from family members, friends, or individuals who work with elderly, such as hospital staff. Once you have made the list of nursing homes you are interested in, there are several websites that track the quality of nursing homes as well as detailed information on staffing, safety procedures and more.

You should then visit each home, or have someone you trust visit the home if you are not living in the area. Is the home well-staffed? Do the residents seem happy? Are there plenty of social or recreation activities? Does the home have availability or is there a waiting list? Does the home have adequate security? These are just some of the questions to ask the home’s director. In addition, it may be helpful to visit each home more than once.

Nursing home abuse and neglect are especially tragic. If you or someone you know has been mistreated by a Missouri nursing home, you have legal rights. Contact the St. Louis nursing home abuse attorneys at Page Law today at 314-322-8515.

There are many reasons why teens are more susceptible to being involved in Missouri car accidents. They are inexperienced behind the wheel, they are more likely to be driving distracted, they may not be wearing seat belts, they may be overconfident in their driving abilities; the list goes on.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) notes that a recent study by the Pew Research Center found that almost half of teens interviewed said they had been a passenger in a motor vehicle when the driver was using a handheld device such as a cell phone to text. One in three teens said they themselves had texted while driving.

Teens also wear their seat belts less frequently than adult drivers. In 2006, a study found that only 76 percent of young adults ages 16 to 24 reported they wore their seat belt regularly, the lowest of any age group surveyed. That same year, 58 percent of young adults ages 16 to 20 that were involved in fatal car accidents weren’t wearing their seat belt.

Many states, Missouri included, have implemented what are called Graduated Driver Licensing Systems, commonly referred to as GDL systems. The aim of GDL systems is to ease teen drivers onto roadways by controlling their exposure to difficult driving situations by essentially prolonging the learning process, with the aim of reducing the occurrence of wrongful death traffic accidents involving teen drivers. The GDL programs generally consist of three stages; the learner’s permit, the intermediate or provisional license, and eventually full licensure. Teen drivers are required to demonstrate the necessary responsible driving behaviors at each stage before progressing to the next stage.

Teens must be aware of the potential risks of distracted driving and how these dangers can be avoided. The Missouri car accident attorneys at Page Law encourage parents to talk with their teens about safe driving practices and the dangers of driving distracted and not wearing a seat belt.

On Sunday, October 17, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the start of National Teen Driver Safety Week, which lasts until Sunday, October 24. The week is aimed at raising awareness of the dangers of inexperienced teen drivers and strives to educate both parents and teens on teen driver safety.

Car accidents are the leading cause of fatalities for American teens, age 15 to 19, and comprises 35 percent of teen deaths overall in America. Teens are involved in three times as many fatal car accidents as all other drivers.

In 2008, there were 3,752 teens killed in car crashes. That same year, 4,457 teen drivers were involved in wrongful death car accidents. 692 of those deaths were because of distracted driving by a teen, which is about 16 percent. Overall in 2008, 4,965 people were killed in fatal auto collisions with a teen driver; 795 of those deaths were due to a distracted teen driver, or about 16 percent.

In Missouri, teen drivers make up only nine percent of all Missouri drivers, and yet are involved in approximately 23 percent of all fatal traffic accidents.

In honor of National Teen Driver Safety Week, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is offering a new teen driving safety guide, Road Wise, to help both parents and teens understand Missouri’s Graduated Driver Licensing program as well as good safety tips to help make learning how to drive a safe experience for everyone. The guide also includes a log to practice driving time with parents, which is required in order to obtain a Missouri learner’s permit.

Copies of Road Wise are available at the Department of Revenue, State Highway Patrol offices and driver education classrooms. You can also request a copy by calling Highway Safety at 1-800-800-BELT or fill out an order form.

In this video, Missouri car crash injury lawyer John Page discusses how insurance companies try to get rid of cars involved in accidents and what can be done to preserve this crucial evidence. At Page Law, our lawyers hire investigators to find the cars, keep them in their current state, and take photos of them for evidence before they are gotten rid of.

Sadly, a Missouri man was killed in a skydiving accident in Vandalia, Illinois, according to OzarksFirst.com.

A 24-year-old man from Maryland Heights, Missouri, was set to make a 15 second freefall from a plane. The jump was his third solo jump of the day. While relatively new to the sport of skydiving, he had still made almost 10 skydiving jumps in the past. According to a witness, his parachute simply fluttered to the ground without opening. He fell almost 6,500 feet. The coroner believes his parachute deployed but not in time to inflate.

Officials are investigating the accident. Under normal conditions, a backup device is supposed to release a parachute in the event the jumper cannot open the main parachute on their own.

Continue reading " Missouri Man Dies in Skydiving Accident " »

A small airplane crashed in Springfield, tragically killing one woman and seriously injuring another, according to KY3.com.

The Missouri aviation accident occurred during landing. Witnesses saw the plane touch down and then begin another pass, but then hit the ground. The plane was immediately engulfed in flames. Witnesses were able to pull one woman out of the plane, and the pilot was also able to escape the wreckage.

The plane, a Grumman Cheetah, has a reputation for being prone to accidents because of the lack of power to climb, particularly if the plane is overloaded. The plane that crashed was built in 1975, but according to experts the age of an airplane does not make a difference in safety, as long as it is properly maintained. Investigators for the FAA and NTSB studied the crash site following the accident. However, it will most likely take months for a report detailing what happened in the crash to be released.

The pilot was released from the hospital the day after the accident. One passenger remains in serious condition in the hospital’s burn unit.

Continue reading " Missouri Plane Crash Kills One, Injures Another " »

There are two types of justice systems in the United States: the criminal system and the civil system. If you have been in a Missouri car crash or other type of accident that was caused by another person’s negligence, your case would apply to the civil system. In this video, St. Louis personal injury lawyer John Page talks about the differences between the two justice systems.