Missouri Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

Texting is a major source of distraction for drivers that can easily result in a collision with a pedestrian, motorcyclist, or other vehicle, and, in fact, very few determined Missouri pedestrian accident attorneys have never handled a distracted-driving case. However, “distracted walking,” caused when pedestrians are absorbed in texting or smartphone use, can also cause serious injuries.

According to the results of one study from the University of Washington, about one in every four pedestrians engages in “distracted walking” at any given time. As many as 74 percent fail to follow the basic safety rules for crossing a street, such as checking to make sure the “walk” signal is activated and looking both ways for oncoming traffic.

Continue reading "Study: Texting While Walking Can Also Cause Pedestrian Accidents" »

Pedestrian accidents are far too common, especially in urban areas in Missouri and other states. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), pedestrian crashes claim over 5,000 lives and cause over 100,000 injuries each year. Approximately 15 percent of all traffic-related deaths in the U.S. each year involve pedestrians.

Children under age 18 are at the greatest risk of death or serious injury in a pedestrian accident, according to an NHTSA study. Although children make up only 29 percent of the population and only 20 percent of those involved in pedestrian accidents, they account for over 42 percent of those who suffer fatal injuries in a pedestrian crash. A child's smaller size makes him or her both more likely not to be seen by a driver and more likely to be severely injured when hit by a vehicle. Pedestrian accidents are the most common accidental cause of death to children in the U.S.

Although children are the most likely to be killed in a pedestrian crash, adults ages 18 to 65 and senior citizens are also very vulnerable to accidents. Working adults are involved in about 57 percent of pedestrian accidents annually, but account for only about 49 percent of those who are killed. Senior citizens, meanwhile, suffer 22 percent of the pedestrian accidents each year but die in only about 9 percent of them. Senior citizens are more likely than healthy adults to suffer serious injuries, however.

Pedestrian accidents can cause severe injuries and even death. If you or someone you love has been injured in a pedestrian accident, please don't hesitate to call the experienced Missouri pedestrian accident attorneys at Page Law. We will help you piece together the facts and fight to hold any negligent parties accountable for their actions. For a free and confidential case evaluation, call us today at (314) 322-8515.

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) collects and analyzes accident data for a wide range of vehicle-related accidents, including pedestrian accidents. In 2009, the most recent year for which data analysis has been completed, the MoDOT found that most of the pedestrian accidents that year occurred when a traffic signal changed, but drivers did not pause to check for pedestrians before removing their feet from the brake pedal.

MoDOT Pedestrian Crash Statistics

According to the MoDOT data, a total of 291 pedestrians were injured or killed in Missouri pedestrian-car crashes in 2009. Of these, 127 accidents, or 44 percent of the total, occurred immediately along with or after a traffic signal change. Often, these types of accidents occur when a driver is paying more attention to the light than the roadway around the car. The driver may see the light turn green and step on the gas without realizing that a pedestrian is still in the crosswalk. Drivers who attempt to turn right or left may also risk hitting pedestrians, who have often been given a “walk” signal at the same time.

Additional Pedestrian Accident Causes

Other major causes of pedestrian accidents included pedestrians standing in the roadway, walking on the shoulder of the road, or standing or walking between parked cars. Since pedestrians can usually be expected to stand or walk near a road especially when sidewalks are not available, drivers can help prevent pedestrian accidents by keeping in mind these common pedestrian behaviors and checking twice for people in or near the road, especially before making a turn or passing through an intersection.

Next Steps

Pedestrian accidents can cause serious injuries. The experienced Missouri pedestrian injury accident attorneys at Page Law can help you piece together the facts after an accident and hold any negligent parties accountable for their actions. To learn more, please call Page Law today at 314-322-8515 for a free consultation or visit our Page Law Facebook page.

A missing person search in Pulaski County ended recently with the discovery that the missing man had been killed in a hit-and-run accident that knocked him over a bridge rail, according to a recent news release from KOLR Channel 10.

The search began Monday, July 11, after the man had failed to turn up Sunday as expected. Police finally tracked the 53-year-old down using a GPS signal that pinpointed the location of the man’s cell phone, which was revealed to be somewhere below the Veterans’ Bridge on Missouri Route 28. Upon arriving at the scene, rescue workers found the man’s body under the bridge.

A preliminary investigation revealed that the man, a Waynesville resident, most likely died late Sunday night or early Sunday morning, July 10. It appears that he had been walking along the bridge when a vehicle struck him, then left the scene. The accident pushed the pedestrian over the bridge’s railing, and the 40-foot drop to the river below appears to be the event that took his life.

Even though pedestrians can be difficult to see at night, drivers still have a responsibility to drive carefully to avoid hitting anyone. Safety measures to avoid nighttime pedestrian accidents include driving more slowly, using the car’s headlights, and avoiding intoxicating substances. If you or someone you love has been injured in a pedestrian accident in Missouri, the experienced pedestrian accident attorneys in St. Louis at Page Law can help. Call us today at 314-322-8515 for a confidential consultation.

A Missouri pedestrian car crash occurred on Tuesday, July 12, 2011, according to news-leader.com. The pedestrian was a worker for the Missouri Department of Transportation and was apparently working on the road when the accident occurred. The crash happened on Route 141 near Fenton, Missouri. According to the report, the man walked out in front of the car and was struck.

The pedestrian was taken to a nearby hospital with serious injuries. The driver of the car was not injured in the crash. Police say that this appears to be an accident and that the driver of the car did not appear to be at fault for the crash.

However, the fact that the driver did not do anything wrong is not necessarily the end of the matter with regard to a civil case. The determination of whether the driver could be held liable for the pedestrian’s injury will depend on several things. Most important of those is whether the driver was aware of the worker’s presence and attempting to proceed safely past him.

If the driver had slowed down and the pedestrian simply walked out in front of the car by accident, then the driver will most likely not be liable. If, however, the driver was going too fast to be able to stop when the pedestrian walked out in front of him, liability could be apportioned differently.

This seems on its face to be a tragic accident, but if either party is interested in bringing suit for injuries sustained in the crash, then they will need to consult a Missouri pedestrian crash lawyer to determine whether the facts of the case can support a lawsuit. If you are in a similar position, call the St. Louis car crash attorneys at Page Law at 314-322-8515.

A 15-year-old Independence girl lost her life when she was struck by a car recently on I-470, according to a recent article in The Kansas City Star.

The young woman was riding in a truck with two friends and her 10-year-old sister to a campground on Lake Jacomo. The group was planning a camping trip to celebrate the 10-year-old’s birthday. While the truck was traveling along I-470, however, some of the campers’ gear fell out of the truck bed. The 15-year-old went to retrieve the gear and was struck by a pickup truck traveling in the opposite direction, which killed her instantly, according to medical personnel.

The truck that crashed into the young woman was driven by a 19-year-old Raymore man. He says he didn’t see her until it was too late, since he had just come over the edge of a hill that obstructed his view. Police are still investigating the Missouri pedestrian accident, as they do whenever a collision takes someone’s life.

Any life lost is a tragedy, and family members who lose a loved one in a car crash or pedestrian accident may struggle to pull their lives back together. While monetary compensation cannot turn back time, it can help the family meet medical bills, funeral expenses, lost wages, and other costs associated with a loved one’s death when another driver’s negligence costs a family member their life.

If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in a pedestrian accident, please don’t hesitate to contact the experienced Missouri pedestrian accident lawyers at Page Law. For a free consultation, call us today at 314-322-8515.

According to a news report from KMBC, a 25-year-old nanny suffered severe injuries after a runaway truck hit her. At the time of the accident, the nanny was pushing a child in a stroller. They were taking a walk in a Kansas City neighborhood. With only seconds to react to the truck barreling toward her, the nanny shoved the stroller out of harm’s way, suffering the full impact of the pedestrian accident herself.

Immediately after the accident, the young woman was in intense pain, but found herself screaming for someone to tell her what had happened to the infant. She remembers handing her cell phone to a bystander who ran to help, begging them to call the child’s parents and make sure she was okay. Apart from being a bit rattled, the child made it through the accident unharmed.

The young woman is now recuperating from the injuries she suffered in the car accident, including multiple broken bones. She has had 11 surgeries to repair the damage, and faces a long road of rehabilitation and therapy until she recovers her health. Family and friends have set up a fund to pay for her medical expenses in the meantime.

When a car collides with a pedestrian, the resulting injuries can be severe. If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident or pedestrian accident, the experienced Missouri car pedestrian accident attorneys at Page Law can help. To discuss your case with us, call Page Law today at 314-322-8515.

A pedestrian and motorcyclist both sustained serious injuries in an accident on I-270E late into the night of June 7, 2011, according to a report on ksdk.com. The crash happened when the pedestrian was standing outside of her pick-up truck on the side of the highway. While the motorcyclist slowed while passing the pedestrian, another pick-up truck rammed into him from behind, throwing him from his motorcycle. The other pick-up truck then hit the pedestrian.

Approximate site of the accident:

Police say that both victims were taken to nearby hospitals where they remain in serious condition. The driver of the other pick-up truck was not injured in the crash.

It can be extremely dangerous for pedestrians on a highway. In 2009, statistics from the state of Missouri indicated that more pedestrian fatalities occurred when pedestrians were on a highway or interstate than when pedestrians were involved in accidents on city streets. The number of fatalities is high especially considering that those sorts of crashes account for less than 15% of the total pedestrian-involved traffic crashes.

It is clear that the difference between the statistics comes from the difference in speed at which vehicles are traveling on normal roads versus the speed that they are traveling on highways or the interstate. The danger to pedestrians on the interstate has motivated numerous states to create laws requiring drivers to pull into the left lane on the interstate or slow down when there is a parked car on the shoulder. These laws are specifically aimed at protecting law enforcement officers because they are often parked on the side of highways assisting motorists or writing tickets.

Call 314-322-8515 to talk to the St. Louis pedestrian car accident lawyers at Page Law for a free consultation.

Source: http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/262205/3/Two-hurt-seriously-in-collision-with-truck-in-north-county

Four South County children were struck by a car this morning as they walked to school. According to a statement released by the school district, the kids were all students of the Bayless School District, and were, in fact, two pairs of brothers. The students range in age from grades 2 through 10.

At the time of the collision, all four boys were walking on the sidewalk, obeying all traffic signals, and almost at their school when a motorist lost control of his car, ramped onto the sidewalk, and struck all four boys. All it takes is one moment of lapsed attention to turn a daily walk to school into a day spent suffering in the hospital.

I’ve mentioned before that car “accidents” don’t exist. Distracted drivers make a conscious choice to answer a phone, to look out the window, to discipline their children. Their attention is not where is should be, and they lose control of their vehicle. People these days drive so much and so often that they forget what they are actually doing is operating a two-ton machine. With every decision, with every second at the wheel, they are holding their passengers’, the surrounding pedestrians,’ and their own life in their hands. Auto collisions are the leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States today.

The next time you’re cruising down the highway, changing the radio, and telling your kids to quiet down, remember that you’re balancing your life on four tires no wider than a sheet of paper. My high school driving instructor made that analogy, and remembering it has always helped me to be a cautious and vigilant driver.

A pedestrian accident like this morning’s is even more appalling when you consider that the motorist was likely on his morning commute. He has probably driven that road near the school campus hundreds of times and was perfectly aware that there were children around. Even in the surprise snow storm, his momentarily lapsed attention to the road (and those children) surely caused the collision, and four school boys were rushed to the nearest hospital with broken bones.

If you or your child has been the victim of a pedestrian accident in Missouri, contact the experienced pedestrian accident attorneys at Page Law, LLC today. Every claim is different, and a talented car accident lawyer can inform you of your rights, your legal options, and your medical options. Call Page Law today for a free consultation of your claim at (314) 241-2273 today. A live person will be available to take your call 24 hours a day.

For the third time in less than two weeks, the St. Louis metro area has been the scene of a fatal pedestrian accident. The first occurred in Tower Grove Park. A woman in her 60s was walking her dog when she was struck by what the police believe was an inebriated man. He and the passenger of the car fled the scene only to be apprehended a few days later. The woman, critically injured, was rushed to the hospital and died from her injuries a few days later.

The same week, a woman walking alone in the Midtown area was struck and killed as she crossed the street. Her death was actually preceded by two other fatal pedestrian accidents this winter at the same intersection. Local residents are petitioning to have a crosswalk placed. This woman, too, was the victim of a hit and run.

This week, another St. Louis area pedestrian has died due the carelessness of our motorists. An elderly man was struck and killed Monday night as he crossed the street in Godfrey, IL. Fortunately, the driver who caused this accident stayed at the scene. Police say they suspect had no malicious motives, but simply careless driving.

If you or someone you love has been the victim of a Missouri driver’s carelessness, contact an experienced St. Louis pedestrian accident lawyer at Page Law today. Negligence can be hard to prove in a pedestrian accident claim, so enlist the help of an attorney who has experience and a strong record with pedestrian accidents. Call today for a free consultation. There is never an obligation. Call 314-241-2273.

Another hit-and-run car accident in St. Louis this weekend sent shock waves through the city. Last Thursday, a 62 year-old woman was walking her dog near Tower Grove Park when she was struck by an allegedly intoxicated driver who fled the scene. She remains in critical condition. Luckily, the police have apprehended a suspect.

Saturday night, another woman was the victim of a hit and run this weekend in Midtown. She was alone as she exited a nightclub and crossed the street. An unidentified driver in a car with no current description struck and killed her. There were no witnesses to help police fill in the details. The fatal pedestrian accident happened at Grand and Montgomery.

Unfortunately, this intersection is apparently of very unsafe design. Just this January, two other women were struck and killed at the same intersection.

St. Louis has experienced a rash of hit and run collisions and wrongful death accidents this week. If you have lost someone you love because of someone else’s careless actions, contact the St. Louis wrongful death lawyers at Page Law. Our firm understands that nothing can ever replace the person you lost, but our attorneys for wrongful death will tirelessly pursue the highest possible settlement for your claim. Contact Page Law today for a free consultation with no obligation by calling (314) 322-8515.

If you enjoyed reading our blog post, you should follow and like Page Law on Facebook.

Police in Waynesville are looking for a hit-and-run driver after a car versus pedestrian accident in Missouri, which killed a 51-year-old woman. Officials say that the woman was found lying along the roadside on Highway 17 North. The vehicle that hit her did not stop at the scene of the accident. She was rushed to a local hospital, but did not survive her injuries.

Leaving the scene of an accident is a serious crime under Missouri law. Under Missouri Revised Statutes section 577.060.1.: "A person commits the crime of leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident when being the operator or driver of a vehicle on the highway or on any publicly or privately owned parking lot or parking facility generally open for use by the public and knowing that an injury has been caused to a person or damage has been caused to property, due to his culpability or to accident, he leaves the place of the injury, damage or accident without stopping and giving his name, residence, including city and street number, motor vehicle number and driver's license number, if any, to the injured party or to a police officer, or if no police officer is in the vicinity, then to the nearest police station or judicial officer."

Continue reading "Missouri Fatal Pedestrian Hit-and-Run Accident" »

A report card recently released by Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety says Missouri has done a reasonable job of enforcing state traffic laws and protecting drivers. But the report card also states that Missouri lawmakers have some work to do in order to save lives on the road. According to a KY3 report, the advocacy group grades each state based on 15 laws addressing teen driving, distracted driving, drunk driving and the required use of seatbelts, child booster seats and motorcycle helmets.

Where does Missouri stand? On a scale of green to red, Missouri is a yellow. The state has continued its requirement of motorcycle helmets and booster seat laws. Lawmakers have also fixed the state's graduated licensing law for teens. However, to move to the next level, state lawmakers must adopt an all-driver texting ban, advocates say. Right now, Missouri only bans texting for drivers under 21 years of age. There are five bills that have been proposed to ban texting for all drivers. The report card also puts a new emphasis on tougher ignition interlock laws for convicted drunk drivers.

Continue reading "Missouri Lawmakers Have Need to Toughen Traffic Laws, Report States" »

Pedestrian accidents can cause some of the most serious injuries seen in auto accidents, posing a tremendous and unfortunate risk of wrongful death, especially when vehicles traveling at high speeds are involved. The impact of a pedestrian either hitting concrete, the vehicle itself, or any other object near or on the road or sidewalk, can be enough to inflict catastrophic head injuries, spinal injuries, and other severe injuries.

A recent pedestrian accident has sadly taken the life of an 83-year-old man in St. Louis. According to reports, the elderly man stepped in front of a vehicle driven by a 17-year-old young man who was traveling on Virginia Avenue around noon on September 14, 2009. The elderly man hit the windshield of the car after being struck and was pronounced dead at the hospital.

It is not known at this time whether the teenage driver will be charged for the pedestrian’s death; however, police were reported as saying that they didn’t expect such charges to be filed. Fortunately, the driver stayed at the scene of the auto accident and cooperated with police, otherwise, circumstances for facing charges may have been different. Some may argue that one of the causes of this auto accident was driver inexperience in addition to other feasible factors.

Continue reading "St. Louis Pedestrian Accident Kills Elderly Man" »

According to a recent report, on Wednesday, July 29, a 5-year-old boy crossing the street was struck and killed by a car going 10-15 mph. Apparently the young boy was in a hurry to catch up with some of his friends when he was hit. Police are ruling this incident an accident and the driver of the vehicle is not facing charges at this time. What concerns law enforcement, however, is why the young child was unsupervised in the first place. The pedestrian accident in Missouri occurred at 7:45 pm along Livingston Avenue in St. Ann.

The Missouri Department of Transportation’s 2007 traffic crash report indicates that there were 42 fatalities and 240 injures in pedestrian accidents in Missouri. That means that out of all the fatal traffic accidents in the state, 11.3% involved pedestrian deaths. On a more positive note however, the study reported that pedestrian fatalities decreased 18% during the one year period of 2007 to 2006.

Considering that 76% of pedestrian fatalities and 43.5% of pedestrian injuries in 2007 took place during the hours of darkness, both pedestrians and drivers have a serious responsibility to use extreme caution and awareness when traveling. If you are walking at night, remember to avoid wearing dark clothing and do not trust that a vehicle’s driver sees you.

Continue reading "Missouri Pedestrian Accident Kills 5 Year Old Boy" »

A car veered onto a sidewalk, striking two Cahokia teens, killing one and injuring another as they were walking to a friend’s house. According to this report, an 18-year-old male and 17-year-old female were walking between the 700 and 800 blocks of Falling Springs Road near Cahokia around 7:50 in the evening when a car left the road and traveled along the sidewalk where it struck the 18-year-old male victim. Cahokia Police officials are still investigating the car accident in Illinois, but reports state that the vehicle dragged the male victim about 100 feet until the car hit a tree.

The female victim sustained bone fractures and received treatment at Cardinal Glennon Hospital in St. Louis.

The male victim’s family has been unable to make funeral arrangements because they cannot afford to pay for the costs of a funeral. According to the report, a family friend established a trust for the funeral costs at a local bank.

Law enforcement officials have not issued any charges related to the car accident, but expect to after completion of a report from an accident reconstruction team investigating the incident. It is unknown whether the driver was ill, driving recklessly or under the influence of drugs and alcohol, but the evidence suggests that the driver was negligent in the operation of the vehicle.

Continue reading "Cahokia Car Accident Kills One Teenager, Another Wounded" »